The very first flight out of Durban's new King Shaka International airport went off without a hitch on Saturday morning, a spokesman said.
"All flights so far, from the initial 6.30am have gone off with no untoward incidents," said Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) general manager, Terence Delomoney, in a statement.
Large crowds had gathered at the new terminal, eager to see the first departure and the first arrival which came in at 8.10am, he said.
"All operations are well underway and all efforts are being made to ensure minimal disruptions and inconveniences to all users," Delomoney said.
The R7,2-million airport is South Africa's third largest and has been built to process up to 7.5 million passengers a year.
The former Durban International Airport was closed on Friday as airlines moved their planes to the new site.
Delomoney called for patience from passengers during the change process and said a free passenger service was available from May 1 for passengers whose cars were left at the old airport. - Sapa