Kilimanjaro International Airport – JRO Kilimanjaro
Kilimanjaro International Airport, Kilimanjaro, Tanzania (JRO) is a public airport owned and operated by Kilimanjaro Airport Development Co. (KADCO). Despite its small size, it can handle large aircrafts such as Boeing 747 units and Antonov 124 units. In 2015, it served a total of 780,800 passengers with a total of 19,758 aircraft movements.
Best Time to Visit
In 1971, Kilimanjaro International Airport opened its doors to the public. Its construction was funded by a long-term loan from Italy. In 1998, it was privatized, being operated by KADCO. As such, it is the first international airport in Africa to become a private entity. In 2014, the government bodies of the Netherlands and Tanzania have signed a grant that seeks to rehabilitate Kilimanjaro International Airport to increase its capacity from 600,000 passengers to 1.2 million passengers every year. Mainly, it aims to renovate the aprons, taxiways, and terminal building. In 2015, the renovations began. There are 15 commercial airlines currently operating at the airport. These include Turkish Airlines, Air Tanzania, Airkenya Express, Condor, Ethiopian Airlines, Coastal Aviation, Fastjet Tanzania, flydubai, Kenya Airways, Fastjet Tanzania, KLM, Precision Air, Regional Air Services, Qatar Airways, RwandAir, Safarilink Aviation and Uganda Airlines. Billing itself as the “Gateway to Africa’s Wildlife Heritage”, the airport boasts with a strategic location that is easily accessible. Popular destinations nearby include Arusha, Kingori, and Usa.
What to Do & Area Attractions
Some of the best hotels near Kilimanjaro International Airport include Airport Planet Lodge, Le Parlour, and Kia Lodge.
The alternate airport to JRO Airport is the Arusha Airport (ARK).