Maputo International Airport
Encyclopedia
Maputo International Airport , also known as Lourenço Marques Airport, is an airport
located 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) northwest of the center of Maputo
, the largest city and capital of Mozambique
. It is the largest airport in Mozambique, and hub for LAM Mozambique Airlines
and Kaya Airlines
. Most destinations served from the airport are in Africa but TAP Portugal
operates a service to Lisbon
, Portugal.
held in neighboring South Africa
, but it could not be finished in time. It will, however, be ready for the All Africa Games which are scheduled to be held in Maputo
in 2011.The project experienced a serious cost overrun, with the builder requesting and additional US$40 to 50 million to complete the work.
A second phase will entail the construction of a new domestic terminal where the current terminal stands. The whole plan is for Maputo International Airport to double its capacity from 450,000 to 900,000 per year and help expand tourism in the city and country. The terminal will also have 13 check-in counters, electronic panels displaying flights, Presidential VIP lounge, escalators and a electric central cooling system. The new terminal is expected to serve 400 arriving and departing passengers per hour, compared to the old building that could only handle 150 passengers per hour. A parking lot for 600 vehicles will also be created by the new terminal.
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
located 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) northwest of the center of Maputo
Maputo
Maputo, also known as Lourenço Marques, is the capital and largest city of Mozambique. It is known as the City of Acacias in reference to acacia trees commonly found along its avenues and the Pearl of the Indian Ocean. It was famous for the inscription "This is Portugal" on the walkway of its...
, the largest city and capital of Mozambique
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
. It is the largest airport in Mozambique, and hub for LAM Mozambique Airlines
LAM Mozambique Airlines
Linhas Aéreas de Moçambique, Ltd., operating as LAMMozambique Airlines , is the flag carrier of Mozambique. Based in Maputo, it operates scheduled services in southern Africa and Europe under the IATA airline code TM and the ICAO airline code LAM, its callsign being MOZAMBIQUE.The carrier is a...
and Kaya Airlines
Kaya Airlines
Kaya Airlines is an airline based in Maputo, Mozambique and re-branded from Transairways. The airline, which resumed operations on 29 August 2011, flies within the country of Mozambique.- Fleet :As of August 2009 the former Transairways fleet included:...
. Most destinations served from the airport are in Africa but TAP Portugal
TAP Portugal
TAP Portugal, commonly known as TAP, is the national airline of Portugal. It has its head office in Building 25 on the grounds of Portela Airport in Lisbon, and has been a member of the Star Alliance since 14 March 2005, the same day on which the company celebrated its 60th anniversary...
operates a service to Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
, Portugal.
Expansion
A Chinese company has built a new cargo terminal, in what was the starting point of the first phase of a Chinese financed expansion project, with an initial estimated cost of US$75 million. The first phase concluded with the opening of the new international terminal on 15 November 2010. The new terminal has a capacity of 900,000 passengers a year, far from the 60,000 it could hold before. Originally, this modernization project had in mind to benefit from the 2010 FIFA World Cup2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
held in neighboring South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, but it could not be finished in time. It will, however, be ready for the All Africa Games which are scheduled to be held in Maputo
Maputo
Maputo, also known as Lourenço Marques, is the capital and largest city of Mozambique. It is known as the City of Acacias in reference to acacia trees commonly found along its avenues and the Pearl of the Indian Ocean. It was famous for the inscription "This is Portugal" on the walkway of its...
in 2011.The project experienced a serious cost overrun, with the builder requesting and additional US$40 to 50 million to complete the work.
A second phase will entail the construction of a new domestic terminal where the current terminal stands. The whole plan is for Maputo International Airport to double its capacity from 450,000 to 900,000 per year and help expand tourism in the city and country. The terminal will also have 13 check-in counters, electronic panels displaying flights, Presidential VIP lounge, escalators and a electric central cooling system. The new terminal is expected to serve 400 arriving and departing passengers per hour, compared to the old building that could only handle 150 passengers per hour. A parking lot for 600 vehicles will also be created by the new terminal.
Passengers
Accidents and incidents
- On 10 July 1986, Douglas C-47A 7315 of the Zimbabwe Air Force crashed on take-off. All 17 people on board were killed.