History Banjul International Airport

The airport was originally a World War II Allied airfield which served as a port of call for Allied naval convoys and an air stopover for the U.S. Army Air Corps. Franklin D. Roosevelt, the then US President stayed overnight in Banjul en route to and from the Casablanca Conference in 1943, making it the first visit to the African Continent by a sitting American president.

The Gambia Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) was established in July 1991 by the Government as an autonomous institution by the Public Enterprise

Act of 1989 (PEA). It was to put into effect the Chicago Convention and to regulate, oversee and bring the aviation industry to International Standards. The assets and liabilities of the former Dept. of Civil Aviation was transferred to the GCAA.

Prior to the opening of the new terminal building in October, 1997 the old airport was essentially a few purpose build sheds which resembled barns.

Overview:The head office of the Gambia Civil Aviation Authority is located on the airport property.

In the event of an emergency on any of the NASA Space Shuttles, Banjul International Airport had been selected as an augmented landing site. Gambia was the perfect location when the shuttle was launched with a low, 28-degree inclination. In 2001 NASA announced that Banjul airport would no longer be used as an augmented landing site because future shuttle launches would take place at inclinations of up at 51.6 degrees to reach the International Space Station, making air bases in Spain and France more suitable for an emergency landing.

The airport was the main hub of Gambia Bird until the airline ceased operations in late 2014.

Arrivals Information:The Banjul Airport procedure is that once your flight has landed on the runway a bus will transfer you to the main terminal building where you should queue at the rank for non-Gambians if you are a tourist non-national. At the passport control they will put an entry stamp in your passport. The next step is to pay a tourist tax of D250 which is around £5.00 / €6.34 / $9.15 to the tourism authority which is payable in any currency. There is now an Airport Development Fee of €20 per person, not including infants, to be paid to the local collecting agency on all departures.

When you get to the luggage carousel you may have to wait a while so ensure you have a little liquid refreshment in your hand-luggage as the temperature can get a little uncomfortable at times. Trolleys are provided free however should you decide to use the services of a porter then be prepared to give a small tip of around £1 €1.26 / $1.83. The next step is that you should join the baggage security queue where your luggage may be searched but will be scanned by an x-ray machine. From here you can proceed out of the main building complex.

If you have arrived with one of the main tour operators, then you will usually exit to the right of the main gate where you will have you coach waiting to transfer you to your resort. Drinks are served in this area while you wait for the other passengers from your party to finalize with formalities. NOTE: The airport is located 20 km from the capital in the Old Yundum district hence its alternative name.

If you need to spend any length of time at the airport & require refreshments, you can visit the Air View Restaurant located on the top floor where they serve cooked food and drinks as well as the ground floor snack bar. After you have finished with all formalities there is also a tourist help desk directly to the left of the exit.

If you have used a tour operator, then they should have airport transfers already arranged.

If you are an independent traveller then you can either use a car hire company located at the terminal or you can hire one of the tourist taxi waiting outside the main gates. Please note that taxi rates are fixed and the fares are posted just outside the terminal gates on the right hand-side against the wall. Expect to pay around £9 / €14 / $20 to take you’re to the main tourist resorts on the coast.

The complex is managed by the Gambia Civil Aviation Authority.

Design:The Banjul Airport was designed by Pierre Goudiaby also known as Atepa who is a Jolla architect from Senegal.

Martin L. King Building

Fann-Mermoz, BP 2191

Senegal

Tel: +221 (865) 11 11

Fax: +221 (824) 90 72

E-mail: atepa@atepa.com

Website: www.atepa.com