East London’s King Phalo Airport is set to undergo a R450m “modernisation” as part of a R22bn capital investment in airports across the country.
The investment programme is being driven by Airports Company South Africa (Acsa).
King Phalo Airport will celebrate its centenary next year. It was established in 1927 as a municipal aerodrome at Woodbrook before moving to its present location in 1965.
The upgrade is expected to improve the experience of passengers, focusing on the expansion of the airport’s departure lounge.
Acsa group spokesperson Ofentse Dijoe said the airports company had embarked on a R21.7bn investment programme to ensure the reliability of services and upgrade the infrastructure of its network of nine airports across SA.
The R450m build at King Phalo Airport is expected to start later this year and take about two years.
Dijoe said the upgrade would include enhancing the departure terminal’s capacity to support security, airline lounges, check-in, the departure concourse and boarding gates.
“The planned investment includes refurbishment, capacity, compliance and safety-related projects and underscores Acsa’s commitment to world-class service delivery for all stakeholders.
“The upgrade will be complemented by passenger amenities that include charging points, baby-changing facilities, prayer rooms and a viewing deck.
“Passengers and stakeholders alike can also look forward to new and improved commercial facilities such as retail shops, food and beverage shops and advertising opportunities.”
Dijoe said the upgrades would “adopt innovative technologies while creating a positive experience for passengers and airport users”.
“This is proven by the enhanced airport ambience which represents the distinctive regional character which proudly embodies the rich Xhosa culture.
“Passenger experience will be improved even further when the innovative passenger self-service — which will see the integration of the bag drop, check-in and security boarding gates — is implemented.”
Environmental compliance and management would remain top of the airport’s agenda during the renovations.
“Green building elements will be implemented to ensure King Phalo Airport minimises [its] impact on the surrounding environment and communities.
“The upgrade will therefore include renewable energy integration, locally sourced materials to minimise embodied carbon and rainwater harvesting.”
Border-Kei Business Chamber executive Lizelle Maurice welcomed the planned renovations, saying they were long overdue.
“We’re very excited. We’ve seen some of the new upgrades that have already been done and it looks beautiful.
“An airport is one of the major gateways into the city and that walkthrough as you come to the airport, that whole arch as you come through before you reach arrivals, has been needing some attention for a while.
“The chamber has been working really hard to try to beautify the city. The airport upgrades are part of this, and of ensuring that we present a city that everyone wants to live, work and play in.”
Maurice congratulated Acsa for ensuring SA’s regional airports received attention.
“As a major gateway into the city, first impressions are lasting impressions.
“If you arrive at the airport and your first impression is [of] a beautiful airport, then already your whole experience of the city will be a good experience.
“We congratulate our airport manager Nicola Smith and her team on fighting hard for us to get budget to upgrade the airport. It’s way overdue.”
The Eastern Cape government also hailed the planned capital investment in the airport.
“The provincial government recognises the airport’s crucial role in driving economic development, creating jobs and promoting tourism in the region,” spokesperson Khuselwa Rantjie said.
“The planned upgrades aim to enhance passenger experience, aligned with the province’s goal of boosting tourism and economic growth.
“The provincial government is looking forward to the upgrades and the positive impact they will have on the local economy and community.”
Black Business Forum chair Luthando Bara said the investment represented more than infrastructure improvement — it was a direct injection of confidence into the local economy.
The upgrades would have a meaningful impact on economic growth and investor confidence in the province.
“With record passenger traffic reported during the recent holiday season, the timing of this investment is strategic.
“A better passenger experience encourages repeat visits and supports events, conferences and cultural tourism initiatives across the province.
“We see this as a pivotal step toward positioning the Eastern Cape as a gateway for commerce, tourism and innovation.
“We look forward to engaging constructively with Acsa and relevant stakeholders to ensure this investment translates into broad-based economic empowerment and tangible benefits for local communities.”
During the 2025 peak holiday travel season, Acsa’s airport network processed about 4.01-million passengers, up from the 3.7-million recorded in December 2024.
Dijoe said King Phalo Airport handled about 90,000 arriving and departing passengers over the same period, compared with the 83,000 passengers processed in December 2024.
“Overall, the 2025 season demonstrated a marked improvement in passenger throughput, highlighting continued demand recovery and increased utilisation across the national airport network, with King Phalo Airport contributing positively to the upward trajectory.
“King Phalo Airport looks forward to continuing its mission to provide an exceptional airport experience, driving local economic growth and uplifting the surrounding communities it serves, while paving the way for further advancements in the aviation.”
Acsa announced a R213m injection into the airport in February 2025 to revamp its runway over the next three years.
The total investment in the airport is a fraction of Acsa’s R4.6bn cash injection to upgrade Gqeberha’s Chief Dawid Stuurman International Airport over the next five years.
That upgrade includes terminal expansion, runway rehabilitation and parking refurbishments.
Daily Dispatch
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