‘Unpopular’ new Swazi airport details outlined

PHYSICAL DETAILS
and usage goals for
Swaziland’s International
Airport now under
construction in the
eastern hamlet Sikhuphe
have been released
by the Ministry of
Economic Planning
and Development. The
ministry supervises
construction of
the Millennium
Developmental Projects,
which include
the airport.
The runway has been
partly constructed.
“The long term (usage)
goal is for a regional
network in Southern Africa
and intercontinental
traffic between Europe
and the Middle East.
Approximately 40
movements a day are
expected in the initial
years, with the airport
open for 16 hours a day,”
the ministry brief stated.
“The airport
comprises a single
runway, approximately
3550 metres in length,
on a true north/south
alignment at an altitude
of 325 metres,” the brief
noted.
A ministry source told
FTW, “The airport will
be a mix of high tech
and highly serviced timecritical
facilities to low
tech basic buildings.
“What we envision for
the terminal building is
usage of natural materials
in construction, and
for it to operate in an
environmentally friendly
fashion,” he said.
The three-level
terminal building will
measure
7000 m2.
A 1000 m2 cargo
facility will be a high bay
portal frame building with
office accommodation
and control areas.
Support buildings
including warehouses,
workshops, a police
station and a fuel farm
will measure 2000 m2.
The inconveniently
located airport is also
controversial because
its R500m-plus price
tag is criticised as being
an inappropriate usage
of national resources
when other means are
needed to boost a lagging
economy.
With the demise of
Swazi Express Airways
earlier this year, no air
carrier is interested in
using the new facility
when it goes on line.
The only airline
currently serving the
country, Airlink Swaziland,
prefers to remain in
the centrally located
Matsapha Industrial
Estate.