CemAir resumes operations on a limited schedule to Plettenberg Bay
South African domestic and regional carrier CemAir has announced that its service between Cape Town Interrnational Airport (CPT) in Cape Town and Plettenberg Bay Aerodrome (PBZ) in Plettenberg Bay will remain suspended, while the service between OR Tambo International Airport (JNB) in Johannesburg and Plettenberg Bay will recommence on 25 July 2024 on a limited schedule.
The airline will initially operate four weekly flights on Sundays, Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays between the two destinations.
According to CemAir, the airline received a call from the Plettenberg Bay Aerodrome manager on 02 July 2024 stating that the Airport license issued by the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) was expected to be suspended the following day. The reason provided was that during a recent SACAA audit an unaddressed finding relating to the condition of the runway and taxiway had been escalated to the highest level.
As a result, CemAir terminated all flights into Plettenberg Bay from both Johannesburg and Cape Town with immediate effect up to and including the end of November 2024. This was the anticipated period for the runway work to be scoped, planned and completed.
On 03 July 2024 a further communication was received indicating that Plettenberg Bay Aerodrome (PBZ) would not be closed as the SACAA had accepted a phased action plan and would assess progress of the plan on 31 July 2024.
Despite this, on the 07 July 2024, the Bitou Municipality, which owns Plettenberg Bay Aerodrome (PBZ), issued a contradictory media statement advising that after careful consideration they had decided to close the Airport from 31 July 2024. Subsequently this was again amended on 09 July 2024 to state that a plan was in progress and airport interruptions were still to be advised. No airport closure dates have been confirmed.
