Page 29 - World Airnews Magazine August 2020

AIRLINES

A NEW SOUTH

AFRICAN AIRLINE

availability of all the key inputs into an airline, think that’s the opportunity for now. And

starting with aircraft facilities, and really frankly in a market like South Africa, I’m not

ow might be literally the worst high-quality people. Unfortunately, many sure if it justifies new aircraft, certainly for

Nti me to launch a new airline. people are really keen to get back into the some time to come.
Well, several businesses think not, includ- industry. So, I think when you put all of that “We’re only really interested in the bigger
ing Nolinor in Canada and Air Arabia in the together there’s a desire to create something narrowbodies and the 180 odd seater

Middle East. In South Africa, an entity is new, something fresh, something super-effi- aircraft. [I’m] not getting into deep aircraft

cient. And something that resonates with the
looking at starting one up, and given the market where the market is today … it’s a very discussion right now, but the kind of a 321

aviation brains behind the venture, it might unique situation that we find ourselves in.” size or [737]-900, that’s quite an interesting

aircraft but again, new, would be too expen-
turn out a wild success. On the subject of where the initial routes sive for us. But it lends itself well to that kind

Gidon Novick, former Comair CEO and of this new airline would be, Novik was clear. of a route. So yeah so that’s where we are.”
founder of Kulula.com, is a serial entrepre- He said his start-up was looking at one Will a low-cost airline work in South Africa?
neur. He is also founder of Lucid Ventures, route in particular. Pre-COVID, South Africa would have

and this week he gave an interview to

AviaDev Africa about his latest enterprise: “You can guess which route that is, that’s welcomed more low-cost competition with
a brand new low-cost airline based out of the Cape Town - Joburg.” open arms. But in a post-COVID world,
South Africa that he hopes to launch before Cape Town to Johannesburg is one of the when airlines are struggling with longer

turnaround times and higher costs due to
the end of the year. busiest airline routes in the world. In 2019, the deeper cleaning being required, does
Keeping tight-lipped on the name, Novick it was the 11th busiest in the world, and a low-cost airline really have a place in the

has insisted that it’s just what South African amassed South African Airways around (US) modern South African landscape?
$185m over the course of that year. With
aviation needs, and was keen to share

some juicy details about his future plans. just what shape the national carrier will be Novik thinks so.
in, in the future Novik’s start-up could be
“It’s the perfect opportunity for an airline onto something. He said, “The term ‘low-cost airlines’
with the right business model,” he said. I think it’s an outdated term, because if
He said, “We won’t be using new aircraft
“For many people around the world, it’s to start. We will be using used aircraft. I you’re in the short haul market globally and
you don’t have a low-cost basis, then you’re

been a time to reflect. It’s been a time to not going to be around. I don’t know how

reset … For many of us, we have been put un- you’re going to survive in whatever market
der pressure with COVID-19 in many respects, you operate. So, I think that term is going

and so efficiency is forefront in our minds. to wither away, and I think we have to be a

And on the flip side, there’s the opportunity low-cost airline otherwise we don’t have a

for creativity. This is the time where tradition- right to even play a part in the industry.”

al, normal ways of thinking don’t necessarily
solve the problems that we are faced with He said his airline will not be driven by

and those two things have really got my mind utilization rates and will strive to keep fixed
racing towards the opportunity that I see in costs low while minimizing debt. For once,
it sounds like a start-up airline that has
the airline industry,” he said. more than just legs, but also some serious
In many ways, Novik said that there aviation game behind its model. Q

couldn’t be a better time to start an airline.
He view the challenges presented by COVID

as opportunities for his start-up. Article courtesy :https://simpleflying.com/

“Obviously it’s opportunistic, in terms of the comair-ceo-new-airline/
World Airnews | August 2020
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