Cape Town welcomes first direct flight from New York
Cape Town, South Africa (PANA) – Cape Town has welcomed the inaugural United Airlines direct flight from New York with city officials saying it augers well for the country’s crucial tourism industry.
Mayor Dan Plato who welcomed United Airlines executives at a function in the city, said the new route is an indication that Cape Town is now the “gateway to the continent of hope”.
“Cape Town is a world-class city and this positions us as an attractive entry point into the rest of the continent. The local tourism and business sectors will greatly benefit from this as it allows us to showcase the diverse services and experiences that the city offers visitors from the United States,” he said.
The flight will operate three times a week between Newark Liberty International Airport and Cape Town International Airport, which is undertaking a major runway expansion project over the next decade. United is operating a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft with a capacity to seat 252 passengers on the route.
Lana Marks, the recently appointed United States Ambassador to South Africa told PANA that the new service is an indication of the strong ties that South Africa and the United States continue to forge.
Wesgro, the Western Cape’s trade, investment and tourism promotion agency, said securing the nonstop flight demonstrates the power of public-private sector partnership and cooperation.
The agency’s Chief Executive Officer Tim Harris noted that the United States is in the top three most important markets for the Western Cape with regards to investment, exports and tourism.
-0- PANA CU/MA 19Dec2019
