King Shaka International Airport (KSIA) is on the cusp of a major overhaul, with its operator, the Airports Company South Africa’s (ACSA) substantial R21.7 billion capital expenditure (capex) infrastructure investment across all of its airports, including Cape Town and OR Tambo International airports, over the next five years.

This investment forms part of ACSA’s new ‘recover and growth’ strategy, effectively signalling that KSIA will soon be transformed into a hive of construction activity, with parallel infrastructure projects set to commence within the first quarter of this calendar year.

This is according to Sanjeev Gareeb, assistant general manager of operations at King Shaka International Airport.

In an interview, Gareeb said the massive financial injection is anticipated to be a significant driving force for KwaZulu-Natal’s economy, promising significant job creation and a direct boost to the province’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) — a factor ACSA views as essential for sustainable aeronautical growth.

Despite this significant investment news, KSIA continues to lag in its recovery. It has yet to return to pre-Covid-19 traffic levels, unlike its major counterparts, O.R. Tambo and Cape Town International airports.

Gareeb offered a candid assessment of the aviation sector’s mixed recovery and outlined the specific challenges and growth mechanisms pertinent to KSIA.

Last week, Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS) announced that King Shaka International Airport, despite an 8.12% increase in December 2025 traffic compared to 2024, remains a concern as its traffic is still below pre-Covid levels.

Gareeb clarified that this figure likely excluded ad hoc charter flights, private flights, and general aviation, among others.

He said King Shaka, in fact, saw an impressive 10% year-on-year traffic growth in December 2025.

Gareeb directly correlated the lag in air traffic — which remains below 2019 figures — with KZN’s economic performance, noting that the province has historically been on the lagging side of GDP, compared to other regions that have already surpassed pre-pandemic flight traffic figures.

He also expanded on the complex passenger dynamics during the peak festive season. Despite strong tourism activity in the region, the airport did not fully realise the expected knock-on effect. 

Gareeb suggested that the availability of cheaper transport alternatives, like buses and private cars, constrained demand, stating: “This suggests that the ticket prices were expensive, or for whatever reasons, people opted to travel with alternative modes of transport.”

He noted that moderate load factors, despite expectations of a bumper season, suggested that high ticket prices and a low ‘propensity to fly’ were significant constraints on passenger volume.

Gareeb addressed the common misconception that airport capacity growth automatically drives tourism. 

He clarified that the converse is generally true: sustained growth in hospitality and tourism activities is what directly stimulates aeronautical demand. While ACSA is responsible for expanding capacity, the strategic focus is on stimulating this demand first, with capacity following.

Key to this demand stimulation, he stressed, is a continued commitment to collaborative route development, competitive airport charges, and reliable scheduling, echoing sentiments from industry bodies.

Gareeb provided concrete evidence of the success of collaboration, citing the Durban Direct route development committee — a deliberate mechanism involving government, tourism, and economic partners — as the driving force behind recent wins. 

He highlighted the increased frequency from Qatar Airways and the new direct Durban-Reunion route starting in February as the “fruits” of these strategic efforts, alongside existing connections with Emirates and Turkish Airlines.

On the matter of airport charges, Gareeb clarified that these are not unilaterally determined by ACSA. 

Instead, they are set by an independent Economic Regulating Committee in consultation with airlines and industry players, ensuring they are globally benchmarked and provide the necessary funds for essential infrastructure like the R21.7 billion capex plan.

Finally, addressing reliable scheduling, Gareeb detailed the global shift towards “slot control regulations” used to manage infrastructure demand, flatten peak times, and ensure operational balance. 

He underscored the critical importance of an airline’s On-Time Performance, which is closely monitored, as reliability is non-negotiable for connecting passengers and business travellers relying on punctual connections.

karen.singh@inl.co.za

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