View Full Version : W. African airline heads for SA
Wednesday, March 02, 2005
W. African airline heads for SA
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BELLVIEW, a private Sierra Leone airline, has announced it intends to
start services to South Africa later this month once it has received
authorisation.
The airline will fly on the South Africa - Freetown route on Tuesdays,
Thursdays and Saturdays operating a B767 aircraft.
Kehinde Ogunyale, Bellview's country manager for South Africa, told
TNN that the airline has been considering the South African route for quite
some time. "Now that the hostilities are ending in Liberia and Sierra Leone,
we expect the economies to open up and we feel a route between Johannesburg
and Sierra Leone will be profitable," said Ogunyale.
Bellview has alliances with over 32 airlines and Ogunyale said that it
has been in preliminary talks with SAA. "We have talked to SAA about
possibilities of interline flights, which we believe will take place. For
the future, we hope codeshare flights will be possible," he said.
(Dorine Berger) www.travelinfo.co.za
I think you shall find that Bellview is basically a Nigerian carrier. I assume they are using the SL connection as a flag of convenience.
It should be interesting to see how this one plays out.
Does anyone know the routing of such flight? I would hope to see this flight stop in Lagos on its way to Johannesburg as it would surely lift a lot of passengers deprived of capacity due to the Nigerian government's hold on extra frequencies to SAA.
I also wonder about what happened to those plans to form a new airline in SL with South African backing? There was talk of a 1 767 and 2 DC9s of some sort??
I.R.PIRATE
2nd Mar 2005, 08:44
Great....thats all we need, just another vessel to transport "so called" refugees in SA. Stay out, we dont need more nigerian and west african rubbish
I am not familiar with social problems in South Africa caused by locals or aliens... But consider this: There are MANY South African companies operating and investing in Nigeria and elsewhere in the ECOWAS Region.
Just to mention a few companies: MTN, Broll, Protea, South Sun, etc. All of this made possible by th NEPAD initiative, which I doubt you are aware of. SA derives huge profits from its Nigerian trade.
I am sure that executives at these companies would highly appreciate competitively-priced air services between Nigeria and South Africa provided by the "rubbish" airlines you most arrogantly refered to.
Rani
Why bother responding to such trash.
Back to the subject at hand, a mutual friend of ours on this thread is with bellview, he should be able to give us the scoop.
D**** where waiting?
Gunship
2nd Mar 2005, 16:22
I just always ask this question.
Why will an Airline fly a route if their competitors (SAA) do not get their aircraft even at 50% capacity ?
Just asking. :E
PS: The Sierra Leone part is incorrect and yes the city (of Freetown) is at standstill due to strikes ;)
AlternativeProcedure
2nd Mar 2005, 17:35
Great....thats all we need, just another vessel to transport "so called" refugees in SA. Stay out, we dont need more nigerian and west african rubbish
Its just this kind of mentality that kept South Africa oppressed for so long. I.R.PIRATE dont hate, Appreciate!!!.
AP
P.S Get a life, and possibly a job
I.R.PIRATE
2nd Mar 2005, 18:44
When I first read the last three or so posts, I was upset, until i noticed where you guys are from. Not upset anymore...I understand your ignorance:ok:
clipboard
2nd Mar 2005, 19:49
;) ALFRED KAMARA...... Are you involved here bro?:confused:
Alfred Kamara
2nd Mar 2005, 20:58
nagatorri on that one clipboard
alf is small fry in the big guns world
i agree with uncle guns where will they get the pax from ?
ir you pirate i take exception 2 your post. we are not all houtkops boet !!
I agree, they would not be able to break even with three direct flights FNA-JNB, however, if they route FNA-LOS-JNB, they may witness a success.
Gunship
3rd Mar 2005, 06:23
SAA Pilot on Jhb - ACC - Jhb route (incl pick up 's in Abidjan and Lagos ? I can not remember when last we where at half full
From Mrs Gunss (last night on the flight )
103 Total
14 Crew
54 picked up in ACC
I hear SAA's flights to Lagos are often overbooked and infact, SAA has been pressing for much needed frequencies. Anyone confirms?
During the high season, I know springbok flies out of los with a full load. Almost impossible to get a seat. Bellview might give them some competition if the pricing is right and reliability issues are sorted out.
Will they carry a full load initially? maybe not. But if the right things are done, they might have a chance.
I don't believe the goal is the freetown market, more like the lagos market.
Right now they fly a flag of convenience on the west coast ops.
Just my thots
Gunship
4th Mar 2005, 11:47
From Freetown they will get 5-10 Saffers per flight on average.
Locals - very little goes to SA - the Uk is the target :E Except of cours Alf ..
We used to get them on Astraeus to London and then they take the Nationwide flight from Gatwick.
Some still do but I get them more often in ACC as they fly on Slok / Bellview now and down to SA on SAA (airmiles they say ..) ;)
My thots ;)