FlySafair, a domestic airline, has launched an enticing sale with a generous 30% discount on all domestic flights. This limited-time offer will be available until midnight on Wednesday, July 19. Customers can take advantage of the discounted fares by booking flights scheduled until March 30, 2024.
To ensure a fair and efficient booking process, FlySafair has implemented an online queuing system. Prospective travelers will have a 15-minute window to access the website and make their bookings.
This promotion follows FlySafair's successful sale earlier this year in April, where they offered 50,000 tickets for only R9. Since its inaugural scheduled domestic flight on October 16, 2014, FlySafair has experienced substantial growth and has become a prominent player in the domestic air travel sector.
Presently, the airline operates over 150 flights daily, connecting major cities within South Africa, as well as offering additional routes to Mauritius and Zanzibar. Their expansion efforts have been recognized by the International Air Services Council (IASC), which recently granted FlySafair three new routes for 2023: Windhoek, Zanzibar, and Harare.
As it stands, FlySafair holds an impressive 60% share of the domestic air travel market.
In early 2022, the liquidation of Comair, the parent company managing Kulula.com and serving as British Airways' domestic partner in South Africa, led to a significant 40% reduction in domestic airline capacity. As a result, ticket prices soared, prompting other airlines to swiftly increase their capacity to meet demand.
However, this trend is now undergoing a reversal. Jonathan Ayache, the CEO of competing airline Lift, has observed that the situation in South Africa has shifted, with an oversupply of seats and low demand, primarily driven by seasonal changes.
While lower ticket prices may benefit travelers, they have also raised concerns within the industry. Ayache emphasized the need for companies to grow responsibly, pointing out that dominant airlines are selling tickets below the cost of operating flights. He suggested that such practices should be investigated by the Competition Commission.