SAA adds destinations in US, S America, Europe and Africa

JOY ORLEK
SOUTH AFRICAN Airways is set to expand its route network in Europe, North America, South America and Africa. The airline will begin flying four times a week between Johannesburg and Chicago from May 8. Chicago is the largest hub of Star Alliance partner United Airlines, offering transhipment options to 91 destinations in North America. On the same date flights from New York to Johannesburg will begin operating non-stop. The airline currently flies daily between Johannesburg and JFK in New York via Dakar in Senegal and daily between Johannesburg and Washington. In July next year SAA will launch a three-times-a-week service to Buenos Aires and will add three weekly flights on the Sao Paolo route, bringing the number of weekly frequencies to ten. These new flights will originate in Mumbai, India and operate via Johannesburg. The airline is considering a Rio de Janeiro service in the near future. The Europe network will be boosted on January 1 with the launch of a Munich service, connecting to 63 destinations in Europe. And on the Africa front, April will see the launch of a service to Libreville in Gabon three times a week while in January new flights will begin operating twice a week from Johannesburg to Point Noire, Congo and Bamako in Mali