Air Daytona Tourist Airlines seeks investment

Botswana's Air Daytona Tourist Airlines founder and sole shareholder, Moses Botipeng, has confirmed the prospective scheduled passenger carrier is in the process of beginning its certification drive with the Botswana Ministry of Transport, reports ch-aviation.
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Botipeng said Air Daytona Tourist Airlines has applied for an Air Service License (ASL) and has also submitted papers for an AOC. If certified, it will operate as a low-fare passenger carrier using the brand name "Ontime Airlines.bw".

According to an investors prospectus, the start-up was authorised by the Civil Aviation Authority of Botswana (CAAB) to operate as a domestic scheduled passenger carrier in July 2013. At present, the local Botswana market is dominated by the state-owned Air Botswana with the regional niche coming up against the likes of Airlink and South African Express.

In terms of finances, the start-up is looking to raise BWP260.15 million pula (USD25.5 million) for the purchase of four ATR72-500s to be used in connecting Gaborone with Maun, Francistown, and Kasane locally and Johannesburg O.R. Tambo internationally. For thinner domestic routes, the DHC-6-400 is being looked at while the ERJ-145 is under consideration for longer regional services such as Cape Town, Durban King Shaka, Harare Int'l, Windhoek Int'l, and Lusaka. It has even attempted to lease/purchase two A320-200s.

"The amount is needed to start-up the airline,"said Botipeng. "The money will be allocated to take care of all the requirements, BWP180 million (USD17.6 million) goes into the backbone of the airline which is the purchase of the four ATR72-500 all-leather-interior aircraft; BWP80.15 million (USD7.9 million) for working capital and miscellaneous expenses."