On February 1, SAA celebrated its 90th anniversary, affirming the commitment to an airline founded nine decades ago in 1934.
The reintroduction of international operations by South African Airways late last year to Brazil is expected to find even more traction this year when it launches a direct route to Perth in Australia.
The service, starting on April 28, will feature an Airbus A343 capable of carrying palletised cargo with the following dimensions: 318x244x157cm.
The gross weight of built cargo ranges from 2 500-4 000 kilograms per pallet, and each flight can carry six to eight pallets.
Each week will see at least three flights between OR Tambo International and Perth Airport, SAA Cargo manager Keke Mokwena says.
“The commencement of the Perth route marks the second international route to be reopened within six months of the launch of the São Paulo route on October 31.”
Mokwena adds that the Perth route bodes well for South Africa’s trade relations and the opening of future growth prospects.
“SAA’s operations to Perth are in line with the airline’s strategic plans to expand its international route offering and grow its intercontinental footprint.
“Perth provides us with the opportunity to access the majority of the Asia Pacific markets.”
According to Mokwena, Perth has special significance for the consolidation of southern African airfreight.
“Most of the SAA cargo traffic that is destined and originates from this region is consolidated in Perth.
“Moreover, Perth has long been a favoured destination for South African and Australian travellers, giving the airline a perfect balance in terms of cargo and passenger demand.”
Mokwena explains that accurate, on-time scheduling is a unique selling point of the direct service, affording freight forwarders and shippers peace of mind given the kind of cargo disruptions that have become the norm since the Covid-19 pandemic.
“SAA has a non-stop flight to Perth, which works to our advantage considering the complexity of the supply chain where multiple stakeholders such as manufacturers, suppliers and shippers are involved, each with their own processes and timelines.
“On-time departure helps stakeholders optimise their operations, minimise disruptions, and enhance overall supply chain efficiency.”
Mokwena also says that the Perth service will provide a foundation to access other cities across Australia and further afield into New Zealand, based on securing interline agreements with other airline partners.
“This is all in an effort to provide a seamless service to our customers.”
