United Airlines resumes flights to Johannesburg

One of the United States’ dominant domestic and international carriers, United Airlines, has resumed flights to Johannesburg.

The flight made its first landing at OR Tambo International Airport on Friday. The plane was almost filled to capacity at 95 percent.

The flight is currently the only direct daily flight between the United States and South Africa at this time and post the coronavirus pandemic.

The Tourism department says this is good news for the sector and country. The department hopes other international airlines will follow suit and start bringing in the much-needed international tourists.

Tourism minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane officially welcomed the first scheduled flight.

“The tourism sector has been hard hit and this is the sign everybody has been looking for, we’ve been carried by the domestic market over the past months and to see an international airline coming for the first time in South Africa but not only coming but at 95 percent full capacity and we have been told that the one arriving on Saturday is overbooked.”

The minister added: “We need to make sure we comply, I’ve been across the country to most of the attractions that travellers will be at and I’ve seen the compliance level.”

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Source: SABC News (sabcnews.com)