SAA introduced new service between Johannesburg, South Africa and Washington D.C. on July 2nd, 2005, with four flights per week and rapidly grew to offering daily service on the route.
FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. – South African Airways (SAA), the national carrier of South Africa and the most awarded airline on the African continent, will celebrate 10 years of service to Washington D.C. Dulles International Airport on July 2nd. SAA introduced new service between Johannesburg, South Africa and Washington D.C. on July 2nd, 2005, with four flights per week and rapidly grew to offering daily service on the route. In 2006, SAA introduced service to Dakar, Senegal, continuing onward to Johannesburg, providing daily flight from the U.S. to Dakar and a convenient gateway to West Africa. South African Airways is also the only Skytrax 4-Star rated airline flying between the U.S. and Africa, providing award-winning, world-class service.
Over the past 10 years, South African Airways carried nearly 1.5 million passengers between Washington, D.C. and Africa, and has recently announced expansion of its West Africa network. On August 3rd, SAA will launch a new nonstop service between Washington, D.C.-Dulles International Airport and Accra’s Kotoka International Airport, operating four days per week.
“Our Washington route is one of the reasons why South African Airways is the predominant airline from the U.S. to Africa today,” said Marc Cavaliere Executive Vice President for South African Airways for the Americas. “Passengers traveling between Dulles International Airport and Africa deserve award-winning service and convenient schedules, and we are proud to have been serving them for 10 years. We look forward to welcoming more and more customers on board and offering them our unique blend of African hospitality.”
Dulles International Airport also serves a major gateway and connecting point in the U.S. for South African Airways passengers, with code share service offered to over 30 cities in the U.S. and Canada through its Star Alliance partner, United Airlines.
“For 10 years, the partnership between Washington Dulles International Airport and South African Airways has provided world-class travel opportunities and experiences between South Africa and the Washington, D.C., region,” said Mark Treadaway, Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Vice President for Air Service Planning and Development. “Now, with the upcoming addition of nonstop service between Dulles International and Accra, Ghana, one of this region’s most important African travel destinations will further strengthen the ties between the United States and Africa for decades to come.”
SAA’s gateway at Washington, D.C.-Dulles International Airport has helped to foster new business, trade and tourism development between the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area and Africa. Direct connectivity between both regions has been essential for existing investment and will continue being pivotal for future economic growth. Over the last decade, the route has been popular with business and leisure travelers alike, creating a convenient way for more people to discover Africa as a land of opportunities and scenic wonders.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
