Cape Correspondent

CAPE TOWN Cape Town International Airport is being overhauled in line with its increased passenger flow of nearly 5,5-million travellers last year.

Work is expected to start soon on an extensive R320m development of the airport's domestic facilities to double capacity.

The three-year project will enable the airport to handle more than 500000 domestic passengers a month, supplementing its recently completed international terminal, which last year saw an increase of 61000 of international and regional visitors.

Monwabisi Kalawe, GM of Airports Company of SA Cape Town, said yesterday that other development projects included a R100m upgrading of parking facilities and the completion of five new aircraft parking bays at a cost of about R100m.

There will also be an additional 2000 parking bays.

He said these facilities would help meet demand in the competitive low -cost carrier section.

The intention is to link the domestic and international terminals through a central passenger processing unit to manage checkin and transfers.

A new R200m runway, expected to be completed in 2015 on a military site, is also on the cards.

Kalawe said airlines had indicated strong forward bookings for the winter season .

"Hopefully this means that some of the rampant seasonality which has plagued the local travel industry is beginning to abate and Western Cape is maturing as a sustainable year-round destination," he said.

Two new routes to Cape Town were recently announced direct flights to Gaborone in Botswana and Lanseria airport, near Johannesburg.

The Cape Town airport is reportedly also looking to add other African destinations, such as Tanzania, as a stepping stone to SA and the rest of the continent .

Kalawe said Cape Town airport had been voted by the International Air Transport Association as the best airport in world last year in the 5-million to 15million passenger a year category.

It was also named the most improved airport and placed second behind Dubai airport in the world across all categories in the Africa and Middle East section.

Apr 21 2004 07:16:49:000AM Chris van Gass Business Day 1st Edition