Aviation

FlySafair blazes trail with new aviation innovation

FlySafair blazes trail with new aviation innovation

Johannesburg, 1 April 2018. South African low-cost carrier, FlySafair, has today unveiled a new innovation that is sure to take global aviation by storm. FlySafair has been widely commended for having changed the South African domestic aviation industry for the better.

Since launching in October 2014, the airline has managed to reduce fares on some routes by as much as 32% and has been rated the most on-time airline in the world for two consecutive seasons by international aviation data company, OAG.

The airline has also been recognised as a true innovator, having been the first to launch a fully-responsive website to optimise the mobile sales experience, as well as the first in South Africa to accept credit card payments for catering purchases during flight. But FlySafair clearly isn’t done yet.

“This latest innovation is very exciting to us, because it not only helps us to provide better service for our customers, but it also puts a truly South African mark on the face of global aviation,” says Kirby Gordon, Head of Silliness and Distraction at FlySafair.

“Keeping our costs as low as possible has always been a key focus for us and this solution was right in front of us all along. Like literally right in front of us – attached to the Fortuner on the R24 heading to the airport,” says Gordon.

In a bid to reduce weight on board from luggage, the airline has partnered with aviation engineering company, VentertjieVlieg, to develop an aircraft trailer that can be hitched to Boeing 737 aircraft. Inspired by the iconic South African Venter Trailer and complete with wings and a vertical stabiliser, the trailer allows for luggage to be removed from the aircraft hold and placed in the trailer, effectively reducing the load on the aircraft.

Aviation

No More Jet Airways. Supreme Court Says “No Choice”, Orders Liquidation

Jet Airways was once one of India’s leading airlines, known for its service and extensive network. Founded in 1993, it served millions of passengers, connecting cities across India and international destinations.

However, since grounding its flights in April 2019, Jet Airways has struggled to navigate financial turbulence, leading to years of efforts to revive the airline and return it to the skies.

On Thursday, the Supreme Court ordered the liquidation of Jet Airways, citing “no choice” but to take this decisive step after the resolution plan failed to meet creditor obligations. The court invoked its extraordinary powers under Article 142, which allows it to make orders for “complete justice” in any case, overriding previous tribunal rulings.

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The Jalan-Kalrock Consortium (JKC), which had won the bid to revive Jet, faced criticism for not fulfilling payment commitments to creditors, which included major banks like the State Bank of India and Punjab National Bank.

The Supreme Court’s ruling pointed to “peculiar and alarming” issues surrounding the resolution plan’s implementation, leading to its conclusion that liquidation was the only feasible outcome.

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Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, alongside Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, emphasized that while liquidation should be a last resort, it was necessary as the resolution plan was “no longer capable of implementation.”

In line with this decision, the court ordered that the ₹200 crore already infused by JKC be forfeited and directed the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) in Mumbai to appoint a liquidator to oversee the process.

JKC, a partnership between Murari Jalan, a UAE-based Indian entrepreneur, and Florian Fritsch, a Jet shareholder through Kalrock Capital Partners Limited, had taken ownership of Jet Airways two years after it was grounded. The consortium’s inability to fulfill its financial obligations has now led to this final verdict, marking the end of an era for Jet Airways in India.