Lanseria International Airport, in Gauteng, is undergoing a period of transformation and forward-looking development, which will see several major upgrades to the airport’s infrastructure and facilities to offer more services, Lanseria International Airport CEO Rampa Rammopo announced on June 25.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 2025 Aero South Africa trade show at the airport, he said the general aviation transformation and revitalisation programme would include, among other initiatives, the introduction of a new commercial leasing structure that will allow general aviation operators to lease the airport’s vacant land.

“We have about 90 ha of vacant land that we can make available to partners to develop their facilities on a long-term basis and construct hangars and offices according to their own specifications. This will guarantee them security of tenure as well as a superior rate of return on their investments,” Rammopo explained.

He said the first of these land lease agreements was recently concluded with one of the airport’s general aviation operators Bionic Aviation.

“They will be developing a state-of-the-art hangar and office facility here at the airport, using approximately 2 000 m² of hardstand to realise this vision. We are also in discussions with other operators who have shown strong interest in our new land lease offering,” Rammopo said.

He added that Lanseria International Airport had begun work on its five-year hangar refurbishment programme, which would see the airport collaborating with its operators to modernise the hangar facilities to meet operational needs and support growth in aviation activity.

This upgrade will include, among other things, security access systems, digitised processing systems and higher-quality services to ensure efficient operations across the value chain.

So far, the airport has completed six hangars as part of this plan.

Rammopo also confirmed Lanseria International Airport’s plans to rehabilitate its main taxiway – the Alpha Taxiway – to support the facility’s growth and resilience.

“This taxiway, originally constructed two decades ago, has exceeded its design life. This rehabilitation programme is intended to extend its life, enhance operational efficiency, and, most importantly, preserve the airport’s reputation for safety and reliability.

“It is not lost on us that, even for general aviation operators, a smooth and compliant taxiway surface improves ground operations for light aircraft and supports safety for flight schools and charters,” he said.

Rammopo confirmed that the airport had already completed a detailed feasibility study in this regard.

“We are also working on several design options for the construction and development of this taxiway. We plan to commence construction and rehabilitation in the first quarter of 2026,” he said.

Further, in anticipation of traffic growth, Rammopo said the airport was also developing a new fuel farm to increase fuel tank capacity from the current 1 000 m³ to about 6 000 m³.

“This additional storage capacity will significantly reduce the risk of supply disruptions, given the structural changes in South Africa’s fuel industry, particularly with the closure of some refineries, which has resulted in the country becoming a net importer of petroleum products.

“This development will also give our operators and visitors greater confidence in our ability to meet fuel demands with both availability and efficiency,” Rammopo explained.

He added that, following the Covid-19 pandemic, Lanseria International Airport saw a significant drop off in terms of air traffic – although that has improved since. However, the crisis led the airport to enter the air cargo services sector to diversify its service offering.

“We are, therefore, advancing the development of a fully-fledged, modern-day air cargo precinct to position our airport as a regional logistics hub. We are at an advanced stage in making this strategic vision a reality. This will be a ten-year phased project, with groundbreaking expected in the third quarter of 2025.”

“Beyond providing the airport with an additional revenue stream, this project will benefit businesses, particularly in the farming sector in this area and in neighbouring provinces. We hope this project will stimulate business activity, improve logistics and market access, and ultimately drive economic growth in the region,” Rammopo said.