Acsa launches upgrade project to ease congestion at Gqeberha airport

State-owned Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) is kicking off a multi-year capital expenditure rollout, targeting structural peak-period bottlenecks at Chief Dawid Stuurman International Airport (CDSIA) in Gqeberha as part of a wider network revitalisation plan.

Acsa announced this week that work on the Terminal Capacity Optimisation project will formally begin on Thursday (26 June).

This marks the opening phase of a sequence of structural upgrades scheduled for the Eastern Cape gateway over the next five years, breaking a decade-long infrastructure standstill across several of Acsa’s regional facilities.

The project enters the construction phase under strict operational timelines, with Acsa projecting an official wrap-up date of 16 November 2026.

The tactical intervention follows a comprehensive capacity analysis study conducted in 2024, which flagged severe congestion during peak hours at three key points within the terminal building: the departures concourse, security screening checkpoints and the main departures lounge.

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While a full terminal expansion is scheduled for 2030, the current optimisation project is intended as an interim measure to improve passenger flow and maintain operational efficiency.

The work will increase check-in capacity, improve circulation between the check-in area and security gates, boost security processing capacity, and expand the departures lounge.

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Acsa highlighted the airport’s strategic economic importance, describing it as a key asset within one of the Eastern Cape’s major industrial hubs.

“CDSIA is a critical asset to regional economic activity in the province, supporting not only tourism growth and global connectivity but strengthening trade flows,” it says, adding that the airport is located near the Port of Gqeberha and the Coega Special Economic Zone.

Catching up to the post-2010 demand curve

The upgrade reflects Acsa’s strategy to modernise ageing infrastructure that has struggled to keep pace with growing passenger demand.

The company said many of its regional airports, including Chief Dawid Stuurman International, have not undergone significant infrastructure upgrades since the capital injection leading up to the 2010 Fifa World Cup.

The optimisation drive forms part of Acsa’s broader capital expansion roadmap, specifically designed to revitalise older facilities and strengthen the long-term operational capacity of its airport network across the country.

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Claudia Daniels, airport manager at CDSIA, said measures have been put in place to minimise disruption during the five-month construction period.

“Passengers will experience minimal disruption during the construction period. Our primary objective is the safe and seamless facilitation of all airport users. The airport team stands ready to meet the challenges ahead, poised to grow into the next decade and beyond.”

Acsa said it will provide regular updates to institutional and commercial stakeholders on construction progress and any minor changes to the project schedule throughout the build.

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