Mafikeng-Joburg flights reopen
8 December 2003
Mafikeng airport reopened for passenger business on Friday with an inaugural commercial flight to Johannesburg International airport.
For between R700 and R900 one way, it will now take 50 minutes for business people, government officials and other travellers to reach their destination - reducing by at least five hours the drive from North West province to Johannesburg.
The Mafikeng-Johannesburg route will be operated on a two-year renewable contract by a consortium comprising South African Airlink and private charter aircraft company SubSahara.
The service will initially be available twice a day on weekdays, with weekend flights scheduled for the near future, depending on passenger demand.
Mafikeng airport, which boasts the second-largest commercial airstrip in the world, was stripped of its international status after national carrier South African Airways pulled out of the region in 2000.
The airport is used by a number of airlines to maintain and repair their fleets as well as to launch cargo aircraft into other African countries. Among these is the Aerotrade group, which boasts the biggest private aircraft fleet in South Africa.
Russia's Samara province recently expressed interest in establishing an aircraft repair and maintenance centre at Mafikeng airport, as part of a co-operation agreement between the Samara and North West.
North West Premier Popo Molefe said the return of commercial passenger flights boded well for the economic prospects of the province, and committed his government's support to sustaining the route, saying that all MECs and senior officials would use the flight to travel to and from Johannesburg.
Abbey Chikane, chief executive of Johannesburg-based SubSahara, said there was an untapped market for air transport in the province. "There is a travel budget in this area, and there are people that are flying. Our task as operators is to ensure that these people drive less and fly more, because the budget is there," Chikane said.
The airport's new operations are expected to create new job opportunities in North West's hospitality, car hire and airport management industries.
Source: BuaNews
