Airport Overview

O. R. Tambo International Airport, the biggest and busiest airport in Africa, is ideally situated in Johannesburg South Africa's commercial and industrial hub in Ekurhuleni Municipality. The airport has excellent  road infrastructure linking it to the national road network. O. R. Tambo International Airport services airlines from five continents across the world and plays a vital role in serving the local and regional air transport needs of South Africa. As the flagship airport in the Airports Company South Africa's network of nine airports, O.R. Tambo International Airports facilitates over 21 million passengers and has the capacity to facilitate 28 million passengers per annum. Not only is it a passenger hub, but has a cargo facilitation capacity of 650 000 tons per annum. 

REFERENCE: Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) https://www.airports.co.za/airports/or-tambo-international-airport/the-airport/about-or-tambo

Airport Picture

Description and Contacts of Key Companies

Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) was formed in 1993 as a public company under the Airports Act (No. 44 of 1993) and, although majority owned by the South African Government, is legally and financially autonomous and operates under commercial law. Airports Company South Africa SOC Ltd (the Company) owns and manages a network of nine airports in South Africa, including the three main international gateways of O.R. Tambo International, Cape Town International and King Shaka International Airports. In 2017, the nine airports facilitated nearly 41 million passengers. The Company is involved in equity investments abroad and provides technical advisory and consultancy services to other airports globally. Our majority shareholder is the South African Government (74.6%).

The South African Revenue Service (SARS) is the nation’s tax collecting authority. Established in terms of the South African Revenue Service Act 34 of 1997 as an autonomous agency, we are responsible for administering the South African tax system and customs service.

Menzies Aviation are ISAGO registered at 10 Airports. As one the core IATA (International Air Transport Association) audits for safe Ground Handling, we participate to help influence the future of the air transport industry by assisting in the development and implementation of industry standards and technical solutions.

Services include ground services, cargo, fueling, executive services and offline services.

BidAir Services currently provides quality handling services, passenger handling, ramp handling, load control and operations, cleaning and toilet and water services, to more than 25 international and domestic airlines flying into South Africa. Since March 2008 BidAir Services has handled in excess of 500 000 flights.

BidAir Services Executive Concierge BidAir Services have identified a need to extend beyond the provision of Ground Handling Services only to Commercial Airlines and have thus created a division to offer these value added services to the Public and other entities. This division is known as the Executive Concierge division and is made up of the following departments:

1. VIP Charter Handling Division
2. Executive Meet and Greet Services
3. Baggage Wrapping Services

Swissport generates roughly 80 percent of its revenue in airport ground services, which include passenger services and ramp handling. Their complete service portfolio affords us with a significant cost and service advantage. Jointly with their clients, they aim to develop partnerships that enable them to move from providing single airport or network packages to integrated hub and base management with a view to full outsourcing – as they already have with multiple leading airlines.

PASSENGER SERVICES: Check-in and Gate; Passenger Mobility; Lounge Hospitality; Executive Aviation; Security Services; Lost & Found

RAMP SERVICES: Baggage Services; Fueling; Moving of Aircraft; Aircraft Cleaning

For more information on airport contacts, please see the following link: 4.5 Airport Companies Contact List.

Information on some aviation service providers can be found at: http://www.azfreight.com/

Passenger and Cargo Performance Indicator

Runways

Helicopter Pad(s)

Airport Infrastructure Details

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Airport Operating Details

Customs Guidance

Customs are governed by the South African Revenue Service (SARS) which operates 24/7, for passengers it’s a very short process through the terminal building, for cargo flights it is conducted at the aircraft. Using a local freight handler/forwarder would be beneficial.

For more information on customs in South Africa, please see the following link: 1.3 Customs Information. 

Airfield Costs

Navigation Charges

Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) charges users for the use of its facilities, in accordance with these regulatory provisions. The categories of airport charges are:

• Landing fees
• Aircraft parking fees
• Passenger service charges

Landing fees vary according to the origin of the aircraft and the aircraft weight, and fall into three categories, namely: domestic, regional and international. For aircraft parking fees, the combination of the weight of the aircraft and the duration parked (to the extent that it exceeds four hours) and the parking stand utilised are considered in determining the parking charges.

Passenger Service Charges (PSC) are charged on departures only, categorised into domestic, regional and international.

Fuel Service Charges

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Cargo Terminal Charges

Due to the amount of Cargo/Freight forward companies available at O.R Tambo International this information fluctuates and may be obtained directly from that chosen vendor.

Air-bridge Charges

In terms of 5 (2) of the Airports Company Act, 1993 (Act No 44 of 1993), as amended it is herby published for general notice that as from 1 April 2021, the Airports Company South Africa Limited, Reg. No. 1993/04149/06, will levy airport charges set out in the schedule by virtue of a permission granted in terms of section 12 of the said act. I reference to parking charges shall be payable after an aircraft has been parked at a company airport for a period exceeding four hours: Provided that the parking shall be doubles if such aircraft has been parked at any company airport at a parking bay where a passenger loading bridge is in operation. A parking charge shall be calculated for any period of 24 hours or any part thereof from 4 hours for which an aircraft has been parked.

Security 

O.R. Tambo is Africa’s largest airport and South Africa’s premier point of entry. Security has been ramped up with additional members being provided by the South African Police Service and licensed security contractors ensuring a Skytrax 3-star rating. Among the measures being taken are random stop and search operations of people working in and around the airport. Other measures include additional staff to monitor several hundred CCTV cameras in real time.

Staff with permits to work on the airside are not only subject to random stop and searches but are also subject to intensified searches at access points, both entering and leaving access-controlled areas.

Baggage wagons and other vehicles being used at airside are being randomly stopped with drivers subject to questioning and inspections carried out.

As a licencing requirement of the SA Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) all agencies and contractors involved in security recently conducted an emergency drill to ensure continuing preparedness for emergencies.