On July 01, Proflight will launch the first-ever direct flight between Lusaka and Cape Town. This highlights the airline’s commitment to intra-Africa connectivity as it asserts its newly found dominance of the route between South Africa and Zambia.
Proflight Zambia recently increased its capacity to Johannesburg to cater to meet the ticket demand. The new service will be the airline’s fourth route between the two African nations. It is an opportunity for business and leisure travelers to explore Cape Town without connecting via multiple cities.
Connecting Zambia’s capital with Southern Africa’s tourist capital
Proflight Zambia operates flights from Lusaka Kenneth Kaunda Airport (LUN) to over eight domestic destinations, including Johannesburg and Durban in South Africa. The direct flight to Cape Town means passengers will no longer have to transit through Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport (JNB).
Cape Town is South Africa’s second-largest city and one of the most visited in Africa. Its well-developed infrastructure and natural features like the Table Mountain attract tourists from around the world. Before the pandemic, it received an average of 1.5 million tourists annually for business and leisure purposes.
Proflight will begin the service to this popular destination with two weekly flights on Tuesdays and Saturdays. The 3hr 15min flight between Lusaka and Cape Town International Airport (CPT) will be operated on the airline’s 50-seat Bombardier CRJ aircraft. Proflight Director Flight Operations Captain Josais Walubita said;
Flying to Johannesburg
On other days, passengers can fly between Lusaka and Johannesburg on Proflight’s three-times-a-day service. Those continuing to the tourist capital can fly onwards with the airline’s partners, such as FlySafair, Cemair, and South African Airways.
Last month, Proflight Zambia increased the frequency between Lusaka and Johannesburg to three times a day and will introduce a 126-seat Boeing 737-500 to meet the demand. The aircraft will be leased from Joburg-based African Charter Airline and enter service in June.
This has resulted in the route being operated by more Zambian flights than South African ones. The two nations are active Southern African Development Community (SADC) members. They have strong bilateral ties, which both governments vowed to strengthen late last year.
Flights to Durban
Last month, the airline resumed its service between Lusaka and Durban King Shaka Airport (DUR) with two weekly flights on Sundays and Thursdays. On days outside the schedule, Durban flights are operated from Johannesburg.
The route had been suspended since 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic broke out. Its resumption highlights the airline’s positive recovery and commitment to regional expansion. With two destinations added in the second quarter, passengers now have more travel choices and better connectivity.
Although Durban is not the most demanded destination in South Africa, it is an important manufacturing hub and home to several major international organizations. It also has numerous tourist attractions which Proflight intends to connect Africans with.
Source: Simple Flying
