Air Algérie has received approval from the Algerian government to operate two weekly non-stop flights to Johannesburg from September 21.
The flights connecting Algiers Houari Boumediene Airport (ALG) to OR Tambo have been part of the airline’s route expansion plan for a while. The service was scheduled to start in March but was delayed until September and will now continue throughout the rest of the year, according to Simple Flying.
The airline will operate an Airbus A330 on the nine-and-a-half-hour flights. They will depart Algiers at 20h00 on Sundays and 11h05 on Thursdays. Return flights will depart Johannesburg at 07h55 on Mondays and 23h00 on Thursdays.
ALG-JNB will become its longest route within Africa, with the intention of encouraging tourism between the two countries, considering their profitable trade relations, and will likely be used as a connecting flight to onward destinations. The airline offers over 15 options for destinations in Asia, Europe and North America.
It will likely be the only carrier operating the route. The aim is to enhance its fleet and global network, with the airport in Algiers acting as a gateway to North Africa, and OR Tambo being one of Africa’s main hubs.
Spokesperson Amine Andaloussi said: "The opening of this line comes in accordance with the instructions of the President of the Republic, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, aimed at strengthening the international network of Air Algérie and developing the Algiers hub. It is also part of the roadmap drawn up by the Ministry of Transport."
Air Algérie plans to add 20 destinations to its network by 2025, including Addis Ababa, Abuja, Douala, Libreville, Amsterdam, Caracas, Havana, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur and New York.
