24 April 2012
South African Airways’ new route to Pointe-Noire in the Congo will now include Cotonou in Benin, as the airline moves to expand its African network.
Cotonou will be the fifth new destination on the continent that South African Airways (SAA) has introduced since October last year.
Ndola (Zambia), Kigali (Rwanda) and Bujumbura (Burundi) were other recent additions to the airline’s growing African network.
Flights between Johannesburg and Cotonou are already available, and will be served twice a week with an A319 aircraft.
Adding new routes to its African network demonstrates the airline’s commitment to growth on the continent, says South African Airways (SAA) commercial general manager Theunis Potgieter.
“Our aim remains to continue exploring possibilities for our customers who travel between countries on the continent for business or tourism,” Potgeiter said in a recent statement.
Cotonou, the economic capital of Benin and its largest city, houses several of the country’s government and diplomatic services, including the Beninese seat of government.
International relations between South Africa and Benin were strengthened by Benin President Thomas Yayi Boni’s state visit to SA in November 2011.
SAinfo reporter
