SOUTH AFRICA – South African Airways (SAA) has announced plans to increase flight frequencies to key African destinations starting in November 2024.
The airline will expand its services to Harare and Lusaka to 12 weekly flights, up from 10 and 7 weekly flights, respectively. Flights to Lagos and Accra will increase from three to four times weekly.
In addition, SAA will increase its flights to Mauritius to twice daily from the beginning of December, coinciding with the peak holiday season. Additional services to Perth will follow in January 2025, bringing the total to five weekly flights. Domestically, SAA will increase its flights to Gqeberha to three times daily.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the airline will enhance its presence by flying five times a week to Kinshasa.
This new route will connect OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa, with Lubumbashi International Airport.
The service, set to begin on Monday, 4 November 2024, is expected to significantly boost business travel, trade, and cargo movement between the two mining powerhouse cities.
The inaugural flight is scheduled to depart Johannesburg at 10:50 AM and arrive in Lubumbashi at 1:20 PM. The return flight from Lubumbashi will take off at 2:10 PM, South Africa Standard Time (SAST), and land in Johannesburg a little over three hours later.
This schedule will be maintained five times a week, operating from Monday to Friday, ensuring seamless connectivity for passengers flying between the two cities.
The introduction of this route is designed to cater to both point-to-point passengers who travel directly between Johannesburg and Lubumbashi, as well as connecting passengers who may be traveling to other destinations.
This route is expected to facilitate better business relations between South African and Congolese companies, especially in mining, construction, and trade sectors.
SAA’s Interim CEO, Professor John Lamola, highlighted that after a rapid route expansion since 2021, SAA aims to consolidate its position and strengthen its role in connecting Africa.
“South Africa has seen a promising travel recovery this year, with most visitors coming from other parts of Africa. Our strategic growth focuses on expanding routes based on demand and feasibility,” Lamola said.
“We are also guided by our unique mandate as a national carrier, to ensure that we help grow South Africa’s economy. Air travel plays a key role in building our tourism and trade links across Africa, which benefits both South Africa and the continent as a whole.”
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