mmmm Interesting indeed - the only tangilbe evidence we can see at the moment is the construction at FAJS. It seems they are really doing something down there to either handle the A380 and to get ready for the World Cup in 2010.
As to FACT......... well we know nothng and ACSA has no idea either what they are planning. At a recent ATNS/ACSA corporate meeting when my boss queried ACSA as to their plans for the A380, they stated they are only gearing FAJS towards handling it - when questioned as to what the plane has to do in the event of a diversion, the reply from ACSA was "THE PLAN MUST RETURN TO WHERE IT CAME FROM" !!!!!!!! That about sums up ACSA knowledge of aviation and how it works. Subsequently they have decided that FACT will be the diversion airfield for the A380. I know the airbus operators are putting pressure on ACSA to do something about this, but ACSA are more interested in building a car park and charging the public exhorbitant prices to park there. One only has to look at their solution to the recent "hole in the runway" debacle to see what i mean - heavy aircraft are not allowed to taxi from/to 01/19 via 16/34, but they may use 16/34 for departure/landing - I mean hullo what logic is there in that????
As to another runway at FACT, well that is the ultimate (and probably most) feasible solution. But again ACSA have no idea what they want. They are planning to repair the main runway we have at the moment and this work will continue nightly until November 2007 (yes that is right). I am sure it will be easier to build another runway, but then I dont think like (do they think) ACSA. The recent furore icw the runway, when some junior ACSA member sent a mail to the airlines (23rd Dec at 1630!!) saying that the runway will be closing at 1900B until 0600B from Sept2006 until March2007 was proof of their thinking. They have no idea what it takes to run an airline and the planning of flights - the immediate response was that 2-3 airlines were going to withdraw from FACT did not seem to phase them either. Luckily intense work from the AOC and various international airlines seems to have taken care of that (stupid) proposal.
I really cant get excited about a new runway at FACT - until ACSA ACTUALLY start to build it and the earthworks start, dont get excited folks - their plans announced earlier this week have more than likely changed already.
Meanwhile bring extra fuel and be prepared for more diversions due to holes in the runway.