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A British Airways Boeing 787-9.
- British Airways plans to suspend the direct flight route between Durban and London from March 2021.
- A total of 13 destinations are expected to stop in light of the pandemic.
- The Dube Commercial Port Special Economic Zone says this will hamper international air services in the region.
The KwaZulu-Natal Dube Commercial Port Special Economic Zone said Monday that British Airways’ decision to cancel the direct flight route between Durban and London will hamper the growth of international air services in the post-Covid-19 region. .
“As a route development committee, we understand the reasoning behind British Airways’ decision. The impact of Covid-19 and subsequent travel restrictions globally have resulted in low anticipated demand. Therefore, it is not far-fetched. for an airline like British Airways to reduce the routes on its network, ”said Hamish Erskine, executive director of Dube TradePort’s Special Economic Zone.
The airline will reportedly suspend direct flights to 13 destinations in light of declining demand due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
As of March 28, 2021, flights between the UK and the following destinations will stop: Durban, Pittsburg (USA), Charleston (USA), Calgary (Canada), Lima (Peru), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Osaka (Japan). ), Seoul (Republic of Korea), Dammam (Saudi Arabia), Abu Dhabi (UAE) and Muscat (Oman).
Countries around the world have started banning flights and travelers from Britain, as London said the spread of a new, more infectious coronavirus strain was “out of control”. https://t.co/J2CwiEl5VJ
– News24 (@ News24) December 21, 2020
KZN MEC for Economic Development, Ravi Pillay, said he was confident that the route would be restored after Covid-19.
“Our social and economic ties with the UK are long lasting. This will translate into continued demand for flights between Durban and London for tourism, commerce and visiting friends and family, “said Pillay.
“British Airways’ decision must be seen in the broader context of an organization that has worked hard to keep flying despite the pandemic affecting all of its global operations. This organization has had to make extraordinary sacrifices, laying off some 12,000 employees and retiring 31 Meanwhile, the UK has just come out of its second lockdown, which means there are just not that many people flying at the moment, ”he added.
READ ALSO | Germany considers ban on flights to South Africa and UK over coronavirus fears: report
On Sunday, Business Insider reported that several countries had announced that they would be closing their borders to the UK for fear of a rapidly spreading variant of Covid-19, which is believed to be up to 70% more transmittable than the original strain. To stop its spread, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that London and the surrounding areas would suddenly be blocked.
Meanwhile, Turkish Airlines also suspended its two weekly flights to Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban for the December-January holiday season in light of the pandemic.
Erskine said he was confident the province would survive as other airlines expanded their routes.
“From the perspective of the Durban direct route development committees, we are confident in the resilience of the KwaZulu-Natal markets and their ability to maintain direct air services between Durban and London. Prior to Covid-19, British Airways experienced very strong load factors that were a testament to demand for the route, supported by cargo volumes that were almost at capacity.
“The reality on the ground is that Durban continues to be connected to London by Emirates flights, which recently increased its frequency to four flights a week, and Qatar Airways.”
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