New flights for south africa

South African Airways (SAA) is planning new routes to several African cities, the airline announced on Friday...

"At a time when many other airlines are consolidating or reducing their flights, the success of SAA's restructuring programme has left the airline well placed to explore growth plans for the future," SAA CEO Khaya Ngqula said in a statement.

The new routes - which still require regulatory approval - will see the national carrier jetting into Douala in Cameroon; the Senegalese capital Dakar; and Libreville in Gabon, among others.

SAA also announced it had entered into an agreement with Lignes Ariennes Congolaises, allowing it to increase it flights into the Democratic Republic of Congo capital Kinshasa from four to six a week.

"The DRC is an important destination for SAA and we are delighted to be increasing our presence in this market," Ngqula said.

The new routes would see the expansion of the airline's Johannesburg facilities as a transport hub for the African continent.

Ngqula said SAA was "about to enter a moderate growth phase".

It was also set to expand other international routes. It would start flying to Buenos Aires, Argentina; increase the number of flights to Perth, Australia; and introduce non-stop flights to New York from 1st May next year.

Deputy President Baleka Mbete has announced an air services agreement had been struck with Nigeria that would see an increase in the frequency of flights and routes between that country and South Africa.

Source: www.southafrica.info