Good news for Africa-bound freight

The South African Airways (SAA) plans to focus on strengthening some of its key African destinations are a big boost for the SAA Cargo side of the business, according to Ronel Rossouw, national sales manager. The airline is including in its plans increased frequencies to Kinshasa (DRC); Dar Es Salaam (Tanzania); Windhoek (Namibia); and Ndola and Lusaka in Zambia. “More frequencies mean more cargo space, and we’re delighted,” Rossouw told FTW. “Apart from more capacity our clients now have more flights so cargo can move faster. “Also, our courier/express and perishable/pharma products are now in a better position as this is what these products desperately need. Not necessarily a higher tonnage for these products, but more frequencies.” It’s really the airline’s freighters that move the larger, general cargo (genco) loads, she added. “On some of those routes – like Lusaka and Kinshasa – we operate freighters to supplement the passenger flights capacity. And that has proven a success for many years. “Windhoek is a new freighter route and soon, on November 23, we will have a once-weekly freighter service into Nairobi Kenya.” The cargo section also welcomes any increase in flights to the Africa region, as these increases in capacity also expand its footprint on the continent. Sadly, SAA’s Kigali and Bujimbura flights are to stop operation soon, but the airline is looking into a code-share partnership with, Rwandair. “The departure of this flight has put a bit of the spanner in the works,” Rossouw added. “But we have also started negotiations with Rwandair to use their flight. Also, we may soon be operating our own freighter to Kigali as well.” This is part of SAA Cargo’s strategy to service the African continent. “We will operate as many flights as possible to offer our clients frequency – with added freighter capacity into the markets where it’s most needed,” Rossouw said. “We are looking forward to the increases. At the same time, we will keep our clients posted on our developments.” She also noted that this added capacity was also likely to open doors for SAA Cargo to establish its own offices in most of these countries. “But,” she said, “that is still work in progress.” Regionally, SAA offers 26 destinations across the African continent: Abidjan, Accra, Blantyre, Brazzaville, Bujumbura, Cotonou, Dakar, Dar es Salaam, Douala, Entebbe, Harare, Kigali, Kinshasa, Lagos, Libreville, Lilongwe, Livingstone, Luanda, Lusaka, Maputo, Mauritius, Nairobi, Ndola, Pointe Noire, Victoria Falls and Windhoek. INSERT & CAPTION Our courier/express and perishable/ pharma products are now in a better position as this is what these products desperately need. – Ronel Rossouw