SA's first official commercial airline service is launched

Updated: 22 Aug 2019

Major Allister Mackintosh Miller secured a government subsidy and introduced the first official commercial air service in South Africa under the name of Union Airways Company (Pty). On this date the first flight between Maitland and Port Elizabeth left with five bags of mail. The company, with headquarters in Port Elizabeth, flew a regular service to and from Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town. Its main object was to fly mail to connect with mail-boats. Passenger services were introduced in 1934, especially between Durban and Johannesburg. The service was limited to these two cities at first because of financial constraints. References: Potgieter, D.J. et al. (eds)(1970). Standard Encyclopaedia of Southern Africa, Cape Town: NASOU, v. 1, p. 612. Wallis, F. (2000). Nuusdagboek: feite en fratse oor 1000 jaar, Kaapstad: Human & Rousseau.

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South African History Online. (2019, August 22). SA's first official commercial airline service is launched. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0148879

South African History Online (2019) 'SA's first official commercial airline service is launched', South African History Online, 22 August. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0148879 (Accessed: 25 August 2026).

South African History Online, SA's first official commercial airline service is launched [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0148879, (accessed 25 August 2026).

"SA's first official commercial airline service is launched." South African History Online, 22 Aug. 2019, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0148879. Accessed 25 Aug. 2026.

South African History Online. "SA's first official commercial airline service is launched." South African History Online. August 22, 2019. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0148879.