BA ready to serve the Saints
The Airline’s CEO, Erik Venter, says: “We’re proud to have been selected to provide an airline service to the St Helena. This is an important addition to our existing routes in South Africa, sub-Saharan Africa and the Indian Ocean islands.”
Venter adds that the flight will depart Johannesburg’s O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB) at 08.30 (GMT+2) each Saturday and land on St Helena (HLE) at 11.30 (GMT). The same aircraft will depart the Island later the same day, at 12.30 (GMT) and is scheduled to land back in Johannesburg at 18.30 (GMT+2). Owing to the flight schedule, Saints will be able to connect seamlessly with London Heathrow via British Airways’ twice-daily flight from Johannesburg, as well as on to numerous other worldwide destinations.
Venter adds: “We’re delighted to partner with the British and St Helena Governments, Enterprise St Helena and the St Helena Airport. Following a rigorous selection process, we’re eager to start serving the new route as soon as all regulatory and compliance requirements have been met.”
Comair was established in South Africa in 1946 and this year celebrates 70 years of operation. It is considered to be the only airline to have achieved operating profits every year since inception. This year also marks the 20th anniversary of Comair’s British Airways franchise partnership.
As franchise partner of British Airways and a member of the oneworld alliance, Comair offers convenient connections to the international route network and serves local customers with the same high standards.
Currently, British Airways (operated by Comair) operates over 400 flights per week within southern Africa. Destinations include Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, Harare, Livingstone, Victoria Falls, Windhoek and Mauritius.
In February 2016, the airline took delivery of a new Boeing 737-800 as part of the airline’s ongoing fleet upgrade.
Comair is investing R3.5 billion to replace its current fleet of 737-300 and 737-400 aircraft. The fifth and newest acquisition in this programme, designated ZS-ZWG, is a Boeing 737-800 New Generation, which has been fitted with split-scimitar winglets. These are curved, vertical wingtip extensions that reduce drag and provide lift, cutting fuel consumption and lowering the aircraft’s carbon footprint.
The aircraft is also the most advanced in the Comair fleet, with ETOPS (Extendedrange Twin-engine Operational Performance Standards), to extend its operating range.
Venter concludes: “The acquisition of this aircraft is a strong indicator of our confidence in the region’s leisure and business travel, and that’s borne out by IATA (the International Air Travel Association). Its recent statistics show that in November 2015, African airlines enjoyed their fifth consecutive month of growth.”