South African Airways Boosts Flights from Johannesburg to Perth

South African Airways (SAA) has announced an increase in its flight frequency between Johannesburg’s O. R. Tambo International Airport (JNB) and Perth Airport (PER), expanding the service to five times weekly by January 2025. This enhancement follows the addition of a fourth weekly flight that started on December 17, 2024.

The expansion comes after SAA resumed its operations to Perth in April 2024, having suspended the route for four years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This route’s revival and subsequent increase in flights reflect the strong ties between South Africa and Australia, particularly Perth, which is home to a significant South African expatriate community.

According to data from the 2021 Australian census, approximately 189,207 residents in Australia were born in South Africa, representing about 0.7% of the national population. Further studies by Australia’s Department of Home Affairs in 2019 highlighted that around 189,230 South Africans live in Australia, underscoring the substantial community links that support robust air travel demand between the two nations.

Kate Holsgrove, Perth Airport’s Chief Commercial and Aviation Officer, expressed enthusiasm about the increased service. “The addition of a fifth weekly flight using the airline’s Airbus A340-300 aircraft is great news for Perth and Western Australia,” said Holsgrove. This increase will provide 131,560 seats annually on this route, significantly boosting capacity and offering more opportunities for family reunions, business, and tourism travel between South Africa and Western Australia.

South African Airways utilizes the Airbus A340-300 for this route, equipped with 253 seats, including 38 business class seats and 215 in economy class. The expansion of this service is set to enhance connectivity and continue to foster the deep cultural and economic connections between the two regions.

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