George Airport

George Airport (IATA: GRJ, ICAO: FAGG) is an airport located in George, Western Cape, South Africa. It was formerly known as P.W. Botha Airport, named after the state president who lived in this part of the country.

George Airport
Summary
Airport typePublic
OperatorAirports Company South Africa
ServesGeorge
Elevation AMSL639 ft / 195 m
Coordinates34°00′24″S 22°22′51″E
Websiteacsa.co.za
Map
GRJ
Location in the Western Cape
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
11/29 2,000 6,561 Asphalt
02/20 (CLOSED) 1,220 4,002 Asphalt
Statistics (Jan-Dec 2019)
Passenger traffic840,804

This airport was originally built in 1977 as an exact replica of the Keetmanshoop Airport in Namibia, but since its expansion and renovation, it now looks completely different. George Airport has won the award for Africa’s best airport in the category under two million passengers per year six times, the last time 2017. The award is given by Airports Council International (ACI).[3]

In 2013, the airport served 560,432 passengers, substantially more than the 154,000 in 2003. From 2014 onwards continued increase in passenger numbers were witnessed, with 2017 recording a record number of passengers of 785,486, closing in on the design capacity of the airport which should necessitate further terminal expansion in the near future.

Airlines and destinations

Passenger
AirlinesDestinations
Airlink Cape Town, Durban
FlySafair Johannesburg–O.R. Tambo
Kulula.com Johannesburg–O.R. Tambo
Mango Johannesburg–O.R. Tambo

Cargo
AirlinesDestinations
BidAir Cargo Johannesburg-O.R. Tambo

Traffic statistics
Annual passenger traffic [4]
YearPassengers% Change
2006 589,6744.2%
2007 652,03110.6%
2008 630,3853.3%
2009 548,49813.0%
2010 526,8234.0%
2011 565,2917.3%
2012 555,3861.8%
2013 560,4320.9%
2014 597,6376.6%
2015 698,18716.8%
2016 738,4755.8%
2017 785,4866.4%
2018 836,6996.5%

Accidents and incidents
  • 7 December 2009 - An Embraer ERJ 135 (registration:ZS-SJW) operated by Airlink on a scheduled flight (SA-8625) overran the runway in wet conditions and ended up on a public road. There were no fatalities, but the plane suffered substantial damage.[5][6] The accident was caused by an incorrect sealant used on the runway, and the airline was cleared of all blame. Airlink's insurers took legal action against the state-owned Airports Company of South Africa.[7]

See also

References
  1. "ACSA – Durban Passenger Statistics". Airports Company South Africa. Archived from the original on 29 September 2011. Retrieved 6 May 2011.
  2. "ACSA – Durban Aircraft Statistics". Airports Company South Africa. Archived from the original on 20 July 2011. Retrieved 6 May 2011.
  3. "George Airport wins award". George Herald. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  4. "ACSA Passenger Statistics". Airports Company South Africa. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
  5. Hradecky, Simon (7 December 2009). "Accident: SA Airlink E135 at George on Dec 7th 2009, overran runway". The Aviation Herald. Retrieved 7 December 2009.
  6. "Airlink plane overshoots George runway". Mail & Guardian. 7 December 2009. Retrieved 7 December 2009.
  7. Business Day - Airlink in clear, Acsa blamed for George near-disaster

Media related to George Airport at Wikimedia Commons

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