The route is being added to meet the demands of South Africa’s manufacturing sector.
IAG Cargo announced Thursday the launch of its direct service between London Heathrow and Durban beginning Oct. 29.
IAG said it is introducing the route to meet the demands of South Africa’s manufacturing sector. Customers will have access to up to 15 tons of lift per flight, increasing IAG Cargo’s existing capacity into and out of South Africa by 90 tons per week.
The new service will add to the cargo operator’s 300 weekly flights into and out of Africa and the Middle East and further connecting Durban to IAG Cargo’s network of more than 350 destinations.
“It will also provide crucial support to South Africa’s manufacturing sector, which now accounts for more than 8 percent of the country’s export volume,” IAG said.
The new service will be the only non-stop link between London and Durban and flights will be operated by the airline’s newest fleet of aircraft, the Boeing 787-8. Scheduled flights will operate on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays from London Heathrow, with return flights on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays.
Camilo Garcia, director of sales, marketing and products, said, “IAG Cargo has a flexible network investment strategy where we respond as quickly as possible to customer demand. Our latest service underlines our commitment to giving our customers the capacity and routes they need and further highlights the strength of our industry-leading proposition to the African market.”