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Bloemfontein Airport

Bloemfontein Airport

 Bloemfontein Airport is a small airport which handles domestic flights to and from Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban and Port Elizabeth, as well as sharing its runways with the AFB Bloemspruit Air Force Base. The airport is situated outside the city of Bloemfontein, one of the cities chosen to host matches during the 2010 FIFA World Cup finals.

 As part of the preparations for the finals, Bloemfontein Airport and its connected services have been significantly upgraded and expanded. The airport usually handles around 250,000 passengers per year, but this is expected to increase dramatically in 2010 due to the World Cup, so the airport had to be ready for the huge rise in passengers during the tournament. As such, the runways have had a 121 million rand upgrade, while 46 million rand has been spent on renovating and expanding the main terminal building. Check in and departure facilities have been brought up to date, and a new arrivals area and concourse has been constructed.

 A number of domestic carriers operate services from Bloemfontein Airport, each serving different routes between other cities. South African Airways, the country’s largest carrier, runs the most services, in conjunction with two other airlines. SAA-partner South African Express operates links to Cape Town and Johannesburg, whilst Airlink runs services to Durban and Port Elizabeth. Additionally, budget airline Mango offers flights to Cape Town and Johannesburg as well.

 Transport links between Bloemfontein and the airport have also been improved in recent years. There is no direct rail link, but there are numerous buses, taxis and an airport shuttle service to ferry passengers to and from the airport. All of South Africa’s large car hire companies have a presence in the new concourse, so you can get around under your own steam for the duration of your stay.

 Bloemfontein boasts a wide variety of attractions, which are well worth visiting if you have any time for relaxation while staying in the area. The Soetdoring Nature Reserve just outside the city is home to a pride of lions, and also offers angling and water sports to visitors. Alternatively, the Franklin Nature Reserve is in Bloemfontein itself – perfect if you don’t want to travel far. The city is also home to a number of museums, including the Rugby Museum of Choet Visser. If you are travelling to Bloemfontein for the World Cup, rest assured you’ll find more than just the football to keep you entertained.