FlySafair, a leading low-cost airline, inaugurated a fresh flight path linking Cape Town with Mbombela (formerly Nelspruit) on April 2, marking the 15th destination served by the carrier. This addition promises to enrich tourism opportunities in the Lowveld region and across the province.
The tourism landscape in Mpumalanga is poised for significant growth as KMI Airport welcomed a new budget-friendly route to Cape Town on Tuesday, April 2. This latest route, introduced by FlySafair, now joins the roster alongside regional carriers Airlink and Fastjet, solidifying KMI’s position as a hub. Mbombela becomes the 15th destination served by FlySafair.
Amid cheers and excitement, FlySafair Flight 670 received a water salute upon its arrival at KMI Airport, capturing the spirit of the occasion. The inaugural flight, fully booked and carrying dignitaries from FlySafair and various government entities, touched down at KMI at 11:25, having departed from Cape Town International at 09:00. Within an hour, a fully booked return flight departed for Cape Town.
Captain Gawie Visser, the pilot, safely guided the aircraft to its destination amidst applause from awaiting crowds. Expressing gratitude, he remarked, “We had a full flight, so we’re thankful to have picked up a lot of happy passengers from the Western Cape. We’re very thankful and happy to launch this new route and to be part of this success story.”
Blacky Komani, Chairperson of FlySafair, shared his excitement about the launch, noting, “We’ve never had a new route start with sold-out flights. We’re very excited to connect these two iconic destinations, and new employment opportunities will become available. When you connect two destinations, tourism is bound to grow.”
Nompumelelo Hlope, Mpumalanga’s Minister for Finance, Economic Development, and Tourism, hailed the route as a boon for the province, stating, “This comes with a major positive economic spin-off for the province. It is a historic moment we celebrate. It provides us access to other provinces we otherwise would have had to drive long distances or catch alternative flights to reach.”
Grant Ponting, Managing Director of KMI Airport, extended a warm welcome to FlySafair, emphasising the untapped tourism potential of the province. He expressed optimism that the new route could serve as a catalyst for unlocking further growth opportunities.
Komani outlined plans for gradual expansion based on demand, affirming, “We will take a few months to offer flights within the current schedule, and if there is enough demand, we will definitely look at expanding the offerings.”
