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Total 1 airports of ELS

ELS East London Airport
East London Airport (IATA: ELS, ICAO:FAEL) is located in the the city of East London, South africa. It is the primary international airport serving East London and its surrounding metropolitan area. Phone Number :+27437060306

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IATA Code

ELS

ICAO Code

FAEL

Name

East London Airport

Type

Main Airport

Country / Region

South africa (ZA)

City

East London

Latitude

-33.0355988

Longitude

27.8258991

Time Zone

UTC+02:00

Phone Number

+27437060306

Est. Unit Price

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East London Airport (ELS)

ICAO: FAEL | East London, Eastern Cape, South Africa

East London Airport, officially renamed King Phalo Airport, is a regional passenger airport serving East London and the Eastern Cape. Its logistics role is primarily regional and feeder-oriented rather than that of a dedicated international cargo hub. The airport is located at approximately 133 metres above mean sea level and has two asphalt runways: 11/29 measuring 1,939 × 46 metres and 06/24 measuring 1,585 × 46 metres. For international shipments, our service team normally evaluates whether cargo should move through East London Airport or be routed via a larger South African gateway, depending on available uplift, cargo characteristics, customs requirements and final delivery point.

Airport name	East London Airport
Location	East London, South Africa
Coordinates	33°02′08″S, 27°49′33″E approximately
Local time	UTC+02:00

Key Highlights

Regional-airport profile: East London Airport is best assessed as a scheduled regional gateway, with international cargo commonly requiring an onward connection or road feeder arrangement.
Runway suitability: The longer 11/29 runway is 1,939 metres; aircraft type, payload, weather and operating restrictions must be confirmed for each movement.
Gateway selection matters: For time-critical, heavy, dangerous-goods or temperature-sensitive cargo, our team compares local uplift with routing through a larger South African air cargo gateway.
Documentation-led operation: Accurate consignee details, customs classification, commodity descriptions and handling instructions are essential before space is requested.
Last-mile planning: Collection and delivery arrangements should be confirmed in advance because local handling windows and truck availability can affect total transit time.

Cargo Facilities & Services

Facility availability, handling hours and acceptance conditions can change by operating carrier, ground handler and cargo type. Our service team confirms the applicable arrangement before issuing final shipping instructions.

General cargo handling: Standard freight may be accepted through the appointed airline or ground-handling channel, subject to confirmed booking, packaging and acceptance cut-off.
Import and export documentation: Commercial invoices, packing lists, transport documents and customs data should be ready before cargo delivery to the handling facility.
Special cargo: Refrigerated, pharmaceutical, dangerous-goods, oversized and valuable cargo requires prior written confirmation of equipment, acceptance capability and handling procedures.
Customs-controlled movement: Customs release, inspection and any transit or transfer process must be coordinated with the relevant broker and carrier; cargo should not be tendered on the assumption of automatic bonded storage.
Collection and delivery: Our team can coordinate local trucking, but vehicle access, release documents, driver identification and cargo availability should be confirmed before dispatch.

Routes & Transit Times

Domestic feeder routing: Cargo may be arranged from East London Airport to a larger South African gateway before connection to Europe, Asia, the Middle East or other international markets, subject to the confirmed carrier network.
Gateway alternatives: When direct regional uplift is unsuitable, our service team compares airport-to-airport airfreight with road feeder service to another South African airport.
Transit-time variables: Actual timing depends on booking confirmation, aircraft payload, connection availability, customs release, security screening, weekends and public holidays.
Planning rule: No fixed transit promise should be made from the airport name alone; we provide a shipment-specific schedule after confirming commodity, dimensions, weight and destination.

Hinterland & Key Cargo

Primary catchment: East London and the wider Eastern Cape, including manufacturers, distributors, exporters and service companies requiring regional air connectivity.
Typical time-sensitive freight: Production parts, engineering components, electronic equipment, samples, documents and urgent replacement items may be suitable for airfreight after packaging and acceptance review.
Automotive-related supply chains: The Eastern Cape has an important automotive and industrial base; dimensions, weight, part description and delivery urgency should be supplied early for routing evaluation.
Consumer and general cargo: Apparel, commercial samples, retail replenishment and high-value small consignments may move through a regional connection or a larger gateway.
Perishables and pharmaceuticals: These require confirmed temperature-control capability, packaging validation and a documented transfer plan rather than relying on ordinary terminal handling.

Operations & Compliance

Cut-off control: Airline and handler acceptance cut-offs are shipment-specific and may be earlier for export screening, dangerous goods, live animals, perishables or connecting services. Our team confirms the effective cut-off in writing.
Dangerous goods: Shipper's Declaration, UN number, proper shipping name, packing instruction, package marks and trained-shipper requirements must be checked under the applicable IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations before booking.
Temperature-sensitive cargo: State the required temperature range, packaging type, data-logger requirement and maximum exposure time. Do not tender temperature-sensitive cargo until the handling chain is confirmed.
Customs and security: Commodity descriptions, HS classification, origin, value, importer/exporter details and permits must be consistent across documents. Customs examination or security intervention can extend the release timeline.

Shipping Tips

Send our service team the origin, destination, ready time, pieces, dimensions, gross weight, commodity, declared value and any special handling requirement before requesting a rate.
Use strong, stackable packaging with clear piece identification; provide package dimensions and volumetric weight so that the selected regional aircraft or gateway can be assessed correctly.
For dangerous goods, batteries, chemicals, food, biological materials or pharmaceuticals, submit the relevant safety data, permits and declarations before cargo delivery.
For urgent shipments, request two options: a local-airport routing and a road-feeder routing through a larger gateway. Our team will compare uplift, connection risk, customs handling and final-mile requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can East London Airport handle international air freight?

International carriage may be arranged through a confirmed airline connection, interline movement or road feeder to another South African gateway. The available solution depends on the destination, commodity and current carrier acceptance, so our team verifies the routing before booking.

Is a direct international flight guaranteed from East London Airport?

No. Scheduled services, aircraft types and cargo acceptance can change. Our team does not assume a direct international uplift and will provide the confirmed operating sequence after space and handling are checked.

How early should export cargo arrive at East London Airport?

The effective cut-off is set by the operating carrier and handling agent and can be earlier for special cargo or connecting services. We recommend completing documentation and booking confirmation before arranging delivery to the airport.

Can pharmaceuticals or perishables be shipped through East London Airport?

They may be possible when the complete temperature-control and handling chain is confirmed. Our team checks packaging, acceptance conditions, connection exposure, storage capability and delivery timing before accepting the shipment.

What is the best alternative if local uplift is unavailable?

Our team compares road feeder service to a larger South African air cargo gateway with the available local connection. The decision is based on total transit time, customs process, cargo characteristics, cost and final delivery requirements.

Data Sources & Provenance

The airport identity, codes, location, coordinates, runway dimensions, elevation and time-zone details above are based on the supplied airport record. Operational statements are presented as shipment-planning guidance and must be confirmed against the active carrier, ground handler, customs and security requirements for the specific movement.

Airport operator and airport information reference: airports.co.za
South African civil aviation regulatory reference: caa.co.za
South African customs and excise reference: sars.gov.za
International air transport and cargo standards reference: iata.org

Carrier schedules, terminal procedures, acceptance cut-offs, cargo capacity, customs release and special-handling availability are time-sensitive and should be reconfirmed by our service team before shipment tender.