Kulula Operations

[T Hairy Henry]

Comments please!!

Kulula has 3 737-400's but what is the seating configuration?

Looking at their schedule, the three aircraft can do the flying for all routes except the JNB - PE routes. These two flights just don't seem to fit into the flying lines of any of the three 400's.
:confused:

If I'm correct, does this mean that Comair are flying these routes?

Finally. The turn around times for Kulula average around 39 minutes. This would make it similar to a regular airline. I work out, if they can get that turn down to 20 minutes (South West, Ryanair and easyJet all perform this), they could get in another 3 hours 25 minutes of utilisation.

What are the chances of ground handlers in SA being able to delivery 20 minute turns? Can you refuel with pax onboard?

More flying = more revenue = cheaper fares.:ok:

What do you think?

[Gunship]

T Hairy .

Mate all I know is that South Africa can be 90% of the timefaster than anywhere in Europe I have travelled that past week.

We in South Africa do not have to always be ashmed of ourselves - that is bullsh!t !

I have seen ground handlers taking 45 minutes to refuel a 747 at Skiphol. I saw bagage being thrown around ... agghhh anyway .. yes SA DO refuel with pax inside (so did SN Brussels and KLM) - a clear cabin announcement : All mobilkes off - everyone sits and lapstraps un fastened.

re Kulula - seen them operating and flown with them - professional (if not more) than anyone I have flown in the World !

Cheers from PAXGunsss ;)

[REAL ORCA]

T H Henry

If you think you can off-load 164 pax, load four tons of fuel and then re-load another 164 holiday makers (most of whom you have to collect from the pub), all in twenty minutes- you are dreaming boet!

Kulula does the PE route in a 732.

[T Hairy Henry]

REAL ORCA,

What do you mean I'm dreaming. We do it every day. We are now working towards 15!

But if you're run by a traditional airline, how can you be considered low cost. You need to speed up those turn times. The longer that aircraft stays on the ground the less money you make!!

Ryanair do it on 189 seater 737-800's in 20 mins!

[George Tower]

THH

Why are you picking on Kulula and Comair. They are both success stories when aviation as a whole has been having a bad time.

Quote:"But if you're run by a traditional airline, how can you be considered low cost."

Ever heard of an airline called GO?


Quote: "The longer that aircraft stays on the ground the less money you make!!"

That's just a tad simplistic. For a start that statement relies on the fact that there is enough pax available to fly with loads sufficient to realise a profit. Just because you turn around in 20 mins for sake of it won't alone guarantee increased profitability. Apart from whether or not the market justifies increasing the speed of turn around times, SA doesn't really have the infrastructure except at FAJS with the new domestic terminal to make this conceivable.

Finally can you give us some proven stats with source to back up the fact that Ryanair achieve these turn arounds. From searching the web anecdotal evidence suggests it's less than 40%.

[T Hairy Henry]

Relax Boy George, I'm not picking on anyone. I just think Kulula would be an even bigger success if it's hand weren't tied by Comair. Imagine 8-10 low-cost flights a day between JNB & CPT, the other airline would crap themselves! But it can't happen because Comair won't allow it.

Oh and I'm sorry, did you say successful business:
South African carrier Comair has warned its results for the 12 months ending 30 June 2003 will be lower than the previous year’s following a tough fourth quarter.

ATI News

Go became profitable after they were sold to 3i, not while they were part of BA.

As for the twenty minutes turns. You'll just have to trust me on this one. It's not about new all singing and all dancing terminals! It's about simple infrastructure that allows you to preboard pax, walk them out to the A/C and board using both sets of steps. You don't need airbridges that take 5 minutes to get in place and cost ridiculous amounts of money. Less is more. The less you pay for airport facilities the less the pax pay. It's simple, you pay for what you use. Most pax don't give two hoots if the floors are made of marble. They just want to get from A to Cape Town. It like taking a bus!

Let's get one thing straight, I think that Kulula is a great product that will only get bigger. The only question that I can't answer, is how big they will be allowed to get?

[BAe 146-100]

Hi,

So the JNB-PLZ route is operated by the BA Comair 737-200's?

BAe 146-100

[T Hairy Henry]

It must be part of a seperate Comair flying line!

[Mike Blackburn]

What happened to the 727s that Kulula used to fly? I have not been in-country for a while, but I was sure that they were using the 727s.

BTW, I have never seen a sub 20 minute turnaround on Ryanair, but that is only anecdotal evidence (of mine) and is entirely open to being shot down.....

[goblin]

TH Henry

I would think that your quote regarding the 4th quarter includes Kulula's results.

Hi R Orca

Are some of the -200's now also painted green, and if so, which ones? Are the basics still in BA colours?

Regards to all

Goblin

[George Tower]

THH

As for Comair's results I notice your article did not say that they are about to announce a loss. When operating in a difficult economic environment any profit is good news. Look at the losses sustained all over the world by many big names.

Like you I believe that in Kulula Comair have found a winning formula. I don't quite see why though you are fearful about the lack of opportunity you think Kulula will have whilst it is in Comair ownership. Surely as a business if you have an asset you seek to develop that which is what has happened in the last two years or so that Kulula has operated. They started with one 727 doing FAJS-FACT and have since added so they serve FADN and FAPE as well upgrading their fleet.

I know that this has been discussed before previously, but if BA/Comair lose passengers to Kulula they're not really losing them are they. There are some people who will always want the full service BA brand. Many people are leisure travellers so they will take the best deal around and so these people migrate from other airlines, other customers will be people who don't normally fly or vary rarely fly.

[REAL ORCA]

Hi goblin, hope you are well!

They have one white 732 that is used for flights/stand-by's by both BA and Kulula. Seem to work well. Probably could not get enough of that:yuk: green paint to paint it.:p

Keep well.

P.S The 727's are still parked on the other side of the runway.