Page 66 - World Airnews Magazine February 2020 Edition

REVIEW

Qatar Airways currently holds the distinction of operating the most technologically advanced

passenger airliner to Durban of any FBISPO, in the form of the Airbus A350-941, seen here

shortly after coming to a full stop at its parking bay (by Clinton Barnard)
was QA's inability to fill its cavernous B777-300ERs to the TURKISH AIRLINES
required acceptable minimum. This would have made the tran- As far as its Durban operation is concerned, Turkish Airlines has

sition to the smaller and more fuel efficient A350 more frugal. always been a relatively stable performer. For the most part, this

Of course, nothing stops QA from reintroducing the Boeing 777 was again the case in 2019. As has historically been the case, no
on the route again should future load factors justify it. I, for one, additional flights were laid on. However, an otherwise clean record

have not yet had my fill of QA's B777s at Durban! of operations was unfortunately marred by one cancellation: On

The final QA B777 flight to Durban was performed by Boeing April 6, 2019, it dropped the usual Saturday flight of its regular

777-3DZ(ER) A7-BAQ on June 29, 2019 landing at 17H02 and the four flights weekly frequency, for reasons unknown, although the
next QA flight and the first A350 arrival, in its -941 iteration, usual frequency was restored the following week and maintained

just two days later on July 1, 2019. This was executed by A7-ALR thereafter beyond the close of the year.
which touched the runway at 17H06 local time. Interestingly, Thus, out of a potential maximum of 209 scheduled arrivals for

A7-BAQ also performed the penultimate B777 flight to Durban the 2019 calender year, only 208 actually materialised, compared
on June 27. to 2018's fully achieved figure of 209. This constituted 13% of the

Despite this permanent transition, the airline continued to total actual FBISPO arrivals at KSIA for 2019.

operate a four flights weekly frequency as it has done since its This airline continues to utilise the Airbus A330-300 as it has

first arrival at KSIA. This transition leaves Emirates, once again, done since commencing Durban operations on November 5, 2015

as the sole FBISPO operating scheduled passenger B777 services on its flight from Istanbul via Johannesburg.
to Durban. At least two A330s wearing special markings also made their ap-
QA completed the same number of actual scheduled arrivals as pearance at KSIA during the year, but these will be discussed in greater

its potential, which is the same as 2018's, namely 209. QA thus detail in a forthcoming article to hopefully appear here very shortly.
took the third place in total actual FBISPO arrivals, this being 13% For any queries please contact Clinton at: oopsaahcast@yahoo.
of the total FBISPO arrivals. com Q

Turkish Airlines and Qatar Airways remained jointly the most stable FBISPOs at Durban in

2019, as they have been since the start of their respective operations to KSIA in 2015. One of

the former's A330-303s is pictured on late finals for a Durban landing (by Clinton Barnard)

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