National carrier SAA’s decision to cut domestic routes has opened up opportunities for the low-cost-carrier sector, according to FlySafair Head of Sales and Distribution, Kirby Gordon.
He told Tourism Update that it was too early at this stage to make any strong assertions. “We’ve yet to hear the final business rescue plans and these flight reductions are likely to be only step one of a much longer process.”
Gordon acknowledged that FlySafair was weighing its options. “As much as much as market dominance would be ideal, FlySafair would, however, not wish to have monopoly of the market as we believe competition in any market is healthy.”
It may seem like a contradiction for FlySafair to say it welcomed competition, he said, highlighting that the aviation sector was such a small market in terms of the number of players.
”In order for us to maintain economies of scale, we need healthy participants in the market,” he added, pointing out that the airline would not want to see travellers losing confidence in the aviation sector as a whole. “That's not good for any of us."
He said FlySafair’s flights had always been available as point-to-point additions to any inbound itinerary, with the airline having “great interline agreements in place” with Air France, KLM and Condor, adding that the airline’s codeshare agreement with Hahn Air also facilitated some interlining.
“There are several more such arrangements that will be announced in the next quarter which we are very excited about,” said Gordon.
