World AirNews June 2018

AFRICAN
AIRPORTS
AFRICAN
AIRPORTS
the case of the “new” Kenneth Kaunda International Airport, in
Lusaka, which, as we reported in last month’s World Airnews, is
now approaching 80% completion. This is just one of several airports
which are under construction or rehabilitation -- Ndola’s new
airport is another case in review.
Zimbabwe’s construction of its new Victoria Falls Airport seems
to have kick-started a surge of planning to renovate other airports
around the country as its influx of overseas tourists is showing
strong indications of growth.
Moving further northwards, Rwanda’s capital city of Kigali’s
Bugesera International Airport, is on the verge of receiving a US
$765-million facelift which began in August last year with completion
due around the end of December 2019. Work has been divided
into three phases, the first being the construction of new passenger
and cargo terminal infrastructure and a new 3,700-metre long
runway ending with phase three and the opening of a second new
runway and associated infrastructure all part of the Government’s
Vision 2020 plan.
Although Rwanda may be considered to be among the smaller
nations in Africa, its attitude towards civil aviation places it without
doubt up there with the “big boys”. Its government-owned airline,
RwandAir, is a case in point where the government’s investment
rwanda’S capital city
of Kigali’S
bugeSera
international
airport iS on the
verge of receiving
a multi-million
dollar face lift. here
iS an artiSt’S
impreSSion of what
it will looK liKe once
complete
has paid off “big time”. Just a matter of a few years ago, the
airline’s fleet consisted of one or two aging aircraft – today it is a
comparatively large fleet of the latest types. The country now has
a vibrant airline of which it can be justly proud.
A good indication of the role RwandAir plays in its attraction of
visitors to the city and country is its expanding top-class service
feeding a fast-growing and popular destination for conferences
and exhibitions especially covering all aspects of travel, hotel
accommodation, civil aviation et al.
EAST AND CENTRAL AFRICA
Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) positioned just
outside the capital, is the main hub airport in East Africa. It has
recently undergone a completely new terminal infrastructure and
renovation of the damage to another one caused by a disastrous
fire a few years ago. Plans are to build a second runway. It is
home base for its national airline, Kenya Airways which, although
currently extracting itself from a heavy debt, is still ranked as being
among the top African airlines. The airline will open a direct service
to New York in October which is likely to result in a big tourism
influx to the country and cash injection for the airline.
Mombasa’s Moi International Airport (MIA) is Kenya’s second
largest airport and work is expected to start soon on a US $60-million
rehabilitation undertaking involving all of its infrastructure
and the procurement of new Air Traffic Control equipment and
replacement or provision of new navigational aids, as well as the
upgrading of its meteorological service facilities. MIA handles a
large amount of schedule and non-schedule traffic, the majority
serving the many game reserves for which Kenya is world famous.
Kenya is also well-known for its auxiliary facility, Nairobi’s Wilson
Airport, which is home to numerous domestic and regional air
carriers as well as other forms of general aviation. It is one of the
busiest airports of its kind in Africa and handles mainly tourist and
business traffic.
Concurrently Nairobi will host a major conference on airports,
called the Modern Airport Africa Conference on August 20 and 21
and which has already attracted a wide variety of delegates and
organisations, including the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority; the
Tanzanian Civil Aviation Authority; the Federal Airports Authority
of Nigeria; the Sierra Leone Airports Authority; the Kenya Airports
Authority; the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority and the Economic
Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for a start.
ETHIOPIA – ADDIS ABABA
The national airline of this country, Ethiopian Airlines (ET), is
generally considered to be the fastest growing African carrier
having recorded an annual passenger growth of 25%for the past
five years. No guesswork is needed to understand why a completely
new airport well outside the Addis Ababa’s city limits is in the
planning stage to meet an expected passenger handling figure of
25 million – thrice the current figure – within the next few years
and a staggering 80 million within the foreseeable future.
Work on the construction of the new airport is expected to begin
in 2020 for the immense infrastructure and four main runways as
well as an intricate road and rail transport system linking the capital,
Addis Ababa, and the surrounding urban areas.
Also included in what is expected to be a multi-billion dollar price
tag, is the procurement of all the equipment needed for furnishing
the terminal infrastructures such as; the purchase of new Air Traffic
Control equipment and navigation aids, meteorological equipment,
fire and rescue service vehicles and equipment.
In fact is already being described as an “airport city”.
The final cost of the project has yet to be calculated and will
probably only be announced either later this year or early in 2019.
ABIDJAN Côte D’ivoire (Ivory Coast)
The aviation authorities in this West African country have decided
that, in order to handle the increasing number of passengers
travelling to and from the city and its main international airport,
the solution lies underground. As a result, it is investing US
$1,6-billion to construct a Metro railway which will link up with
the airport’s own underground railway and provide a seamless
connection between the two.
Work on the extensive project started last December and it
is expected that it will take at least until the end of next year to
complete.
The price tag includes all the necessary equipment and the costs
involved in the seamless connection of the two rail services.
CONCLUSION
This brief overview of most – but not all – of the airport rehabilitation
and construction work which is being planned or underway
for many of Africa’s major cities is a clear indication that Africa is
indeed experiencing a surge in aviation activity.
As the economic wheels turn so the governments’ need to drive
their national development strategies will drive the need to look
for investment capital all of which will translate into a better life
for all involved.
Take note - the indications show – Africa’s aviation star is on the
rise. Q
worK on the conStruction of the new airport Situated a few KilometreS outSide addiS
ababa iS expected to Start in 2020
planS are afoot to build a Second runway at Jomo Kenyatta international airport
World Airnews | June 2018
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World Airnews | June 2018
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