African (Disa)Star ... on again??

[The Guvnor]

I have received an email from African Star (Prop: J B K Kirama, aka lots of names) attaching their schedule commencing March 25 2001.

In summary, they are planning ops from JNB to LGW Tue/Thu/Sun dep JNB 0900 arr 1915; returning 2130 arr 0815; JNB to MUC Tue/Thu/Fri/Sun dep JNB 1815 arr 0415; returning 1930 arr 0530; daily services JNB-CPT-JNB (although they are also offering departures from CPT to the various European destinations at times that vary from the CPT-JNB flights (eg the connection for LGW departs at 0545 and arrives JNB at 0730)); and flights between MUC and MAN Tue/Fri/Sun dep 0515/arr 0730 and returning same day 1615/arr 1815.

All times UTC.

Dunno how they think they can get traffic rights between two European points - MUC-MAN-MUC!

They'd also need at least three B747-300s to operate these services - anyone know anything about this? I hear that the SQ ones they were originally buying have been bought for conversion to freighters.

SA contact details are given as:

AFRICAN STAR AIRWAYS (Head Office) Sanlam Arena ,Block 1, 1st Floor
28 Baker Street, Rosebank, 2131
P.O Box 783465, Sandton 2146
SOUTH AFRICA
T +27 (0) 11-447 4543 / 447 0941
F +27 (0) 11- 4478283 / 880 3085

(AIRPORT)
JOHANNESBURG INT'L AIRPORT, Terminal 6
T + 27 (0) 11 9216911 / 390 1818
F + 27 (0) 11 390 1483

E-mail: [email protected]
URL: www.aficanstarairways.co.za (http://www.africanstarairways.co.za)

[They didn't even put their correct URL! The clickthrough does work now though...]

[This message has been edited by The Guvnor (edited 29 December 2000).]

[CargoRat2]

Guv,
I can't help wondering about this. Hydro Cargo are also flying JNB-MUC-MAN and back; is this the same crowd?
Our MUC staff advised me of having seen this ex LY piece of **** on the ramp.

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

[The Guvnor]

Dunno - I haven't been able to find out anything about them. I suspect that it's either the former Royal Air Cargo or North Atlantic Air people - though it could also be Morgan Air Services reborn!

Does anyone in SA know anything?

[Airways Ed]

African Star can still source 747-300s from Singapore's eight, of which (I think) only two were trade-ins to Boeing for -400Fs.

[CargoRat2]

Trade-ins for -Fs? There is no such thing as a "free" -F slot on the production line right now...
May well be an xxld pax slot; I know one of our pure -Fs was originally an Air India pax -400 slot - 1997 I think.

Edit for Guv: ex 4X-AXD Hydro
------------------
rgds Rat

[This message has been edited by CargoRat2 (edited 30 December 2000).]

[Goldfish Jack]

The Guvnor

http://www.pprune.org/ubb/NonCGI/confused.gif We have heard so many stores about this airline starting up, that we have almost given up about it. When, and indeed if, they start up I cannot see them attracting the regular travellers. They are going to have to compete against some very established carriers. And the route is reasonably cut-throat at the moment, with some bargain fares being found.

The SA public is constantly having to put up with airlines that come and go, that they are really going to have to do their home-work for the airline to be a success. One thinks of Flitestar, Pheonix, Avia, Alliance, etc - the list just goes on. Remember how many people were stranded in the UK when Avia failed? They had to fork out their own money to get back home.

I know that I will not fly with them until they have been around for a year or two - one wants to see their track record first. What happens is one of the aircraft goes AOG? Will they have back-ups avbl, or will they carry on like Easy-Jet are doing at the moment?

Whilst Manchester might be OK for the northern part of the UK, most SA people want to go to London. Day flights might be ok for getting slots in the UK, however business people want to travel overnight, so they do not waste any (working) time. A day over Africa is a day wasted.

Whilst I wish them the best of luck, they are going to have a credibility problem when they start, as they have already exceeded their original starting date ( how many times??)

To all readers - all the best for the new Year and many happy and safe hours flying.

[The Guvnor]

Airways Ed - I heard that Dragon Air (HK) had taken some of the SQ -300s for freighter conversion at TAECO.

Cargo Rat2 - thanks for that. Still trying to establish exactly who is behind things at Hydro!

[Who?]

Why the interest in the goings on of these chaps Guv? As you have also shown yourself to be a promoter of non-existent airlines, why the anger towards JBK. Remember though, he at least has had aircraft in his airlines colours (even ones you later claimed were yours).

[Airways Ed]

Re the Singapore 747-300s.

The two originally painted up for African Star went to P&W and they are now leased to Air Atlanta Icelandic.

Correct Guv, Dragonair picked up the two Combis for freighter conversion.

If two are going to Boeing as trades, that leaves two for ASA.

[The Guvnor]

From what I understand of Hydro Air, it's owned by a doctor that also owns the Rustenberg Hydro in Stellenbosch - hence the name. Graham Smith, former Chief Pilot-747 fleet of SAA, Air Mauritius, Air Namibia and formerly one of the original ops team at SAX - and a very highly respected individual - is the Flight Ops Director.

I hear that the SA CAA has grounded their aircraft due to lack of STC on various military mods on the ex El Al aircraft that were not removed prior to delivery. Can anyone shed any light on this?

The latest on ASA:

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size="2">African Star Wings Its Way To Europe

Business Day (Johannesburg)
December 27, 2000

By Kgamanyane Maphologela
Johannesburg


Independent airline African Star Airways says it is poised to begin scheduled flights between South Africa, Britain and Germany early
next year, taking on rival airlines head-to-head for the lucrative European air travel business.

CEO Joseph Kirama said African Star had obtained clearance from the civil aviation department to operate daily passenger and cargo
services from Johannesburg to London, Munich and Manchester.

The precise date of the inaugural flight has not been fixed, but Kirama said it would be towards the end of the first quarter next year.
Reservations would be open worldwide from the beginning of next year.

"We are totally confident of long-term success," Kirama said. "Our sales agents in Europe tell us they have received many solid
inquiries already about the new service.

"We know we will be taking on established airlines such as SA Airways, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and Lufthansa, but I have no
doubt we will be able to meet the challenge."

African Star chairman Gabriel Mokgoko said "very substantial capital injections from investorshareholders" had helped create a new
SA-owned airline "which we believe will achieve international standing".

The take-off will come more than two years after African Star was conditionally licensed to fly the routes. Since then, Mokgoko and
others have held continuing talks with the department and the Civil Aviation Authority on details of the operator's licence, and on the
lodging of passenger protection guarantees for passengers in the event of financial losses caused by cancellation or curtailment of
flights.

Industry analysts suggested last year the airline would not take off due to funding problems, a highly competitive environment and
high start-up costs.

It plans to fly three times a week to London's Gatwick, and four times a week to Munich on a stopover to Manchester, using Boeing
747- 300s obtained from Singapore Airlines.

The airline says it is in talks to add other aircraft and destinations at a later date, including regional capitals in southern and central
Africa.

"We had hoped to get into the air earlier than this, but were delayed by a number of unavoidable factors," Mokgoko said. "Also,
perhaps, we underestimated the sheer scale and complexity of the empowerment enterprise we committed ourselves to. But we are
on the way now."

Kirama said African Star was recruiting staff locally "to the fullest extent possible", including internationally experienced cockpit crew,
cabin staff, operations personnel, ground staff and passenger- service staff. </font>

[Macaw]

Hydro Chairman is Frik Knoetze - ex SAAF.
Hydro Holdings was an already established company invovlved in non avaiation related business when they emabarked on the freight to Europe exercise. Flowers and fish to Europe and car parts back. They don't yet have clearance for the MUC part of the operation.
They don't have any connection to the Star thing at all.
So far business is going well for them and they will probably purchase two more 747's this year and sell the ex El Al one.