KMIA awards first international licences

MPUMALANGA’S R320m Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (KMIA) is preparing to launch its first scheduled international flights a full year after being awarded its international licence. KMIA marketing manager, Irvin Phenyane said this week that KMIA had shortlisted two charter airlines to operate regular scheduled flights to three medium-haul destinations in neighbouring Mozambique. Pelican Air will, Phenyane said, fly to the popular tourist destination of Vilanculos in central Mozambique, while Charlan Air has been shortlisted for routes serving the tourist centre of Inhambane and Mozambique's second city of Beira. "We expect the first regional flights to begin on April 1 - exactly one year after we won our international licence," said Phenyane, adding that additional routes to Zambia's tourism capital Livingstone will be announced later this month. Phenyane conceded that KMIA faces a serious challenge attracting interest from longhaul international scheduled carriers because of the difficulty in filling transcontinental flights to such a small destination. (African Eye News Service)