Rock-bottom fares on the popular Johannesburg-Cape Town and Johannesburg-Durban routes is where South Africa’s newest low-cost carrier plans to make its mark.
Velvet Sky is the newest addition to the Macdonald Holdings stable, a South African-owned steel and engineering group founded in 1970. “Having spent the last two years assessing the trends and demands of the airline industry, we are extremely eager to enter this market and believe that now is, without doubt, the perfect time to do so,” says Cecil Reddy, Chairman of Velvet Sky.
Having launched on March 22, Velvet Sky will initially operate between Durban, Johannesburg and Cape Town, using Boeing 737s that have been sourced from international aircraft leasing company, Aergo.
The aircraft operated by the airline are said to be “in-line” with the average age of aircraft used by competitors, operating both local and international flights. “In fact aircraft older than ours are used daily on long international flights and also form the mainstay of the American domestic fleet,” said an airline representative.
In-flight service will consist of pre-ordered snack boxes and drinks, which are available online as part of the booking process and cost R30. Passengers can also book meals at the check-in desks at the terminals.
The airline also confirmed that it was at an advanced stage of discussions that would link it with retail partners that enhanced its service offering. It said it was also at an advanced stage of conferring with a leading national ticketing agent and had further intentions to tie in with an internationally acclaimed hotel and resort chain.
“In addition to partnering with a ticketing agent, we have formed alliances with low-cost industry leader First Car Rental. These and future partnerships will ensure that our passengers benefit from amazing package deals when planning their travel experiences with us,” says Reddy.
Initially the airline will be operating one daily flight between Johannesburg and Cape Town and 12 flights weekly between Johannesburg and Durban.
