The City of Cape Town at sunrise. Picture: Unsplash
Cape Town Air Access (CTAA), powered by Wesgro, announced that the upcoming summer season, November 2024 to March 2025, will see a significant enhancement in air connectivity between Cape Town and London.
According to CTAA, the increase in flights will offer passengers more flexibility and convenience when travelling between these two iconic cities.
The agency revealed that British Airways made several changes to its Cape Town seasonal schedule for the upcoming South African summer season and will introduce an additional daily flight starting at the end of October 2024.
“This will be further expanded by January 10, 2025, with yet another daily service, increasing the total number of weekly flights from London Heathrow to 2.
“This increase will replace the carrier’s three-weekly seasonal service from London Gatwick.
“The British Airways’ London Gatwick service will now only operate between December 13, 2024, and January 7, 2025, with the final return flight from Cape Town scheduled for January 8, ensuring seamless alignment with the increased capacity from Heathrow,” said CTAA.
The agency revealed that Norse Atlantic Airways also recently announced a new service on the London Gatwick - CPT route, which will operate three flights a week starting October 28 with an extended season until end-April to capture additional Easter traffic, whilst Virgin Atlantic also intends to capture additional demand driven by the Easter holidays, similarly announcing an extension to its daily seasonal service from London Heathrow until April 30, 2025.
“These changes will result in an overall increase in weekly flights to 31 frequencies between Cape Town and the UK for the season,” said the agency.
The Wesgro agency highlighted that connectivity to the United Kingdom holds paramount importance for Cape Town and the Western Cape, as the UK consistently ranks as the top tourist market for the region.
“For the first half of 2024, more than 210 000 two-way passengers travelled between the UK and Cape Town, which equated to a 7% increase from the same period in 2023.
“The enhanced air services, particularly the additional daily flights from London Heathrow, will not only bolster tourism by providing UK visitors with more travel options, but also support the local economy through increased visitor spend,” said CTAA.
Commenting on this, Dr Ivan Meyer, Provincial Minister for Economic Opportunities and Agriculture, Western Cape government said, last year, the UK was one of the largest overseas air markets for international travellers to Cape Town, with 89 034 UK tourists arriving by air.
“The Western Cape remains a preferred destination for UK travellers, and with improved connectivity between the two regions, the city hopes to welcome even more UK visitors, further boosting our economy,” he said.
Wesgro CEO and official spokesperson for Cape Town Air Access Wrenelle Stander reiterated the importance of the United Kingdom as a key market for Cape Town and the Western Cape, and said they are thrilled to enhance their connectivity with the introduction of additional daily flights from London, Heathrow.
"This strategic expansion not only reflects the growing demand but also underscores our commitment to making Cape Town more accessible to international travellers.
“We are confident that these new services will further strengthen our tourism sector and boost trade opportunities for our region,“ said Stander.