Velvet Sky attempts to limit damage
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Velvet Sky attempts to limit damage
“Velvet Sky, you are everything that a service provider should not be.” “Stay away from Velvet Sky. Unfit to fly after one week.” “Velvet Sky should be renamed Trouble Sky.” These were some of the comments from irate travellers who expressed their dissatisfaction about the new airline, a week after it took to the skies.
Ten days ago, some passengers experienced a seven-hour delay because the Durban-based budget airline had to find an alternative flight after its aircraft could not take off due to a technical fault.
The delay, unanswered phone calls, cancelled flights and website errors are some of the complaints that have been raised by customers.
Passengers and would-be passengers registered comments on the hellopeter.com website, a platform for consumers to compliment or complain about a service provider.
On the delay Paul Green, the director of flight operations at Velvet Sky, said OR Tambo International Airport was closed for an hour on Friday, February 25 due to major afternoon storms which delayed all passengers.
“On re-opening the airport, (we) detected a technical snag in the preflight checks and therefore made the crucial decision to prepare a standby plane to transport the passengers to their respective destinations.
“As a result of these delays, together with technical difficulty, (our) cabin crew and pilots managed to exceed their authorised flying time and the airline was therefore obligated to contact and fly in a new shift of crew members from Durban, thus increasing the delay even further,” Green said.
The SA Civil Aviation Authority said it had been informed that the airline had willingly, as a precaution, taken its aircraft to its maintenance organisation in order to check and possibly fix suspected technical faults.
The airline was launched two weeks ago and at the moment it uses one aircraft. Another two aircraft are expected next month and in June respectively. Green said Velvet Sky had contracts with other aircraft operators for a standby aircraft.
“However, it is impossible to have them keep all their aircraft on the ground 24 hours to cover an occurrence that happens seldom. We do our best to get them into position as soon as we detect a problem.”
Responding to the other grievances raised by passengers, he said: “There can be no doubt that every new business experiences teething problems, however, to our blameless passengers, we have no excuse.”
He said Velvet Sky noted the complaints and criticism relating to service problems and they would be dealt with accordingly. Velvet Sky flies the golden triangle between Durban, Johannesburg and Cape Town. The airline is owned by Macdonald Holdings which belongs to Cecil Reddy, the majority shareholder. The other shareholder is Dhevan Pillay.
Ten days ago, some passengers experienced a seven-hour delay because the Durban-based budget airline had to find an alternative flight after its aircraft could not take off due to a technical fault.
The delay, unanswered phone calls, cancelled flights and website errors are some of the complaints that have been raised by customers.
Passengers and would-be passengers registered comments on the hellopeter.com website, a platform for consumers to compliment or complain about a service provider.
On the delay Paul Green, the director of flight operations at Velvet Sky, said OR Tambo International Airport was closed for an hour on Friday, February 25 due to major afternoon storms which delayed all passengers.
“On re-opening the airport, (we) detected a technical snag in the preflight checks and therefore made the crucial decision to prepare a standby plane to transport the passengers to their respective destinations.
“As a result of these delays, together with technical difficulty, (our) cabin crew and pilots managed to exceed their authorised flying time and the airline was therefore obligated to contact and fly in a new shift of crew members from Durban, thus increasing the delay even further,” Green said.
The SA Civil Aviation Authority said it had been informed that the airline had willingly, as a precaution, taken its aircraft to its maintenance organisation in order to check and possibly fix suspected technical faults.
The airline was launched two weeks ago and at the moment it uses one aircraft. Another two aircraft are expected next month and in June respectively. Green said Velvet Sky had contracts with other aircraft operators for a standby aircraft.
“However, it is impossible to have them keep all their aircraft on the ground 24 hours to cover an occurrence that happens seldom. We do our best to get them into position as soon as we detect a problem.”
Responding to the other grievances raised by passengers, he said: “There can be no doubt that every new business experiences teething problems, however, to our blameless passengers, we have no excuse.”
He said Velvet Sky noted the complaints and criticism relating to service problems and they would be dealt with accordingly. Velvet Sky flies the golden triangle between Durban, Johannesburg and Cape Town. The airline is owned by Macdonald Holdings which belongs to Cecil Reddy, the majority shareholder. The other shareholder is Dhevan Pillay.
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The sad reality is that this is unsurprising when they are trying to operate with one aircraft on routes which are already over traded and in a market where the existing standard is pretty high. Heavy competition from BA, Kulula, Mango, SAA, and 1Time will see them off in no time.
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The sad reality is that this is unsurprising when they are trying to operate with one aircraft on routes which are already over traded and in a market where the existing standard is pretty high. Heavy competition from BA, Kulula, Mango, SAA, and 1Time will see them off in no time.
As far as standards go, from a customer service perspective most SA carriers are average at best. As a regular passenger on most of the domestic airlines, it’s plain to see- each one has its strengths and weaknesses. The thing is service isn’t the driving factor- price is (talking about the LCC market here)
If Velvet Sky can make it past its initial launch phase then it will improve. Competition is good, lower airfares and more jobs!
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Well personally I really do hope they do make it. I need a job on a 737 and I think the competition will be great for the market. I just hope they can get more planes up and on the go. All the best of luck to them.
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Don’t be so sure, both Kulula and 1Time have had horrendous delays in the past, some teething problems are to be expected.
All the SA carriers suffer from the same failing, highly variable service delivery levels, and it's determined by who you get to deal with on board or on the ground, and how or if they've been trained. In the past when there was only one carrier, it was always the same, poor, but competition has led to a generally higher standard but with frequent major failures.
I'd also like to see Velvet Sky succeed, but I don't see it happening.
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4 engine jock, is this yet another case of sour grapes from you? after all you work for the worst airline with the most underpaid and overworked crews in sa, "Interair", everyone deserves a sporting chance and unlike "your" airline dont neccessarily bribe or buy their way through. You are always very quick to run down any possible opposition but forget the troubles with unmaintained planes etc etc etc that your not so wonderful airline has, people who live in glass houses really shouldnt throw stones!
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Take it easy guys - no personal slug-fests on this thread - if you want to beat him with a haddock do it by PM.
Ignore and you'll be in the cooler.
4HP
Ignore and you'll be in the cooler.
4HP
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Oblivious
What are you on about???
I did not write this!! I was in the news, I just posted it.
Now you’re attacking Interair. What do you know about Interair anyway?
I would also like to see Velvet Sky succeed.
Get a life Oblivious!!!!
What are you on about???
I did not write this!! I was in the news, I just posted it.
Now you’re attacking Interair. What do you know about Interair anyway?
I would also like to see Velvet Sky succeed.
Get a life Oblivious!!!!
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Put yourself in the hot seat of that 7 hour delay flight. To make the 'no-go' decision must have been a difficult call to stick to. Well done to the Captain for sticking to his guns, just glad it wasn't me!!
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On the positive side... At least they were responsible enough to ground the aircraft after what seemed to be a minor issue and then further tell the crew to go home after exceeding their duty time.
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Mmmmm
Awesome a Durban based airline for the Banana boys at last !!
Everyone talking about it but not too much positive stuff being said apart from the 'would love a job with you' guy's.
Any one have any unemotional good clarification on the following hard stand gossip !!
1 This is a 'Capt Green dream' and the investors have pretty much taken his word over the reality of costs etc in running an airline.
2 Where are the other two aircraft coming from ? Romour has it they are wet leased from another operator .......
3 Which brings me to my other Question...... How many crews do they have and how is covering there salary's in any way going to be profitable ?
One thing I have heard that makes me worried is the ex Nationwide employees have nothing good to say about Mr Green, and that has been first hand.
Any other first hand stuff
Good positive stuff would be great ..... 
Everyone talking about it but not too much positive stuff being said apart from the 'would love a job with you' guy's.
Any one have any unemotional good clarification on the following hard stand gossip !!
1 This is a 'Capt Green dream' and the investors have pretty much taken his word over the reality of costs etc in running an airline.
2 Where are the other two aircraft coming from ? Romour has it they are wet leased from another operator .......
3 Which brings me to my other Question...... How many crews do they have and how is covering there salary's in any way going to be profitable ?
One thing I have heard that makes me worried is the ex Nationwide employees have nothing good to say about Mr Green, and that has been first hand.
Any other first hand stuff
Good positive stuff would be great .....
Last edited by sticktime; 11th Apr 2011 at 09:14.
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With the CAA monitoring Velvet operations very closely during the startup phase they had little choice in having to change aircraft and crews.
They have appointed quite a few crews who are now getting paid and not flying yet or very little, crew are not going to sit around and wait without getting paid!
Unless P. Green has been flying and instructing on a 767 somewhere else after Nationwide went bust it is a very stupid and blatant lie to put something like that in a website where many people that actually know you will read said website!
They have appointed quite a few crews who are now getting paid and not flying yet or very little, crew are not going to sit around and wait without getting paid!
Unless P. Green has been flying and instructing on a 767 somewhere else after Nationwide went bust it is a very stupid and blatant lie to put something like that in a website where many people that actually know you will read said website!
maybe a better job ??
