FlySafair fills flights void

WHILE South African Airways (SAA) plans to reduce its flights to and from the Eastern Cape this month, other airlines have already stepped in to fill the void.

SAA said last week it would be reducing flights between Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth from four to two return flights a day, with return flights between Johannesburg and East London being cut from three to two a day.

This would take effect from October 29, SAA spokesman Tlali Tlali said.

However, travellers will not be left in the lurch, according to FlySafair sales and distribution head Kirby Gordon.

Gordon said the airline would be increasing its flights to both the Eastern Cape cities.

“Previously we had operated five flights a week between Johannesburg and East London, which we have upped to seven, as of September 23,” Gordon said.

“We have now increased the flights between Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth [from six] to eight flights a week.”

FlySafair also plans to further increase these flights in December for holiday travellers to 14 flights a week on the Port Elizabeth route.

At the same time, flights from Cape Town will be increased to 14 a week as well, both to and from Port Elizabeth and East London.

Meanwhile, Comair, which operates British Airways and Kulula flights, said any plans for increasing its flights would be “commercially sensitive”.

“We continually consider ways that our two airline brands can better serve the flying public,” Comair spokeswoman Susan van der Ryst said.

British Airways operates five return weekday flights between Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth, while Kulula operates three return flights between Johannesburg and East London.