Page 60 - World Airnews Magazine February 2020 Edition

REVIEW REVIEW

until broken by the next, often in the very next week! And, as can this long serving type. This is despite the fuel efficiency of its On December 10, it was the turn of A319-112 V5-ANM which also international Durban services on September 10. The reason for this

be seen from the above Table, except for 37 arrivals, there was relatively old engines not comparing favourably with those of more completed the entire route, the first use of this Airbus to Durban was apparently the two day pilots strike which commenced the

more than one occurrence of each in 2019. recent types. this year. day before and which according to BA resulted in almost 100% can-
celled flights on September 9 (the flight arrives the day following

Tuesdays remained consistently the most popular for aircraft ar- Air Mauritius was one of those that saw some fluctuation in The above two A319 flights were the only use of this type to

rivals with an annual average of 5.8 of the seven FBISPOs featuring flight frequency during 2019. The highest frequency peaked at four Durban in 2019, the regular fleet of four leased ERJ 135s complet- its departure from London).

Another two flights were cancelled during the week starting

on that day. Mondays and Saturdays were the next most popular flights weekly and the lowest at two (see Table 1), but its aver- ing all other flights for the year. November 4, making a grand total of three cancelled flights for

with 5.0 arrivals apiece. Thursdays followed with 4.8 and Sundays age frequency for the year was 3.3 flights weekly compared with Between October 11 and 16, four successive flights were can-

with 4.3. The least popular arrivals days were Fridays (3.3) and 2018's equivalent of 3.2. celled for reasons unknown. the year.

Wednesdays (3.1). This pattern remained consistent throughout Air Mauritius' Wouter Nel, Sales and Marketing Manager for Anyone trying to follow www.flighradar24.com's Air Namibia Out of a maximum potential of 157 possible international sched-

the year. Note that these figures include the additional scheduled Southern Africa based at their Bedfordview, South Africa exploits during the year will find this a rather frustrating experi- uled arrivals to Durban by BA for 2019, it successfully completed

flights laid on during the year. offices, says the airline completed 170 actual scheduled pas- ence and with more flights scheduled, this year was no exception. 154. Since 2019 was the first full year of this airline's direct inter-

As previously, the same regular three FBISPOs laid on additional senger arrivals at KSIA in 2019, compared to 2018's equivalent The difficulty is trying to accurately gauge actual arrivals against national services to KSIA, no comparison with 2018 can realistically

flights to cater for peaks in demand: Air Mauritius, Emirates and of 164, a worthy increase of six (3.5%) flights. Considering the scheduled arrivals combined with me not having someone at their be made. This constitutes 9% of total actual arrivals by FBISPOs at
KSIA for the year and moves BA into the second lowest position for

Proflight Zambia. Interestingly, both Air Mauritius and Proflight tough world economic climate, any such increase is worthy headquarters to reliably verify any anomalies that arise promptly.

achieved the same peak of four flights weekly while Emirates went, achievement. Unfortunately, the airline was unable to provide a final figure of the year, after Proflight Zambia.

well, ballistic! The 2019 total also represents 10% of total actual FBISPO actual arrivals for 2019 by this magazine's close for publication. EMIRATES
There were approximately 1,625* total FBISPO actual arrivals at arrivals and places Air Mauritius in the third lowest position for To this writer's best observations, Air Namibia completed 346

KSIA in 2019. This compares favourably with 2018's since updated the year. total actual arrivals in 2019, which relates to 21% of total FBISPO

total of 1,369. KSIA thus handled a mammoth 256 (16%) more At the close of 2019, both Air Mauritius and Emirates contin- arrivals. This is 91 more arrivals than in 2018 (its first full year of
FBISPO actual arrivals in 2019 than 2018! ued to remain the co-oldest international occupants at KSIA and KSIA operations) and is the largest percentage increase of one

* the Air Namibia contribution is not known accurately on this basis alone, historically the most significant FBISPOs year over the last in the history of King Shaka FBISPO operations.

The following FBISPOs are arranged in alphabetical order: at Durban. Commendable indeed!
AIR MAURITIUS AIR NAMIBIA BRITISH AIRWAYS

Emirates flew more twin flights by far in 2019 than in

any year previously at King Shaka and thereby setting

a record that only it alone could ever hope to beat.

This Boeing 777-300ER is pictured on final approach
for landing at King Shaka (by Clinton Barnard)

3B-NBF named Mon Choisy clearly on its nose, Air Namibia's weekly flight frequencies went from 4 to 7 in British Airways was also prone to flight cancellations in Since Emirates has operated from KSIA, as far as could be

pulls in to the last parking bay on the international the course of 2018, but stabilised at the higher rate during 2019, resulting in only 154 actual arrivals, the second ascertained, things would appear to have only gone upward and
ramp at King Shaka, a scene repeated by it and 2019, making this FBISPO's frequency second only to the lowest of all FBISPOs for the year. Achieving the full onward for this airline, as far as its Durban-bound operations are

its sister literally hundreds of times before. The great Emirates. ERJ 135 V5-ANF sets off for its imminent potential of 157 actual arrivals must be a short term goal concerned – until 2019. Indeed, the now traditional extra flights

A319 also served Durban International Airport departure for Gaborone, Botswana from KSIA's single for 2020. Boeing 787-8 G-ZBJK is pictured on push-back laid on during the December-January period saw a total of four

in the early 2000s (by Clinton Barnard) 3,700m runway visible in the distance (by Clinton Barnard) on the international ramp at KSIA, just prior to engine flights added to January 2019's usual quota of once daily, on the

start, on December 24, 2019 (by Clinton Barnard) 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th.
Of the seven FBISPOs currently serving Durban, three (Air Unlike in 2018, which witnessed a rapid but steady rise in In the first negative trend since Emirates commenced flying oper-

Mauritius, British Airways and Emirates) previously operated frequency that peaked eventually at seven flights per week, 2019 British Airways (BA) celebrated the first anniversary arrival of its ations to KSIA with the airport's opening, this airline permanently

from the former Louis Botha/Durban International Airport (DIA). saw Air Namibia's flight frequency to Durban yo-yo unpredictably direct operation to Durban from London-Heathrow on October reduced its sustained flight frequency from 7 to 5 flights per week

But, only one of these three continues to operate exactly the between 5 and 7 flights per week, although admittedly with 30, 2019. Its schedule of three weekly flights has been maintained from the week starting April 15, 2019 and lasting an uncomfortable

same aircraft type as it did at DIA – Air Mauritius – both the other more 7s (the standard official schedule for 2019) than 6s and since its inaugural Durban flight. six successive weeks. The airline dropped Thursdays and Sundays

operators having long since felt the need to upgrade to more 5s. A far higher proportion of flights were cancelled compared Although the 214-seater Boeing 787-8 model of the Dreamliner from its until then daily schedule. Remarkably, this was then and

modern equipment. with previous years, although the reasons for these cancellations had been exclusively used on the London-Durban route, from remains at the time of writing, the largest ever single reduction in

Over a decade since KSIA's opening in 2010, this airline still oper- remain elusive. April 19, 2019, the -9 model commenced initial operations too, sustained flight frequency by an FBISPO in the decade-long history

ates the same pair of Airbus A319-112s first delivered to it in 2001 An interesting anomaly occurred on June 7 when, over and when G-ZBKM touched down at KSIA. The two models have been of this airport!
and 2003. This makes the A319 the longest serving aircraft type above the usual daily scheduled flight, the airline put on an ad- used interchangeably since then, albeit with far greater bias Just when we thought that things were looking bleak for it,

ever operated by any FBISPO at KSIA. The two examples, regis- ditional flight using ERJ 135 V5-ANF. This was, however, direct towards use of the -8. the week starting May 27 saw a recovery of sorts with six flights

trations 3B-NBF and 3B-NBH were acquired specifically to service from Windhoek's Hosea Kutako International Airport and not Carrying 216 passengers, the -9 model does not offer any sig- logged and then the former status quo was restored with the

this airline's African destinations and would appear to have done a via Gaborone as usual and the 1,575km one way flight had an nificant increase in capacity over the -8 model, but it does offer a next week back to seven arrivals again. And then something truly

splendid job indeed. earlier arrival time. The reason for this additional flight could true First Class facility (with 8 seats) not present in the -8 model, in magical happened.
The airline will have recouped the original acquisition costs many not be determined. a four-class arrangement also including 42 Business, 39 Premium The week starting June 10 recorded three additional flights for

times over and every flight they continue to make that exceeds September 12, 2019 witnessed the welcome reappearance of the Economy and 127 Economy seats. The BA -8 Dreamliner has only a total of 10 and equalling the previous Emirates all time record

break-even will continue to be profitable for it. As long as this type airline's Airbus A319 on the Durban route when V5-ANK flew the en- three seating classes. of flights to Durban in one week. Thereafter, a staggering all-time

remains reliable and relatively cost effective, the fact that there is tire route from Windhoek via Gaborone. This was the first use of this When I queried the reason/s for the use of the -9 in place of the local record of 11 flights weekly was achieved.

no other FBISPO operating direct flights to Durban from Mauritius' larger aircraft type since the last use of it to Durban by the airline on -8 with a BA media representative, I was informed that the -9 is To place this into perspective, one must recall that

capital, Port Louis and thus no competition on this specific route, August 16, 2018. Co-incidentally, until then, V5-ANK has completed used for “operational reasons.” never before had Emirates put on extra flights over

means that one can expect Air Mauritius to continue to operate the last three Air Namibia A319-112 flights to Durban for any reason. BA cancelled its first ever Durban flight since commencing the mid-year holiday period, although it was well To page 60

World Airnews | February 2020 World Airnews | February 2020
— 58 — — 59 —