E Cape airports push their limits

AIRPORTS IN the Eastern Cape are almost operating at full capacity, says Provincial MEC for Safety Liaison, Roads and Transport, Thobile Mhlahlo. The Port Elizabeth Airport grew by 10.4% with passenger volumes reaching 1.4 million, close to the 2 million passengers that the airport is able to accommodate. The East London Airport is also nearing its capacity, with a growth rate of 16.7% and handling 698 000 passengers, only 2000 away from its capacity. The department is attempting to shift some of the traffic through the Bhisho Airport, which has undergone a R100 million upgrade.