Angel Gabriel Aeronautics has announced that the Limpopo Valley Air Taxi will move operations to Lanseria International Airport from OR Tambo International Airport (Ortia) from January 1.
Passengers arriving at Ortia must make their way to the InterContinental Hotel at the airport. A meet-and-greet service can be arranged for those wanting to be met from their flight and escorted to the hotel.
A complimentary road shuttle, departing directly outside the hotel entrance, will operate for passengers connecting between the InterContinental Hotel at Ortia and Lanseria. It will depart from the hotel at 11h00 to arrive at Lanseria by 11h45 for a 12h00/12h15 departure.
In a statement, Angel Gabriel Aeronautics said: “We have given this decision much thought over the past few months and believe that the move will be a positive improvement to the Limpopo Valley Taxi service.”
Dylan Coppard, Chief Executive at Angel Gabriel Aeronautics says: "Costs are exorbitant, as you have to use handling services at Ortia, unlike Lanseria, which is privately owned.
"The trade put pressure on us to offer low fares, but to do that we need a very small aircraft, which is fine, however as a result we cannot make use of Ortia," says Coppard.
The following factors were taken into consideration:
-Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) recently implemented minimum speed limitations in the OR Tambo airspace, restricting Angel Gabriel’s smaller aircraft from operating out of the airport. In order for the company to be in a position to offer clients the convenience and flexibility of a daily flight, with just a two-passenger minimum per flight, Angel Gabriel therefore could no longer operate from Ortia as it uses small aircraft to accommodate low passenger loads.
- OR Tambo does not have AVGAS fuel available for piston aircraft.
-Escalating costs of Menzies (ground handler).
-Escalating Acsa costs.
-Excessive landing levies for smaller aircraft.
-Acsa has recently refused to allow Angel Gabriel to make use of the VIP/Crew immigration line, as well as the expedited passport control.
-Long immigration queues.
-Take-off/landing slot preference limitations.
-Security issues. Angel Gabriel said in its press release that Acsa’s security protocols were increasingly inconsistent, and passengers were regularly harassed, with items regularly confiscated at security checkpoints.
“OR Tambo continues to be the weakest link in our service offering. The bulk of complaints we receive from our clients stem from processing through OR Tambo. Acsa forces all operators to hand over passengers to appointed airport handlers, such as Menzies. This greatly limits our interaction with our clients and removes us from the OR Tambo processing and handling,” read the report.
Coppard told Tourism Update that they do not get priority being a small aircraft. "We are paying a premium price for a premium product we weren't able to get," he said when speaking about the VIP/Crew immigration line and the expedited passport control.
He addes: "Ortia has also become increasingly dangerous with regards to crime, which wouldn't upset our passengers necessarily flying on our aircraft but Lanseria is calmer and just a nicer environment, as they do not have Acsa and its attitude."
"Ortia does not want the little airlines and aircrafts, as they are making it very difficult and expensive for small operators, but I cannot blame them for that as they make a lot of money with the larger airlines, and we are just slowing them down. I do understand it is in the big airports best interest."
"Logistically and financially Ortia does not want us there, we are forced to move as we have no choice," concludes Coppard.
