vIN A BID to attract more
airlines to service OR Tambo
International Airport, new
entrants will be incentivised.
Bongiwe Pityi, gm of
OR Tambo, revealed as much
when speaking at the recent
launch of Air Mauritius’s new
A350-900, which will operate
on the Johannesburg route.
She said the incentives
would be implemented
similarly to those at King
Shaka International Airport.
The Department of
Transport told TNW Acsa
did not incentivise new
entrants because such an
action would be prohibted by
the Regulating Committee
Permission as well as
the Bilateral Air Services
Agreement Framework.
Hamish Erskine, ceo of
Dube TradePort Corporation,
told TNW last year that the
incentives at King Shaka
International Airport were
based on a reimbursement.
“The airline pays the fees
to Acsa and Dube TradePort
Corporation reimburses the
airline on the provision of a
valid invoice.
“Acsa fees are regulated
and standard published
airport charges. These
are the charges that form
the basis of the incentives.
Dependent on the final
terms agreed with any
particular airline, the
incentive is provided on
a reducing scale, where
typically, fees are reimbursed
100% for the first year, 75%
for the second year and 50%
for the final year.”
Barsa ceo, June Crawford,
said it was good to
incentivise new entrants.
However, she questioned how
long-serving airlines would be
rewarded for their long-term
commitment the country.
Dinesh Naidoo, group
operations director of
Serendipity Worldwide Group,
was also upbeat about the
incentives. He said while two
airlines (Ethiopian Airlines
and Air Seychelles) had
introduced flights into King
Shaka and then withdrew
them, he did not think
OR Tambo had the same
challenges.
He said there was not
enough inbound demand for
Durban, while OR Tambo was
a gateway for Africa.
