New GSA sets up

Connecting Africa a strong focus.
JOY ORLEK
A NEW airline general sales agent – GSAfrica – has opened its doors in Johannesburg headed up by well-known industry personality Anne Sanders. And she intends to make it a GSA with a difference. Its portfolio already includes recent newcomers Thai Airways, which launched its three-times-a-week service between Johannesburg and Bangkok on October 31, and Delta Airlines, which launches a daily service between Johannesburg and Atlanta on December 5. Sole owner of the venture, Sanders has spent her entire working life in the airfreight industry, originally with Premier Freight in airfreight exports and more recently with the national carrier as route manager for America, Asia and Africa. “I learnt an enormous amount at SAA and am grateful for the opportunities I was given – I couldn’t have set up this venture without that kind of experience.” With the many new carriers entering the market, Sanders believes there is a need for another GSA, and will focus in particular on the Southern, East and West African markets. “We’re looking at interline agreements with carriers in the region which will fast track the movement of imports and exports to and from international destinations. “We’ve opened an office in Nairobi and are in the process of setting one up in Dakar. “We’re also looking at branches in Lusaka, Harare and possibly Windhoek.” GSAfrica has been appointed offline GSA for Qantas in Africa, which fits well into Sanders’ regional vision for the company, while the Delta appointment covers the whole of the Southern African region. “We’ll feed cargo from Africa into Johannesburg for connection to international flights,” says Sanders, and similarly for imports into the region. While company chairman Hartmut Duve is also chairman of Airline Cargo Resources, Sanders stressed that the two companies were in no way affiliated. “Our chairman is the only common denominator.”