Cape Town International Airport (CTIA) saw strong growth in passenger numbers for February with domestic arrivals recorded at 79% of the February 2019 statistics and international figures for at 76% of the arrivals for February 2019.
“The airport is now processing an incredible 25 000 passengers a day,” said City of Cape Town Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth, James Vos, noting that this underscored the value of aviation to travel and trade in the metro.
“Not only do these numbers represent a rise in travellers to Cape Town, but it also is an indication that the city has cemented connections to more key source markets, which will boost trade and exports of Mother City-made goods. This means increased production, which means more jobs and a stronger economy.”
Vos pointed out the Cape Town Air Access – funded by the City of Cape Town and housed at trade promotion agency, Wesgro’s offices – continued to make strides towards its goal of increasing international flights to the Mother City.
Airlines that have resumed services to CTIA are Emirates, Singapore Airlines, British Airways, Kenya Airways and Turkish Airlines.
United Airlines has announced that it will resume direct flights between Cape Town and Newark/New York from June 2022 – ahead of its initial schedule – and has applied for regulatory approval in the US and South Africa to introduce year-round flights to and from Washington DC.
“I can confirm that, from the city’s perspective, we wholeheartedly support this application,” said Vos.
Vos said the city’s recovery from the Covid-19 crisis must lead to a different economy. “My officials and I have had discussions with several of our strategic business partners, including with bodies such as Wesgro, about the interconnected goals of attracting investments, boosting exports and enhancing connectivity.”
