The launch of Lift Airlines at the King Shaka International Airport was welcomed with excitement last Wednesday.

The airline began its scheduled three times daily air services between Johannesburg and Durban.

Lift Airlines was established two years ago and recently has grown its route network to include Durban, which is one of the South Africa’s most popular routes.

The CEO and co-founder of LIFT Jonathan Ayache said it was no secret that Durban has had its fair share of struggles over the past two years, and they are proud and happy to play a small part in bringing back travel and tourism to the city.

“Durban is one of the most common requests we receive on social media and has been on our radar for a while and for that, we could not be more excited.

“As of June 2022, King Shaka International Airport’s traffic volumes have recovered to 56% of their pre-pandemic levels.

“King Shaka International Airport is one of the fastest-recovering international airports in South Africa with a majority of the traffic driven by leisure travel as well as people visiting friends and family. Domestic travel has played a significant role in driving this growth.”

Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs MEC, Siboniso Duma said the airline was a welcomed addition to King Shaka International Airport, improving the much-needed capacity on one of South Africa’s most popular routes Durban-Johannesburg.

“As KwaZulu-Natal, we aim to continue working with our airline partners to drive sustainability and stability in the market to ensure that air travel remains accessible, for the benefit of all our stakeholders,” said Duma.

Domestic airlines play a significant role in driving the recovery and rebuilding efforts of South Africa’s local aviation industry ensuring that it continues to benefit business and leisure travel.

eThekwini Mayor, Cllr Mxolisi Kaunda said for any city to compete on a global stage, it was crucial to have a vibrant and competitive aviation industry to facilitate international trade and drive rapid growth in tourism.

“We are pleased that this launch takes place at the time when the City is implementing its summer season campaign.

“We do not doubt that this event will contribute immensely to our efforts of attracting more than 900 000 visitors to the City during the festive season,” said Kaunda.

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