No frills airline in SA?

[CargoRat2]

Anything on a Comair/BA no frills startup offering R400 oneway JNB-CPT?
Any infos appreciated.


------------------
rgds Rat

[Springbokkie]

Really? If you find our more info, let me know! :)

[Springbokkie]

http://www.kulula.com/ It goes up on Monday 9 July 2001.

[skyvan]

Is this the crowd who will be operating from Lanseria, something to do with Capricorn?

[Springbokkie]

No, Kulula is from Comair/BA. The ones operating from Lanseria is through Millionair and Capricorn. Slight difference!!!! ;) :rolleyes:

[The Guvnor]

Hmmm, so Comair have decided to take some old B737-200s and offer no frills service. What are they going to call it, Citijet? :D :D

At least that would be somewhat more understandable than Kulula! (Incidentally, their website doesn't even work yet...)

What's the Capricorn thing? Anything to do with EO? :D :wow:

[Springbokkie]

Kulula supposedly means "easy", hope they don't mean any of their staff... (just joking)... The Lanseria bunch is Air Acquarius and Millionair... not sure of everything there... Anyone know? ;)

[Dew Point]

2 X Dc-9s Lanseria-Cape Town-Lanseria, business class service only.

[Springbokkie]

really? when's the service up and running. and have they got a name for the company yet?

[Antman]

Got it wrong again GUV

The web site is up and running and they started taking bookings on monday. They are starting with a B727-200 configured for 175 economy only seating. You can book online direct with the company or through a travel agent.

Of the 6 727's operated by Comair 2 are owned by the airline, they're starting with one of these as the 727's are being phased out in favour of B737-400's. Comair crew's will operate Kulula on Comair callsigns.

First Flight 1 August 2001

[ 13 July 2001: Message edited by: Antman ]

[ 13 July 2001: Message edited by: Antman ]

[Whenwe]

SAA is now also joining the price war.
I understand that the airfares are a little more than the standard bus far to Cape Town. This might well create a whole new market?
Time will tell.

WW

[The Guvnor]

Antman - are you sure? I've tried it again just now and get:

Welcome to kulula.com
South Africa’s brand new no frills airline.

This exciting new airline will be available to the public as of Monday, 9 July 2001!

Watch this space.
http://www.kulula.com/Splash.asp

Incidentally, this sounds identical to the Lionair business plan that we worked on in 93/4 ... it called for B727-200s in an all-Y config, with fares of R599 return CPT-JNB and R299 return DBN-JNB.

[Who?]

Yeah, yeah Guvnor of course it was all your idea in the first place ... :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[joystic60]

Is "Capricorn" still alive...? Did they not timeout with the "EO" bunch? What is their assosiation with Millionair, does anyone know. It seems that Millionair sure is moving around. Are they also entering the "No Frills" market? :confused:

[Antman]

Guv it works when I try it ???????

I worked for your partner in crime (M-CAIR) when Lionair was supposed to happen never did, did it. These guys were running a profitable operation before you where in short pants so I think they know what they're doing, they'll make it work.

SAA jumps into the fray. Nice when the taxpayer picks up all the losses. The private airlines in this country should all be given tax refunds to the amount paid into SAA by Transnet to keep the field level. Nice to compete while you get your competitors tax money, has to be a winning formula.

[ 14 July 2001: Message edited by: Antman ]

[Springbokkie]

Apparently Millionair/AirAcquarius is doing business class only to FACT? Is there a market for Business class only ????

[4granted]

Million Air was recently purchased( +- 85%)by a company at Lanseria. This Co. also is linked to Airquarius. There are NO links to Capricorn or EO!! This Co. also purchased 1 or 2 (?) ex Sun Air DC9s.
Apparently offerd a compition for the public to come up with a name for the airline. The prize:A Lear flight valued at 50 000 ronds.
Happy to be of some assistance
hb4g
:cool:

[joubs]

4g, Sorry we missed each other when you were here. Next time. But you do seem to know a lot about the FALA CT opewration. Inside information ? Guess so. Bye the way, the lads that bought the DC 9's said to me the other day, "what the hell if there are 10 competitors, they got the planes for about the same cost as a Caravan, so they are not to stressed who comes to compete with them as their capital outlay was neglegable" Well at least in their terms that is !

Good luck for the next exams. No more Herre please hay !

PS how long before all this low cost bull stops and the normal prices return ? :D

[Springbokkie]

But surely the if the plane is not filled up all the time because they are having prices ar "Business class" the operating costs will exceed the income???

[Springbokkie]

Any news as to the new name or when this new "partnership" is to start up? And how many times a week this group would be doing their FAJS-FACT routing?

[SPRINGBOK]

HEY SPRINGBOKKIE THE RELEVANT INFO. AS PER YOUR POSTING : www.kulula.com (http://www.kulula.com) ! NOW MY QUESTION..........WHEN DOES V.B. TAKE THIS
OUTFIT TO THE COMPETITIONS BOARD? :D :D

[SPRINGBOK]

SO SPRINGBOKKIE , DID YOU GO TO THE WEB ADD?
INFO. ALL THERE ! NOW WHEN DOES V.B. GO TO COURT? LISTEN TO BIG BOET . :D :D :D :D :D

[Springbokkie]

I was meaning the Air Aquarius and Millionair partnership not the Kulula one... Any idea on that???

[sandstrond]

Airline from Lanseria is Sunjet. Airqaurius will operate service with DC-9 aircraft leased ACMI from Millionair. Capricorn / Ibis no longer exist. Got nothing to do with EO/Ibis/Capricorn. Bussiness class service only. Millionair will supposedly have interest in airline.

[sandstrond]

Comair apparently now flying empty from CPT since KULULA started. Weird, same aircraft, crew and company. Seems like they serious about killing the small birds, may even plug some feathers from their own big bird. Nice paintjob.

[Banoi]

Anyone know who the boss at Sunjet is?

[Springbokkie]

Why are the "Easy" people not filling up their planes back to JHB???? One would have thought it would be full for the first month at least????

[Antman]

Where do you guy's get your gen from.

Here's the inside track.

The flight's I did to CPT last night and back to JNB this morning averaged at a healthy 82% load factor with business class full both ways (That's where the real money is).

Checking the EASY figures for yesterday and today they had a healthy 94% load factor so there are the facts. Read them and weep!!!

[goblin]

Antman

Thanks for setting the record straight. I didn't think things wereas bad as mentioned earlier.

Cheers

[Pontius' Pilot]

"Thats where the real money is"

Thought BA (proper-not Comair BA)have realised that this is not where the money really is, much to their dismay!

[Antman]

Nice try Pontius'

I'm not taking the bait.

P.S. How did BA mainline get into this topic.

[Pontius' Pilot]

Antman there was no bait to be taken.

I was merely clarifying for readers unfamiliar to the SA Aviation Scene that BA and BA Comair are two different airlines.

The way BA got into the picture is purely by virue of the fact that for a few years BA has attempted to put emphasis on the business class traveller and to their dismay have openly admitted recently that their strategy was wrong - i.e. not paying enough attention to the economy class traveller resulting in a loss in revenue. They are presently trying to right their wrongs.

As for the initial comment that caught my attention "after all that is where the real money is" - if this was the case why doesn't Comair make a single class "Busines Class" flight between Cape Town and Johannesburg?

The reason is clearly - as always - their directors have their heads screwed on correctly. Economy class passenger bring in good revenue and can sustain good yields.

[Gunship]

Eischh the History Lesson's ... if you have time read through ... interesting reading ! :ok: