West Africa route set for take-off

Leonard Neill
CARGO CAPACITY to West Africa is set to rise dramatically when a proposed joint venture between South African Airways and Nigerian Airways increases the number of flights between Johannesburg and Lagos from two to 14 a week.
Full details of the new service, which will make the route the most heavily travelled in Africa, are expected to be announced shortly.
Political and business pressure for more passenger capacity has motivated the move which will also provide significant benefits in terms of cargo capacity to a region which is rapidly developing trade ties with South Africa.
Nigerian Airways serves numerous destinations in West Africa where new business opportunities are developing.
Kenya Airways has also shown interest in the West Africa market by linking with Air Senegal to provide connecting flights to Cape Verde. Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Mali and Gambia effective this month.
Air Gabon and Ghana Airways already serve the region with scheduled flights, all of which cater for cargo growth.