Brazilian airline LATAM has resumed its direct flights from São Paulo (GRU) to Johannesburg (JNB).
Direct flights from São Paulo to Johannesburg schedule
LATAM’s Flight LA8058, operated by a Boeing 787-900 aircraft, successfully restarted the route after a hiatus of three and a half years.
As reported by Tourism Update, the inaugural flight, which took place on Sunday, 3 September 2023, saw strong passenger interest, with 90% of its 300 seats occupied.
LATAM’s flight, which operates three times a week (on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Fridays), departs São Paulo at 17:25 and Johannesburg at 13:10 on the same days.
The availability of direct flights is expected to provide travellers with enhanced flexibility and convenience for exploring both regions.
Davide Ioppolo, LATAM’s Regional Commercial Director for Central and South East Europe, the UK, the Nordics, the Middle East, and South Africa, expressed enthusiasm about reconnecting these two continents.
He highlighted the benefits of partnering with local airlines in South Africa and LATAM’s extensive network of destinations in South America.
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LATAM’s network expansion isn’t limited to Brazil and South Africa.
The airline has established interline agreements with partner companies in South Africa to connect travellers to a host of African destinations.
These include Angola, Mozambique, Kenya, Botswana, Zambia, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Congo, Madagascar, Lesotho, Cameroon, Nigeria, Senegal, Gabon, Malawi, and the Ivory Coast.
South Africa’s inbound tourism industry is excited about the potential growth in arrivals, especially with the impending resumption of South African Airways’ flights connecting São Paulo to Johannesburg (starting 31 October 2023) and Cape Town (starting 6 November 2023).
Industry leaders see this development as a pivotal moment that could reignite tourism in South America.
