National airline of the Democratic Republic of Congo – Congo Airways announces to begin new stop service between South Africa and Congo, on 28 February 2018.

The new DRC-SA service represents Congo Airway’s first scheduled flight to South Africa, affording an opportunity to further strengthen relationships, build new economic partnerships, enhance trade and tourism business between the two countries.

The state-owned airline has an ambitious plan to operate a low-cost model, which will see it adding to its fleet of air craft to service more destinations outside the DRC, expanding its footprint across Africa and operate three weekly flights using an Airbus A320-200, with 15 seats in business class and 150 in economy.

The airline’s launch is also timely to the South African President’s Mr Cyril Matamela Ramaphosa call to open market access opportunities for South African export products, contribute to job creation, double the tourism sector and  growth of South Africa’s industrial sector.

“With Africa fast establishing itself as one of the most promising regions for tourism and the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) estimating that Africa will receive 85 million international tourist arrivals by 2020, and 134 million in 2030, representing 6,3% and 7,4% respectively of international tourist arrivals worldwide. Our first international flight to South Africa as the DRC is much welcome and a proud achievement” says Congo Airways CEO Desire Balazire Bantu.

Being cognisant of the immense role played by aviation, as a catalyst for the advancement of the DRC’s regional integration endeavors within the African continent and globally, Congo Airways is open to forging strategic partnerships with regional and continental countries as vehicles for regional integration.

The launch of Congo Airway’s DRC-SA route is again a hugely welcome venture, particularly following the two country’s adherence to the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) which was launched last month, 28 January on the margins of the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The SAATM, a flagship project of the African Union Agenda 2063 is an initiative of the African Union to create a single unified air transport market in Africa, the liberalization of civil aviation in Africa and as an impetus to the continent’s economic integration agenda.

My deepest gratitude goes to all of our stakeholders who have supported us towards making sure that our inaugural international flight promotional campaign as Congo Airways is a success. We hope that industry players in South Africa can work closely together with our Congolese partners to make the African Union agenda 2063 regarding the movement of our African people and goods successful” ends Desire Balazire.

The three weekly flights from Kinshasa to Johannesburg will run on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays on the 2 year old airline which was launched in October 2016.

Congo Airways plans to next launch flights to Cameroon, Angola and Dubai. The airline is jointly owned by the DRC government and investors from the private sector.

For media accreditation, interview requests and access to high res photos please contact media@jtcomms.co.za or (011) 788 7632.

Issued by JT Communication Solutions of Behalf of Congo Airways