You can now buy flights direct from News24

You may no longer be able to spew racist vitriol from the comments section, but you can now buy flights from News24.

The feature, which is embedded within the Traveller24 site, comes as part of a partnership between South Africa’s largest online publisher and booking site Travelstart.

In effect, it means that Traveller24 readers can now search for flights, compare ticket prices from all airlines in real time and book and pay for flights without leaving the 24 domain. Travelstart’s booking technology has been made available to News24 through its affiliate programme.

“We’re super excited to power Traveller24’s new flight search,” says Russell Jarvis, Head of Communications for Travelstart South Africa. “Their topical and regularly updated travel content reaches a wide and informed audience of travel shoppers and decision makers. With our technology embedded in Traveller24 readers’ research and inspiration-seeking paths we are effectively putting the tools they need to arrange a trip to any one of the destinations they’re researching right in front of them.”

Read more: News24 to close down comments section because of ‘hate speech’

Travelstart expects a fairly significant boost to its affiliate programme as a result of the partnership.

For its part, Traveller24 says the partnership allows it to provide extra value to its readers.

“We’re excited to be working with Travelstart,” says Traveller24 Editor Selene Brophy. “At Traveller24 we aim to give our readers useful, insider information about local and international destinations on their bucket list. Now we’re able to extend this expert advice to include competitive flight booking options. Travelstart is an online booking industry-leader on the African continent and their flight offering is the most comprehensive and trusted resource, connecting to all airlines and destinations.”