Catherine Bower
IT’S good news for agents in
SA’s smaller cities!
Mango has introduced
an interline agreement
with Lufthansa, with
discussions under way to
extend interlines to other
international carriers.
In December 2017, SAA
transferred a number of
routes to subsidiary Mango,
leaving agents unable to
ticket through-fares on
international flights with
domestic connections (see
TNW April 4).
Lufthansa passengers
can now connect on Mango
services from Johannesburg
to Cape Town, Durban, Port
Elizabeth and George. From
Cape Town International
Airport, passengers can
use Mango connections to
Johannesburg, Bloemfontein
and Durban.
Mango told TNW that
it was also working on
establishing interline
agreements with other
international carriers.
Rachael Penaluna,
business manager of Sure
Maritime Travel in Port
Elizabeth, says around 75%
of her travellers connect on
to international destinations
via Johannesburg. “If airlines
could assist us with add-ons
and good connecting times
that would help a lot.” The
agreement with Lufthansa
is a good start, she says.
She added that there is a
lot of business in and out of
the Far East, and interlines
between Mango and carriers
flying to Asia would also be
welcomed.
Connecting times between
domestic and international
flights have been a particular
problem for agents ticketing
out of Durban. Melissa
Phillips, owner of Sure Map
Travel, says she struggles
to find flights out of Durban
that suit the international
departure times out of
Johannesburg, often ending
up with her clients sitting at
the airport for hours. With
the option to sell Mango
on an interline agreement,
Melissa says this opens
up a range of flights during
the day.
