King Shaka International Airport (IATA: DUR, ICAO: FALE), abbreviated KSIA, pronounced as (Kīng Shāk(k)ā Internashonāl Ay(ir)port), is the primary international airport serving Durban, South Africa.

It is located in La Mercy, KwaZulu-Natal, approximately 35 km (22 mi) north of the city centre of Durban.

[17] The Indiza group appealed the decision, claiming that the correct tender process had not been followed and that their bid had been unfairly excluded;[17][18] However, their legal challenge was dismissed by the Pietermaritzburg High Court in February 2007.

[7] The EIA was eventually approved in August 2007; conditions attached were the appointment of an environmental control officer, issues of access from the nearby N2 motorway, and fauna and flora issues; in particular, the impact of construction and airport operations on a nearby colony of barn swallows.

It was originally expected that the airport would be decommissioned and the site (in a prime industrial area) would be redeveloped, possibly as a dug-out port serving nearby automotive assembly and component factories; however, such plans have been put on hold.

Long-term master plans published on the Dube Trade Port website show projected phases of development in the future.

Neighboring communities are Cotton lands and the LIV village at Hazelmere Dam Wall to the west, oThongathi to the northwest, Verulam to the southwest, and eMdloti to the southeast.

These communities are generally opposed to the airport because of noise concerns,[34] recommendations for mitigation of which were made in the project's Environmental Impact Report.

[36] Mount Moreland, a small community located 2.6 km (1.6 mi) south of the airport, is an important roosting site for the European barn swallow.

[37] The roughly 250 m2 (299 sq yd) reed bed where the birds roost is directly underneath the approach path to runway 06.

When the construction of the airport was announced, there were fears that the reed bed would have to be destroyed due to the perceived threat of bird strikes, creating concern amongst environmentalists.

[37] As a result, a study into the risks of bird strikes at KSIA was commissioned, with special attention being paid to the barn swallows at Mount Moreland.

Proposed risk mitigation measures included curtailing flight movements during the afternoon swarm, setting the glide slope approach to Runway 06 to 3.2 or 3.5 degrees rather than the standard 3 degrees (to stay above the birds), and the installation of a radar system that would monitor bird movements and be integrated into the operational plan of the airport.

[38] In response to the study, ACSA contracted De-Tect Inc. to install a radar system that would monitor all bird activity around KSIA, notifying air traffic controllers of any dangers to aircraft.

With a total floor area of 102,000 m2 (1,100,000 sq ft), the terminal is capable of handling 7.5 million passengers per year.

Passengers pass through separate domestic and international security checkpoints before proceeding to the departure lounges and boarding gates.

[41][42] The arrivals area is located on the lower floor, with a baggage reclaim hall containing five conveyors that can be allocated for domestic and international use.

Most of the airport's retail shops are also located on the lower floor, as is a piazza area immediately outside the terminal building.

[50] The airport also has the advantage of sea level operation as opposed to Johannesburg's high altitude and is also near the Port of Durban, the busiest seaport in the Southern Hemisphere.

[69] In 2014, talks of a new high-speed monorail between the city and the airport were put forward, with an expected start to construction set for 2017.