06 June 2013

South Africa's most punctual domestic airlines in May 2013

Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) has published the on-time performance results of domestic airlines’ flying out of OR Tambo in Johannesburg, Cape Town International Airport, and Durban's King Shaka International Airport in May 2013.
On-Time Performance is measured by comparing the actual off-block time (when aircraft pushes back) against the airline schedule time for a departing flight. The measurement is done in accordance with the IATA (International Airlines Transport Association) universal standard benchmark with considers a 15 minute deviation from the scheduled time as an on-time departure.

OR Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg - 15 Min on Time Performance May  2013 (airport target 85%)
  1. Airlink - 94.18% (March 90.63%) 
  2. South African Airways - 92.51% (March 89.47%)  
  3. Mango - 91.48% (March 92.09%)
  4. British Airways Domestic - 89.74% (March 85.04%) 
  5. SA Express - 89.72% (March 84.70%)
  6. Kulula.com - 88.55% (March 79.04%)
Cape Town International Airport - 15 Min on Time Performance May 2013 (airport target 87%)
  1. Airlink - 93.41% (March 95.25%)
  2. Mango - 92.55% (March 95.11%) 
  3. South African Airways - 90.95% (March 91.72%) 
  4. SA Express - 90.01% (March 90.24%)
  5. British Airways Domestic - 89.59% (March 87.59%) 
  6. Kulula.com - 82.55% (March 88.02%) 
King Shaka International Airport, Durban - 15 Min on Time Performance May 2013 (airport target 89%)
  1. South African Airways - 95.97% (March 94.71%)
  2. British Airways Domestic - 92.79% (March 84.82%)  
  3. Airlink - 92.78% (March 93.28%) 
  4. Mango - 92.70% (March 92.45%)
  5. SA Express - 90.82% (March 86.09%)
  6. Kulula.com - 85.93% (March 81.03%)

05 June 2013

Cape Town: MyCiti fares to increase from 01 July 2013

update (30 July 2013): MyCiTi will introduce a new distance-based fare system, on 3 August 2013, with several options for saving money. [more]

The City of Cape Town has announced that the MyCiTi bus fares will increase on 01 July 2013. The for travellers most important service, the service between Civic Center and Cape Town International Airport (CTIA), will increase from currently R57.00 to R62.00 for adults and from R28.10 to R30.30 for children aged four to 11 years old. The new fares between the V&A Waterfront and CTIA via Thibault Square and Greenpoint will be sightly higher. The MyCiTi bus tariff for a trip on the main route between the Civic Centre and Table View will increase from R10.60 to R11.50 and the fare for a trip on an area service will rise from R5.30 to R5.80. For an overview on MyCiTi's routes in Cape Town, click here! Safe travels!

screenshot via capetown.gov.za (pdf)

If you don't want to rely on public transport on your way to or from Cape Town International Airport (CTIA), we recommend using these services: CTIA > Cape Town or Cape Town > CTIA.

Johannesburg: Nelson Mandela's office to be open to the public

Former South African President Nelson Mandela’s office in Johannesburg has been transformed into an interactive archive Centre Of Memory, where various awards, private documents and gifts Madiba received over the years will be on display. The office will most likely be open to the public from September 2013. Entrance will be for free, but only by appointment.


The Nelson Mandela Centre Of Memory is located in 107 Central Street in Houghton, Johannesburg (GPS:S 26° 08'55.6" | EO 28° 03'30.6").

03 June 2013

South Africa: Johannesburg will be Africa's most visited city in 2013

According to the third edition of the MasterCard Index of Global Destination Cities, Johannesburg will be Africa's most visited city in 2013. The largest city in South Africa is expected to have 2.5 mil visitors in 2013. The growth rate of international visitor arrivals in 2013 is set be 5.5%. Looking at visitor cross-border spending, Johannesburg will also be Africa's top city. The visitor cross-border spending is estimated to be US$2.7 bil in 2013 (+3.4%). Looking at the global Top 20 in Growth Rates of International Visitor Arrivals (2009 to 2013), Johannesburg is currently on position 20 with a growth rate of 53.6% and therefore again the top city on the continent.
Cape Town, Durban (South Africa), Maputo, Beira (Mozambique), Nairobi (Kenya) and Kampala (Uganda) were also covered by the MasterCard Index of Global Destination Cities, but did not make it to the Top 10 lists mentioned.
The MasterCard Index of Global Destination Cities ranks cities in terms of the number of their total international visitor arrivals and the cross-border spending by these same visitors in the destination cities, and gives visitor and passenger growth forecasts for 2013. For more info about the MasterCard Index click here (pdf).

Air Uganda launched flights Entebbe <> Kilimanjaro

Air Uganda, although privately owned largely recognised as the national carrier of Uganda, launched flights between Entebbe International Airport (EBB) in Entebbe (Uganda) and Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA) near Arusha (Tanzania). Since 29 May 2013 the airline is offering four weekly flights on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sungays on board a brandnew 50—seater Bombardier CRJ 200 aircraft between the two destinations.

Egyptair: Four weekly flights Cairo (Egypt) <> Harare (Zimbabwe)

update (05 June 2013): According to aviation website anna.aero, Egyptair will be operating its service to Harare via Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.

The national carrier of Egypt, Egyptair, returned to Zimbabwe after a nine-year absence. Since 01 June 2013 the airline is operating four weekly direct regular flights between Cairo International Airport (CAI) in Cairo, Egypt, and Harare International Airport (HRO) in Harare, Zimbabwe.
  • Operating days from Cairo: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday & Sunday
  • Operating days from Harare: Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday
  • Departure time from Cairo: 23:15 pm
  • Departure time from Harare: 2045 pm

Kenya Airways to expand its code share agreement with China Southern Airlines

Kenya's flag carrier, Kenya Airways, will expand its code share partnership with China Southern Airlines from China. Under the expanded agreement, Kenya Airways will code share on China Southern Airlines services from Bangkok (Thailand) to Wuhan (China), as well as on flights from Guangzhou to Sydney, Melbourne and Perth (Australia). In return, China Southern Airlines will code share on Kenya Airways services from Guangzhou (China) to Nairobi (Kenya), and onwards to Johannesburg (South Africa), Lusaka (Zambia) and Lagos (Nigeria).
The new expanded code share agreement between the two airlines goes on sale on 18 July 2013, for travel from 01 August 2013.