International Airport (MQP) from mid-November 2022
Eurowings Discover is the first intercontinental airline ever to start scheduled operations to South Africa’s largest national park. In its first season, between 15 November 2022 and 25 March 2023 Eurowings Discover will fly three times a week from Frankfurt to Mbombela, Kruger National Park, with a short stopover in Windhoek. Never before has the destination, which is particularly popular with holidaymakers from Germany, been reached faster and more directly.
New Lufthansa Group brand to service the South African market
Eurowings Discover has a strong commercial focus on leisure destinations on the African continent and the arrival of the airline in Mpumalanga signifies a new brand introduced by the Lufthansa Group to the South African market. Kruger Mpumalanga is the seventh destination offered by Eurowings Discover on the continent after already starting services from Frankfurt to Mombasa, Zanzibar, Mauritius and Windhoek, followed later by Victoria Falls and Kilimanjaro.
“We are very excited to be commencing scheduled flights to greater Kruger National Park region as the first intercontinental airline ever. Not only is it a truly unique destination but it also marks the first South African destination in our portfolio – needless to emphasize the attractiveness and popularity of South Africa among European holidaymakers. Our booking figures show that travelers from all over Europe are increasingly drawn to the vastness and beauty of the African continent. We are therefore relying on a versatile Africa program this year and will continue to expand it in the future,” explains Helmut Woelfel, Chief Commercial Officer of Eurowings Discover.
“With the introduction of our brand-new flight service between Frankfurt and Mbombela, the Lufthansa Group now offers three destinations within South Africa to choose from. Connecting people is at the heart of our company values and by adding a third destination to our South African network, which will be operated by our new leisure airline Eurowings Discover, we are able to offer our customers even greater variety and convenience when planning their journey. We are extremely
proud and excited to be the first European carrier to launch direct scheduled flight services to Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport, thus further underlining our support for the restart of tourism in South Africa and our long-term commitment to the region,” says Dr. Andre Schulz, General Manager, Southern and East Africa, Lufthansa Group.
“We at Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport, are incredibly excited about Eurowings Discover’s new service starting in November 2022. Germany is one of Mpumalanga’s key tourist markets and along with all our stakeholders and provincial partners we are proud of our role in enabling this route development. This service from Frankfurt to Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport also opens possible onward connectivity opportunities to other domestic and regional tourist
destinations for our visitors. We look forward to showcasing our unique ‘Gateway to Mpumalanga’ experience and welcoming our new international guests to the greater Kruger National Park region” said Grant Ponting, CEO of KMI Airport.
“The Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA) delightedly welcomes the fulfilment of the dream of landing our first direct overseas flight from Europe, Frankfurt in Germany. This is a game changing achievement as we intensify the implementation of the Mpumalanga Tourism Recovery Plan after the devastating effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the tourism industry. The success and growth of this route depends on the support we give as the government and all industry roll
players. We look forward to providing our tourists with a memorable experience of wildlife, scenic beauty, adventure, culture and heritage” said Mr. Johannes Nobunga, CEO of Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency.
High-quality product with many services included Eurowings Discover offers a high-quality product with many services included. The aircraft offers up to 300 seats, up to 30 of which are in Business Class (lie-flat seats), up to 31 in Premium Economy and up to 244 in Economy. In all three classes, guests can look forward to a special, high-quality travel experience with all meals and non-alcoholic beverages included in the fare. Next to the culinary experience, Eurowings Discover also provides excellent entertainment onboard the flight to vacation – completely free of charge in all classes. With their own screens, travelers can choose from over 50 movies, 80 TV programs, and numerous soundtracks.
Another special feature on board Eurowings Discover: guests can quickly and easily connect to the Onboard Cloud via their own device to receive an extended entertainment offer with a wide selection of magazines and over 50 cutting-edge games, gaming streams as well as an integrated gaming platform. The flights are bookable via all usual booking channels including lufthansa.com and eurowings.com. Through the integration into the Lufthansa network, passengers benefit from the direct connection to all German and European Lufthansa departure points as well as a continuous booking process and seamless transfer traffic.
