Info on the move from Durban International Airport to King Shaka International Airport

With less than 2 weeks to go to for the King Shaka international airport to open, the following statement has been released by ACSA to inform the public of the ins and outs of the upcoming move from Durban Airport to the new King Shaka International Airport.

ON THE MOVE

FROM DURBAN INTERNATIONAL TO KING SHAKA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

April to May 2010

As we get close to opening the new King Shaka International Airport (KSIA) on Saturday 1st May 2010 Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) has been fielding many questions from you the public. We do know that you are excited to see this state of the art multi billion rand project but we would like to tell you about some critical information that the public needs to know. This information will issued via radio and print media from now till the opening of King Shaka International Airport.

HOW WILL THE MOVE AFFECT YOU

The move from the old DIA to the new KSIA will certainly have certain teething problems and ACSA is very conscious and is doing all that is possible to plan properly. Part of the plan is to minimise the disruption, confusion, inconvenience and problems to the public as we switch over to the new airport. The move cannot be conducted successfully without the assistance, co-operation and tolerance of the public and airport users.

Close the last week of April 2010 there will be some activity on the public roads when we commence moving some heavy and airport related equipment from DIA to KSIA. To do this successfully and minimise inconvenience we will be working closely with the city and Metro Police to conduct these activities. We plan for this to occur during quieter times of the day so that it does not impact too adversely with the public.

At this stage the anticipation towards the move is gaining major momentum and to ensure we have a seamless switch over on 30th April to 1st May 2010, ACSA would like to ensure that you are kept updated on the move. We believe that the media, travel agents, airlines and the public in general have a role to play to ensure a smooth transition to KSIA. At the same time we would like to assure the public that the service levels at DIA while we prepare to move will be maintained to ensure service excellence which will continue at KSIA.

Please note that all KSIA information will be applicable from 1st May 2010:

KING SHAKA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

AIRPORT OPERATING HOURS

05h00 to 22h00 seven days a week

ACSA Administration

08h00 to 16h30 Monday to Friday

ACSA Permit Office

08h00 to 16h00 Monday to Friday

IMPORTANT TELEPHONE NUMBERS

ACSA Help Desk 032-436-6758
ACSA information (airport) 032-436-6585
Flight information 086-727-7888
Terminal Client Manager 032-436-6544
Switch Board number: 032-436-6000
Parking Management: 032 436 6626
Landside Client Manager 032 436 6608
Car Rental Client Manager 032 436 6034
South African Police Service 032 436 6868
Metered Taxis 032 436 6035

ROAD NETWORK

The airport activity will generate traffic on its roads to and from most areas and it is envisaged that since most people will be using vehicles to gain access to the airport the main access to the airport will be via the N2 Interchange that will lead to and from KSIA. The landside road system at KSIA will serve different categories of traffic, made up of passenger vehicles, airport taxis, limousine services, charter/tour buses, delivery trucks, airline crew buses, etc. The southbound carriageway to the N2 will be tolled by the South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL).

PICK-UP AND DROP-OFF AREAS

The pick-up areas are situated at grade, alongside the piazza, with separate provision for private vehicles and public transport. The drop-off area is situated on the elevated roadway, outside the Departures Hall at the passenger terminal building. The Metro Police will monitor utilization of the drop-off area to ensure that it is not used as a parking area.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

Public transport facilities have been provided within the precinct and cater for both bus and accredited public transport service providers (i.e. metered taxis, tour buses/shuttles, coaches and staff shuttles)

PEDESTRIAN CIRCULATION

Pedestrian movement within the development area is catered for through the provision of sidewalks where significant numbers of pedestrians are anticipated. A conscious effort has been made to minimize conflict between pedestrians and vehicles through the development of a ‘pedestrian sensitive’ traffic routing plan. Where conflicts are large and unavoidable, grade separation of vehicle and pedestrian movements has been provided to segregate buses and taxi traffic from private vehicle traffic to increase capacity.

COME EARLY

Due to the fact that it is a new airport ACSA believes that users will need to familiarise themselves with the facility. We are appealing to users to come at least two hours before for a domestic departure flight out of Durban so that they have adequate time to get through traffic and conduct all airport activities when at the airport.

We are also encouraging airport users to come at least 3 hours before for an international flight out of Durban on Emirates and Mauritius who fly directly out of Durban.

1Help AGENTS

To assist passengers and it being a brand new facility ACSA will have iHelp Agents placed strategically within the airport who will assist you with information, directions and hand out useful leaflets from April into May 2010. Please look out for them as they will have dressed up with a t/shirt that will say,” Help!”.

RETAIL

There will more than 50 retail outlets at KSIA when the airport opens on 1st May 2010. Airport Users will now have more a variety and choice of the retailers at KSIA. They include:

CAR RENTALS

Avis
Budget
Europcar
Tempest
1st Car/Sixt
Hertz
Easy Hire
Capital

PARKING ZONES AND BAYS

Open parking (shaded) 3 000
Multi-storey parkade 1 540
Accredited Metered taxi bays 25
Coach/bus bays 10
Staff parking (shaded) 820
Bus staging 20
Car rental 750
Elevated road 50

AIRLINES AT KSIA

Domestic

1time airline
BA Comair
Kulula Air
Interlink Airlines
mango airlines
SA Airlink
SA Express
South African Airways

International

Emirates Airlines
Air Mauritius

OPERATIONAL READINESS AND AIRPORT RELOCATION PROGRAM

The Operational Readiness and Airport Relocation (ORAT) program is well in advance and works in tandem to the construction program. The teams working on ORAT have been working through the various work streams to ensure the airport, facilities and services are 100% ready to operate the airport on 1st May 2010. Part of the ORAT is the familiarization and trial operations programs that the team had to ensure were completed before the opening of the airport.

FAMILIARISATION

All 3400 staff that is currently working at DIA has been taken through the Familiarisation Program that commenced on 16th December 2009. The staff was transported daily to KSIA to conduct a tour of the facility and to ensure that they are familiar with the new airport and the unique state of the art features. This is crucial for them to perform the Trial Operations and certainly to be know the facility well before the opening on 1st May 2010.

TRIAL OPERATIONS

Trial Operations have commenced from 23rd January 2010 and it included staff from ACSA, airlines and apron handling companies who have put the new state of the art equipment and facilities to the test. The trials also include “night trials’ that was successful on 11th March 2010. This trail tested all facilities and services that is required at night.

FAKE PASSENGERS FOR TRIAL OPERATIONS

As part of the Trial Operations and to test the facilities and services, “fake” passengers were used to simulate actual days at the airport. These trials take place every Tuesday and Thursday and commenced from 2nd March 2010 where 100 “passengers” put the airport to the test. About 150 “fake” passengers were used for the “night trials” also.

On 15th April 2010 600 “passengers” will be used and this “mass trial” will put the airport through its paces. From then on the trials will revert back to 100 “passengers” every Tuesday and Thursday until 23rd April 2010.

SWITCH OVER FROM DIA TO KSIA

WHAT WILL HAPPEN ON 30th April 2010?

The flights scheduled for 30th April 2010 will be facilitated as normal until the last flight. Once the last passengers have been facilitated out of Durban International Airport (DIA) the aircraft, that usually stay overnight and depart the next morning, will be ferried empty that same night to KSIA to prepare for the 1st flight on 1st May 2010 from KSIA.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN ON 1st May 2010?

The 1st flight departing and landing will be facilitated at King Shaka International Airport. With 1st May 2010 being a relatively quiet operational day at the airport, ACSA maintains that all areas of service and facilitation will be in place to accommodate passengers and airport users.

MY CAR WAS LEFT AT DIA BEFORE 30th April 2010

All vehicles that will be parked between the last week of April over to the 1st week of May 2010 due to unforeseen circumstances, will remain at the DIA site. When the owners arrive back at KSIA during the 1st week of May, they will be shuttled from KSIA to DIA for their vehicles. They will need to show their parking ticket as proof and will be assisted by the Parking staff when they arrive at KSIA

COST FOR SHUTTLES

As we understand that it will be a reality that some cars will be parked over the switchover period and ACSA will cover the cost of shuttling airport users affected only for from 1st May to 6th May 2010.

GET A LIFT

We are encouraging all airport users to look at alternative transport arrangement from 26th to 30th April 2010 as we would like to minimise the number of vehicles left in the public car parks during the switch over period of 30th April and 1st May 2010.

GENERAL

FUTURE OF DIA SITE

After the last flight out of DIA, the airport will cease all commercial aviation activity. The facility will be handed over to the SA Air Force (SAAF) for the duration of the soccer world cup and thereafter it will be decommissioned. During the soccer world cup there will be no commercial aviation activity at DIA as it will all be relocated to KSIA from 1st May 2010.

TOLL

It has been reported SARAL will be developing a toll near the airport when the airport is opened. It will mean that travellers coming to the airport from the south will not pay a toll but will pay a toll when you leave the airport going south on the N2.

STAFF TRANSPORT

Through its research ACSA realised that most of the current staff do reside on the south and central areas around the airport. It is for this reason that ACSA embarked on a process that will allow staff from all companies at DIA who will be relocating to KSIA, an opportunity to transport their staff to their new place of work. ACSA and the airport community is far with negotiations with a transport company that will be responsible for transporting airport staff from the old DIA to KSIA from 1st May 2010 for possibly a year. This is being conducted to ensure that our airport staff are able to report on time for work.

DEDICATED PUBLIC TRANSPORT ROUTES

ACSA is currently negotiating with the eThekwini Municipality regarding dedicated transport routes that will allow airport staff to use dedicated routes and possibly dedicated public transport to and from KSIA.

DISTANCES FROM DIA TO KSIA

The approximate distance from DIA to KSIA is about 60kms and the distance from the city centre to KSIA is about 35kms. This will give users an idea to plan their trip to KSIA.

ROAD SIGNAGE

The process to replace the road signage to KSIA has commenced and soon the public will see the new signs for directions to KSIA on the national and municipal roads leading to KSIA.

QUERIES AND QUESTIONS

If the public requires more information please go to www.airports.co.za go to “contact us” or the ACSA switch board on 031 451 6666 till 30th April 2010.

Colin Naidoo

Manager: Communications and Brand

Durban and National Airports

[via Porfolio Travel Blog]