Business Day:
Airline to lower fares, boost domestic flights
Khulu Phasiwe
SOUTH African Airways (SAA) subsidiary SA Express is set to challenge low-cost carriers by lowering its airfares and increasing its frequency on existing domestic routes.
The feeder airline said yesterday it would also extend its services to other destinations within the southern African region.
SAA said earlier this year that it would compete with the low-cost carriers by offering “all the frills at no-frills prices”.
It said most of its passengers, including those of SA Express, were discerning businesspeople who valued flight frequency, convenience, punctuality and reliability.
SA Express CEO Siza Mzimela said that the airline had increased its weekly flights between Johannesburg and Bloemfontein from 43 to 48 to meet the growing demand.
Weekly flights between Johannesburg and Kimberley had also risen from 23 to 28.
Flights on the Cape Town-East London route will be increased to 25 a week from next week.
“Serving the market daily provides the best service for both business and leisure travellers,” said Mzimela.
Last year the airline introduced direct flights between Johannesburg and Lumumbashi in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
It also launched flights between Cape Town and Botswana’s capital Gaborone.
“SA Express’ strategic focus will continue to build a strong feeder airline,” Mzimela said.
SA Express currently flies to nine domestic routes and four southern African states and it transports about 700000 travellers a year.