Direct flights between South Africa and Australia have resumed for the first time since the pandemic, with the Airbus A340-300 landing in Perth Airport yesterday.
Flight SA280 touched down in Perth shortly before 1pm local time on Monday aboard the A340-300 ZS-SXF, after a four-year absence by SAA from WA skies.
The route will initially operate three times per week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays using 253-seater A340-300 aircraft, with Perth Airport hoping for an eventual daily service.
The South African Airways flights will connect 40,000 passengers per year in each direction, between Perth and Johannesburg.
Flight Centre Corporate Global COO Melissa Elf said South Africa was an important economic contributor to Australia, particularly in the mining, oil, and gas sector.
“We’ve seen an eight per cent uplift in demand from our corporate travellers moving between Australia and South Africa in the first quarter of this year, compared to the first quarter of last year,” Elf…