FlySafair to add new routes after Comair collapse

FlySafair is planning to add around 10 new routes across sub-Saharan Africa after the recent demise of rival airline, Comair.

FlySafair swoops in

In a bid to take advantage of the gaping hole left in the market after Comair’s unfortunate liquidation, local airline FlySafair is planning on introducing new routes in and around sub-Saharan Africa.

According to Business Tech, the airline will reportedly fly to capital cities such as Nairobi, Lusaka and Maputo, as well as some holiday destinations like Victoria Falls and Zanzibar. They will also be adding an initial five new planes to the fleet come early 2023.

The collapse of Comair left around 40% of the domestic flight market up in the air and FlySafair is seeking to address that. Kirby Gordon, chief marketing officer at FlySafair, said that “the market has lost about 9,000 seats a week”, and adding new planes “will help to plug this gap.”.

Left in the lurch: Comair demise bad for business

Comair’s liquidation is said to be bad news for the transport and hospitality business. Tshifhiwa Tshivhengwa, chief exec at Tourism Business Council South Africa said that the decrease in flight capacity would lead to fewer people opting to fly domestically and would rather steer them towards road travel.

While John Loos, property sector strategist at FNB, said that the flight capacity issues could also have a negative impact on hotel demand, thus affecting the hospitality sector.

Comair cancelled all flights on 1 June, less than three months after a series of safety incidents that lead to groundings of planes. The carrier’s business rescue practitioners (BRPs) then lodged a court application on 9 June to turn the hopeful business rescue proceedings into liquidation proceedings. This all came after the airline’s inability to secure the necessary capital required to resume operations.

ALSO READ: Comair latest: Company enters liquidation