A pleasure to travel by air

Ned Sturgeon of Barberton writes:

Having spent many years commuting between Barberton and Cape Town, initially by road and for several years now, by air, I felt the need to comment, for the benefit of others, on the experience of traveling on a direct flight from Nelspruit to Cape Town and vice versa.

In three words: “What a pleasure!”

The daily flights are very popular and generally full.

The scheduled departure and arrival times are unerringly punctual.

The flight from Cape Town is two and a half hours, assisted probably by a tailwind. And the flight there might be a tad longer as a result of headwinds.

The route flies over Chrissiesmeer and the Gariep dam after passing Bloemfontein on the right.

One can watch the ground for long periods of time, mesmerised by astonishing radiation and reflection effects on dams and rivers below, which turn so bright that one must avert one’s eyes.

The mountains approaching Cape Town are spectacular. Generally the weather is good and the flight very stable.

If Cape Town Airport is ranked in the top-five airports internationally, then Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (KMIA) must rank very high in regional airports worldwide as well.

The large terminal building is uniquely thatched, the interior is aesthetically in keeping with the rustic exterior and all in all the entire structure is very pleasing and an enviable asset to Nelspruit and Mpumalanga.

For all this we owe our gratitude to ABB – the Swiss engineering organisation who built and financed the entire airport. I understand that not a single South African cent went into the project.

On behalf of the people of Nelspruit, I would like to offer ABB what is probably our belated but sincere and grateful appreciation for its involvement in project KMIA, an asset of excellence, which is becoming busier by the day.