After an hiatus of over 2 years and much action on the local front, here is an update on the Southern African scene.
In South Africa, FlySafair has rapidly risen to the dominant domestic position, now flying 37 Boeing 737 aircraft, and serving domestic and regional destinations. Boasting impressive ontime performance and pleasing customer service, this low-cost carrier receives many awards and accolades.
Airlink has also grown significantly since the end of the epidemic and now has an extensive regional network served with a large fleet of mainly Embraer aircraft. Airlink is a higher yield carrier with a profile more business focussed.
South African Airways, Lift, and Cemair make up the remainder of the South African domestic scheduled marketplace, which appears to be somewhat underserved at peak times in the main leisure markets.
Comair, SA Express, and Mango remain dormant. Comair are pursuing legal action against Boeing, and Mango are attempting resurrection but being blocked by government.
South African Airways is starting to operate the longest locally originated flights out of Johannesburg to Ghana and Nigeria and also to Buenos Aires, but otherwise foreign operators dominate longhaul in and out of South Africa.
Regionally, there are developing signs in various Southern African territories. Perhaps the most established is Proflight in Zambia, which has now started operating Boeing aircraft. Government backed Zambia Airways has also just started competing with them, with co-operation from Ethiopian. Ethiopian is also involved in Malawi, where they have a stake in the local carrier.
Air Botswana have stabilised, and are offering a reliable 3 aircraft operation, with jet service to Cape Town, Harare, and Lusaka. LAM Mozambique are absorbing Mozambique Express and have a co-op agreement with a consulting group to try and lift them to liquiditý/profitability. FlyNamibia are showing good growth on the base of the Westair Aviation group.
In Zimbabwe, FastJet seems to have re-appeared in a more local suit and is presenting a dynamic profile. They are capitalising on the failure of Air Zimbabwe to offer a viable service.
The underlying economic weakness of Africa remains a factor which is holding back development but there are encouraging signs, and certainly tourism is at least returning.
