Page 8 - World Airnews Magazine January 2021 Intro

NEWS

WE HAVE LIFT OFF

By Heidi Gibson

successful South African operator with a world. We’d rather be a high-quality niche
decades long track record for safe and reli-

outh Africa’s newest airline is able operations and who are fully licensed player on a big route than a large network
player serving many routes. Having said

Scalled LIFT. It got its name from to operate scheduled services. The Lift that we will be opportunistic regarding

eight creative South Africans who partici- team supports Global on the commercial higher volume regional routes.

pated in the country’s largest-ever naming and customer services side and we believe

competition, where over 25,000 suggested that our shared “can do” philosophy will be WHAT HEALTH AND SAFETY

names were received. Apart from captur- beneficial to us as a business as well as the PROTOCOLS HAS LIFT PUT IN PLACE
flying public.

ing the marvel of the physics of flying, the TO DEAL WITH THE COVID-19
name encapsulates a view of the world WHAT IS THE ROLE OF YOUR CRISIS? ARE YOU DOING ANYTHING
DIFFERENTLY?

and beautiful country. PARTNER JONATHAN AYACHE? AND
Co-founder of LIFT - South Africa’s WHO ARE THE OTHER MEMBERS OF The SA government has put very compre-
newest airline Gidon Novick and Jonathan YOUR TEAM? WHAT WILL BE THEIR hensive protocols in place and have also

Ayache are behind this brave initiative. ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES? been quite pragmatic regarding travel

Novick confirmed three of Global’s seven Jonathan is driving the project. He is restrictions (just this week they have fully

A320-200s would be used for the oper- an incredible leader. His seven years at opened international travel into SA).

ation. Global has the necessary existing Uber have given him a deep understanding WHAT ROUTES WILL YOU FLY AND
scheduled domestic air services license, Air of optimising the customer experience and WHAT IS YOUR FLEET NUMBER AND

Operator’s Certificate (AOC), and Air Main- smartly using technology. He is supported AIRCRAFT TYPE?

tenance Organisation (AMO) registration by a superb team of industry veterans in all

in South Africa to carry out the operational the specialist airline areas (airports, revenue The operation will be an all Airbus A320

side of the venture. They spoke to World management, customer support etc). fleet. Global have a long history with these

Airnews editor Heidi Gibson. WHAT CHALLENGES HAVE YOU aircraft and have built a strong mainte-
nance and support infrastructure. The
WHY THE NAME LIFT? HAD TO FACE AND WHAT KIND OF aircraft is perfect for our initial primary

In a nutshell it’s all about optimism. Lift is a SOLUTIONS HAVE YOU HAD TO route - Joburg - Cape Town.

new kind of airline with a different and more COME MANY PEOPLE COULD NOT BELIEVE
flexible operating model which uses technolo- UP WITH? THAT YOUR COMPANY WOULD

gy to offer a world-class customer experience. Every day involves problem solving. Our DARE TO THINK SERIOUSLY

WHAT WILL MAKE LIFT DIFFERENT team are energetic, creative problem ABOUT LAUNCHING AN AIRLINE
solvers. We’ve achieved some good
FROM OTHER SA DOMESTIC milestones - there is a booking system up IN OUR CURRENT CLIMATE. WHAT
AIRLINES? HOW DOES IT DEFINE and running, we have a beautiful brand CONVINCED YOU THAT YOU COULD

ITSELF IN THE CURRENT MARKET? and most importantly we have a star team AND WOULD GO- AHEAD WITH IT?

The business model is fundamentally in place. Ironically, it feels like the best time. The

different. We are leveraging off surplus competitive environment has been reset.

capacity in the industry to create an WORLD AIRNEWS IS THE Input costs are low. Forecasting demand
efficient and flexible operating model with LONGEST SERVING- 48 YEARS will be our biggest challenge and that’s why

minimal fixed costs and no debt. - INTERNATIONAL AVIATION the flexible model is so critical.

We are building a customer obsessed MAGAZINE WITH A LARGE WHERE ARE YOU GETTING YOUR
culture where every decision will be made SECTOR OF OUR READERSHIP STAFF FROM?

starting with the customer’s needs. For ex- AND STAKEHOLDERS COMING There are thousands of high-quality
ample, we are introducing flexible air travel FROM AFRICA. DO YOU HAVE ANY industry personnel currently unemployed

where all fares will include free changes LONG- TERM OR MEDIUM-TERM or employed by airlines in business rescue.

and cancellation (to a credit). PLANS TO EXTEND THE AIRLINE’S Hopefully the industry will recover and once
ROUTES TO OTHER AFRICAN

WHAT IS YOUR BUSINESS MODEL? COUNTRIES? IF SO WHEN AND again provide opportunities for these people.

HOW DOES IT WORK WITH GLOBAL? WHICH COUNTRY? The Lift team have been very lucky to be able

LIFT is working with Global Airways The operation will initially focus on Joburg- to pick and choose and attract the

Operations (Pty) Ltd t/a Global Airways, a Cape Town, the 12th busiest route in the best talent. Q
World Airnews | January 2021
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