ZIWAPHI • VOL 4 NO 9 • 7 - 13 May 2010
The cost of air travel tickets between Mpumalanga and Gauteng provinces will be less than half of the current airfares, beginning from the 4th May. This information was revealed at the launch of the inaugural British Airways, operated by Comair, flight between OR Tambo International and Kruger Mpumalanga International airports on Tuesday.
The launch, which included the symbolic and first-ever British Airways flight from OR Tambo International Airport to Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (KMIA), was a culmination of over twelve months of negotiations between the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA) and Comair Limited.
Guests who boarded the inaugural flight included Jabulani Mahlangu and Pinky Phosa who are MECs or Economic Development, Environment & Tourism and Finance respectively, William Lubisi, the Speaker of the provincial legislature and the executive mayor of Mbombela Local Municipality, Lassy Chiwayo and other dignitaries.
Comair Limited is a South African airline company that is listed on the Johannesburg Securities Exchange (JSE). It is currently operating domestic and regional flights under the umbrella of the British Airways.
Air travelers between Gauteng and Mpumalanga are set to save massively on airfares.
“Published pricing will range from R700 between OR Tambo International and Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport,” said Stuart Cochrane, Comair’s Executive Manager Route Development.
Currently, air travelers have to part with almost R3000 for a return ticket between Johannesburg and Nelspruit and when they travel by road they have to pay at the province’s exorbitant toll road fees.
For many years, air travel between Mpumalanga and various destinations has been monopolized by one airline. Observers see the absence of competition as the reason behind the high costs of air travel to and from the province.
Earlier in the week, reports reached Ziwaphi that the airline which has always provided regular air transport to and from Nelspruit announced a drastic reduction of its airfares to an estimated R1700 in anticipation of the entry of competing airlines.
Charles Ndabeni, the Chief Executive Officer of MTPA also concurred that the entry of new airlines would help reduce the cost of air travel.
“This partnership will deliver much needed competition and additional capacity on the route between Mpumalanga and Gauteng and both business and leisure travelers are expected to benefit from the new scheduled service,” said Ndabeni.
Cochrane added that the sustainability of the project was largely dependent on its commercial viability, and committed his company, Comair, to do all in its power to market the new route.
He, however, cautioned that its success would be dependent on the support of the people of the province.
“All of us must support this intervention,” he said.
At last, it will be cheaper to fly