Pietermaritzburg Airport

Andrew Layman:  PCB CEO

HOW MANY AIRLINK FLIGHTS?
Since the beginning of 2006, Airlink has had 6 249 scheduled flights into Pietermaritzburg.   The number in each year has declined steadily from 1 681 in 2006 to 1 270 in 2009 and a monthly average of 93 until the end of May this year.  This reflects a decrease in demand related to growing dissatisfaction with the level of comfort on the Jetstream aircraft, less expensive fare options from Durban, perceptions of unreliability, diversions to Durban and some fears about the aircraft’s safety.  

DIVERSIONS
Contrary to the popular perception that many incoming flights are diverted to Durban, the total number in four years amounted to 281, ie 4,9% of all flights – about 5 in every hundred.   These are not spread evenly throughout the year and the concentration of diversions during October and November increase the perception that diversions are frequent.   The average during October and November has been 11 and 13 of every 100 flights, respectively.    In four years, only nine flights have been diverted during the winter months from May to August.   During last year, the weather was unpredictably aberrant.   There were as many as 109 diversions, 26 of these in January (out of 54 in the five years from 2006) and 19 (out of 34) in February.

This year, the decline in the number of diversions reflects the success of the technical improvements at the airport.  By the end of May, only 16 flights had to be diverted – 3,5%.   Further improvements are planned.

A NEW CARRIER IN THE OFFING
Flygoair is due to start operating services to and from Lanseria from 1 September, or even earlier, perhaps.   The new airline - a local enterprise by the way - has secured premises at the airport.   Reports in the media that the airline is due to start a service to Cape Town are not true.   This will be considered in the course of time if the demand is such as to make such a service feasible.  In 2007, PCB members were canvassed as to what other routes they would like to see introduced by Airlink (which, by the way, has seriously considered alternatives).    Of the 103 companies that responded, 46 favoured a service to Cape Town while a service to PE via East London was also quite well supported.    One doubts whether this is a convincing number to motivate the introduction of either service.

CURRENT DEVELOPMENTS
The highlighting of the importance of the airport in last year’s City Summit and the adoption of this as one of three critical economic development projects, together with the considerable interest of economist Clive Coetzee and the active support of the provincial Treasury have revitalised interest in the airport and its potential for development.    A substantial sum of money has been made available by the province to attend to the more immediate issues relating to the surface of the runway, technical improvements to further reduce the negative impact of inclement weather, construction of a parallel taxiway, hangar development, construction of a modest cargo hub, improved facilities for general aviation and the possible extension of the terminal building.  Two adjacent sites have been earmarked for private sector development.

THE POTENTIAL
It is commonly believed that the completion of King Shaka International Airport has increased the potential for Pietermaritzburg Airport to thrive.    In addition to the planned improvements in services, talks are being held with manufacturers within the aviation sector for the establishment of an aviation cluster.    There is also thought to be significant potential in the field of general aviation and the development of an airport park (the air equivalent to a marina) is considered appropriate.    A study on the potential of the airport as a cargo hub was done a few years ago and remains relevant.    

While it is possible to lengthen the runway – and this may become essential in time – this is not considered a priority at present.   Airlink’s jet carries about three times the number of passengers than the Jetstream 41 and is a good deal more comfortable.   The immediate challenge is to increase the popularity of using the local airport so that the market will determine how quickly further developments, including a longer runway, can be undertaken.    In this regard, it is worth considering, however, that technical advances in some aircraft also include their ability to land and take off using shorter runways.      

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