Lift Airlines plan to fly between Durban and Cape Town before festive season
|Published
The Lift Airlines team at the media briefing
Durban - The first Lift Airline flight between OR Tambo and King Shaka International Airports took off on Wednesday, marking its scheduled three times daily air services between Johannesburg and Durban.
The airline has plans to fly between Durban and Cape Town next month.
The airline launched in December 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic and had only been operating between Johannesburg and Cape Town.
During a media briefing at King Shaka International Airport, the airline’s CEO and co-founder, Jonathan Ayache, said the golden triangle route between Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town was the most requested on social media.
Key stakeholders at the event included Hamish Erskine - CEO Dube TradePort SEZ and Co-Chair Durban Direct, Mpumelelo Zikalala - Board Chairperson Dube TradePort Special Economic Zone, Councillor Mxolisi Kaunda - Mayor of eThekwini Municipality, Phindile Makwakwa - ACEO Tourism KZN and Co-Chair Durban Direct and Nkosinathi Myataza - ACSA Regional General Manager.
“It’s no secret that Durban has had its fair share of struggles over the past two years, and we are happy to play a small part in bringing back travel and tourism to such a deserving city,” said Ayache.
The airline has created over 200 jobs in the country and aims to create more with its expansion plans.
“We’ve also grown our fleet and have two more aircraft arriving this year. This growth in our fleet and new routes will create more than 100 new jobs before the end of the year,” added Ayache.
Speaking on fuel challenges experienced in the aviation industry, Ayache said: “We are not a low-cost carrier, we are in the middle between low-cost and full-service carrier. Unfortunately, the cost of fuel has tripled since we launched in 2020 and there is nothing we can do as an airline – all businesses are affected. However, to keep the aviation industry sustainable when fuel is high affects the cost for passengers,” he said.
Despite the challenges within the aviation industry Lift travellers to or from Durban can look forward to complimentary snacks, coffee from Vida e Caffe, flexible flight changes with unlimited penalty-free changes, no cancellation fees, and quick and easy refunds into their Lift wallet. Lift also offers selected dog-friendly flights.
Siboniso Duma, MEC for EDTEA in KZN, said: “Domestic airlines play a significant role in driving the recovery and rebuilding efforts of South Africa’s local aviation industry ensuring that it continues to benefit business and leisure travel.”
Kaunda said the City’s aim was to receive 900 000 visitors and that they are hopeful that the airline will contribute largely to their goal.
“This is one of the developments that is going to really boost our economy, especially as we are on the journey of recovery. We are targeting 900 000 visitors and it is not possible for all of them to drive long distances so this will increase the numbers and maybe score more than 1 million people visiting our shores,” said Kaunda.