[WATCH] First flight lands at Polokwane airport after downgrade
Review was at the Polokwane International Airport this morning to welcome the first flight and spoke to one of the passengers.
POLOKWANE – A flight carrying 15 passengers landed at the Polokwane International Airport this morning, the first after a five-month break due to a downgrade by the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA).
The first flight touched down at the airport at around 07:30 after it departed from OR Tambo International Airport at 06:35.
One of the passengers, Pretty Mncube, told Review that it is with great relief she can once again travel from Johannesburg to Polokwane via air.
Mncube is a social cohesion advocate from the National Department of Sport, Arts and Culture and said: “It was great to be on the flight and it is a relief that flying is an option once again. It is convenient and it will save so much time, especially because I travel a lot.”
Limpopo Transport and Community Safety MEC Mavhungu Lerule-Ramakhanya and Department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism Limpopo (Ledet) MEC Thabo Mokoni were at the airport to welcome the first flight.
Lerule-Ramakhanya said that the resumption of commercial flights to the city will unlock economic fortunes as well as contribute positively on rebuilding the tourism sector in the province. “This will come as a relief to hundreds of businesspeople and holidaymakers who often prefer to fly between Polokwane and OR Tambo International Airport.”
The MEC further encouraged people of Limpopo and other provinces to seize the opportunity and utilise the flights and reduce road traffic.
In April, SACAA downgraded the airport from category level seven to level two after an inspection revealed that it was not compliant with their governing regulations. The downgrade saw the airport unable to accommodate commercial flights as most of the issues of non-compliance were safety-related. The airport was downgraded from category seven to category two due to severe security findings and the flights were subsequently suspended to afford GAAL space to address non-compliance.
All findings were addressed within a period of five months and the airport was given the green light to resume with its operations from today (October 18).
Read the full story in this week’s Polokwane Review.
