Cape Town: South Africa is all set to have a second airport with the name ‘The Cape Winelands Airport’ at a cost of $392 million by 2027. The airport will offer local and international flights.
The new airport is owned by private investors through RSA Aero. The airport is designed to handle approximate 1.1 million passengers annually when the first phase is completed.
Cape Winelands Airport, is located 13km north-east of Durbanville and has unveiled the ambitious plans to offer local and international flights by the year 2027.
It is a £300 million expansion programme that aims to transform the former Fisantekraal Airfield into a major commercial hub.
Reportedly, the development will incorporate the region’s wine heritage that features vineyards, a wine-tasting experience and fynbos botanical garden. The airport also plans to include a hotel, conference centre, outdoor amphitheatre, an aviation museum along with cargo facilities.
The current owners of the airport ‘RSA.Aero’, intend to extend the primary runway to 3,500 metres and construct a terminal for passengers with an annual capacity of 5 million. The airport projects handling of 2 million international and 3 million domestic travellers yearly, potentially doubling the region’s air traffic.
The expansion is set to boost the local economy, creating thousands of job opportunities. The construction is slated to begin in the early next year, subjected to necessary approvals.
Currently, it is being operated as a general aviation facility and flight training centre, Cape Winelands Airport is poised to become a significant player in South Africa’s aviation sector, complementing the existing infrastructure in the Western Cape, Cape Town.
As per the press statement by the operator of the airport, the airport is strategically located to serve the Cape Town aviation and tourism sector. The development plans for the airport incorporate, the region’s wine heritage into its design, with vineyards forming part of the landscape.
The site will also include open spaces with a plaza, a hotel, a conference centre, a wine-tasting experience, an outdoor amphitheatre for events, an aviation museum and at-grade parking facilities.
Within the controlled airside area, a portion of the land will be dedicated to a botanical garden showcasing a diverse collection of fynbos.
The site was originally owned by the South African Air Force before becoming a privately owned company in 1993. It was formerly known as the Fisantekraal Airfield. Later in November 2020, the private investors acquired the airport property.