The Cape Town International Airport, this name brings a spark within the tourists who love to explore South Africa. South Africa is a very famous destination that offers plenty of attractions to the people around the world. And the Cape Town is a pride for South Africa that again offers magnificent sites by improving the economy of the entire country through tourism. Tourists reach at the city of Cape Town through its major airport that serves the entire city. Hence, the Cape Town International Airport is a key airport for the city and is the second busiest in South Africa. This airport is considered as the third busiest in Africa.
The Cape Town International Airport was opened in the year 1954 to act as a substitute for the earlier airport situated at the suburb of Wingfield. The Cape Town International Airport is situated at the distance of 20 kilometres from the city centre. This is the only airport that provides scheduled services in the Cape Town metropolitan area. Globally, this airport has direct flights to some destinations in Africa, Asia, Europe and South America. The air route in between the Cape Town and Johannesburg was the fifth busiest route in the world and also the busiest in Africa. The air route between the Cape Town and Durban is also the fifth busiest route in Africa.
The Cape Town International Airport is one of the best airports in the world and was proved by the Skytrax award which was presented to this airport in the year 2009 as a best airport in Africa. This airport has domestic and international terminals that are connected by a common central terminal. Annually, this airport bears some 7.8 million passengers. For the preparation of 2010 FIFA World Cup, this airport was extensively lengthened and also renovated.
The code of this airport is CPT and has total six terminals. It also has its own official website called www.airports.co.za. This airport could be found at a distance of 22 kilometres towards the east of Cape Town. Every check-in takes place in the Central Terminal Building that comprises of 120 check-in desks and 20 self-service kiosks. The departures could be found in the upper floors and arrivals in the lower floors of the terminal building. The terminal has ten air bridges that were split evenly between the domestic and international usage. You can reach easily from one terminal to the other by walking for a short distance.
The airlines that operates scheduled flights to the airport of Cape Town are 1Time, Air Berlin, Air Mauritius, Air Namibia, Airlink, British Airways, British Airways that are operated by Comair, Emirates, Etihad Airways, Interlink Airlines, Lufthansa, KLM, Kulula.com, Malaysia Airlines, Mango, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, South African Airways, South African Express, TAAG Angola Airlines, Turkish Airlines and Virgin Atlantic.
To reach to this airport from the city, you have to take the N2 highway and simply go on following the signs of the airport. Once you reach at the airport car parking space could be found at the terminal buildings and shuttles are also available to carry the travellers to the other terminal. You can hire cars from various companies like Avis, Budget, Dollar, Europcar, Hertz, Imperial, National Alamo and Tempest. Their desks could be seen inside the Terminals of International and Domestic Arrivals.
Public transportations like buses and taxis are available at the airport. Door-to door shuttle bus services could be found on demand or by booking it earlier in Arrivals. For that you can go for the companies who provide services like Anwar’s Tourist Services in the International Terminal and Way-2-Go Tours, City Hopper and Centurion Tours in the Domestic Terminal. Besides this, taxis like touch Down Taxis are also available and is the official authorized airport taxi company. So travellers can use these authorized taxis. For rail transportation, you won’t get any direct rail access to Cape Town International Airport. But the other modes of transportation are not the least to provide better services to the travellers.
For any details you can head to the Arrivals of International and Domestic Terminals where information desks are available to solve your queries. This airport provides basic facilities like Money and Communications, eating and drinking, shopping, luggage, conference and business and others. Banks, bureaux de change, ATMs, post office, wireless internet access, restaurant, bar, sports café, coffee shop, juice bar, bar and grill, sandwich shop, duty-free shopping like wine shop could be found at the International Departures, pharmacy, clothing accessories shop, bookshop, sweet shop and gift shop are also available at the airport. VAT refund service is also there in the International Departures.
Facilities are also provided for the luggages. Baggage storage facilities could be found in the Domestic Arrivals and also in the International Departures. You will also get medical clinic situated in the Southern Office Block at the airport. In fact, for conference and business facilities you can head to the Zenith Airport Conference Venue which is located close to the Domestic Arrivals Terminal. It provides venues for meetings and conferences and also offers catering.
Executive lounges are also available in Domestic and International Departures. Airports Company VIP Lounge facility could be found at northern side of the Domestic Departures Terminal. For disabled travellers facilities are also provided like lifts, ramps, toilets and wheelchairs. For any assistance the disabled traveller should contact the respective airline.
For accommodation you have only one hotel at the airport and that is the Road Lodge. Besides this, the City Lodge Pinelands and Courtyard Hotel Cape Town could be found close to the airport. You can also make hotel reservations through the use of automatic telephones that are situated in Arrivals. The Western Cape Town is among the major tourist destinations in the Country. This airport is the prime site for the visitors who wish to reach at South Africa. Cape Town hotel reservations can be done that comprises of Table Bay Hotel, Cullinan Inn Waterfront Hotel, Mount Nelson Hotel, Capetonian Hotel, Ritz Hotel Cape Town, Tulbagh Hotel, Table Mountain, Camps Bay, Clifton, Oranjezicht, Tamboerskloof, False Bay, Cape of Good Hope and Waterfront.
Cape Town is among the most stunning cities in the world that offers thousands of attractions like crystal blue water, high mountains, and fine climate. To preserve the history of this city, the Cape Dutch architectures are alive even today that draws more tourists towards it. Edwardian and Victorian buildings are also preserved carefully here. The major attractions of Cape Town where you should visit are Atlantic Seaboard, Blaauwberg, Cape Flats, Cape Helderberg, Cape Town City Bowl, which is also known as Mother City, Cape Town North, Constantia Valley, False Bay, Southern Suburbs, Constantia Wine Route, Cape Town Coffee Route and much more.
The must see attractions of Cape Town are Cape Town Beaches, as South Africa has earned the blue flag status due to few of its most beautiful beaches in the world, Robben Island, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, Table Mountain, Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, Cape Point, Chapman’s Peak Drive and many others. The major things to do at this place is to swim with the Penguins at Boulders Beach, Open-top Bus Tour around Cape Town, a Helicopter ride over the city, enjoy the Cape Town Craft Markets, Cape Town Theatre and at other sites.
Weel, do not miss few of the special events of Cape Town like the Jazz festival, Foot of Africa Marathon and Greyton Rose Fair. Climbing the Table Mountain is the dream of every visitor who throngs here to experience the sites. While exploring the entire Cape Town do try shopping as it will give you pleasure and also stuffs at a cheap rate. Stylish malls like the Victoria Wharf at the V&A Waterfront, antique shops, craft markets, flea markets and art galleries are flourishing at this place. Expert boutiques provide a tempting collection of extraordinary stuffs which is not readily available somewhere else.
Cape Town has a Mediterranean type climate. The winter season starts from the months of May to August when you can experience the cold fronts across Atlantic. Winter temperature even goes down to 7 degree Celsius and you can experience most of the rainfalls during winter but it depends upon the topography. The summer season here is warm and dry. This season occurs during the months of November through February.
The name of Cape Town was originated from the term Cape of Good Hope. It was derived when Bartholomew Diaz and other seafarers glanced ahead to the sight of Table Mountain. And like the name given to it, the same it promised to offer hospitality and prosperity. It is the third most inhabited city in South Africa and why not when it offers so much to the people. The dazzling beauty of this place makes it a brilliant tourist destination.
Well, most of the people know that Africa has everything to offer and it make its best to prove it. Every people dreams to visit Africa once and when it comes about Cape Town they never fail to be there. The colour of skies blends with the nature in such a way that it gives a perfect and attractive sight to everyone. When tourists start their trip their heart starts pounding faster and they just go on flowing with every beats to explore the city. And why not a city will offer so much when its airport has a record breaking services? So just fly to the Cape Town International Airport and start your adventurous journey to make it a lifetime experience.
