13 February 2023 – Today, FlySafair announced that plans are well underway to further expand their network after being awarded the rights to operate three additional regional routes, as well as additional frequency on existing regional routes.
After submitting an application in late June of 2022, the International Air Services Council has today awarded FlySafair the rights to operate routes between Johannesburg and Windhoek, Harare, and Zanzibar. On top of these new routes, FlySafair was also awarded five additional frequencies on their recently launched Mauritius route, meaning that the airline could potentially offer daily flights.
“We are thrilled to have received this news,” says Kirby Gordon, Chief Marketing Officer at FlySafair. “We’ve already begun laying the groundwork in several of our target countries and are in discussions with various parties including civil aviation authorities to get these new routes up and running as soon as possible.”
Once all permissions and logistical considerations have been resolved, FlySafair will be able to offer daily flights from Johannesburg to Windhoek and Harare from Johannesburg and Cape Town respectively.
FlySafair has undergone a period of rapid growth over the past 10 months, adding a number of new aircraft to their operating fleet and hiring many new staff members to accommodate this expansion. The airline is poised to add three aircraft to their schedule before the end of March and these will ultimately be used to operate these new routes.
Schedules for these two destinations are likely to be available by Q3 of 2023, just in time for the holiday season. However, FlySafair has revealed that the route to Zanzibar, is likely to be available sooner thanks to an existing charter arrangement.
“Translating this existing chartered operation into a scheduled operation should be a fairly quick process allowing us to release schedules as early as Q2. It is always exciting introducing new routes. We look forward to offering our low fares to these additional routes, and to forging stronger links with our neighbours.”
About FlySafair
FlySafair is a domestic low-cost carrier operating in South Africa. Flights are available between OR Tambo, Lanseria, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, George, East London and Durban from just R599. FlySafair was awarded Aviation Company of the Year at the 2019 South African Civil Aviation Authority awards along with Aircraft Operator of the Year, Aviation Customer Services, Aviation Security, and Aviation Maintenance Organisation. The airline has also been named Best Airline Africa and Indian Ocean in the TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice™ awards for Airlines in 2018, 2019 and 2020. FlySafair began operations in October 2014 and is ranked South Africa’s most on-time airline, while proudly being the Trusted Domestic Carrier for the Springboks.