ACSA recently upgraded the George Airport to the tune of 10's of million or rands and was completed this winter. Do we have forumers that have been there or are Garden Route residents that can get us more details and pics regarding the upgrade?

Doest RJPlanes live there

ill see what I can do

http://www.airports.co.za/uploads/images/1176_terminal.jpg
http://www.airports.co.za/uploads/images/1176_airside%20view%20of%20terminal%20george%20airport.jpg

Developments

George Airport, which was built in 1977 as an exact replica of Keetmanshoop Airport in Namibia, is a relatively small but busy and efficient enterprise - one that has won the "Airport of the Year" trophy five times since South African Airways launched the competition in 1987/88.

More than 600 000 passengers pass through George Airport each year - and the increasing popularity of the Garden Route as a tourist destination is expected to boost traffic even further.

But the airport doesn't only play an important role in the region's tourist economy: it is also a distribution hub for cargo such as flowers, fish, oysters, herbs and ferns.

ACSA attributes the success of the operation to a commitment to service excellence, upgraded facilities and a commercially astute mindset.

The airport is well-equipped. The main runway is 2 000m long and 45m wide; the secondary runway is 1 220m long, of which 610m is tarred and 610m grassed. The airport's fire and rescue is category seven. An instrument landing system is available on runways 29 and 11. The main runway is fully lit.

Terminal upgrade

The George terminal expansion and upgrade commenced in February 2006 and was completed in May 2007

The value of the project was R45m and doubled the capacity of the airport.

Thanks a mil Mo, but did indeed see the ACSA website and wanted to see more as the pics they posted are unfortunately so so small. Wanted to see if some Georgite had some better ones, but still thanks again!

I think it looks nice
http://images.businessweek.com/ss/09/03/0318_best_airports/image/7_south_africa.jpg

I agree.

I'll see what I can do. It's a very big improvement, suits the need much better. Don't understand why they still have the same old little essay on the ACSA website that they've had forever...still comparing and connecting it to Keetmanshoop airport, not the same at all anymore.
At peak times (which nowadays isn't much more than 3 or 4 aircraft within an hour) it still get bit cramped, and parking the not enough...but on the other hand there is times during the day that there's no flights within 2 or 3 hours time, or just a little Jetstream41, then it's totally different.
I'll see if I can get some photos on, haven't loaded photos in ages, can't really remember how...

I'll see what I can do. It's a very big improvement, suits the need much better. Don't understand why they still have the same old little essay on the ACSA website that they've had forever...still comparing and connecting it to Keetmanshoop airport, not the same at all anymore.
At peak times (which nowadays isn't much more than 3 or 4 aircraft within an hour) it still get bit cramped, and parking the not enough...but on the other hand there is times during the day that there's no flights within 2 or 3 hours time, or just a little Jetstream41, then it's totally different.
I'll see if I can get some photos on, haven't loaded photos in ages, can't really remember how...

Need an account with Flickr, Photobucket or some photo-sharing website. Than go to the top of the reply to thread toolbar and click on the "mountain icon" which inserts a picture link, and link it to that picture you uploaded on the photo-sharing website. :)

i live in the area. the airport is looking good, but was completed some time ago. however a super cool new radar tower was completed a month or 2 ago. rate it is the tallest concrete structure in george.

i live in the area. the airport is looking good, but was completed some time ago. however a super cool new radar tower was completed a month or 2 ago. rate it is the tallest concrete structure in george.
I thought you were a PE guy!? :) Was actually wondering if PE Airport had received some significant upgrades in preparation for 2010?

grew up in pe, living in heroldsbay these days (work in george). lovin the country living.

was in pe this weekend, the roads in and around the airport are being upgraded, double lanes u'all. not aware of other recent upgrades.

Ya i think with them finishing the pe upgrade a few years back that all they might do for 2010 is create some bus parking. Not used pe airport in years tho, will it cope? how many aircraft stands does it have?

I think all/ most of our airports are being updated, even East London's airport

rate pe's airport will cope.
has anyone been to bloem airport recently? it has been upgraded significantly, looking mighty fine.
george airport also has plenty of capacity, on a normal day there only a limited number of flights. unfortunately due to saa being the only operator, except for the jozi route, the flights are hellishly expensive, up to R2k for a return flight to CT.
btw, the oubaai hyatt is nearing completion, opening before the end of the year, will post some pics when i finally get batteries for me camera. major work has been completed and landscapping should start soon, looking frd to this, construction on the estate is getting a bit much.

Hows this one currently looking? any new pics, cant find on net

I'll try and post some pics and info soon, not always too clued up with the uploading of pics.
Seems to have been pretty busy over the last season, should be an improvement on pax movements over previous Dec/Jan season, although not at 2005-2007 levels.

^^ here's hoping since the airport has been in decline or flat for awhile.

It seems as if the upcoming summer holidays could be the best ever for George Airport as suddenly there is loads of extra flights scheduled, I believe more than ever before.
So far we have the following extra:
JNB-GRJ:
Kulula loaded 12 additional flights between 15 Dec and 8 Jan.
1Time loaded 39 additional flights between 1 Dec and 16 Jan.
SA Express loaded 48 additional flights between 16 Dec and 8 Jan. (besides already increased normal schedule that was increased in October.)
Airlink operating 16 seasonal flights between 15 Dec and 9 Jan.

Biggest surprise:
BA/Comair is to operate daily flights between Lanseria and George between 1 Dec and 18 Jan...probably with the ATR42 aircraft between Maputo flights.

Airlink is also to operate a few extra flights on DUR-GRJ and CPT-GRJ.

In total bringing nearly 10 000 extra capacity above already roughly 30 000 per way.

Interesting, some big increases there, pity that it costs so damn much to fly there from Durban, so never end up going. Got a R4500 return ticket to Paris in two weeks time, which is only R500 odd more than a return Durbs George flight

With the summer holidays on our doorstep, I decided to comprise a list of all additional flights for George over the next 6 weeks, as it is somewhat impressive considering the current economic conditions and versus last season:

BA / Comair:
49 x ATR42 (48seats) between 1 Dec and 18 Jan from Lanseria

1Time:
40 x MD87/82? (at least 130 seats) between 1 Dec and 16 Jan from JNB

Kulula:
13 x 737? (at least 116 seats...if using smallest possible being BA 733) from JNB between 15 Dec and 8 Jan

SA Express:
28 x DH4 (74 seats) from JNB between 16 Dec and 8 Jan
19 x CR2 (50 seats) from JNB between 16 Dec and 8 Jan

Airlink:
15 x AR8 (83 seats) from JNB between 15 Dec and 9 Jan
2 x ERJ (37 seats) from JNB on 24 Dec and 5 Jan

2 x AR8 (83 seats) from CPT on 29 Dec and 4 Jan
2 x ERJ (37 seats) from CPT on 17 Dec and 7 Jan
2 x ERJ flights upgraded to AR8 (46 seats gain) on 23 and 27 Dec from CPT.

3 x ERJ (37 seats) from DUR on 23/27/29 Dec


This brings a total of at least (considering 1Time and Kulula only uses smallest possible aircraft) 13 844 extra capacity inbound and again outbound over and above normal scheduled capacity which is roughly 45 000...thus about a 30% increase.

Additional notes:
Kulula is very likely to operate more normal scheduled flights with their larger 737-800s than throughout the year.
1Time is difficult to predict whether using MD87 or larger MD82/83, usually a mix half-half.
SA Express is already having an additional 3 weekly CR700 flights over the same time last year.
Airlink flights on JNB-GRJ is seasonal, the don't operate the route permanently.
BA/Comair flights on HLA-GRJ is seasonal, introduced now for the first time...is on the ATR42 prop-plane, about 2h45min flight.
On 29 Dec the early morning GRJ-JNB flight is changed to a once-off GRJ-Hoedspruit flight (probably chartered)

I've found these renders and plans listed on Craft of Architecture's website. Can anyone clarify whether this is this an old project, or something that we'll see in the near future?

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7142/6764345319_090e4bb14d_z.jpg


http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7147/6764345167_b3d886c95a_z.jpg


http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7030/6764344941_d03c18a355_z.jpg


http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7016/6764344655_d4ac65e7a4_z.jpg


http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7156/6764342863_60dff22b12_z.jpg


http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7032/6764343071_bc6cba141e_z.jpg


http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7158/6764343365_ea4c9ceec1_z.jpg


http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7157/6764343619_c4e284ffce_z.jpg


http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7150/6764343843_755882f7e8_z.jpg


http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7169/6764344105_d048c4e039_z.jpg


http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7152/6764344343_89dfc5716e_z.jpg

is it like a mixed use zone around the airport?

It seems so.

is it like a mixed use zone around the airport?

So now that the Garden Route Mall (on the east of the city) has largely killed the CBD, passing this (on the west) at an airport that is a 10min drive from the CBD will ensure George has one of the most vibrant small inner-town slums about. Good to know the ANC is DA is fighting about things that really matter...

^^ HUH...??? Actually the PGWC's Genesis Project is headed for George next. They are currently concluding the findings for the Breede River Valley before they take on George (preliminary meets have already commenced) to help mend problem areas in the town and facilitate faster economic development.

^^ yes but i think what he is saying remains valid. i said it in the newcastle thread, constant suburban development in small towns will destroy the centres as they cant sustain both like the big cities.

^^ It is valid, but the bickering point is strange, as the PGWC has recognised the issues the smaller cities and rural towns face in the Western Cape and are attempting to find solutions. Bottom line is, we cannot stop progress and regional malls and decentralisation is part of that. If town CBD's are not looked after and sound urban management put in place, people will not want to invest, live or shop there.

I'm fighting a similar fight in Worcester. Either you take a leap as "conservative" small town business owners and municipalities and put a private-public partnership in place to look after the CBD, promote it and manage it, or you WILL loose it to urban decay as business leaves to decentralised nodes.

Small towns and cities MUST get their heads out of the sand and face reality.

not a big fan.. this is somehow going to restrict airport expansion in the future?

Anybody know about these tenders on ACSA website, there are several for all local airports, but George ones is the first, others for PLZ, ELS etc is later dates and not as much. Would it be just renewing leases or additional?

George Retail Food & Beverage - Family Restaurant Mid February 2012
George Retail Pub Mid February 2012
George Retail Speciality Retail - Sweet Shop Mid February 2012
George Retail Food & Beverage - Coffee Shop Mid February 2012
George Retail Food & Beverage - Coffee Shop Mid February 2012
George Retail Speciality Retail - Clothing Mid February 2012
George Retail Speciality Retail - Sunglasses
George Retail Forex Exchange Mid February 2012
George Retail Speciality Retail - Bookshop Mid February 2012
George Retail Speciality Retail - Electronics