Johannesburg Airport was renamed O. R. Tambo International Airport (ORTIA) on the 27th October 2006 (it was originally known as Jan Smuts Airport, but had been named Johannesburg Airport in 1994. The name Jan Smuts Airport explains where the airport’s ICAO code, FAJS, comes from. OR Tambo Airport is situated just east of Johannesburg in the Gauteng Province of South Africa.
OR Tambo Airport is southern africa's busiest air transport hub.
Taxis & Shuttle Services
2013-06-08OR Tambo to allow shuttle services to compete with metered taxis: The Sisonke Taxi Association had complained that the Airports Company had given the OR Tambo International Airport Taxi Association (ORTIATA) exclusive rights to operate metered taxis from OR Tambo Airport, and was not allowing shuttle operators to compete with the metered taxi operators. ORTIATA was formed by the metered taxi operators who were successful in the initial ACSA tender in 1999. In a second tender in 2002 ACSA awarded the contract to the same metered taxis as in 1999, and then didn't go out to tender again - ACSA admitted that it had contravened section 5(1) of the Act by entering into an exclusive arrangement with ORTIATA. ACSA has agreed to issue a new tender for metered taxi operators. It was also agreed that ACSA should allow shuttle services to compete directly with metered taxis, in particular that kiosks be set up at both domestic and international arrivals to allow customers to book shuttle and taxi services.
Car Hire
You can hire a car from OR Tambo International Airport with Avis, Hertz, Budget, First Car Rental, Europcar, Woodford or Tempest Car Hire. All car hire companies are situated in the parkade area adjacent to the Intercontinental Hotel.
News & history
2013-06-07. According to the Master International Destination Cities 2013 survey, Johannesburg had the 20th largest percentage increase in international arrivals over the last 5 years.
1 Jun 2013. The SAPS & OR Tambo International Airport hold a Fire & Safety campaign in Wattville, Benoni, to educate residents and provide hot water bottles and blankets as an alternative way of staying warm.
20 Apr 2010. President Jacob Zuma unveils a plaque to officially open the Central Terminal Building at Johannesburg's OR Tambo International Airport.
Interesting facts
O.R. Tambo International Airport has direct flights to all 6 inhabited continents
Most of the time flights land from the south and take off from the north.
One of the longest international airways runway in the world is OR Tambo's ORL/21R, which is more than 4,400m long.
Africa's busiest airport is O.R. Tambo International Airport (overtaking Cairo in 1996)
ACSA
ORTIA is managed by the Airports Company of South Africa (ACSA).
Automated flight Information: Tel 086 72 77 888
ACSA Help desk: +27 11 921 6262
Arrive at OR Tambo Airport well before your flight
Domestic Travellers
International Travellers
People travelling domestically are advised to arrive at the airport at least one and a half hours prior to their departure time.u
People travelling internationally are advised to arrive at the airport at least three hours prior to their departure time.
Flight information
You can check flight times and details by:
phoning 086 72 77 888 for ACSA's automated flight-information service;
phoning the ACSA helpdesk, which is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, on +27 (0)11 921 6262;
using your cellphone to send to the number 35007 an SMS containing the flight number, in reply to which you will receive up-to-date flight details.
Air traffic control facilities at OR Tambo International Airport
To ensure safety in poor weather conditions, the main runways at ORTIA are equipped with category II instrument landing systems and related visual navigational aids.
Accommodation near OR Tambo International Airport
There is a wide choice of hotels available in and around the airport precinct.
Special facilities at ORTIA
ORTIA has the following facilities for passengers' convenience:
a chapel;
Muslim prayer facilities for Islamic passengers;
a conference facility as well as a Postnet, offering business support services, and a Post Office in the International Terminal
a 45-room transit hotel;
an emergency medical clinic with trained nurses and paramedics on duty and doctors on 24-hour standby;
an unaccompanied minors area;
a baggage storage facility (phone 011-3902318);
a media conference room, often used by South African cabinet ministers as well as by foreign VIPs.
a five star luxury hotel on the doorstep of the airport terminals.
Internet access is available within the terminals using the Airport Online facility in International Departures. Two Airport Online stores are located in the domestic terminal. One is open to the general public and is located near the ATM area in the shopping area. The second is located for use by passengers only and is situated just after the main security point prior to the boarding gates.
Directory of Airlines flying from OR Tambo International Airport
Dozens of airlines, South African and foreign, fly in and out of O.R. Tambo International Airport. There are numerous airlines operating international flights, and the main domestic carriers are BA, SAA, Fedair, Mango and Kulula.
There is a luggage-storage depot on the upper level of the underground parkade, near the main lift lobby in International Arrivals. You may leave any baggage at a cost of R50.00 per item for the first day and R40.00 per item every day thereafter. Mastercard and Visa accepted. Open 24 hours 7 days a week.
Foreign exchange at OR Tambo International Airport
The foreign-exchange outlets of ABSA bank, American Express, Rennies and Master Currency are all in the public concourse of the International Arrivals hall. ABSA also has an outlet in the holding lounge of International Departures, but this is not for the use of South Africans.
Banking at OR Tambo International Airport
Banks
There are branches of Nedbank and ABSA on the mezzanine level of the public concourse in International Arrivals.
Automated teller machines (ATMs) ATMs can be found in:
the public concourse of International Arrivals; and
level 1 of the shopping concourse in the Domestic Terminal.
Chapel at OR Tambo International Airport
The airport has a chapel and a prayer area for Muslim passengers.
Conferencing at OR Tambo International Airport
The Premier Conference Centre in the Domestic Terminal offers a modern and stylish environment for business meetings, conferences and seminars. It has three 10-seater rooms, a 12-seater room, a 14-seater room, a seminar facility for groups of 25 or 50, as well as a conference room for groups of 60 or 120.
Internet access at OR Tambo International Airport
Airport Online, which offers Internet access, has one branch in International Departures and two in the Domestic Terminal. One of these, which is open to the general public, is near the ATMs in the shopping area. The second, for use by passengers only, is between the main security point and the boarding gates.
International Departures also offers a wireless option and a duty free shop, which allows laptop users with wireless cards to connect to the Internet from anywhere in the departures lounge - even from most of the restaurants in the terminal.
If you fly frequently from OR Tambo International Airport you may want to buy 1 year worth of wireless access to the internet.
Medical clinic The Airport Medical Clinic offers emergency treatment 24 hours a day, as well as:
Four buses shuttle passengers between the remote parking area and the terminal buildings; the average waiting time is no more than 6 minutes a trip. The buses can accommodate standing passengers, seated passengers and people in wheelchairs. The remote parking areas are fitted with intercoms linked to ACSA's joint operations centre, which allows passengers to contact the helpdesk.
Paying for parking
The airport's pay-on-foot system, in use since March 1999, reduces queues and speeds up the payment process. ACSA has strategically positioned 38 pay stations in all of the parking areas.
You pay by:
taking your parking ticket with you when leaving your vehicle;
inserting your ticket and the required amount at the pay station;
retrieving your ticket and returning to your vehicle; and
inserting your ticket at the exit to open the boom.
The system accepts cash and credit cards, but a credit card limit does apply.
Porters at OR Tambo International Airport
ORTIA offers full portage services, so ensure you only use approved airport porters – who wear bright orange uniforms and navy-blue shirts, and carry ACSA permits. Porters can be found in the arrivals halls and outside the terminals in the area connecting the International Terminal and the Domestic Terminal. They work exclusively for tips: a general guide is to give R5 (five South African rands) a bag.
Taxis and shuttle buses at OR Tambo International Airport
In order to curb illegal touting, ACSA has appointed a concessionary taxi and shuttle service that covers all major towns, suburbs, shopping centres and casinos.
Please only make use of ACSA accredited and approved transport operators. Aproved operators display the ACSA logo on their vehicles and are available outside the arrivals terminals. Please use airport-approved operators only. Contact the ACSA information desks if you need help.
Pick-up points at OR Tambo International Airport
To get to the taxi and shuttle terminus: follow the taxi and shuttle icons to the terminus, which is opposite International Arrivals (Terminal A).
To get to the bus and coach terminus: follow the bus and coach icons to the terminus, which is in the multi-storey parkade, behind the car-hire depots.
VAT Refunds at OR Tambo International Airport
There are VAT refund desks in the public area of International Departures (for use before check-in) and in the holding lounge . You need to have all invoices stamped by customs officials (in the public concourse of the same terminal) before proceeding to the VAT refund outlet.
Bird Strikes at OR Tambo International Airport
For every 10,000 aircraft movements at Johannesburg Airport (OR Tambo International Airport) there are on average 5 bird strikes. Standing water on the airfield attracts birds, so removing the water helps make the area less attractive for them. Food waste attracts gulls, so removing food waste quickly helps reduce the number seagulls. At OR Tambo International Airport a Border Collie works tirelessly with its handler to chase away the local birdlife (without harming them!).
Jan Smuts Airport
Up to the first democratic elections in South Africa, O.R. Tambo International Airport was known as Jan Smuts Airport.