Kumasi Airport

Kumasi Airport (IATA: KMS, ICAO: DGSI) is a national airport in Ghana serving Kumasi, the capital of the Ashanti Region.[1][2][3] Kumasi International Airport is located 6 kilometres (4 mi) from Kumasi. It was changed from a military base into an airport in 1999. The airport has undergone several renovation and expansion projects to help push its status as an international airport.[4]

Kumasi International Airport
Summary
Airport typeDomestic Airport
OwnerGhana Airports Company Limited
ServesKumasi
LocationKumasi,  Ghana
Opened1943
Time zoneGreenwich Mean Time (0+)
 • Summer (DST)GMT (1+)
Elevation AMSL942 ft / 287 m
Coordinates06°42′52″N 001°35′26″W
Map
KMS
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
02/20 1,982 6,502 Asphalt
Source: DAFIF[1][2]

In 2019, the airport handled 366,963 passengers making it the second busiest airport in Ghana after Kotoka International Airport in Accra.[5]

Airlines and scheduled destinations
Africa World Airlines Embraer ERJ-145LR at Kumasi Airport in Kumasi.
AirlinesDestinations
Africa World Airlines Accra
Passion Air Accra

History

Approval to start an airport in Kumasi by the then British government was obtained in 1940, even though the land acquisition documentation was completed and paid for in 1947. Prior to that, in 1943, the Kumasi Airport had been completed and was in use.[6][7][8] The airport was started as a military air force base for the British Royal Air Force during World War II.

There were extensive developments on the runway, navigational facilities as well as human resource in 1958 and 1959 by the Government of Ghana to ensure the enhancement of internal airline operations.[9]

In the late 1970's, there was a major uplift through installations of runway and taxiway lights and an extension of the main runway to the southern part of the Airport.[9]

On 1st December 1993 a new Terminal building and the installation of a VOR/DME were commissioned by President Jerry John Rawlings.[10] The airport was changed from a fully military base into a domestic airport in 1999.[10]

In 2008, renovation works were done by Bans Consult limited at the airport including the rehabilitation of the arrival and departure halls, the control room, rescue and fire station and the construction of a VIP Lounge ahead of the African Cup of Nations 2008 (CAN 2008) which Ghana was hosting.[11][12]


Upgrades into an International Airport

The Kumasi Airport attained its international status but only operated on regional level with a full compliment of security customs and immigration staff in place in 2003, even though it had attained that status, work to upgrade the physical structures was yet to be put in place fully.[13] The Kumasi Airport has undergone several rehabilitation and upgrades to become help ensure its status as international airport.[14]

In 2012, initial renovation works were started on the existing facilities to involved patching and filing of cracks on the main runway, construction of additional waiting room and building a car park to make way for future renovation and upgrades targeted for the following year.[15]

Phase 1

In 2013, the Government of Ghana embarked upon a phased development of the Kumasi Airport to provide the requisite infrastructure for safe domestic and international operations to ensure safety and comfort for passengers whilst ensuring Ghana had a fully functioning international airport along with Kotoka International Airport.[16]

Phase 1 works to upgrade the Kumasi Airport to international standard was scheduled to be completed by the end of 2014. The first phase consisted of the rehabilitation of the defective runway and installation of airfield lights and aeronautical ground lights on the runway to facilitate night operations at the airport. The commissioning of the Phase 1 which happened in December 2014, was earmarked with a historic first night landing by the then President John Dramani Mahama[17][16][18] Prior to this upgrade an Instrument Landing System (ILS) was installed to aid pilots for take off and land.[19]

Phase 2

Plans to start working on the phase 2 which is to cost around €65 million had been decided by November 2016 ,the project covered mainly the construction of a new two-storey ultra-modern terminal of 7,000 square metres of space based on a 400 passenger per hour and an annual passenger traffic forecast of 1,500,000,parking areas and a ring road around the airport.[20][21]The building is to also include spaces like VVIP and VIP lounges,restaurants, commercial areas, three boarding gates,a central screening system for passengers, an IATA standard baggage handling system and also offices for the airline companies.[20]

In December 2016, President John Dramani Mahama along with a representative of the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asafohene Acheamfuo Kwame Akowuah cut the sod for work to begin on the second phase of the Kumasi Airport project by Contracta Engenhiria Ltd[21][22]

In June 2018, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo cut another sod for the second phase of the expansion of Kumasi Airport, which is expected to be completed in 24 months. It will see the expansion of the runway from 1,981 meters to 2,300 meters, and the construction of a new terminal building with a capacity of 1 million passengers per year.[23][24]

Phase 3

In April 2019, the Parliament of Ghana approved a budget of €58.9 million for the phase 3 of the development of the Kumasi Airport.[25] The phase 3 includes an extension of the terminal building, a fire station, fire access routes and an air control tower. The third phase also includes the extension of the car park and the extension of the access roads, an apron extension and a runway strip and an airside service road.[26]The 2nd and 3rd phases are currently being done concurrently and to be completed in 30 months[27]


References
  1. Airport information for DGSI at World Aero Data. Data current as of October 2006.Source: DAFIF.
  2. Airport information for KMS at Great Circle Mapper. Source: DAFIF (effective October 2006).
  3. Adarkwa, Kwasi Kwafo (2011). Future of the Tree: Towards Growth and Development of Kumasi. Kumasi, Ghana: University Printing Press (UPK) Knust. pp. 14–34. ISBN 978-9988-1-5451-6.
  4. "Kumasi Airport assumes international status". Graphic Online. 16 December 2014. Retrieved 2021-01-09.
  5. https://www.gacl.com.gh/traffic-statistics-2019/
  6. "International airlines not using Kumasi Airport". Pulse Ghana. 2015-03-29. Retrieved 2021-01-09.
  7. Dogbevi, Emmanuel (2015-03-29). "International airlines not using Kumasi Airport – Minister". Ghana Business News. Retrieved 2021-01-09.
  8. "Ghana upgrades facilities and expands capacity at its airports". Oxford Business Group. 2015-12-07. Retrieved 2021-01-09.
  9. "Kumasi Airport – GACL". Retrieved 2021-01-09.
  10. User, Super. "Ghana Construction News - Kumasi International Airport Expansion". ghanaconstructionnews.com. Retrieved 2021-01-09.
  11. "Minister of Aviation inspects rehabilitation works in Kumasi Airport - MyJoyOnline.com". www.myjoyonline.com. 10 January 2008. Retrieved 2021-01-09.
  12. "Bans Consult Limited - Transportation Engineering and Project Management : Welcome". www.bansconsult.com. Retrieved 2021-01-09.
  13. "Local airlines push for 24 hour service at Kumasi airport". Citi Business News. 2014-12-17. Retrieved 2021-01-09.
  14. "Ghana upgrades facilities and expands capacity at its airports". Oxford Business Group. 2015-12-07. Retrieved 2021-01-09.
  15. Gupta, Kasturi (20 July 2012). "Ghana's Kumasi Airport renovation started". African Review (in Polish). Retrieved 2021-01-09.
  16. "Kumasi Airport assumes international status". Graphic Online. 16 December 2014. Retrieved 2021-01-09.
  17. "Mahama, Asantehene commission refurbished Kumasi Airport - MyJoyOnline.com". www.myjoyonline.com. Retrieved 2021-01-09.
  18. "Ghana upgrades facilities and expands capacity at its airports". Oxford Business Group. 2015-12-07. Retrieved 2021-01-09.
  19. "Kumasi airport gets Instrument Landing System". citifmonline.com. 20 March 2014.
  20. admin (2016-11-16). "Construction of new Terminal Building at Kumasi Airport to ensure security and comfort of passengers as Parliament okays project". Ghana Justice. Retrieved 2021-01-09.
  21. Ato Dapatem, Donald (6 December 2016). "Prez Mahama cuts tape for 2nd phase of Ksi Airport". Graphic Online. Retrieved 2021-01-09.
  22. Awuah Jr., Joe (2016-12-12). "Mahama Cuts Sod For K'si Airport". DailyGuide Network. Retrieved 2021-01-09.
  23. Dapatem, Donald Ato (2018-06-07). "Akufo-Addo cuts sod for Kumasi Airport phase 2 project". Graphic Online. Retrieved 2019-02-08.
  24. Jafaru, Musah Yahaya (8 June 2018). "Kumasi Airport sod-cutting ceremony shocks Minority". Graphic Online. Retrieved 2021-01-09.
  25. Agency, Ghana News (2019-04-12). "Ghana's Parliament Okays €58.9 Million Contract for Kumasi Airport". News Ghana. Retrieved 2021-01-09.
  26. myadmin (2019-04-12). "Parliament approves €58.9m contract to develop Kumasi Airport". Ghana Business News. Retrieved 2021-01-09.
  27. "Kumasi airport will be a total waste if 3rd phase is not completed — Minister reveals". www.ghanaweb.com. 2019-02-06. Retrieved 2021-01-09.


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