Air Partner Spreads its Wings in South Africa with New Freight Office

Air Partner, a leading global charter and freight solutions specialist, has established its first physical presence in South Africa, with a Johannesburg sales office that will provide localized support to freight clients within the region. The expansion follows record growth of the freight division over the last three years and will be overseen by newly appointed cargo sales manager Fred Du Plessis.

Headquartered in the UK near Gatwick airport, Air Partner has multiple locations across the world. The new South African sales office marks Air Partner’s first presence on the African continent and is a natural next step in the expansion strategy as the group continues to develop its reach and capabilities worldwide.

Du Plessis will be able to assist clients within the region by utilizing his wealth of experience and specialist knowledge of the freight charter and aviation security sector. Working alongside local freight forwarders, Air Partner will be looking to expand on Air Partner Charter and On Board Courier (OBC) business in the region, aided by  Du Plessis' extensive experience of developing clientele in Africa.

“Africa is fast becoming a growth market for air freight, and the industry has seen an increasing demand for services in the region, with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) reporting a 7.4 percent increase in freight volumes last year,”  Du Plessis says. “By establishing Air Partner in Johannesburg, we will be ideally placed to support new and existing clients plan and execute their Freight operations seamlessly, whether domestic or international.”

Air Partner is pleased to be able to offer localized support to clients within the region, and is looking forward to developing new markets on the continent, including livestock, oil and gas.

Mike Hill, group director of freight says; “Having served the African market only remotely up until now, this is an important milestone for Air Partner. We’re excited to expand with a physical presence in the African region, and I am delighted that we have found exactly the right person to lead the way for us in the local market. Fred’s past career in Freight handling and aircraft charter operations is second to none, and he brings very valuable experience to the wider Air Partner team.”  

Air Partner is a global private charter and freight aviation leader, with nearly 60 years of experience. Listed on the London Stock Exchange, Air Partner employs over 400 aviation professionals globally and has 16 locations across the world, with its headquarters near Gatwick airport. For more information, visit www.airpartner.com.