The small airport servicing the popular holiday town of Plettenberg Bay on South Africa’s Garden Route is undergoing a major upgrade.

According to Businesstech, the airport currently processes 30 000 passengers a year, and the upgrade includes building a new terminal building, a longer runway to accommodate Boeing 737 aircraft, an expanded apron and upgraded fire, rescue and emergency services.

Once the airport is upgraded to industry standards, it is hoped that it will serve 150 000 passengers a year by 2050.

Local aviation group RSA.Aero submitted the winning tender for the project, which covers leasing, developing and operating the airport.

The process of transferring the management of the airport from the Bitou local municipality to RSA.Aero’s subsidiary, Garden Route Aero (GRA), began in July 2024.

2 September 2024
Image: Freepik