Iberia is considering re-introducing direct flights to Johannesburg in either 2016 or 2017. The Spanish airline suspended its thrice-weekly flight between Madrid and Johannesburg in April 2012, citing the sharp rise in fuel prices and the continuing world economic crisis as the main reasons.
A direct flight could considerably boost the popularity of Spain for South African travellers. Theresa Szejwallo, MD of The Travel Corporation, says all five TTC brands represented in South Africa have touring or river cruising options in Spain. She says although the destination is quite popular already, a direct flight would boost numbers out of South Africa.
Currently, the best way to get to Spain is through the Middle East or Europe. “Qatar, Emirates, Air France and SWISS all offer night flights with arrivals in Madrid between mid-morning and lunchtime. The connectivity is good but a direct flight is always going to be trumps in that it offers more capacity and no stopovers.”
Megan d’Arcy, Product Manager of kulula holidays, told Tourism Update that although access was not a big issue currently “it would be great to see Iberia picking up the route again”, as passengers factor in direct access when deciding on a holiday destination.
Other factors that are important to customers are price and the flight schedule, d’Arcy adds. “Does the flight, for example, connect with the cruise the client is boarding on a specific day? Are there daily flights and when do they depart and arrive? Does the flight from SA connect seamlessly to onward destinations?”
The airline is currently exploring its options – Tokyo, Toronto, San Juan, Doha, Brasilia, Managua, Gaudalajara and Asuncion are all currently being considered. “The new destinations will be announced before the end of the year following negotiations and profitability studies,” spokesperson for Iberia, Laura Tirado Martínez, told Tourism Update. The airline is currently doing a feasibility study of each route. “Most critical is return on investment. Flights must be sustainable and profitable both now and in the medium and long term,” she says.
