Airport type Public 03L/21R 14,495 Elevation 1,680 m Passenger count 20,375,626 | Elevation AMSL 5,558 ft / 1,694 m Code JNB Phone +27 11 921 6262 Yearly aircraft movements 224,191 | |
 | ||
Serves Johannesburg, South Africa
Pretoria, South Africa Location Kempton Park, Ekurhuleni, Gauteng, South Africa Hub for Airlink
Comair
FlySafair
South African Airways
South African Express
Mango
Kulula Address O R Tambo Airport Rd, Johannesburg, 1627, South Africa Owner Airports Company South Africa Profiles | ||
O. R. Tambo International Airport (IATA: JNB, ICAO: FAOR) (ORTIA) is a major international airport in Kempton Park, Ekurhuleni, Gauteng, South Africa, near the city of Johannesburg and, to a lesser extent, the executive capital Pretoria. It serves as the primary airport for domestic and international travel to/from South Africa and is Africa's busiest airport with a capacity to handle up to 28 million passengers annually with non-stop flights to all continents except Antarctica. The airport is the hub of South Africa's largest international and domestic carrier, South African Airways (SAA), and a number of smaller local airlines. The airport handled a total of 18 million passengers in 2014.
Contents
- History
- Airport information
- Runways
- South African Airways
- Developments
- Terminals
- Passenger
- Traffic and statistics
- Other buildings
- Renaming
- Rail transit
- Car
- Bus
- Accidents and incidents
- References
It was originally known as Jan Smuts International Airport (hence the airport's former ICAO code, "FAJS"), after South Africa's former prime minister of that name. The airport was renamed Johannesburg International Airport in 1994 when the newly reformed South African government implemented a national policy of not naming airports after politicians. The policy was however reversed later, and the airport renamed again on 27 October 2006 after Oliver Tambo, a former President of the African National Congress.
History
The airport was founded in 1952 as "Jan Smuts Airport", two years after his death, near the town of Kempton Park on the East Rand. It displaced the "Palmietfontein International Airport", which had handled European flights since 1945.
It was used as a test airport for the Concorde during the 1970s, to determine how the aircraft would perform while taking off and landing at high altitude. During the 1980s, many countries stopped trading with South Africa because of the United Nation sanctions imposed against South Africa in the struggle against apartheid, and many international airlines had to stop flying to the airport. These sanctions also resulted in South African Airways being refused rights to fly over most African countries, and in addition to this, the risk of flying over some African countries was emphasised by the shooting down of two passenger aircraft over Rhodesia (Air Rhodesia Flight 825 and 827), forcing them to fly around the "bulge" of Africa. This required specially-modified aircraft like the Boeing 747SP. Following the ending of apartheid, the airport's name, and that of other international airports in South Africa, were changed and these restrictions were lifted.
The airport overtook Cairo International Airport in 1996 as the busiest airport in Africa and is the fourth-busiest airport in the Africa–Middle East region after Dubai International Airport, Hamad International Airport and Abu Dhabi International Airport. In fiscal year 2010, the airport handled 8.82 million departing passengers.
On 26 November 2006, the airport became the first in Africa to host the Airbus A380. The aircraft landed in Johannesburg on its way to Sydney via the South Pole on a test flight.
Airport information
O. R. Tambo International Airport is a hot and high airport. Situated almost 1,700 metres (5,500 feet) above mean sea level, the air is thin. This means some aircraft must reduce weight by loading less fuel than they would otherwise. The thinner air is also the reason for the longer than usual runways. On some routes such as to North America, it means flights from Johannesburg need to refuel en-route while the return flight originating from a lower altitude airport can upload enough fuel to reach Johannesburg non-stop.
O. R. Tambo International Airport is one of the few airports in the world that has non-stop flights to all six inhabited continents (others include Dubai International Airport, Abu Dhabi International Airport and Doha International Airport).
On 10 January 2013 the airport's ICAO code was changed from FAJS to FAOR.
Runways
There are two parallel north–south runways and a disused cross runway. The western runway, 03L/21R, is over 4400 m (14,000 ft) long, making it one of the world's longest international airport runways. Fully laden aircraft require a far greater length of runway to achieve take-off velocity at this altitude. Both runways are equipped with Instrument Landing Systems (ILS). Furthermore all runways are equipped with Approach Lighting Systems with sequenced flashers, and touchdown zone (TDZ) lighting. Runway 03R/21L is 3,400m (11,155 ft) long and is also equipped at both ends with ILS, ALS with sequenced flashers, and TDZ lighting. The airport used to have a third runway but this was closed due to the danger it posed. It is now a taxiway.
During busy periods, outbound flights use the western runway for take-off, while inbound flights use the eastern runway for landing. Wind factors may cause numerous variations, but on most days flights will take off to the north and land from the south.
South African Airways
O. R. Tambo International Airport used to serve as grounds for the South African Airways Museum. This room full of South African Airways memorabilia was started by two fans of the airline as a temporary location until they could set it up in one of Jan Smuts International's buildings in 1987. The museum has since relocated to Rand Airport (FAGM).
Developments
Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) reported that major new developments took place at the airport, in preparation for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The development includes expansion of the international terminal, with the new international pier (opened in 2009), which includes gates for the Airbus A380 and increased capacity at the same time. A new Central Terminal building, designed by Osmond Lange Architects and Planners, was completed on April 1, 2009. An additional multi-storey parkade was built in January 2010, at a cost of R470 million opposite the Central Terminal Building, plus Terminal A was also upgraded and the associated roadways realigned to accommodate more International Departures space.
The Central Terminal Building (CTB) (cost: R2 billion) boosted passenger capacity at the landside of the terminal in 3 levels, and allows direct access from international and domestic terminals. Additional luggage carousels were added on March 12, 2010 to accommodate the Airbus A380. Arrivals are accommodated on Level 1, with departures expanded on Level 3; Level 2 accommodates further retail and commercial activities. The Gautrain Rapid Rail Link station is above the terminal.
The new International Pier (cost: R535 million) has increased international arrivals and departures capacity in a two-storey structure with nine additional airside contact stands, four of which are Airbus A380 compatible. Air bridges are already in place and the existing duty-free mall will be extended into this area. Additional lounges and passenger-holding areas will be constructed on the upper level.
A second terminal between the two runways has been cancelled. It would have contained its own domestic and international check-in facilities, contact stands, shops and lounges and was projected to cost R8 billion. Growth at the airport is expected to reach 24 million passengers per annum by 2015.
In November 2009, Air France announced the scheduled flights of their Airbus A380 into the airport. These flights commenced on February 17, 2010, initially thrice weekly, now daily. Lufthansa started twice-weekly A380 flights into Johannesburg on 12 September 2010 and now operates the A380 daily into Johannesburg. Emirates Airlines started a daily A380 service to Johannesburg in October 2011, replacing one of their 3 daily 777-300ER flights, which was cancelled on March 24, 2012. British Airways started A380 services into the airport on February 27, 2014 and, as of January 2015, operates the aircraft daily alongside a daily 747 service. As of February 2017, Emirates will upgrade one of its 4 daily flights to A380. As of November 2016, Etihad Airways operates B787-9 daily from its Abu Dhabi hub.
Terminals
There are six terminals at the airport, but these can be broken down into three major areas: the international terminals; the domestic terminals; and the transit terminals. The transit terminal housed disused parts of the old domestic terminals. It has been mostly demolished to build a new Central Terminal that will provide an indoor link between domestic and international terminals, as well as a central passenger check-in area and more gates. It was constructed for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Terminals A1 and A2 handle international passengers while the other two terminals handle domestic passengers. Due to the airport's design, departure and arrivals terminals are considered separate terminals. The Central Terminal that is under construction will be named Terminal A3 and it will be used for both international and domestic passengers. The airline Mango has its head office on the mezzanine level of the Domestic Departure Terminal.
The two terminals, Terminal A and Terminal B, have been restructured. Several airlines now use Terminal B for all check-ins (top floor, adjacent to the arrivals atrium), for both national and international flights. The airlines that moved check-in to Terminal B include SAA, SA Airlink, SA Express, Air Mauritius, and Qantas.
Terminals A and B boast over 140 retail stores. The Duty Free stores are based airside in Terminal A and many of them stock products exclusively available at the airport. At O.R. Tambo International Airport, stores open daily from 06:00 to 22:00. These extended hours even apply to the banks, the pharmacy, the post office and bureau de change, as well as the hairdresser, the dry-cleaners and the spa. Airport shopping facilities, promotions and events can be accessed via www.saairports.com.
There is also a 24-hour travel clinic, with medical staff available 24 hours a day. The airport's police station also operates around the clock.
The ample parking available at O. R. Tambo International Airport has recently been revamped and the introduction of state-of-the-art technology now allows visitors to identify available parking spaces easily, and the parking’s trusted safety features ensure that safety standards at the airports are continually upheld. The launch of credit card paying options at the parking ticket kiosks has also been widely welcomed. Parking can be pre-booked via OR Tambo Parking.
Passenger
Traffic and statistics
O. R. Tambo International Airport recorded 18.6 million passengers in 2010–2011, up from 17.6 million passengers the year before. Of those passengers, 8 million were international and 9.7 million domestic, with the remainder being classified as "regional" or "unscheduled". 212,918 aircraft traffic movements were recorded; the majority being domestic services. O. R. Tambo International Airport is the busiest airport in South Africa.
Other buildings
South African Airways is headquartered in Airways Park on the grounds of O. R. Tambo International Airport. The building was developed by Stauch Vorster Architects. Airways Park was completed in March 1997 for 70,000,000 Rand. The fourth floor of the West Wing of the Pier Development of O. R. Tambo has the head office of SA Express. Federal Air it's the head office in Hangar 14.
Renaming
In late 2005, a name change was proposed for the airport to "O. R. Tambo International", after former ANC President and anti-apartheid activist Oliver Reginald Tambo, an apparent change to the precedent of neutrally-named airports. The name change was formally announced in the Government Gazette of South Africa on 30 June 2006, allowing a 30-day window for the public to register objections. The name change was implemented on 27 October 2006 with the unveiling of new signs at the airport.
Critics noted the considerable expense involved in renaming the airport, and the decision to use a politician as the name would be obscure, confusing and in some instances, offensive. Corne Mulder of the Freedom Front Plus has stamped the renaming "nothing less than political opportunism and attempts by the ANC government to dodge the true socio-economic issues of the country".
Unnecessary confusion can be caused, for O. R. Tambo is also a district municipality in the Eastern Cape, seated in Mthatha. The town of Mthatha has an international airport known as Mthatha Airport, formerly named the K. D. Matanzima Airport after former Transkei President Kaiser Matanzima.
Rail transit
A transit terminal has been built between the domestic and international terminals. It houses the Gautrain station linking the airport to Sandton, a major business district and a primary tourist area, and, from there, the rest of the Gautrain system.
In September 2006 Gauteng Province contracted Bombardier Transportation for a rail link connecting Johannesburg, Pretoria, and the airport, with construction to begin immediately. The section linking the airport to Sandton in Johannesburg was completed on 8 June 2010 in time for the World Cup. Trains run 90 trips per day and carry an estimated 8000 passengers daily.
Car
The airport is easily accessible by car and it is located in northeast Johannesburg on the R24 Airport Freeway, which can be accessed by the R24 (South Africa) and the R21 highway. The R24 intersects with the R21 near the airport and with the O. R. Tambo Airport Highway. This highway goes through the airport terminals, separating them from the parking bays, but it branches off into two directions: "departures" and "arrivals", and then it rebranches into the intersection. Car rental companies serve the airport, with rental locations located on and off the airport.
Bus
Five bus city lines, operated by Metrobus and Putco, pass through the airport twice a day. The buses are accessible in the morning and the evening, when there are many passengers departing and arriving. There are also private bus lines operating express buses to the CBD of Johannesburg, as well as other locations.