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Home » Durban Finally Gets Non-Stop Direct Flight to London

Durban Finally Gets Non-Stop Direct Flight to London

Durbanites are to finally get their own non-stop direct flight to London, after years of the schlep and time wasted having to stop off in Johannesburg on the way. British Airways has announced it will begin flying three times weekly direct from London Heathrow’s Terminal 5 to Durban, starting on 29 October 2018. The service will […]

By SAPeople Contributor
08-05-18 11:01
in Business
durban

Durbanites are to finally get their own non-stop direct flight to London, after years of the schlep and time wasted having to stop off in Johannesburg on the way.

durban
Photos of Durban from SA Dept of Tourism

British Airways has announced it will begin flying three times weekly direct from London Heathrow’s Terminal 5 to Durban, starting on 29 October 2018.

The service will be the only non-stop link between Europe and Durban and will be operated by the airline’s newest aircraft, the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, said BA in a media release on Tuesday morning.

The aircraft will arrive at King Shaka International in the morning and land back at Heathrow in the evening.

Return fares from Durban will start from R11,679.

And while KwaZulu-Natal’s business travellers and holidaymakers will welcome the news and the easier access to the UK and Europe, it’s also predicted that the new schedule will help grow international tourism to KwaZulu-Natal, making the province more accessible to foreign travellers.

According to Sue Petrie, BA’s Commercial Manager in Southern Africa, and Sihle Zikalala, MEC for the Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs in KZN, the direct flights will also present new investment and trade opportunities and will “unlock enormous potential”.

Zikalala said: “Great Britain and KwaZulu-Natal share a very rich history, and we are excited to be able to rekindle that relationship with the launch of this new route. The investment and trade opportunities presented by this direct flight between Durban and London will undoubtedly add value to our economy.”

London to Durban BA Flight Schedule
London to Durban BA Flight Schedule

British Airways also flies twice-daily service from Heathrow to Johannesburg and daily to Cape Town year-round. It doubles the Cape Town schedule during the South African summer season and also adds three weekly flights from Gatwick.

The route expansion comes as British Airways rolls out a £4.5 billion, five-year customer investment plan – which will include new bedding and amenity kits in the Club World Cabin by the White Company, the revamping of lounges (including Joburg), expanded menus, and the installation of the best-quality WiFi in every seat.