Toeriste kan nou die 146 km tussen Kaapstad en Saldanhabaai in 30 minute per vliegtuig aflê. Dit nadat die Kaapse Kamer van Koophandel en Nywerheid sy eerste direkte vlug tussen dié twee bestemmings Dinsdag bekendgestel het.
Die eerste vlug tussen Kaapstad en Saldanhabaai het Dinsdag 29 Oktober op die Saldanha-vliegveld aangekom.
Die Saldanha-vliegveld het nog nie ʼn bemande toring nie en SJ Fouché, ʼn vlieënier van Pretoria, moes eers ʼn draai om die vliegveld gooi om te bepaal uit watter rigting die wind waai voordat hy die Cessna 402, ʼn sewesitplekvliegtuig, kon land. Hy het Dinsdag se vlug as “effens winderig maar ongelooflik mooi” beskryf.
Die vlugte word bedryf deur Chamber Air en ʼn retoerkaartjie tussen Saldanha en Kaapstad gaan lede van enige sakekamer R3,000 kos. Nie-lede sal R3,500 betaal. Die vlug van Kaapstad na Saldanha behoort gemiddeld 30 minute te duur, teenoor die amper twee uur wat dit padlangs neem.
“Direkte vlugte tussen Kaapstad en Saldanhabaai gaan ʼn groot ekonomiese inspuiting vir die gebied wees, het Shanah Damonse, voorsitter van die Weskus-sakekamer gesê.”
Syd Peimer, voorsitter van die Kaapse Kamer het verduidelik dat Chamber Air, ʼn handelsmerk besit deur die Kaapse Kamer, nie ʼn lugdiens is nie, maar hulle maak dit moontlik vir lugvaartmaatskappye om nie-geskeduleerde roetes van 100 tot 300 km na die platteland te vlieg. Peimer het gesê dat hulle ʼn roete na die Paarl oorweeg.
James Vos, burgemeesterskomiteelid vir ekonomiese geleenthede en batebestuur van die Stad Kaapstad, het benadruk dat die Kaapstad-Saldanha-vlugroete ʼn voorbeeld is van hoe vennootskappe tussen sakekamers en munisipaliteite tot ekonomiese belegging kan lei. Hy sê die roete verbind twee ekonomiese nodes met mekaar – die spesiale ekonomiese sone in Kaapstad en die Saldanhabaai-nywerheidsontwikkelingsone.
Marius Koen, burgemeester van Saldanhabaai, het gesê die vlugroete dui op die groeiende band tussen die Saldanhabaai-munisipaliteit en die Stad Kaapstad en bevestig weer eens Saldanhabaai as die grootste groeinode in die Wes-Kaap.
About Chamber Air
Chamber Air is not an airline. It is a facilitating agent that is there to realise the economic activity possible outside metropolitan areas, by empowering air charter companies to service non-scheduled routes by optimising their yield management with the assistance of Chambers of Commerce.
Chamber Air is a trademark owned by the Cape Chamber of Commerce & Industry that is registered in South Africa by an Act of Parliament to support business of all types and all sizes. It is governed by a Constitution available here and is a member of the ICC (International Chamber of Commerce).
What Qualifies as a Chamber of Commerce for Chamber Air discount?
Although an organisation might call itself a Chamber, discounts are only applicable to members of Chambers that meet the following criteria:
- Operate as a legal entity.
- Have a constitution.
- Provide subscription-based membership.
- Have annual audited financial accounts.
- Be a not for profit association, either by registration type or dictated by its Constitution.
- To find your nearest Chamber, search ‘Chamber of Commerce’ or ‘Chamber of Business’.
Programs and Stakeholders
WHAT IS THE FRONT SEAT PROGRAMME?
It is there to change a child’s life with an experience they will never forget.
The flights we take bookings for are ultra short haul, which usually requires only one pilot. In a fixed wing aircraft, when there is only one pilot, he/she is the captain, and sits on the left. That means the co-pilot (or first officer) seat on the right is free. In rotary wing aircraft (i.e. helicopters), it is the other way around.
STAKEHOLDERS
- Local Government who will see an increase in GDP for their region – especially from IDZ’s and SEZ’s.
- Industry, commerce and trade as well as tourism in the outlying areas.
- Business and leisure travelers where road travel constraints are considerations, and those who would want a connecting flight.
Programs and Stakeholders
Chamber Air promotes growth
Chamber Air is not an airline – it is a facilitating agent that was founded to stimulate the economic potential outside major metropolitan areas. It does this by empowering air charter companies to include routes not serviced by traditional commercial carriers, thereby optimizing the charter’s yield with the assistance of all Chambers of Commerce to provide a cost-effective service. And our service is nowhere near as complicated as that sentence.
What is USH and its benefits
This term refers to Ultra Short Haul: routes of 100 – 300+ km that have not traditionally been serviced with scheduled carriers. Using Chambers of Commerce with their existing resources, their member base and ubiquitous presence together with participating charter airlines, this has now become economically feasible for all parties concerned. The term USH does not appear in the industry lexicon, and was first introduced by Chamber Air.
Although regional in nature, an entire country’s economy benefits. Areas outside major metros can offer many advantages to the economy, as they provide benefits to a business that can’t be found in metros. These would include special development zones or advantages for production close to natural resources. Chamber Air makes air travel viable to these routes, accelerating their contribution to the economy and the many stakeholders involved. We don’t know precisely why, but when you introduce air access to a region, the economy increases substantially – and not at the expense of overall GDP.
How does a route arise?
A USH route is identified by any party who will inform their local Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber of Commerce (either at the departing or arriving destination) will approach Chamber Air for the guidelines on how to incorporate their route into the system, eventually being able to list their flights with Chamber Air (the www.chamberair.com domain will be ready soon with even more automation and an eCommerce facility).
Introducing a route is a detailed process that involves a host of parties including the airfields, charter companies, local municipalities, tourism organisations, Chamber members as well as ancillary clients such as ground support, courier companies and pathology laboratories. We will assist with the various MOU’s, the allowed activities when operating in the aviation industry as well as procedures, general advice and marketing support.
Front Seat Programme
Use this opportunity to:
- Offer an incentive to an employee’s child
- Strengthen your community ties
- Get exposure on social media
- Introduce aviation as a career choice
- Reward a child
- Give a birthday present
- Broaden your social media investment efforts
Contact us today to give a child the Front Seat to an experience that will give them a whole new perspective.
Change a child’s life with an experience they will never forget.
The flights we take bookings for are an ultra short-haul, which usually requires only one pilot. In a fixed-wing aircraft, when there is only one pilot, he/she is the captain and sits on the left. That means the co-pilot (or first officer) seat on the right is free. In rotary-wing aircraft (i.e. helicopters), it is the other way around.
On certain of our flights, we have the co-pilot seat available. You can sponsor a child in grade 8 and above with the following experience:
- They will be collected from their home and driven to the airfield
- They will be given a goodie bag, that will contain amongst other things, a co-pilot’s cap.
- They will meet the captain who will go through a brief safety drill with them (mainly not to interrupt the pilot until after he has given you the OK after take-off and before landing, how to wear the seat belt etc).
- They will fly to the destination and back in the co-pilot’s seat, or in certain circumstances, will be driven one of the legs.
- After the flight, they will receive a certificate of accomplishment from the Chamber, bearing your company name.
- They will be chauffeured home.
- And they will have had an experience they’ll remember for the rest of their lives!!
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