The start-up of Civair, South Africa's first long-haul no-frills airline, may be delayed as the company is still negotiating the lease of a Boeing 747-200, writes Hilka Birns.
Civair has been advertising a start-up on 30 October between Cape Town and London Stansted, but group chief executive Andy Cluver says operations may be postponed until 3 December to give the company time to find a suitable aircraft. The carrier is evaluating a choice of 17-year-old 747-200s - all former British Airways or Virgin Atlantic Airways aircraft - from four European aircraft sources, but declines to name the potential lessors. Civair plans a 420-seat, 32in (81cm)-pitch economy class and a 22- to 25-seat business class.
The lease is to be concluded within the next month, but Civair eventually plans to buy its own aircraft. Buying is "seriously advantageous", given the rand's gain against the US dollar, says Cluver, adding that in a soft-currency market the low ownership costs offset the high fuel-burn and direct operating costs associated with older aircraft.
Civair has been licensed by South Africa's department of transport and has been awarded "designated carrier" status on the South Africa-UK route. It has been awarded five slots a week at Stansted, but initially will operate only three. One flight a week will stop over at Durban before continuing to Cape Town.
Another South African new- entrant, Nationwide Airlines, began flying between Johannesburg and London Gatwick in November 2003 using an ex-Air Canada Boeing 767-300ER with an all-economy configuration, but offering full in-flight services. "Our flights are operating on 70-80% load factors and some flights over December are already fully booked, "says Nationwide chief executive Vernon Bricknell.
Source: Flight International
