South African Airways is adding two new destinations to its expanding Africa network.
According to South African Airways’ Country Manager for Australasia Tim Clyde-Smith, SAA will introduce twice-weekly services to Abidjan on the Ivory Coast (Côte d’Ivoire) from 17 August, 2012.
“These flights will be added as an extension to our Accra (Ghana) flights on Tuesdays and Fridays. In addition we have also secured traffic rights between Accra and Abidjan enabling us to serve customers flying between these two cities in either direction,” Tim said today.
“Abidjan is the economic capital of the Ivory Coast, the largest city in the country and the third-largest French-speaking city in the world after Paris and Kinshasa,” he said.
“Considered a cultural hub of French West Africa, Abidjan is characterised by a high level of industrialisation and urbanisation. We have seen increasing tourism and business traffic to the Ivory Coast, so it is a logical step to help meet customer demand with these new flights,” Tim said.
SAA’s proposed Abidjan schedule from 17 August 2012 is as follows:
Flight
Days
From
Departs
To
Arrives
Northern Summer – 25 March to 27 October 2012
Outbound from Johannesburg
SA056
Tuesday
Friday
Johannesburg
12h45*
Accra
17h10*
Accra
18h10*
Abidjan
19h10*
Inbound to Johannesburg
SA057
Tuesday
Friday
Abidjan
20h20*
Accra
21h30*
Accra
22h30*
Johannesburg
06h25*
Northern Winter – 28 October 2012 to 30 March 2013
Outbound from Johannesburg
SA056
Tuesday
Friday
Johannesburg
12h55*
Accra
17h10*
Accra
18h10*
Abidjan
19h10*
Inbound to Johannesburg
SA057
Tuesday
Friday
Abidjan
20h20*
Accra
21h30*
Accra
22h30*
Johannesburg
06h35*
*All times are local at departure/destination points.
“In addition, from 13 September 2012, SAA will introduce a twice-weekly service to Brazzaville in the Republic of Congo. This route will be served using an Airbus A319-200 aircraft and is scheduled to fit optimally with the arrival and departure of our international flights at OR Tambo International Airport thereby offering our passengers convenient connections through Johannesburg.”
“Brazzaville is the capital and largest city of the Republic of the Congo. Kinshasa (capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo) lies just across the Congo River from Brazzaville. Together with Kinshasa, the combined metropolitan area of Kinshasa-Brazzaville has nearly 12-million inhabitants.”
Brazzaville Schedule from 13 September 2012:
Flight
Days
From
Departs
To
Arrives
Outbound from Johannesburg
SA084
Thursday
Saturday
Johannesburg
09h15*
Brazzaville
12h15*
Inbound to Johannesburg
SA085
Thursday
Saturday
Brazzaville
13h05*
Pointe Noire
18h10*
*All times are local at departure/destination points.
According to Tim, adding these routes to SAA’s African network further demonstrates the airline’s commitment to growth on the African continent.
“Our aim remains to continue exploring possibilities for our customers who travel between countries for business and tourism. Abidjan will be our sixth additional destination in Africa and Brazzaville our seventh since October 2011. Cotonou in Benin and Pointe Noire (Congo) were other recent additions in Africa.” Tim concluded.
WHAT TO TAKE AWAY FROM THIS ARTICLE:
- We have seen increasing tourism and business traffic to the Ivory Coast, so it is a logical step to help meet customer demand with these new flights,” Tim said.
- “Considered a cultural hub of French West Africa, Abidjan is characterised by a high level of industrialisation and urbanisation.
- “Abidjan is the economic capital of the Ivory Coast, the largest city in the country and the third-largest French-speaking city in the world after Paris and Kinshasa,” he said.
