There’s a new airline coming to SA…

MEGA Maldives Airlines plans
to introduce a twice-weekly flight
between Malé and Johannesburg
from November. The airline will also
offer South African travellers good
connections to Thailand and India.
Although exact details of the
timetable and GDS availability have
not been released yet, Derek Shanks,
commercial director of Mega Maldives
Airlines, told TNW it would be deploying
a Boeing 757 on the route, with
departures from Johannesburg on
Saturdays and Tuesdays.
“We are very keen to develop the
route from Johannesburg to Maldives
as well as offer good connections through to Bangkok and New
Delhi,” said Derek, adding that
visitor numbers from South
Africa to the Maldives had
shown constant growth of 8%
year-on-year for the last five
years.
Mega Maldives Airlines
first announced the possible
launch of a South African
route two years ago in March
2013. However, at that time,
the airline cancelled the
launch of the route, citing the
weak rand/dollar exchange
rate as the main obstacle in
the South African market.
Although the rand is currently
trading at an all-time low
against the dollar, Derek said
this was no longer a deterrent.
“Given Mega Maldives’ fleet
growth and our route network
development, the timing is
right for us and we believe it
is right, too, for the market.
The current devaluation of the
rand has of course not gone
unnoticed by Mega Maldives,
but there are several factors
why it is still viable to fly into
this market,” he said.
The airline’s schedule would
allow for easy five-night breaks
for South African travellers,
with a direct eight-hour flight
to the Maldives, Derek said.
“This makes the Maldives a
value-for-money proposition in
these tough economic times,”
he said, adding that all fares
would be rand-based.
The Maldives is marginalised
in South Africa compared
with other popular beach
destinations, according to
Derek. “We are keen to
ensure that we rekindle
the market interest for the
Maldives, as it has been some
years since there has been a
direct flight.”
Mega Maldives will be
working closely with the travel
trade in South Africa, with
plans to organise educationals
in the near future.
Lloyd Orr has been appointed
sales representative for Mega
Maldives Airlines, and will be
assisting the airline with its
launch in South Africa..