New runway for Cape Town International Airport gets green light

Cape Town International Airport (CTIA) announced on Wednesday that the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) had granted final approval

for the building of the airport’s new, realigned, runway. This followed the conclusion of the DEA’s appeals process regarding the project. This is a R3.8-billion programme, which will allow the airport to operate aircraft with wingspans of 65 m or more, such as the Airbus A380 Superjumbo.

“The [CTIA] team has worked hard to get us to this point,” highlighted CTIA senior manager corporate affairs Deidre Davids. “We have gone out of our way to engage interested and affected parties and today we celebrate. We remain committed to being a responsible developerupholding all environmental and other requirements and be most mindful of the current water situation [crisis in Cape Town] when we construct.”

“This project is about growth – for the airport, Airports Company South Africa airports and the region as a whole,” she added. “We thank everyone for their ongoing support.”

The project will involve the realignment of the airport’s primary runway, as well as the construction of parallel and rapid exit taxiways. The new runway will be constructed to international specifications and have a length of 3 500 m. The project is intended to increase air access to Cape Town and to the Western Cape Province and allow air passenger and cargo traffic to grow, thereby facilitating increasing tourism and economic growth.

Should they all project processes be finished on schedule, building the runway will start next year.

CTIA is one of nine airports owned and operated by ACSA. Together, these account for more than 80% of South Africa’s commercial air travel, and they make the company the biggest airport operator in Africa.