By Angela Quintal
Johannesburg International Airport's designator code - JNB - will not change immediately to OR Tambo Airport to save costs, but other related signage changes will cost more than R3-million, Transport Minister Jeff Radebe has told parliament.
He was replying to a question from the Democratic Alliance's Mike Waters.
Direct costs for the Airports Company South Africa relating to essential signage changes were estimated at R2,5-million.
All signage on national roads would be changed to OR Tambo International Airport by October 22 at a cost of R490 000, he said.
Radebe said it had been decided that the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and International Air Transport Association (IATA) designator codes would not be changed at this stage.
"ICAO and IATA have, however, been requested to update their own records to reflect the new name."
If the codes were changed it would cost about
R100 000 to update all systems, Radebe said.
The South African Civil Aviation Authority would also have to pay R15 000 to amend the Aeronautical Information Publication and a further R50 000 to change the Aeronautical Information Circular.
Acsa would incur further costs, specifically with regard to events planned to officially rename the airport, as part of the industry's transport month initiative, Radebe said.
"These costs will be accommodated within the communications and marketing budget set aside for that purpose."
The minister did not provide an estimate.
Johannesburg International is Africa's busiest airport, with flights talking off and landing daily to and from major international destinations.
It started its life as Jan Smuts International Airport (explaining the airport's ICAO code, FAJS) but was renamed in 1994 when the ANC government implemented a national policy of not naming airports after politicians.
However, in 2005 the local metro council proposed the name be amended to OR Tambo International Airport and this was approved in parliament earlier in 2006.
Oliver Tambo was also a politician.