The new ACSA app will keep you from getting lost in SA’s airports

The Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) recently launched a new app for iOS and Android. It aims to make trips to and around South African airports less of a chore. The free app offers several services covering at least nine of South Africa’s largest airports.

Not all those who wander are lost

Mthoko Mncwabe, ACSA chief information officer, said the app was designed to make the lives of travelers simpler. He also said the app was part of a larger digital transformation project that ACSA is undertaking. We’re not sure what the rest of that project will look like, but this seems like a good first step.

The app is available for free from Google’s Play Store, Apple’s App Store, and Huawei’s AppGallery. Once you’ve downloaded and installed it, the app doesn’t nag you to register immediately. But it’s probably advised if you plan to use any of its functions.

In the app, you can find flight information for current and future flights and subscribe to a flight to receive push notifications. If you’re going through OR Tambo International Airport, you can pre-book and pay for parking within the app. You can then save your car and payment details for future use. It’s also possible to save your car’s location in the parking lot, in case you’ve forgotten which level and block you’ve left your ride. That’s an unpleasant two hours, when you’ve just climbed off a plane.

If you’re not a frequent flyer, the app also offers a fairly robust airport guide that’ll direct you to various points of interest in the airport of your choice. We get it, sometimes reading signs can be hard. The interactive map, based on what we can see, will orient itself based on which way you’re facing in the airport. It should make getting to the Wimpy for a quick burger before your flight that much easier.

Fliers with feedback can also submit it directly via ACSA’s app. It’s also possible to complete surveys or speak to an AI-driven chatbot, in case you have any questions you would like answered. But yes, you can also access a real person via the app as well.