FlyGabon’s new Libreville – Johannesburg route marks the rebirth of a historic air bridge, uniting Central and Southern Africa.
- FlyGabon’s growth is powered by a unique blend of government backing, private investment, and strategic airline alliances.
- The Libreville–Johannesburg route launch rekindles historic ties while paving the way for stronger trade, tourism, and cultural exchange across Africa.
- From business travellers to eco-adventurers, FlyGabon offers a new gateway to explore West Africa’s opportunities and natural wonders.
- Visit www.sandtontimes.co.za for more stories.
In 2025, a new name is set to make waves across Africa’s skies: FlyGabon. With an ambitious plan to serve 17 scheduled destinations and operate more than 200 weekly sectors, the airline is establishing itself as a key player in Central and West African connectivity. This weekend, FlyGabon marked a significant milestone by announcing its new Libreville – Johannesburg route, a move that promises to reshape regional travel and reconnect South Africa with vital African markets.
A Bridge Between Regions
Johannesburg is not just another point on the map for FlyGabon. It is the airline’s 18th destination and a strategic gateway to the south of the continent. For South African travellers, the connection opens doors to major West and Central African cities, including Port Harcourt (Nigeria), Cotonou (Benin), Brazzaville and Pointe Noire (Republic of the Congo), Bangui (Central African Republic), Malabo and Bata (Equatorial Guinea), São Tomé & Príncipe, Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of the Congo), Douala and Yaoundé (Cameroon).
The significance of this route is also deeply symbolic. South African Airways (SAA) first inaugurated flights to Libreville in 1960, the very year Gabon gained independence. In 1991, Nelson Mandela chose Gabon as one of his first international visits post-release, alongside Oliver Tambo, cementing a bond between the two nations. By 1993, Air Gabon was operating to Johannesburg. Over time, those links loosened, but with this launch, they are being firmly restored.
This connection is not just about Gabon and South Africa – it is about linking Central Africa to Southern Africa as a whole. Through our Libreville hub, Johannesburg now connects to Gabon and beyond, to countries across West and Central Africa. It is a vision of African connectivity built on cooperation and shared progress.
// FlyGabon CEO, Nyl Charles Moret-Mba
The Fleet: Step By Step Expansion
FlyGabon may be new, but as Chairman Marc Gaffajoli describes the airline, it as an ATR specialist, with over 13 years of operational expertise. The fleet strategy is careful, pragmatic, and designed for long-term stability.
The airline currently operates:
• Five ATR 72-600s, most of them recently built.
• One ATR 42-600, with another arriving next year, bringing the total ATR fleet to seven.
For longer routes, FlyGabon relies on strategic partnerships with South African carriers:
• Fly CemAir, operating CRJ-900s for routes such as Cotonou, Brazzaville, Kinshasa, and Bangui.
• Global Airways, which operates Airbus A320s for Johannesburg and other long-haul regional services.
It’s a model built on Gabonese – South African cooperation, one that pairs FlyGabon’s growing network with South African operational expertise. We are learning step by step. Aviation is built progressively. Today we are ATR experts, tomorrow we will build our jet expertise. The key is to grow steadily, safely, and sustainably.
// FlyGabon Chairman, Marc Gaffajoli
Currently, FlyGabon has nine aircraft in active service, with one ATR 500 being phased out as the newer ATR 42-600 joins the fleet.
An Elevated Passenger Experience
FlyGabon is also investing heavily in the passenger journey. Its new web-based Passenger Service System (PSS) offers real-time schedules, fares, and promotions to both travellers and agents. Meanwhile, global reach is reinforced by a partnership with APG, the world’s largest airline distribution network. Under codes A1 and H1, FlyGabon can now be booked worldwide, giving it instant access to markets far beyond Africa.
Eco-Tourism At The Heart Of The Offer
The new Johannesburg route also strengthens Gabon’s tourism ambitions. With 13 national parks covering 10% of its territory, Gabon is fast emerging as an eco-tourism destination, appealing to high-value travellers seeking exclusivity and sustainability.
Highlights include:
• Loango National Park, sometimes called Africa’s Last Eden, where visitors can spot forest elephants, lowland gorillas, and the famous “surfing hippos” along the Atlantic coast.
• Pongara National Park, blending mangroves, beaches, and turtle nesting sites.
• Loango Coast, renowned among anglers for species like tarpon, African threadfin, and cubera snapper.
Tourism here is developed in collaboration with Gabon Wildlife Camps & Safaris and the Gabon National Agency for National Parks, ensuring conservation remains central. For South Africans, the appeal is obvious. Just a short flight away, Gabon offers untouched wilderness, whale migrations, turtle hatchings, and some of the world’s most exclusive fishing waters.
With reciprocal visa-free access, the new air link makes Gabon a realistic new frontier for South African travellers, while also giving Central and West Africa better access to Johannesburg’s role as a business, finance, and trade hub.
Looking Ahead
With more destinations planned for 2025, growing fleet capacity, and a clear vision, the airline is positioning itself as a serious regional connector, not only linking Gabon to Africa but making Libreville a hub for travel across Central and West Africa. For South Africa, this new link represents more than convenience – it is the rekindling of a historic relationship, the opening of fresh trade and tourism opportunities, and a chance to explore one of Africa’s most untouched eco-tourism destinations.
FlyGabon will be operating two flights per week on the new Libreville – Johannesburg route.
Stand a chance to WIN with The Sandton Times.
Advertise on The Sandton Times today!
Head back to The Sandton Times Home Page for more stories.
