Business and leisure travelers alike pass through its gates often, either as a gateway to the rest of the world, or to experience the vibrant hub that is Africa’s second biggest city, but OR Tambo International Airport is more than just a stopover.
1. IT’S HAD TWO HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT NAMES.
Founded in 1952 as Jan Smuts Airport, the airport’s name was changed to Johannesburg International Airport in 1994, after legislation was passed that prohibited politically motivated airport names. This legislation was however changed in the new millennium, and with the change came the airport’s new name of OR Tambo International Airport, in homage to the late ANC stalwart and president, Oliver Reginald Tambo.
2. IT’S THE BUSIEST AIRPORT IN AFRICA.
OR Tambo International Airport took the title from Cairo International Airport in 1996, which is made even more significant by the fact that Cairo is Africa’s biggest city. This fact also serves as your reminder to take your check-in time seriously – the busiest airport in Africa waits for no-one with an estimated annual capacity of 28 000 000 passengers.
3. IT’S ONE OF THE FEW AIRPORTS WITH DIRECT, NON-STOP FLIGHTS TO 6 DIFFERENT CONTINENTS.
That is what you’d call “well-connected”. It’s no wonder that no less than 47 airlines choose to fly through this airport.
4. IT WAS A TEST AIRPORT IN THE 1970S.
Due to OR Tambo International Airport being situated 1694 metres above sea level, the Concorde used the airport to assess how aircraft performed when taking off and landing at high altitude.
5. OR TAMBO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IS OFFICIALLY AFRICA’S BEST AIRPORT.
The airport was named the best airport in Africa in the 2015 World Airport Awards, with Cape Town’s International Airport coming in second and Durban’s King Shaka International Airport nabbing third place in the awards.
6. THE AIRPORT HAS A 24 HOUR MEDICAL CLINIC THAT OFFERS MORE THAN YOU’D THINK.
Passengers landing in OR Tambo International Airport don’t just have access to emergency medical services, but also physiotherapists, doctors and dentists. They can also have their eyes tested at the airport or even schedule in some Botox injections before heading out on their flight.
7. IT’S CONNECTED IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE.
The airport plays host to an extensive wireless internet service, which can be connected to from hotspots in both the domestic and international terminals. If Wi-Fi doesn’t float your boat though, there are also fixed connection points at the airport’s internet cafes.
8. IT PLAYS HOST TO ONE OF THE TOP HOTELS IN KEMPTON PARK*.
*According to Tripadvisor.
How often do YOU visit OR Tambo International Airport?