The Western Cape will see its first direct connection to South America in over a decade, as South African Airways (SAA) is ready to launch its first intercontinental flights since March 2020.
SAA will reinstate its long-haul service with flights between Cape Town and São Paulo, starting on October 31, 2023. Just before the pandemic, São Paulo was identified because the fastest-growing unserved marketplace for the Western Cape, with 43,000 passengers traveling between the 2 regions in 2019.
SAA flights to Brazil
South Africa’s flag carrier discontinued international flights in March 2020 at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic and suspended all operations two months later. It returned to the skies in September 2021, and its first service out of Africa will originate from “The Mother City.”
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SAA will begin the service with two weekly flights between Cape Town International (CPT) and São Paulo Guarulhos (GRU) on Tuesdays and Saturdays. During summer, flight SA0226 will depart Cape Town at 12:55 and arrive at 16:35, while the return flight SA0227 departs São Paulo at 17:45, arriving at 06:40 local time. SAA Interim CEO John Lamola said;
“We’re overjoyed to announce São Paulo as our first international destination for the reason that airline successfully emerged from an intensive Business Rescue process and COVID-19 lockdown. It also marks our return of our long-haul service out of Cape Town.” The Teams at SAA are working hard behind the scenes to gear our operations for this much anticipated route launch to South America,” said Lamola.”
The airline currently has one Airbus A330-300 leased from Aergo Capital, which it could possibly deploy on this route. The choice to reinstate its long-haul service with São Paulo got here after strategic planning and realizing the route’s viability.
SAA prides itself in bringing South African hospitality to international routes. Travelers to and from Brazil can expect to experience exceptional customer support because the airline was recently awarded Best Cabin Crew in Africa for 2023 in the most recent Skytrax awards. It got here fourth within the World’s Most Improved Airline category, highlighting its significant recovery.
A major milestone for “The Mother City”
The introduction of this can be a significant milestone for the national carrier and Cape Town because it returns to the town with its first intercontinental flight after 11 years. The establishment of the CPT-GRU route results from the collaborative efforts between the Cape Town Air Access and Guarulhos Airport teams.
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The route can enhance bilateral ties between Brazil and South Africa. Along with strengthening economic and cultural activities, the brand new connection will boost exponential growth, providing several business and tourism opportunities. Cape Town Air Access spokesperson Wrenelle Stander said;
“The direct connection has been a piece in progress for the Cape Town Air Access team for five years now, we’re thrilled to see our efforts finally come to fruition. A direct, non-stop connection will significantly boost the recovery of Latin American traffic to Cape Town, which stood at only 23% in 2022 in comparison with 2019 passenger volumes. Beyond the convenience factor, Cape Town is perfectly positioned to function a connecting hub between Asia and South America – the direct route can be the shortest one available to this point.”
Cape Town Air Access, an initiative by Wesgro, has been monumental in enhancing the region’s route network. Since launching the initiative, the town has welcomed 15 recent airlines, with Proflight Zambia set to start its direct flight between LUN and CPT on July 1, 2023.
Growing the economy
Trade relations between South Africa and Brazil have shown a positive outlook, with exports from Cape Town reaching over $26 million (R490 million) in 2022. Nonetheless, air cargo volumes remain low, but launching a brand new direct connection will offer additional cargo capability, increasing the general trade volumes.
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Cape Town is geographically positioned as the perfect stopover between South America and Asia. Malaysia Airlines operated one in all the last flights from CPT to South America on the KUL-CPT-EZE route. CPT-GRU was last served by Brazil’s long-defunct VARIG. Western Cape Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities, Mireille Wenger, said;
“We’re absolutely delighted that a brand new direct flight service between Cape Town and São Paulo has been launched. The advantages of the brand new route will help strengthen the economic ties between the Western Cape and Brazil and likewise opens up immense opportunities for enhanced trade, tourism, and investment between our two regions. We commend South African Airways for his or her commitment to expanding connectivity and contributing to the expansion of our economies. This recent flight route is a testament to our shared vision of constructing strong global connections and driving economic prosperity and job creation.”
With a direct flight time of as much as eight hours, the brand new connection will significantly reduce traveling time by over 50%. This can make the route famous for passengers trying to fly to Africa, fostering further collaboration and cultural exchange. The town is able to welcome visitors from São Paulo to experience the sweetness and magic of Cape Town.
Gateway into Africa
Cape Town International Airport is one in all the principal southern gateways into Africa and the third-largest hub within the continent. Passengers flying in from São Paulo may have options for further connections to other destinations in South Africa and beyond. It was placed forty seventh within the Skytrax Top 100 Airports list ahead of JNB and DUR.
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” said Cape Town International Airport Regional Manager Mark Maclean.
Although SAA’s inaugural intercontinental service is ranging from Cape Town, it’s going to also offer direct flights to São Paulo from Johannesburg OR Tambo. The service can be operated twice every week as well, bringing the full variety of flights between South Africa and Brazil to 4 per week.
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