South Africa's newest low cost carrier FlySafair takes to the skies

Mark Mansfield reports from Johannesburg: South Africa's latest low cost airline, FlySafair, has taken to the skies, transporting its first passengers between Cape Town and Johannesburg, with its Boeing 737-400 aircraft.
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With regular fares as low as around $45 between Cape Town and Johannesburg, and $35 (inclusive of taxes) between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth as well Cape Town and George; FlySafair is expected to attract a healthy proportion of travellers.
The good news for the travelling public is that these fares are not opening specials or marketing deals to celebrate the start-up of FlySafair. They are the actual base rate fares which secure seats on a flight and allow for two pieces of free carry-on luggage that weigh no more than 7kg in total. Passengers have the further option to select additional extras such as pre-booked preferential seat selection, , extra-space seats, travel insurance and checked in luggage, which are charged for seperately on a menu-type basis. On-board catering is another option which passengers can choose to take advantage of.
“We’ve made a commitment that our fares will always be affordable, honest and transparent, offering passengers genuine value on each and every one of our flights from today onwards and making air travel more accessible to a greater proportion of the South African population,” says Dave Andrew, CEO of FlySafair.
“We’ve been working long and hard to be able to offer this model and it’s exciting to finally see the fruits of our labour take to the skies. Our claim to be South Africa’s first true low cost carrier will be borne out in the days and months ahead, as passengers recognise that they need only pay for the services they need.
“At the same time, all passengers will enjoy great quality of service based on Safair’s excellent almost 50-year track record of providing aircraft leasing, maintenance, special operations, international charters and training services.
“We also believe that by providing reasonably priced fares as a base offering, we will assist in driving industry prices down in general - which is yet another benefit to the flying public.”

 

To ensure its passengers enjoy both affordable flights and inexpensive car hire, FlySafair has partnered with First Car Rental, which has more than 6,000 vehicles in use in South Africa and 49 car rental branches, including offices, at all major South African airports, business and tourist destinations. The First Car Rental’s fleet ranges from basic models to top of the range luxury vehicles. 

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