South Africa Plans Airport Refurbishments

South Africa plans airport refurbishments and expansions worth about R21.7 billion (roughly US$1.2 billion) over five years, according to a press briefing given by the then Minister of Transport, Sindisiwe Chikunga, on 5 March 2024. The programme, run by Airports Company South Africa (ACSA), focuses on refurbishing existing terminals, improving efficiency and meeting statutory compliance, with targeted expansions where passenger numbers have outgrown facilities. This article sets out what is planned at each airport, why refurbishment rather than new build is the main strategy, and what Pakistan’s airports can learn from the approach.

Why Refurbishment Comes First

Many airports are tempted to build new terminals when they become crowded. ACSA’s programme shows a different priority: get more out of existing assets first. Refurbishment and reconfiguration usually cost less than new terminals, can be phased around live operations, and deliver benefits sooner.

• Asset availability. Ageing baggage systems, lifts, escalators and boarding bridges cause delays when they fail. Replacing them improves reliability.
• Safety and compliance. Fire systems, structural elements and airside infrastructure must meet current regulations and international standards set through the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
• Passenger experience. Larger lounges, better toilets, clearer circulation and more retail make busy terminals more pleasant.
• Efficiency. Reconfigured layouts can move more passengers through the same building.

OR Tambo International, Johannesburg

OR Tambo is South Africa’s busiest airport and main international hub. Plans include:

Bussing gates, where passengers are taken to remote aircraft stands by bus, are a quick way to add capacity without building new piers and boarding bridges.

Cape Town International

At Cape Town, the priority is reconfiguring the domestic arrivals terminal to meet growing demand. The works include:

• Enlarging the meet-and-greet and baggage reclaim areas
• Expanding the domestic departures lounge
• More retail space and upgraded toilet facilities
• Three additional contact gates with fixed boarding bridges

The realigned runway project at Cape Town is also expected to be completed within the five-year period. Runway realignment is a major civil engineering project, involving earthworks, pavement construction, airfield lighting and navigation aids, typically delivered while the existing runway stays in use.

Regional Airports: George, Chief Dawid Stuurman, King Shaka and King Phalo

George Airport (Western Cape)

Terminal expansion at George was set to start at the earliest opportunity, because passenger numbers had already passed the terminal’s design capacity before the Covid-19 pandemic.

Chief Dawid Stuurman International (Eastern Cape)

The airport serving Gqeberha is to see its terminal expanded within the following one to two years.

King Shaka International (KwaZulu-Natal)

Plans include a hotel at the airport and an expansion of the terminal.

King Phalo Airport (Eastern Cape)

At East London’s airport, the focus is on expanding the departure lounge, relocating the security checkpoint, upgrading toilets, improving retail in the departure lounge, and adding office and lounge space on the first floor.

Designing Better Terminal Space

Many of the planned works, such as larger lounges, bigger reclaim halls and better toilets, are about the quality of space rather than raw capacity. Good terminal design follows a few consistent principles.

Clear, short routes

Passengers should be able to see where they are going. Straight routes, high ceilings, daylight and simple signage reduce stress and help people move quickly from kerb to gate.

Right-sized holding areas

Departure lounges must hold passengers for the busiest hour, not the average one. When seating is short, people crowd corridors and slow down boarding. Expanding holding lounges, as planned at OR Tambo and King Phalo, tackles this directly.

Meeters and greeters

Arrivals halls are often undersized for the families and drivers waiting for passengers. Enlarging meet-and-greet areas, as planned at Cape Town, improves both comfort and safety at peak times.

Toilets and accessibility

Clean, well-located toilets are among the facilities passengers notice most. Upgrades should include accessible toilets, baby-changing rooms and prayer rooms where appropriate, together with step-free routes, lifts and assistance points.

Commercial space

Retail and food outlets improve the passenger experience and earn revenue that helps fund future upgrades. They work best when placed after security, along the main route to the gates, without blocking circulation.

Refurbishment vs New Terminal

Working in a Live Airport

Refurbishing an operating terminal is one of the hardest jobs in construction. Passengers, airlines and security operations must continue while the works go on around them.

Building Systems That Drive Airport Upgrades

Much of an airport refurbishment budget goes into systems passengers rarely notice:

• Baggage handling systems and screening equipment
• HVAC for large, high-volume halls with high occupancy
• Power supply resilience, standby generation and UPS for critical systems
• Fire detection, sprinklers and smoke control in large open spaces
• Lifts, escalators, travelators and boarding bridges
• Wayfinding, flight information displays and IT networks

Funding and Governance

ACSA is a state-owned company that funds much of its capital programme from aeronautical and commercial revenue, such as airport charges, retail, parking and property. Linking investment to revenue gives a strong incentive to prioritise projects that relieve bottlenecks and improve commercial income, such as larger retail areas and hotels, alongside safety and compliance works.

Transparent publication of capital plans, as in the ministerial briefing, also helps contractors, suppliers and airlines prepare. When the industry knows which projects are coming and in what order, it can plan resources, and the operator benefits from better tender competition and fewer delays.

Lessons for Pakistan

Pakistan’s airports, managed largely by the Pakistan Airports Authority, face similar pressures: growing passenger numbers, ageing terminals in some cities and limited budgets. Projects such as the New Gwadar International Airport show the scale of new-build investment, but refurbishment can often deliver faster results.

• Audit existing terminals before committing to new ones.
• Use bussing gates and remote stands for quick capacity gains.
• Upgrade toilets, lounges and circulation, which shape passenger perception most.
• Phase works carefully around live operations.
• Invest in fire safety, power resilience and HVAC, which are essential in Pakistan’s climate.

For more airport design reviews, see our articles on Techo International Airport by Foster + Partners and Senegal’s airport development. ACCO’s construction services cover renovation and upgrading of large public and commercial buildings, priced through an itemised BOQ.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

South Africa’s airport refurbishment plans show a practical, phased approach to growth: fix and reconfigure what exists, add capacity where demand is greatest, and build new facilities such as cargo terminals where they are clearly needed. For airport operators in Pakistan and elsewhere, it is a reminder that the best investment is often in making existing terminals work harder and better.