Facilities Ranking
Safety Ranking
Environmental Ranking
• Region: Africa (Southern Africa)
• Country/State: South Africa (KwaZulu-Natal)
• City/Town: La Mercy (serving Durban / eThekwini)
• Website: https://www.airports.co.za
• Type of Airport: International
• Airport code/s:
o IATA: DUR
o ICAO: FALE
• Terminals:
– Single integrated passenger terminal (international & domestic)
• Passenger numbers:
– ~6.0–6.5 million passengers (calendar year 2024)
Parking
• Short-term: Multi-storey short-stay parking adjacent to terminal
• Long-term: Long-stay and shaded surface parking within walking distance
• Valet: Official valet parking available (premium paid)
Hotel
• On site:
– No airside terminal hotel
• Nearby:
– Protea Hotel by Marriott King Shaka Airport
– Additional hotels in Umhlanga Ridge and Ballito (road access)
Other facilities
• Restaurants/cafes: South African and international dining options
• Bars: Licensed bars and cafés airside and landside
• Lounges: Bidvest Premier Lounge, SAA Voyager Lounge (where applicable), airline partner lounges
• Duty-free shops: Duty-free retail in international departure and arrival areas
• Gift shops/newsagent/chemist: Souvenirs, convenience stores and pharmacies
• On-site travel agent: Limited; airline service desks and airport information counters instead
• Help desk/Lost & found: Airport information desks and ACSA lost & found services
• Car rental: Major South African and international car-rental companies on site
• Taxi/transport to city: Metered taxis, ride-hailing services, hotel shuttles, buses
• Baby/parent room: Baby care rooms and family facilities throughout terminal
• Business center/free-Wi-Fi/charging: Free Wi-Fi airport-wide; charging points throughout terminal
• Gym: No public terminal gym
• Beauty center/hairdresser: Limited grooming services
• Other facilities: Medical clinic, prayer/quiet rooms, retail atrium
• Biometric check-in: Biometric boarding used by selected international carriers
• Biometric customs: Automated border control e-gates for eligible travellers
Disabled/accessibility
• Free PRM assistance available; request via airline in advance
• Wheelchair assistance from curbside to gate and arrival halls
• Fully step-free terminal with ramps, elevators and wide circulation areas
• Accessible parking spaces close to terminal entrance
• Accessible toilets throughout terminal
• Priority security and immigration processing available
• Assistance dogs permitted
• Support for non-visible disabilities via trained staff
• Tactile paving and audible announcements throughout terminal
Runways
• Runway 06/24
Length/Width
• 06/24: ~3,700 m × 60 m
• Long runway supports long-haul widebody operations (Code F capable)
Grooving of runways
• Grooved runway surface to improve wet-weather braking
• High-capacity drainage systems mitigate hydroplaning risk
• Surface data published in the South African AIP
ILS/CAT capability
• ILS installed
• CAT II capability available
• CAT III not routinely published for FALE
Navigation aids
• ILS with PAPI visual guidance
• VOR/DME navigation aids
• RNAV (GNSS-based) SIDs and STARs
• Modern ATC radar and surface surveillance systems
Low-visibility operations
– Low Visibility Procedures (LVP) in place
– Operations affected mainly by fog, heavy rain and thunderstorms
– Sea-breeze and crosswind considerations
On-time departures (OTP) data
• Airport-specific OTP figures not routinely published
• OTP influenced by:
– Coastal weather variability
– Seasonal leisure travel peaks
– Single-runway dependency
Airfield restrictions
• No formal curfew
• Noise abatement procedures apply
• Preferential runway use based on wind and weather
• Planned runway and taxiway maintenance managed via NOTAMs
Aircraft maintenance
• Aircraft maintenance facilities on site
• Line maintenance provided by SAA Technical and third-party MROs
• Heavy maintenance conducted at major South African hubs
• Oversight by the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA)
Eco-efficient operations (e.g., energy use, carbon minimization, waste management, etc.)
• Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) targets net-zero airport operations by 2030
• Fixed electrical ground power reduces aircraft APU usage
• Energy-efficient lighting and smart terminal-management systems
• Comprehensive recycling and waste-diversion programs
Renewable energy use
• On-site solar photovoltaic installations supplying a portion of airport electricity
• Additional renewable electricity procurement aligned with national energy goals
• Energy efficiency remains the primary emissions-reduction lever
Availability of biofuel alternatives
• Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) available on a limited, airline-driven basis
• Participation in South African SAF feasibility initiatives
• No airport-mandated SAF blending requirement currently in place
Conservation of biodiversity [actual programs]
• Environmental management of coastal grasslands and buffer zones
• Stormwater treatment and protection of nearby coastal ecosystems
• Wildlife hazard management balancing aviation safety and biodiversity protection
Sustainable transportation
• Promotion of shared transport and airport shuttles
• Electrification of airport-owned and ground-service vehicle fleets underway
• EV charging infrastructure available in airport parking facilities
Green building design
• Terminal designed to modern South African green-building standards
• Extensive use of natural daylight and high-performance glazing
• Efficient HVAC systems adapted for humid coastal climate
• Lifecycle carbon reduction embedded across ACSA capital development programs
