Lois Larson
Durban International Airport, previously known as Louis Botha Airport, was the major airport serving Durban, South Africa, from 1951 until 2010. The airport was replaced by King Shaka International Airport, located approximately 35-60km north of Durban, in La Mercy, KwaZulu-Natal. Durban International Airport was decommissioned due to its limitations, including a short runway that could not accommodate large aircraft such as the Boeing 747 for intercontinental routes. The site of the old Durban Airport is located in a prime industrial area and is expected to be used for future industrial development or port expansion.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Former Name | Durban International Airport |
| Former Names | Louis Botha Airport, Stamford Hill Aerodrome |
| Location | Durban South Industrial Basin, Durban, South Africa |
| Distance from Durban City Centre | 35 km (22 mi) |
| Distance from Durban | 60 km (37 mi) |
| Airport Code | ICAO: FADN |
| Runway Length | 2,400 m (7,874 ft) |
| Years of Operation | 1951-2010 |
| Replacement | King Shaka International Airport |
| Current Status | Defunct |
| Current Owner | Transnet |
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What You'll Learn
Durban International Airport replaced by King Shaka International Airport
Durban International Airport was located in Durban, South Africa, and served as the city's international airport from 1951 until 2010. The airport was previously known as Louis Botha International, named after a South African statesman. However, in 1994, the airport was renamed Durban International Airport due to political changes in the country.
Over time, the limitations of Durban International Airport became apparent, including a short runway that could not accommodate large aircraft like a fully laden Boeing 747. As a result, the airport suffered from low international passenger numbers and a decline in international traffic. To address these issues and accommodate growing air traffic, plans were proposed to relocate the airport to a new site.
The new airport, named King Shaka International Airport, is located in La Mercy, approximately 60 kilometres (37 miles) north of Durban. Construction began in September 2007, and it was completed in 2010. On April 30, 2010, Durban International Airport handled its final flight, and all operations were transferred to King Shaka International Airport overnight.
King Shaka International Airport is a world-class facility, offering various features and amenities to enhance the travel experience. It is designed to accommodate larger aircraft and handle both domestic and international services. The airport is easily accessible via major roads and highways, providing convenient connections to and from Durban.
The future of the former Durban International Airport site is currently unclear. While it is located in a prime industrial area, the site remains unused as of 2025, with various plans for redevelopment being put on hold. There are expectations that the site will be redeveloped for industrial purposes or port expansion in the future.
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Durban Airport's runway too short for large aircraft
Durban International Airport, formerly Louis Botha Airport, was the international airport of Durban from 1951 until 2010. It was replaced by King Shaka International Airport, located 60 kilometres (37 miles) north of Durban International Airport. The runway at Durban International Airport was too short for large aircraft such as a fully laden Boeing 747 to take off. This resulted in the airport losing almost all of its international traffic, as the hub-and-spoke policy adopted in the 1990s favoured OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg.
The old Durban Airport, now known as Durban International Airport, was located in the Stamford Hill Aerodrome area of the city. The airport was opened in 1951 and was originally named Louis Botha International, after the South African statesman. However, in 1994, due to political changes in South Africa, the airport was renamed Durban International Airport. While the airport served the domestic market adequately, it suffered from low international passenger numbers due to the short runway.
King Shaka International Airport, the new primary airport serving Durban, is located in La Mercy, KwaZulu-Natal, approximately 35 kilometres (22 miles) north of the city centre of Durban. The airport was designed by Osmond Lange Architects and Planners and cost R 6,800,000,000 (about US$900 million). It features 6,500 public parking bays and is accessible by road, with airport shuttle buses and metered taxis providing transport to and from the airport. The airport also has provisions for direct rail access, which is expected to be constructed in the future.
The construction of King Shaka International Airport began in September 2007, after numerous proposals to move Durban International Airport were shelved. The new airport became operational on May 1, 2010, with all flights transferring from Durban International Airport overnight. The old airport site is currently owned by Transnet and is expected to be used for future industrial development or port expansion due to its large, flat parcel of land in the Durban South Industrial Basin.
While most modern commercial aircraft require a paved runway of at least 6,000 feet (1,800 metres) in length, there have been instances of aircraft taking off from shorter runways. For example, during World War II, twin-engine B-25 bombers took off from an 827-foot (252-metre) flight deck, and a Lockheed Constellation demonstrated its ability to use a 2,700-foot (820-metre) runway in New Jersey in 1977. However, a longer runway is generally necessary for larger aircraft to operate safely and efficiently.
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Durban Airport's future usage unclear
Durban's former airport, Durban International Airport, was replaced by the King Shaka International Airport in 2010. Durban International Airport, previously known as Louis Botha Airport, was the city's primary airport from 1951 until 2010. It was located approximately 60 kilometres (37 miles) north of Durban.
The new airport, King Shaka International Airport (KSIA), is located in La Mercy, KwaZulu-Natal, approximately 35 kilometres (22 miles) north of Durban's city centre. KSIA was designed to accommodate larger aircraft and to serve as a regional gateway to the Kwazulu-Natal province. It was built at a cost of around $900 million and has an annual passenger capacity of 7.5 million.
The future usage of the old Durban International Airport site is currently unclear. While it is expected that the site will be used for future industrial development, given its location in a prime industrial area, no concrete plans have been announced. The site was transferred to Transnet in 2012 for the construction of a dig-out port, but those plans have been placed on hold until at least 2030.
In the meantime, the old airport has been invaded by illegal tenants, who have made unauthorised alterations to the buildings and infrastructure. A private company, Seaworld Aviation, had plans to operate the airport for smaller airlines, but these plans have also been put on hold due to litigation issues with Transnet. With no clear resolution in sight, the future of the old Durban Airport remains uncertain.
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King Shaka International Airport's design and construction
Durban International Airport, formerly Louis Botha Airport, was Durban's international airport from 1951 until 2010. It was replaced by the King Shaka International Airport, which is located 60 kilometres (37 miles) north of Durban. The new airport was constructed to address the issues with the old airport, including low international passenger numbers and a runway that was too short for large aircraft like the Boeing 747.
The King Shaka International Airport was designed and constructed by Ruben Reddy Architects, who were part of the Architects Consortium Ilembe. The airport is structurally designed with a combination of a conventional reinforced concrete frame and long-span steel roof. This design approach allows for economical construction, speed of erection, and the creation of large, column-free spaces at the upper-level public areas. It also facilitates the incorporation of roof monitors to bring natural light into the building.
Ruben Reddy Architects focused on the design and construction of various aspects of the terminal building and the surrounding urban fabric. They were responsible for the ticket sales area, baggage check-in area, airside corridor, and areas for airlines and governmental departments. In addition, they designed and constructed finishes for the entire terminal building and coordinated the allocation of retail spaces. The firm also designed the hard-landscaped areas surrounding the airport terminals and the cooling tower building, which houses the SAPS offices, among other departments.
The construction of King Shaka International Airport began in September 2007, and it was completed in 2010. On 30 April 2010, Durban International Airport handled its final flight, and all operations were transferred to the new airport overnight. The new airport is much larger than its predecessor and has a longer runway, accommodating larger aircraft. The airport is co-located with AFB Durban, as no provisions were made during the planning and construction of King Shaka International Airport to accommodate the South African Air Force base at Durban International Airport.
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King Shaka International Airport's location
Durban International Airport, formerly known as Louis Botha Airport, was the international airport of Durban from 1951 until 2010. The airport was replaced by King Shaka International Airport, located 60 kilometres (37 miles) north of Durban. King Shaka International Airport, also known as KSIA, is a greenfield airport in Durban, a coastal city in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. The airport is located in La Mercy, KwaZulu-Natal, approximately 35 kilometres (22 miles) north of the city centre of Durban. The airport precinct is bordered by the M43 road to the north, the Mdloti River to the south, the R102 road to the west, and the N2 freeway to the east.
The construction of King Shaka International Airport began in September 2007 and was completed in 2010, with Durban International Airport handling its final flight on 30 April 2010. The new airport was designed to accommodate larger aircraft and to increase international services to the area. The airport features a six-level terminal building and a runway that can handle the world's largest passenger aircraft, the Airbus A380. The airport is part of the Dube TradePort, which includes a trade zone linked to the airport's cargo terminal, facilities to support the airport such as nearby offices and transit accommodations for tourists, an integrated agricultural export zone, and an IT platform.
The Durban International Airport site is located on a large parcel of flat land in the Durban South Industrial Basin, which is home to much of the city's heavy industry. While the future usage of the site is currently unclear, it is expected to be used for industrial development, port expansion, or both. The site was transferred from the Airports Company South Africa to Transnet in 2012 for the construction of a dig-out port, but these plans have been placed on hold until at least 2030.
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Frequently asked questions
Durban International Airport was located in the Durban South Industrial Basin, approximately 60km (37 miles) north of King Shaka International Airport, its replacement.
Durban International Airport closed in 2010, with all flights transferring to King Shaka International Airport.
The runway at Durban International Airport was too short for large aircraft such as the Boeing 747, which led to a decrease in international air traffic. As a result, Durban was marginalised compared to Johannesburg and Cape Town.
The site of the old Durban airport is owned by Transnet, who purchased it for nearly R 2 billion. It is currently unclear what the future usage of the site will be, but it is widely expected that it will be used for industrial development.
