... as direct flights on UK route are withdrawn
THE CANCELLATION of flights between London and Durban via Johannesburg by British Airways and SAA will impact negatively on airfreight and tourism at a time when Durban International Airport is becoming increasingly important as a gateway into the province, say local role-players.
SAA currently has three direct flights a week and BA four. However, on January 14 British Airways announced that its London service would be withdrawn from March 28, and although SAA has not yet made a statement, the indication seems to be that its last direct flight will be on March 27.
Singapore Airlines flies twice a week from Durban and there are rumours that they will now also withdraw.
According to the general manager of Durban Airport, Siva Pillay, BA has assured the airport authority that its decision was part of an international marketing strategy, which was all about reducing costs. It concerns all so-called 'end routes' and concerns not only Durban, he said.
Asked whether the length of Durban's runway was a factor, he said that the runway length played no part in the decision. According to both airlines traffic from Durban does not warrant anything bigger anyway.
Jumbo-sized aircraft are unable to take off at Durban when fully loaded with passengers, freight and fuel.
Tim Barron, airfreight director for Safcor in Durban and chairman of SAAFF-KZN Airfreight commented: Imports by airfreight will now take longer to Durban, he said. Besides, the new SAA flight schedule that becomes effective on March 28 - the same day they are likely to withdraw this service - has not been adjusted to cater for extra freight consignments.
Barron said that because of poor passenger support between Durban and Johannesburg on Mondays there were no wide-bodied aircraft scheduled other than one re-positioning flight. With the withdrawal of the international flights and the space they afforded, especially for transhipment of air cargo from other flights in Johannesburg, this means we have lost capacity of about 60-tons of air cargo each week.
When SAA was asked whether a road feeder service would be provided (as done by several other airlines who don't fly on to Durban) Herman Fouche, senior sales manager for SAA, responded by saying, We are an airline - not a trucking business.
However, when Jacqui le Roux of SAA Cargo in Durban was approached for comment, she confirmed that SAA would be using smaller aircraft in future.
We will have capacity by using domestic flights. If there is a backlog we will use road transport.
Barron said that the cancellation of the direct flights would cause difficulties for exports, as both airlines frequently departed from Durban with a full freight load of up to 20-tons on board. This will now somehow or other have to find its way to Johannesburg. As it is, in view of capacity problems and costs to foreign airlines using SAA as a feeder service, these airlines' have negotiated overnight road feeder services to Johannesburg using local trucking companies. But this means a delay of up to 24-hours and it is no longer possible to fly internationally from Durban on the same day of loading.
BY TERRY HUTSON
