WINDHOEK – Work to alleviate congestion and modernise infrastructure at Hosea Kutako International Airport (HKIA) will commence next Monday, authorities said yesterday.
The project has been awarded to Nexus Building Contractors and will cost about N$250 million – made up of a combined funding from Namibia Airports Company (NAC) and the Ministry of Work and Transport. It is envisaged the project would be completed by end of September next year (2020).
The Ministry of Works and Transport allocated N$155 million, while NAC is to part with N$95 million for the project.
Chairperson of the NAC board of directors Dr Leake Hangala said the project is aimed at doubling the handling capacity of the airport to accommodate increased passenger movements up until 2030.
He was speaking during the ground-breaking ceremony at the airport yesterday.
Hangala said the airport has experienced remarkable growth in passenger movements since 2016, following the introduction of international airlines and routes.
He said that in 2018 the total passenger movements stood at approximately over one million people and this trend is expected to continue and further place the airport under serious congestion.
Hangala said check-in counters will increase to 18 counters, with additional five self-services check-in kiosks compared to the current 14 check-in counters.
The main security screening checkpoints are to be increased from the current three to five security main checkpoints.
He said the immigration counters for departure are also to be increased from the current three to seven counters, with each accommodating two immigration officers at a time.
“In the same vein, the departure hall will also be expanded to accommodate the increased passenger movements and state-of-the-art commercial facilities and amenities for the convenience of air travellers. A new arrival hall as an extension to the existing terminal will also be constructed as part of the project to accommodate a total number of 17 immigration counters compared to the current eight immigration counters,” said businessman Hangala.
The baggage re-claim hall will also be expanded and fitted with a modern carousel with the capacity to handle three wide-bodied aircraft concurrently compared to the current two carousels that can only accommodate one wide-bodied aircraft at a time.
Hangala said the old terminal building, known as terminal one, currently only used for VIP movements, will also form part of the work to be done to segregate domestic and international passenger movements.
“A VIP section will however be re-integrated in the redesign of terminal one.”
In addition, Hangala said apart from the decongestion, the project will also enable the airport to comply with the safety and security requirements in the manner required by the Namibia Civil Aviation Act, Namibia Civil Aviation Regulations (NAMCARs), part 139 and the International Civil Aviation (ICAO) Regulations and Standards.
Special ministerial committee chairperson Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah indicated that air travel in the world is growing strongly and the Airports Council International (ACI) has estimated that emerging and developing economies will account for over 60 percent of all passenger traffic by 2020.
Nandi-Ndaitwah, the county’s minister of international relations, said that initiatives such as this project to alleviate congestion would enable Namibia to remain competitive and attract air traffic in line with the objective of the Yamoussoukro Declaration which essentially aims to liberalise access to air transport markets in Africa.
NAC CEO Bisey /Uirab called on contractors to ensure that the project is implemented within the set timeline and that strategic partners – the Namibian police, immigration, customs and commercial stakeholders – work in synergy to position Namibia as a preferred tourist destination for air travellers.
He urged the flying public “to bear with us for the inconvenience that may be endured during the implementation tenure of this project”.
“Similarly, we would also like advise the flying public to at all times endeavour to arrive earlier at the airport prior to their departure to abate any inconveniences that may arise as a result of the project implementation.”