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Lanseria Airport

More people from Cape Town are likely to become familiar with privately owned Lanseria Airport in Johannesburg’s northern suburbs in the coming year, as more airlines fly there from our own airport. Until recently, kulula.com was the only airline offering scheduled services to Lanseria from here. Rival low-cost airline 1Time intended to start flying there, but postponed doing so after deciding that the existing facilities would be overcrowded. This has not deterred Mango, SAA’s low-cost airline, from starting a service three days a week which, according to airline spokesman, Hein Kaiser, is doing well.

Meanwhile, Lanseria’s owners are spending about R200 million on enlargements, with a new runway and terminal, as well as more passenger accommodation and parking. Comair’s full-service airline, British Airways/Comair, plans to fly to Maputo and Gaborone from there in September when 1Time also moves in.

The South African National Taxi Council (Santaco), may also launch its own low-cost airline to start flying from there later in the year – a suggestion which, of course, triggered obvious jokes about minibus taxi drivers taking to the air. There are strict regulations ensuring all South African airlines can employ only highly qualified pilots. Santaco plans to lease its planes from Airquarius, a reputable charter airline based in Lanseria. Airquarius is arranging for Santaco executives to be trained in airline management. Airquarius will also advise Santaco on acquiring aircraft – types will decided after the airline has been in operation long enough to gauge demand.

The airline will be aimed at providing low-cost travel for black workers in the cities to visit their families in areas not served by any airlines. It should transform their lives and make the annual exodus to former homelands at Christmas and Easter a quicker and safer event. Bond pointed out that since it would be possible for workers to make weekend trips, visits might be shorter and more frequent and passengers would be likely to take less luggage. We shall have to see how it works out. According to Bond, no date has been fixed for the launch of the airline, but it has been suggested there should be a trial run in September. The airline may also fly from Cape Town to Bisho.

The Star Alliance of international airlines, to which SAA belongs, has won the title of best airline alliance in the prestigious Skytrax World Airline Awards, decided by the number of votes sent in by passengers. More than 18 million voted for it. SAA won the awards for best airline in Africa and service excellence among African airlines. Thirteen other Star Alliance members also won awards. Those flying into South Africa were German airline Lufthansa for the best trans-Atlantic flights, Singapore Airlines for the best business class and best airline in Asia, Thai Airlines for the best economy class onboard catering and best economy seats, Turkish Airlines for the best premium economy seats and the best airline in Europe and in southern Europe, Swiss International Airlines for best airline in Western Europe and TAM Airlines for service excellence in South America.

Singapore Airlines was the first to operate the giant Airbus A380 and announced this week that it has proved to be popular with passengers. - Weekend Argus

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