South African Airways (SAA) took a significant step forward in strengthening trade ties within Africa as it launched its inaugural direct flight between Johannesburg and Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), on Monday and as it expanded its African footprint.
The A320 aircraft departed from OR Tambo International Airport at 10.50 am on November 4, 2024 and arrived safely at Luano International Airport after a three-hour journey.
This marks the beginning of a new era in connectivity and commerce between two of Africa’s most vital mining cities, it said.
SAA said many of the DRC’s biggest companies have their headquarters in Lubumbashi.
Departure and arrival times between the two cities enable seamless ground transfers to boardrooms and sites that serve trade and industry in both nations, as well as to sites and boardrooms of other key mining destinations in the DRC and neighbouring Zambia, it said.
SAA’s interim CEO, Professor John Lamola. “As an enabler of trade and commerce in Africa, SAA connects two of Africa’s most influential economies and mining centres, bringing together industries, communities and entrepreneurs and enabling us to unlock greater prosperity, foster collaboration and generate new opportunities for trade, investment and development.”
The newly launched service operates five times a week, strategically scheduled to accommodate both point-to-point travellers and those with connecting flights.
The Democratic Republic of Congo is an essential trade partner for South Africa. Between 2018 and 2022, South Africa’s exports to the DRC saw a remarkable compound annual growth rate of 50%, reaching a total of R26.6 billion in 2022. The primary exports include refined petroleum and mining equipment. In contrast, the DRC’s exports to South Africa, valued at R2.4bn in 2022, comprised refined copper, precious metal scraps, raw zinc, and other minerals.
Direct flights like these are seen as key to nurturing this trade relationship. “Through this flight, we are not merely adding another regional route to our itinerary list; we are also reinforcing a vision for Africa’s future: one where trade flows freely, enabled by connectivity and networking,” Lamola said.
Beyond passenger convenience, SAA said the A320 aircraft used on this route is equipped with enhanced belly cargo capacity, tailored to meet the needs of the mining, infrastructure, and industrial sectors. This capability is expected to further bolster trade, particularly in transporting essential goods and equipment.
This announcement comes as SAA earlier this year reported steady growth three years after resuming operations. For the 2022/23 financial year, revenue surged by 96% to R5.6 billion, up from R2 billion in the previous year.
Between August 2022 and August 2024 the airline’s fleet grew to 16 aircraft flying 15 routes and reported 400% growth in passenger revenue during that period.
In October SAA announced a significant increase in its flight frequencies to key African destinations, starting this month.
SAA said it would increase its flights to Mauritius in December and to Perth in January.
This month SAA will operate 12 weekly flights to both Harare and Lusaka, up from the current 10 times a week to Harare and up from seven to Lusaka. Flights to Lagos and Accra will increase to four times a week, up from three weekly flights.
In the DRC, SAA would enhance its presence by flying five times a week to Kinshasa.
Domestically, SAA would increase its flights to Gqeberha to three times a day.
SAA also said at the time it was poised to increase the frequency of its flights on its successful routes – Mauritius and Perth, Australia.
“The airline will begin flying twice daily to Mauritius from the beginning of December to coincide with peak holiday season. SAA will increase flights to Perth – a very popular destination for South Africans. The first additional frequency will commence in December 2024 and the second will be added from January 2025, taking our frequencies to Perth five times a week,” it said.
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