MN CAW Frequent-flyer program Executive Club | CAW COMAIR Revenue 6.28 billion ZAR (2014) | |
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Founded 1943 (as Commercial Air Services) Hubs OR Tambo International Airport CEO Mr. Erik Rudolf Venter (1 Dec 2011–) Stock price COM (JSE) 575.00 ZAC 0.00 (0.00%)8 Mar, 5:00 PM GMT+2 - Disclaimer | ||
Comair Limited is an airline based in South Africa that operates scheduled services on domestic routes as a British Airways franchisee (and an affiliate member of the Oneworld airline alliance). It also operates as a low-cost carrier under its own kulula.com brand. Its main base is OR Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg, and has focus cities at Cape Town International Airport and King Shaka International Airport. Its headquarters are near OR Tambo in the Bonaero Park area of Kempton Park, Ekurhuleni, Gauteng.
Contents
History
Comair General Aviation Holdings was formed by the Novick and Moritz families on the 17 December 1943 as Commercial Air Services. The company began charter operations on 15 June 1946 using Fairchild F-24/UC-61K Argus Mk III aircraft. Scheduled services between Rand Airport, Johannesburg and Durban began on 1 July 1948, using a Cessna 195.
In 1978, Donald (Dave) Novick negotiated a management buyout of Comair's aviation assets. A lengthy legal battle ensued between Novick and the Pickard Group. On 5 June 1978, Justice George Colman rendered a 291-page document in favour of Novick. In doing so, Colman established twelve precedents in South African corporate law; the litigation is now considered to be a landmark case.
When Novick joined Comair in 1961, the company had some 50 employees and operated two Douglas DC-3 aircraft. Under his direction, the company expanded its fleet into jet aircraft after the de-regulation of South African airline routes in 1991, and today} Comair operates 24 Boeing 737 aircraft with almost 2 000 staff.
Novick pioneered a strong relationship with British Airways plc and a partnership through a franchise arrangement. British Airways later took a shareholding in Comair.
In 2001 kulula.com was established, by co-founders Gidon Novick and Erik Venter, as the first low-cost airline in South Africa. The airline has maintained its lead in this segment of the market, serving leisure business customers. In March 2014, Comair announced a R9bn order for eight Boeing 737 MAX 8s. The aircraft are due to be delivered from 2019 to 2022.
As part of a R3.5-billion investment in fleet upgrade, Comair ordered eight Boeing 737-800s to update its fleet in 2013.
The government of the British Overseas Territories Saint Helena and the United Kingdom's Department for International Development (DFID) announced in March 2015 that it had reached agreement with Comair for the provision of weekly air services from Johannesburg, to commence in 2016, when the Atlantic island's airport opens for revenue service.
In August 2016, Imperial Air Cargo, a cargo airline in which Comair owns 30%, started operations.
Corporate affairs
The key trends for the Comair group (which includes activities under the British Airways and kulula.com brands) are shown below, as at years ending 30 June:
Destinations
Comair offer flights to and from the following destinations, operating under the British Airways brand:
Codeshare agreements
Comair codeshares with the following airlines:
Fleet
The Comair fleet includes the following aircraft operated as British Airways franchise as of December 2016: