This past weekend, O. R. Tambo International Airport celebrated the inaugural flight of South African Airways (SAA) between Johannesburg and Perth, Australia.
SAA will operate three direct flights per week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays at 20:55, arriving at Perth International Airport at 12:20 the following day.
Inbound flights to South Africa will depart from Perth on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 14:40, arriving the next day at O. R. Tambo International Airport at 19:35. The non-stop nine-and-a-half-hour flight will be operated by an SAA Airbus A340-300 aircraft, with a configuration to accommodate 38 passengers in business class and 215 in economy.
The Johannesburg-Perth route holds strategic importance for the Southern Hemisphere, offering passengers direct intercontinental air connectivity. Australia has witnessed a rise in the number of South African travelers, both for leisure and business purposes.
SAA CEO Professor John Lamola emphasized the significance of relaunching the route, symbolizing the airline’s recovery and strategic repositioning post-COVID-19.
“This particular route stands out due to the anticipated traffic between Australia and South Africa, particularly driven by family visits,” Lamola said.
Highlighting the social impact of South African Airways, Lamola added, “This marks a pivotal moment where we fulfill our mandate of contributing to economic development and fostering social connections across continents.”
The non-stop service is expected to bring over 39,000 additional inbound passengers from South Africa to Western Australia annually. Before the pandemic, Australia welcomed around 58,000 visitors from South Africa in 2019, with 34% visiting Western Australia.
South African Airways initially launched the Perth route on April 1, 2003, but terminated the service on March 20, 2020. During its operation, the route contributed approximately R21.8 million per year to ACSA’s Aeronautical Revenue.
ACSA CEO Mpumi Mpofu highlighted the resumption of the Perth route amid ACSA’s robust post-pandemic recovery, as reflected in the festive season statistics from its major airports.
“Our recovery efforts are further underscored by the expected revenue from this route. The landing revenue from the Perth route is expected to reach R 5 470 150, while the passenger revenue is expected to amount to R6 869 854, resulting in a combined total of R12 340 004,” says Mpofu.
“ACSA would like to congratulate SAA for the important strides that it is making in our country’s aviation sector, as the resumption of the route to Perth is key to fostering growth and enhancing connectivity, as well as fulfilling our shared commitment to elevating South Africa’s aviation sector on the global stage.”
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi highlighted the crucial role of cargo and tourism for Gauteng’s economy, as well as the importance of building routes between South Africa and other BRICS countries.
“Building on these sectors, our partnership within BRICS offers an immense opportunity to showcase our goods and enable our citizens to access new markets. It’s about making meaningful connections that empower our communities and drive our economic engine forward,” he says.
Mr. Green, an Australian passenger who originally travelled from Australia to Johannesburg via Singapore, is among the first to benefit from this direct flight. He expressed his excitement for the shortened travel time. Mr. Green remarked; that previously, getting to Perth involved a gruelling 23-hour journey with lengthy stopovers. “Now, I can travel in just 9 hours “.
This is the second significant route introduced by SAA in the last six months, after the airline launched a service to São Paulo, Brazil, in October last year.