King Shaka International Airport in Durban has launched a new route between the airport and King Mswati III International Airport in Manzini, eSwatini. eSwatini Air, the national carrier of the Kingdom of Eswatini, commenced operations on Friday.

The route will be operated by an Embraer ERJ 145 aircraft with a maximum capacity of 50 passengers, and initially, three flights per week will be available on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, with plans to increase frequencies to seven times a week from June, based on demand.

Speaking about the new route, Siboniso Duma, the MEC for Economic Development, Tourism, and Environmental Affairs and the leader of government business in KZN, said the department is pleased to announce the launch of the new route.

“This route not only enhances the tourism potential between the two destinations but also strengthens trade relations. This presents an exciting opportunity for eSwatini Air to grow as a partner in accelerating the recovery of tourism between the two destinations,” he added.

The introduction of this new route is expected to facilitate trade between KZN and Eswatini.

According to the World Bank, over 60% of exports from Eswatini come to South Africa, and over 80% of Eswatini’s imports come from South Africa.

Deputy chairperson of the Economic Development and Planning Committee in eThekwini, councillor Phili Ndlovu, said: “We are excited about the launch of this new route into Durban as we work to drive the recovery of our tourism sector. We look forward to working closely with Eswatini Air by creating awareness of the new route and providing support to the airline.”

To celebrate the launch of the new route, the government of KZN and Eswatini Air hosted a delegation of 40 Eswatini dignitaries on board the inaugural flight, which included the minister of public works and transport, the minister of tourism, media, and select tour operators, in order to facilitate both tourism and trade on the new route.

The Airports Company South Africa regional general manager at King Shaka International Airport, Nkosinathi Myataza, said the inaugural flight reinforces the importance of the aviation industry and how it remains a key mode of transport, generating significant benefits for an economy by enabling tourism and trade, which is more significant in the context of the African Continental Free Trade Area.

“More so, it connects friends and relatives of these two countries, especially the KZN region, with a long history of fraternal relations. It can also not escape us that this is Africa month, where we celebrate our continent,” he said.