LUNAR Travel has been
appointed Congo
Airways’ preferred
selling agent in South
Africa. The announcement
was well received by trade,
who had been struggling
to book the airline directly.
Congo Airways
commenced inaugural
flights on the
Johannesburg-Lubumbashi
route in mid-May, one
week before the grounding
of SA Express. While
the airline was well
poised to assist TMCs in
redirecting clients on the
route, agents reported
that the airline was not
available for sale in the
GDS, as had initially been
promised.
Linda Steenekamp, gm
of XL Rosebank Travel,
said the airline was not
supported in the GDS;
she could not process
payments on the airline’s
website; and had no luck
with the airline’s office.
Eventually Linda was
directed to Lunar Travel
in Sandton after asking
for help on the Open Jaw
Facebook group.
While Congo Airways
initially told TNW that its
flights would be available
for sale in the GDS, a
representative of the
airline has now confirmed
that they are experiencing
loading difficulties.
Maria Puhaca, director of
Lunar Travel, the airline’s
preferred selling agent in
South Africa, managed to
successfully assist Linda
with her flight booking.
“We are a DRC
destination specialist
and can assist agents
with Congo Airways flight
bookings priced in rands.
We offer rate parity in line
with the pricing on the
airline’s website and can
also assist agents with
accommodation, car hire
and internal flights within
the DRC,” said Maria.
Congo Airways currently
flies Johannesburg Lubumbashi-Kinshasa
on Wednesdays, Fridays
and Sundays with return
flights on the same day.
TNW understands that it is
the only airline to directly
service this route at
present.
