SAA has introduced three flights a day between Johannesburg and Durban.
The first flight was welcomed at King Shaka International Airport on Friday (March 4) with a water cannon salute and applause from passengers and airport staff. See video of the water salute here.
The new route is a significant milestone for SAA as it rebuilds its local network after resuming operations five months ago. Durban is its second local destination, following its thrice daily Jo’burg-Cape Town service.
Mayor of eThekwini, Councillor Mxolisi Kaunda said: “It is going to unlock innumerable economic opportunities. It is a good feeling to have SAA back in our skies again.”
SAA Interim CEO, Thomas Kgokolo, said the decision to fly to Durban and link two major economic hubs made sound economic sense, from both a business and a leisure point of view. “Durban is a vital springboard destination to the rest of the province that is one the country’s premier tourism hubs and also poised for huge economic growth in coming years.
“Many companies that play a significant role in our national economy are headquartered in Durban and surrounding areas and the city’s port is undergoing a multibillion-rand expansion. This means there will be a growing need for an efficient, regular and safe service to Durban, and SAA’s focus on the business community is well suited for this.”
SAA’s Acting Chief Commercial Officer, Simon Newton-Smith, said now that travel opportunities had begun to open both domestically and internationally, SAA was in a position to amplify its evaluation of routes here and regionally. “Before the pandemic hit, tourism to KwaZulu Natal amounted to around R12bn (€721.9m) per annum. There has also been significant promise of business investment, including plans to develop areas south of Durban, including an automotive supplier park special economic zone and a R4bn (€240.6m) logistics park. These welcome initiatives will need to be serviced by air transport and we see SAA playing a crucial role in this respect.”
He added that passenger interest in the route had been encouraging and over the next few months would be supported by targeted offers.
