Urgent .. more flights needed ..

[Gunship]

South Africa cannot allow its tourism industry to be squeezed further as a result of a lack of flights between this country and the United Kingdom, the Democratic Alliance said on Wednesday.

It is hoped there will be decisive progress made in talks on the matter with British aviation authorities, set to take place in London at the end of June, DA tourism spokesperson Nick Koornhof said in a statement.

He said the DA appreciated the debate around more flights between South Africa and the United Kingdom was "at a very sensitive and critical stage".

However, it is hoped "there will be decisive progress to resolve it during the vital talks with British aviation authorities".

"The matter cannot be allowed to drag on indefinitely. There is a case to be made for the protection of the South African national carrier.

"This needs to be balanced though with a growing demand for more flights and consequently more tourists," Koornhof said.

Tourists would seek different destinations if they could not get seats on flights to South Africa.

"We cannot take tourists for granted simply because we are a popular destination. It is something we have to work at constantly.

"If we cannot secure more slots at London's Heathrow Airport, we should look at other London airports."

The DA proposed a concerted marketing drive to convince tourists to consider London's Gatwick Airport as an alternate destination.

"We cannot allow the tourism industry to be squeezed further because of a lack of flights.

"If this matter is not resolved in June, the DA will call for new action to increase flights," Koornhof said.

[Gunship]

From experience all I can say is that I treied 2 weeks ago to get back to the UK from Cape Town. Sunday night on KLM via Amsterdam was the ONLY space left as mid July is FULL !!!

So Yes .... we need more seats to / from Europe ...:*

[126,7]

The wife flew to SA for a friend's wedding on a ID90 ticket. Thought it wouldnt be so serious as she is on her own and a person can always squeeze a single person on. She drove to Smuts every night for 4 nights until she could get a seat. So, I guess we do need more flights.....

[sennadog]

LGW would be great. Jump in the car - 10 mins to the airport - 10 hours to my favourite country.

Sounds like a plan.:ok:

[Gunship]

Yip SENNA DOG ... Agree .. Gatwick has always been "nice" to me. Also much easier to get to London and actually easier for me to get to the South East where I live when I am there in Guildford - just jump on the train and 50 minutes - there you go !

I double checked today ... basically everything from the Cape in the next 2 weeks are full and in July / August - FULL ! Limited seats available and that to the Cape in Winter ... :sad:

[Irishwingz]

Hear hear! I recently booked my flights to SA and wanted to go around mid sept to CPT - no availabilty whatsoever but loads to JHB so thats where I'm off to. I agree that LGW is a good alternative, I would certainly prefer it to LHR which is a panic at the best of times.

On a relevant note our own national carrier, Aer Lingus is again considering a new route from Dublin to Cape Town to start end of the year. It was shelved last year over disagreements between management and crew. Lets hope it goes ahead as SA is an increasingly popular destination for Irish people.

You never know, you may see our lovely green A330s down there soon......

:ok:

[Gunship]

Irish Wingz ... strange just read this article in tonights paper .. wait let me get the facts :

Heading : CAPE ARGUS 13 May 03

The Irish Love us ..

"Irish tourism is the single biggest growth area in SA in percentage terms ... despite NO direct flights between the 2 countries ... increase of 43% over the year and an increase of 52% over December, respresenting 30 000 visitors !

Interesting : "Irish tourists also spend MORE .. hik ... money than any other Europeans ... "

:cool:

[concordino]

Having worked for the world’s favorite airline a few years back, I use to see flights to JNB/CPT/DUR heavily overbooked.

I once saw an overbooking of 100 seats in world traveler. SA is a popular destination from London from a while back.

Even BA staff use to buy firm hotline staff tickets (300-400GBP) to avoid being stuck in either direction.
LGW would be the next choice after LHR I think, since BA has some 744 and 777s based there.
I think it is time SA introduced a second long haul carrier focusing on the European market.
For now it remains BA/VS against SAA.


:cool:

[V1 Rotate]

Flights to and from the States are usualy pretty chokka too.
How about re-instating Cape Town - Fort Lauderdale a couple of times a week?

V1 Rotate

[African Drunk]

Didn't virgin try and get more slots for cape town/jo'burg last year but were turned down to protect SAA.

[Gunship]

Yes Dronkgat ... I remeber Virgin declaring they HAVE more seats to Cape Town - a decission which was later turned around ... by who ? SAA ?

Oh Flying Irish ... here is the answer to all the IRISH "tourists" :p

Cape Argus Fri 16 May 03 .. First they poached our doctors and our nurses. Then they poached our teachers. Now they are poaching our sex workers.

An Irish-based company, BBC Int Billionaires Boys Club, has advertised in local newspapers for "upmarket ladies" who want to earn euros in
Ireland.

The advertisement read: "An elite venue for the discerning gent, based in Ireland, will provide guaranteed, return airfares, traveller's cheques and accommodation."

It added that it required the services of coloured, European and Malay ladies between 18 and 30 with valid identity documents and passports.

On Thursday a woman identified only as Gia explained that they needed girls who could speak English, "because the girls we have, can't".

She said: "The girls go on a three-week working holiday and will not work at an escort agency but will be provided with their own private apartments. The clients are sent to them."

Gia said one woman could earn up to €4 000 a day or R34 472 at the current exchange rate: "We also give the girls an assurance, in writing, that they would come back to South Africa with a guaranteed R40 000."

In a curt telephone conversation with a Cape Times journalist posing as a possible "employee", Gia asked what the reporter's dress size, length of hair and race was.

The reporter answered: "I am a size 30, I have shoulder-length hair and am Malay."

Gia said this was "perfect".
:E

[George Tower]

Does any one know whether it would be feasible to operate UK-SA flights from another city in the UK other than London? Manchester for example.:ok:

By the way do SA dress sizes differ from those in the UK? At size 30 me thinks an economy class seat might just prove a bit challenging:ooh:

[sennadog]

What's happening at MPI? When I was doing my T&Gs there a few weeks ago, my instructor mentioned that there were plans afoot for Virgin to run direct flights to cater for the Kruger crowd.

Is this more of the Bearded One's PR or a genuine plan? Given the current popularity of SA, an expanded schedule would help BA given that most of their popular routes are now not so popular given recent troubles.

[Gunship]

Well the ONLY flight to the UK that I could get on a week's notice was KLM via Jhb - Amsterdam.

Sat next to Brit lady (now living in SA) - she flies to Amsterdam or Paris or ? Dusseldorf I think she said just to miss Heathrow. For security reasons as well but mainly because she can fly straight to Leeds ? In the North.

She is on waiting list on a UK - Cape Town flight NEXT YEAR January !

The other girl next to me (they where both old 4HP and Orca) - said she gives lectures in Amsterdam / London and I think Brussels it was.

She books a minimum of three months in advance as she can not be sure of flights to Europe ... :ugh:

So YES we need MORE FLIGHT and Gatwick will be great thank - suits me very well !

[Balloothebear]

:) Now thats a funny one...flew SA226 to LHR last week,the aircraft was 3/4 full,had the four middle seats to myself,slept like a puppy.
Bad news was the terrible service at JHB Int by the local lads and lasses,chatting on their cell phones whilst checking you through customs,exclusive books staff having a wonderfully animated conversation on the phones whilst grabbing your money and ringing it through the till,EXELLENT ambassadors for "The number one tourist destination of Africa":mad:
"Hou die blink kant bo manne"

[Skaz]

more flights would be great, but knowing the way operations go at Jhb, what'r they doing to prevent SARS cases from coughing their way into the country?

Air Nambabwe has flights going to germany etc & the bright eyed and bushytailed, friendly and efficient immigration and security/police staff at Hoes-it Kutako ('scue the pun) dont even know what SARS is

weve been lucky so far, if that thing hits us down here.....its tickets:yuk: :ouch: