FlySafair secures rights to destinations in several neighbouring countries

FlySafair is readying itself to become the dominant budget airline in southern Africa, announcing yesterday it has secured the rights to several regional destinations.

The International Air Service Licensing Council approved FlySafair’s application to operate flights from Cape Town and Johannesburg to Gaborone, Livingstone, Luanda, Lusaka, Maputo and Victoria Falls.

In addition, the airline has been approved for frequencies from Johannesburg to Bulawayo, Nairobi and Seychelles, as well as between Cape Town and Windhoek.

The airline didn’t say when it plans to launch the new routes. Normally carriers enjoy a three-month window to use their awarded route rights or lose it.

Airline spokesperson Kirby Gordon said: “With the approvals in hand, FlySafair can now engage the relevant airport and civil aviation authorities in each market and begin planning its flight schedules.”

The new routes will fill airlift vacancies left behind by SAA and Comair and compete with Airlink and Zimbabwean carrier fastjet.

FlySafair plans to deploy its Boeing 737-800 aircraft on the new routes. Presently fastjet, already operating between Johannesburg and Victoria Falls and Airlink, who fly from both Cape Town and Johannesburg to Livingstone and directly to Victoria Falls from both cities, operate smaller aircraft.

FlySafair will also take on Airlink between Johannesburg and Bulawayo with the 737 aircraft operating the route.

However, it may add too much capacity on a route that serves far fewer passengers than the numbers that the Zimbabwean capital attracts.

Gordon said: “We’re in the process of finalising analysis on the route. The price elasticity of supply on that particular route is yet to be tested but the theory would be to assess the market with a lower frequency and review seasonality to determine the ultimate feasibility and right schedule fit.”

FlySafair also has applications in tow for flights between Johannesburg and Harare where it will also compete with fastjet, Airlink and SAA.

It is one of the busiest routes in the world and the busiest regional route in Southern Africa. Zanzibar, previously Mango’s sole domain, is also on the carrier’s radar as well as Johannesburg to Windhoek.

Gordon added: “Since the beginning of the year, FlySafair has added four new aircraft to its current schedule.

It’s expected that the additional seats will help to stabilise domestic flight prices going into the busy holiday season.”

South Africans have been paying much more for domestic flights than previously with airlines blaming the fuel price.

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