An airport in South Africa that once was the third-busiest in the country is now a shadow of its former self.
The old Durban International Airport was once a thriving hub and saw 250 million passengers use it every year.
But the building, which was described as the pride of Kwa-Zulu Natal (Durban) has been left abandoned after a new airport, King Shaka, was built in the north of the city ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
The new airport, 60km north of Durban, became a priority as the city prepared to welcome around 310,000 football fans, the South African Government said. And they plunged funds into the new airport while the old one was left to rot.
It is now embroiled in legal battles and has also been at the centre of a bout of corruption., reports the Express. Durban International Airport first opened in 1951 and saw around 250 million passengers a year passing through its doors.
And it remained the hub of South African travel during its nearly six decades of operation. It was also used by the South African Air Force and the Police Air Wing during the 2010 FIFA World Cup but was later decommissioned.
While it saw a large number of domestic flights, it didn’t have as many International flights as the runway was too short for larger aircraft’s to land.
In 2012, airport ownership was transferred from the Airports Company South Africa to Transnet for nearly £88,219,000 (R2 billion).
A private company known as Seaworld Aviation also tried to salvage the airport and return it to its former glory. This included an ambitious plan to have smaller airlines use the old airport in the hopes that it would further boost tourism in the city.
In June 2017, Transnet signed a lease to operate the airport for 10 years between 2017 and 2027.
However, these bold initiatives were put on hold as Transnet and Seaworld became embroiled in litigation stemming from issues over the contract they both signed.
As plans for a refurbished airport were put on hold, Transnet has been leasing out parts of the old airport, including the main runway, which is being used to store vehicles.
Despite some parts being used, much of the old airport has remained completely untouched. Tenants who previously lived there caused destruction by smashing down walls, cutting through buildings, and even repurposing storage tanks meant for aviation fuel.
There have been rumours over the years of converting the old airport site into a hub for low-cost airlines or perhaps turning it into another airport.
However, the £8,821,900 (R200 million) cost of renovating this project has seen these plans shelved, and the airport remains desolate and eerily quiet.
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