CAPE TOWN REMAINS AFRICA’S LEADING AIRPORT
(Posted 24th March 2018)
The world’s top ten leading airports, as per Skytrax, the global market leader in aviation rankings and ratings, do not include a single one from Africa, giving once again fodder for thought and challenging governments on the continent to invest more and make such facilities more user friendly, if ever we want to compete with the best.
The top honours for 2018 during the just concluded Skytrax World Airport Awards were going to familiar names, with not a single new airport making it into the top ten this year:
1. Singapore Changi Airport
2. Incheon International Airport (Seoul, South Korea)
3. Tokyo International Airport (Haneda)
4. Hong Kong International Airport
5. Hamad International Airport (Doha, Qatar)
6. Munich Airport (Germany)
7. Chubu Centrair Nagoya (Japan)
8. London Heathrow Airport
9. Zurich Airport (Switzerland)
10. Frankfurt Airport (Germany)
In Africa it was also familiar names on the list and Cape Town once again claimed the top ranking, with the remaining 9 spots of the top ten filled as follows:
Best Airports in Africa
1. Cape Town
2. Durban
3. Johannesburg
4. Mauritius
5. Marrakech
6. East London
7. Mahe Seychelles
8. Port Elizabeth
9. Bloemfontein
10. Cairo
In fact were the top three spots on the 2018 list again claimed by South African airports with three more making it into the top ten. Here it goes to show that the major sporting events which South African hosted, including the 2010 FIFA World Cup, prompted a massive investment in not just stadia, rail and road infrastructure but also the airports to match the inflow of visitors and give them a superb arrival and departure experience.
Also on the list are two Indian Ocean island airports, Mauritius and the Seychelles, both of which are undergoing or have already undergone major transformation to improve functionality and passenger experience, something several East African airport sadly lack, Entebbe International and Dar es Salaam’s JNIA included.
Given that the visionary ‘Green Field Terminal’ for Nairobi was scrapped – and only belatedly and hastily, following massive complaints from airlines, the second runway construction reinstated – will it be Rwanda with a completely new airport in Bugesera and Addis Ababa which will also get a completely new airport outside of the city, to bring some future recognition to such facilities across our region.
Much to look forward to these two new airports opening their doors before the end of the decade and be sure to read more about it as and when additional information is available.
