Oliver R Tambo (Johannesburg) International Airport (JNB/FAJS), South Africa

Oliver R Tambo International Airport (formerly Johannesburg International Airport (JIA) and prior to that Jan Smuts International) is one of the largest air transport hubs in southern Africa.

The airport was renamed in October 2006 after a prominent politician in South Africa called Oliver Tambo. He was an active antiapartheid activist and former president of the African National Congress (ANC).

In 2007 the airport had handled 18.63 million passengers, which was an 11.5% increase over 2006. There are expected to be over 21 million passengers a year by 2010 and 24 million by 2015. The airport is Africa's busiest, having taken this mantle over from Egypt in 1996.

In November 2006, this was the first airport in Africa to play host to the Airbus A380. On one of its test flight / promotional tours the aircraft landed at OR Tambo on its way to Sydney, Australia, via the South Pole.

The airports last major expansion project was the construction of a new domestic terminal, which was completed in 2002. The fact that South Africa is hosting the 2010 FIFA World Cup has meant that expansion and development programs at all the airports controlled by the Airports Company South Africa (ASCA) are being acceleratedto accommodate the anticipated additional traffic.

Johannesburg is regarded as the most important expansion project and has been allocated R3.4bn to upgrade security and facilities. The ACSA will also invest another R8bn by 2012 on building a new terminal to meet the demand of fast-growing passenger numbers.

Although Johannesburg International Airport is South Africa's main airport it is not without its problems. The airport is situated 1,680m above sea level where the air is thin. This has implications for the performance of aircraft at altitude.

There are two parallel runways, which run north–south, and a disused cross runway. The western runway, 03L/21R, is over 4,400m in length, making it one of the world's longest international airport runways. This is due to the rarefied atmosphere problem fully laden aircraft require a far greater length of runway to achieve take-off velocity at this altitude than they would normally.

NEW DEVELOPMENTS

The intended expansion and upgrade will accommodate the extra traffic from the World Cup and also ready the airport for handling the giant Airbus A380 and for accommodating the Gautrain Rapid Rail Link between the airport, Johannesburg and Pretoria. The Bombela Consortium, including Bombardier Transportation, started to construct the high-speed rail link at the start of 2006.

The consortium includes international rolling stock manufacturer Bombardier Transportation and international contractor Bouygues Travaux Publics. It also includes three of South Africa's largest civil engineering construction companies – Murray and Roberts, Basil Read and Concor Holdings as well as RATP International.

The new R8bn terminal will be built in the open space between two runways at the airport, and will have its own domestic and international check-in facilities to help ease traffic flow and cut processing time at the current main terminal.

Projects planned for completion before 2010 include a new R1.8bn central terminal building linking the international and domestic terminals, to enabling central processing with easy access to the Gautrain rail link for both domestic and international passengers (expected completion 2009).

A further R218m will be spent on nine new aircraft stands with air-bridge links directly to the new terminal, four of which will be able to accommodate the double-decker A380.

A R512m 'international pier' development will allow for a substantial increase in the number of passengers boarding and disembarking through air bridges, provide additional passenger holding space and offer an expanded duty-free mall for international passengers. R81m will also be spent on expanding the international departures concourse to relieve the congestion currently being experienced at the international check-in area.

The 2010 plans also include the construction of a second multi-storey car park (R435m), the first phase of which opened in November 2007, adding 5,000 more parking bays to the airport's current 6,900 bays. Airport security has already been intensified with the construction of a 25km perimeter wall and strengthened access control at the gates at total cost of R52.5m.

In January 2008, British Airways announced the appointment of a project manager for the construction and outfitting of a new commercially important person lounge at OR Tambo International as a part of the International Airport Pier extension.

A similar project is also underway at Lagos Murtala Muhammed international airport. Ian Donaldson, the director of Turner & Townsend, commented: "Our role will be to coordinate delivery of the projects within time and budget. The designs will be to the new British Airways 'Galleries' lounge concept while adding a flavour of the local South African and Nigerian environments."

AIRBUS A380 PROJECT

A multibillion-Rand upgrade project at Johannesburg International Airport to accommodate the A380 will be completed in 2008. The upgrades are expected to position the airport well for an expected doubling of passenger traffic over the next nine to ten years.

The upgrade entails construction of a new apron, installation of two boarding bridges, upgrading of departure and arrival terminals with new baggage carousels and 75 additional check-in desks, enlarged gate seating areas, a retail mall, the extension of runways and taxiways, and a larger bus station. The holding lounges came into operation in mid 2007.

CENTRAL TERMINAL BUILDING

Towards the end of 2009, the international and domestic terminals will be linked via a Central Terminal Building (CTB) currently in an advanced state of construction (R2bn). This is being constructed on the site of the former transit terminal, which has now been mostly demolished.

This will result in a central passenger-processing unit for both domestic and international passengers. The facility will be equipped with infrastructure for baggage handling for the Airbus A380 and will be connected to the Gautrain Rapid Rail Link for ease of access by rail (linking the airport to Sandton, one of the main business districts in the Johannesburg metropolitan area).

The CTB will comprise a three-level terminal building. Floor levels are planned to complement the adjacent terminals and the roadway system. As a result, departures will be on the upper level and arrivals on the ground level, in keeping with the existing international and domestic terminals operations. Level two will accommodate retail and commercial activities.

These main floor levels will be complemented by appropriate mezzanines for commercial or retail activities as well as basements for services and baggage handling.

A three-way connection zone is planned between the CTB, the terminal A departure lounge (which was upgraded during 2006) and the Gautrain station. These three areas will now be connected by three sets of escalators, lifts and staircases to allow passengers to circulate more easily between these important areas.

INTERNATIONAL DEPARTURES CONCOURSE EXPANSION

To accommodate the high growth in international passenger traffic and relieve the congestion currently being experienced at the international check-in area, the international departures concourse has been redesigned and will be expanded onto the existing upper roadway.

This expansion will allow for more space for families and guests who are picking up or dropping off passengers and was completed in 2007.

ECHO APRON DEVELOPMENT

To increase airside capacity, nine new aircraft stands will be constructed with air-bridge links directly to the terminal.

Four of these stands will be able to accommodate the A380 and for this will be equipped with dual air bridges to facilitate the simultaneous boarding and disembarking of passengers through both the upper and lower levels (two decks make up the A380) of the aircraft at the same time.

INTERNATIONAL PIER DEVELOPMENT

This new pier (project worth R535m) will allow for a substantial increase in the number of passengers boarding and disembarking through air bridges. The improved passenger service resulting from this will help airlines improve their turnaround times.

The pier development will also provide additional passenger holding space and offer an expanded Duty Free mall for international passengers.

The pier will also include a bus station to serve departures to remotely parked aircraft and will be connected to the Gautrian Rapid Rail Link for ease of access by train.

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