Cape Town International Airport is being transformed into a "travellers' paradise" and mega transport hub before the World Cup.
The airport's multimillion-rand makeover, which includes a new R1.5 billion combined terminal, eight new air bridges, a multi-storey parkade and an upgraded road network, is 80 percent complete and expected to be fully operational by year-end.
Terminal 2010, the new combined domestic and international terminal, will have number of popular retail outlets and shops, including a food court and public viewing deck, from which families can watch planes land and take off.
On the ground floor, a few metres from the main entrance, a transport plaza and bus station is being built where passengers will be able to catch a bus or taxi.
This is set to be connected to the city's integrated rapid transit (IRT) network.
Two pedestrian subways are being built on the ground floor enabling pedestrians to avoid motorists on the airport's new arrivals level.
The new terminal is expected to be "up and running" by November, a month before Fifa's final draw, when thousands of international visitors are expected to stream into the city.
During a media tour of the mega-structure yesterday, Deon Cloete, the airport's general manager, said dignitaries would be welcomed at "a brand new" Cape Town International in just under seven months.
He said most of the hard work and challenging bits of construction had been done, and it was now time for the "finishing touches".
"We are confident that everything will be completed by the end of October and that operations will start from November," said Cloete.
Terminal 2010 is to include a central processing unit - a first for Cape Town - that international and domestic passengers can use to check in. The area will have 120 check-in counters with 20 self-service check-in machines.
Cloete said the five-storey terminal would "greatly enhance" the airport.
"One of the advantages is that in-transit passengers will not need to move from one terminal to the next, as in the current case," he said. "Check-in for both domestic and international passengers will be handled in one area."
The new terminal will also be equipped with a state-of-the-art fully automated baggage sorting system, which is expected to reduce human handling of luggage.
The airport's upgrade project manager, Bharat Bhikha, said the designers had kept the new terminal simple, but world-class.
"It was designed so that people don't get lost," said Bhikha. "Passengers will look down to the main entrance and check-in area from every level of this new terminal."
For Johan Brink, the construction contractor, the roof was the most challenging component of the entire upgrade.
He said although it looked simple, the arched roof had taken 10 months to build.
"It was the most challenging part of this project, but is also the most striking feature of the new terminal," said Brink.
Apart from the terminal upgrades, more aircraft parking bays are being created on the apron.
Cloete said R4 million had been spent on the airport's new permit system, and R38.5m would be spent on a detection system for the airport's perimeter.
Acsa Cape Town is to spend R25m on a computerised maintenance management system, R3.7m on a waste handling facility, R3.2m on an aircraft sewage waste facility and R12m on a fuel leak detection system.