Airports Company South Africa

Airports Company South Africa was formed in 1993 as a public company and, although majority owned by the South African Government, is legally and financially autonomous and operates under commercial law.

In line with our vision to be a world-leading airport business, Airports Company South Africa has transformed the country’s nine principal airports into world-leading, structurally and functionally advanced, customer-focussed and award winning aviation businesses. As the largest airport authority in Africa, the company owns and operates a network of nine major airports in South Africa, which are:

O. R. Tambo International Airport
Cape Town International Airport
King Shaka International Airport
Upington International Airport
Port Elizabeth International Airport
Bram Fischer International Airport
East London Airport
George Airport
Kimberley Airport

Airports Company South Africa also manages and operates the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai and the Guarulhos International Airport in São Paulo, Brazil.

In 2006, Airports Company South Africa formed part of a consortium that took over the expansion and management of Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai, India. The success of this venture encouraged the Company’s Commercial Services division to seek similar opportunities elsewhere. Such undertakings allow the leveraging of the pool of skills and experience amassed over the years to grow the business and increase shareholder value. Airports Company South Africa, in partnership with the Brazilian company, Invepar, was successful in a bid to manage the development, maintenance and operations of Guarulhos International Airport in São Paulo, Brazil.

Airports Company South Africa’s operation and success also delivers wider socio-economic benefits. It is proud of its contribution to job creation, facilitation of growth in tourism, economic growth as well as the environmentally conscious development.

The three major international flagship airports, namely: O.R. Tambo International Airport, Cape Town International Airport and King Shaka International Airports are critical gateways to South Africa and the continent, with O.R. Tambo International Airport being a strategic hub in the stable.

Below is an overview of the three major international gateways:

O.R Tambo International Airport

O.R. Tambo international Airport is the biggest and busiest airport, not only in South Africa but in the African continent. The airport boasts world class infrastructure having, undergone significant infrastructural developments to cater for the continuous increasing demands from passengers and airlines.

The airport currently processes over 20 million per annum and caters for various codes of large aircraft such as the Airbus A380.

Cape Town International Airport

Cape Town International Airport is the second busiest airport in South Africa and third busiest in Africa. The airport is situated is one of the world most popular tourist and VIP destination. The airport has established a reputation as Africa's premier international award-winning airport, consistently performing among the best in the world for service in its category.

King Shaka International Airport

The King Shaka International Airport in the coastal city of Durban and is the first green-field airport to be built within South Africa in over 50 years. Replacing the Durban International Airport, which was decommissioned as an Airport, King Shaka International handled its first commercial flights on May 1, 2010. The construction and opening of the green-field airport was the result of a ground-breaking co-operative agreement reached between the National Department of Transport, the Provincial Government of KwaZulu-Natal and Airports Company South Africa.

King Shaka International Airport is currently handling over 5 million passengers per year but has the capacity to handle 7.5-million annual passengers.