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On Thursday morning (today), South Africa’s emerging airline Lift takes to the skies with its maiden flight between Joburg’s OR Tambo International Airport and Cape Town International Airport, Africa’s busiest domestic air route. .
The flight departs for Mother City at 6:30 am, with a separate flight departing Cape Town for Joburg around 6:50 am.
The Lift’s launch comes in a year that will be considered the worst yet in global aviation history, due to the devastating impact of Covid-19 on air travel. But Gidon Novick sees the launch as an opportunistic entry back into the airline business at the right time.
Novick is the former joint CEO of Comair and founder of Kulula.com. He then served as the CEO of Discovery Vitality and most recently founded the venture capital platform Lucid Ventures.
“I never really planned to go back to this industry, but when Covid-19 hit, I realized that this may be too good an opportunity to miss,” he told Moneyweb at OR Tambo on Wednesday, during a media event in the one showing livery and airline offer.
“The best opportunities often come when an industry is at low levels,” he added.
Novick teamed up with Jonathan Ayache, the former head of operations for sub-Saharan Africa at Uber, to co-found the country’s newest airline.
Lift, which will initially operate flights between Joburg and Cape Town, as well as Joburg and George, has an initial fleet of three Airbus A320 aircraft. While this plane was launched about 30 years ago, Novick said it is very efficient for short-haul domestic flights.
The airline has reached an agreement with Global Aviation Operations, which will effectively operate the flights.
Global Aviation, based in Joburg (listed as Global Airways), has been a provider of ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance and Insurance) charter flight services to airlines locally and internationally for some 20 years.
See: Lift Co-Founder Gidon Novick Speaks to Moneyweb
It should be noted that Global Aviation’s other local customers include companies such as Comair (owner of Kulula and operator of British Airways domestic flights in SA), FlySafair, Mango and the Department of the Interior.
Comair resumed flights on December 9 after a corporate rescue process, while FlySafair, Mango, Airlink and CemAir began flying from June following the relaxation of local Covid-19 travel restrictions.
Read: Mango, Flysafair, Airlink and CemAir to take flight on Level 3
State-owned South African Airways, which operated domestic, regional and international flights, remains grounded due to its ongoing financial and commercial rescue problems.
Competition
With Lift becoming the sixth airline group to operate scheduled flights in South Africa, Novick recognizes that the competition will be tough. However, he believes that Lift’s flexible and demand-driven offering will gain market share and the hearts of South Africans.
“Comair is now also online means that [are] there will be a lot of airline seats and the market will be overpriced for a while… But Lift is a market disruptor with its flexible and more customer-focused offering and innovative partnerships, ”said Novick.
“Lift has sold more than 30,000 seats since reservations opened in November, making it a great feat in today’s market and with concerns about a possible second wave of Covid-19 locally,” he added.
“Our flexible ticket offering allows customers to cancel or change flights without hassle or additional charges. [other than any difference in ticket prices] up to 24 hours before the flight. This is a customer need that we identify and that is especially important in these uncertain times ”, he added.
As part of its introductory offer, Lift has discounted travel for children 12 and under by 50% for a limited reservation and travel period.
Brand associations
The group has also partnered with South African fashion brands such as online retail giant Superbalist and coffee chain Vida e Caffè. Its crew is outfitted in Superbalist apparel, while travelers will be served complimentary coffee on board.
Novick said that in addition to supporting local brands and suppliers, Lift has created jobs for about 200 people within the new airline. This includes pilots and cabin crew, as well as ground and support personnel.
Thembi Matshinye, who landed a cabin crew position at Lift, said she was relieved to be working in the airline industry again.
“I have worked in the industry for about 20 years, including at Emirates,” he said. “Covid-19 has really devastated the airline industry around the world and many people have lost their jobs. It’s exciting for me to be back on the air and I really hope the industry recovers as soon as possible. ”
