Johannesburg - Stepping into the vacuum left by the collapse of 1time, Mango Airlines have launched daily return flights between Joburg and Port Elizabeth, as well as Cape Town and Port Elizabeth from December 5.
Initially, the airline will operate one return flight daily between the respective cities, using leased aircraft, until early next year when Mango expects to add additional capacity to its own fleet. Flights to and from Port Elizabeth went on sale on Tuesday.
Port Elizabeth will be the second new destination in the Mango stable in 15 months with Lanseria launched in the middle of last year. “There is a [need] for a low cost carrier on the Joburg-Port Elizabeth and Cape Town-Port Elizabeth route and with the recent exit of capacity [provided by 1Time] Mango has brought forward its plans by a few months to accommodate demand,” says CEO Nico Bezuidenhout.
He adds that the new route is one of several planned for the next 18 months with a focus on the east-African seaboard.
Mango’s first flight between Joburg and Port Elizabeth will depart on December 5, and bookings recently opened with an inaugural fare of R599 between Joburg and Port Elizabeth and R699 between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth, available on selected flights. Edgars and Jet account cards will also be accepted online and through the airline’s call centre for this route. – Saturday Star