Durban - Qatar Airways will offer flights four times a week between Doha and Durban (with a stop in Johannesburg) from December 17.
KwaZulu-Natal Economic Development MEC Mike Mabuyakhulu said on Sunday that the new route, operated with Boeing 787 Dreamliners, was possibly a step towards direct flights between the two cities.
Mabuyakhulu was speaking at the Durban International convention Centre, at the World Routes Summit, alongside Durban mayor James Nxumalo and Qatar Airways’ country manager for South Africa, Jonathan Minnett.
Qatar Airways first announced in February that it planned flights to Durban. It is simultaneously increasing its weekly flights to Johannesburg and Cape Town.
The summit, which continues on Monday, has brought together representatives of airlines, airports and the tourism industry to discuss new and existing global flight routes. This is the first time the summit has been held in Africa.
Only Air Mauritius and Emirates operate passenger flights in and out of Durban’s King Shaka International Airport at present. The new route would connect Durban to more than 151 destinations across the globe via Qatar Airways’ Doha hub, Mabuyakhulu said.
“The international profile of Qatar Airways speaks for itself and will create an avenue for our city and province to connect to more than 151 destinations in all six continents which guarantees an upsurge in the tourist, business and general passenger numbers to grace King Shaka International Airport.
“Accessibility is a key feature needed to achieve sustainable economic growth and prosperity, and it is in that spirit that we continue to provide services and improve the provision of world-class transport and logistics infrastructure,” said Mabuyakhulu.
The new route will offer flights on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
Asked why Qatar Airways was not offering a direct flight, Mabuyakhulu said this would be dependent on passenger numbers.
If passenger numbers went up, so would the frequency of flights, and perhaps then a direct route would be introduced.
The Mercury