Johannesburg – As 2024 approaches its conclusion, the Airports Company of South Africa (ACSA) celebrates a successful year, reporting a remarkable after-tax profit of R472 million despite facing unanticipated negative media attention locally.
Guided by CEO Mpumi Mpofu, ACSA, established on 23 July 1993, has successfully recovered from the adverse effects of the Covid pandemic and bolstered its reputation on the global stage.
During the previous year, ACSA witnessed a significant increase in international passenger traffic, with over one million travelers passing through its airport network during the busy holiday season in December 2023.
This achievement marks the first occasion since December 2019 and the onset of the pandemic that ACSA has surpassed the million milestone for international passenger traffic in a single month.
Overall, ACSA welcomed 3.554 million passengers across its airports, exceeding its projected figure of 3.425 million.
Of this total, regional passenger numbers reached 73,492, while domestic travelers numbered around 2.4 million.
International passenger figures rose to 1.018 million, marking the first time since the pandemic when the one-million threshold was crossed.
ACSA manages nine airports, competing for excellence among thousands of airports around the globe.
In recent years, ACSA’s key airports—OR Tambo International Airport (ORTIA), Cape Town International Airport (CTIA), and King Shaka International Airport (KSIA)—have consistently been recognized as premier airports in Africa and worldwide, receiving numerous accolades from esteemed organizations such as Skytrax and AirHelp.
CTIA was honored as the second-best airport in the world by AirHelp, achieving an impressive on-time performance score of 8.6 and a customer satisfaction rating of 8.4.
This airport has garnered praise for its modern infrastructure, excellent amenities, and operational efficiency, setting a benchmark for others across the continent.
At the same time, ORTIA was recognized as the sixth-best airport worldwide by AirHelp, with an overall score of 8.29, receiving accolades for its operational efficiency and solid customer satisfaction score of 8.3.
Earlier this year, both ORTIA and CTIA clinched top honors at the 2024 Skytrax World Airport Awards, highlighting the outstanding service and exceptional facilities these airports offer.
For the ninth year running, CTIA received the Skytrax Best Airport in Africa award, along with the Skytrax Best Airport Staff in Africa for the fourth consecutive year.
KSIA was celebrated as the Best Regional Airport in Africa, while ORTIA secured third place in the Best Airport in Africa category and also won the Best Airport Hotel award.
The extensive array of accolades received by ACSA’s airports in recent years reflects the dedication of Mpofu and her team towards excellence, leading the aviation sector with innovative technology, superior customer service, and sustainable practices throughout ACSA’s network.
The rising recognition of South African airports has attracted international attention, with media outlets acknowledging the progress made.
In a report published in the UK’s Express on Saturday, 14 December 2024, Lauren O’Toole highlighted CTIA, stating: “Africa’s best airport has just improved even further with a considerable £955m renovation.”
O’Toole elaborated, “An airport set to undergo a massive £955m renovation has been crowned Africa’s best airport.”
She continued, “Cape Town International Airport has proudly earned the title of Africa’s best airport and the second-best globally, owing to its modern infrastructure and operational efficiency.”
In a separate report earlier this month on 9 December, africa.businessinsider.com noted: “AirHelp assessed 239 airports across 69 countries, using three primary metrics: on-time performance, customer opinions, and dining and shopping experiences.
“Cape Town International Airport leads in Africa with an exceptional AirHelp score of 8.50, making it the second-best airport in the world.”
The airport excels with an on-time performance score of 8.6 and an impressive customer opinion rating of 8.4.
Its state-of-the-art infrastructure, outstanding facilities, and efficiency create a benchmark for other airports across the continent.
ACSA solidified its reputation with Johannesburg International Airport, which ranks 6th globally.
The airport has an overall score of 8.29 and is praised for its efficient operations and high customer satisfaction rating of 8.3.
