Comair (South Africa)

This article is about the airline that is based in South Africa. For the airline based in the United States, see Comair.
Comair
IATA ICAO Callsign
MN CAW COMAIR
Founded 1943 (as Commercial Air Services)
Hubs OR Tambo International Airport
Focus cities Cape Town International Airport
King Shaka International Airport
Frequent-flyer program Executive Club
Airport lounge Terraces Lounge
SLOW Lounge
Alliance Oneworld
Subsidiaries kulula.com
Fleet size 15
Destinations 11
Parent company Publicly traded (JSE: COM)
Headquarters Kempton Park, Ekurhuleni, Gauteng, South Africa
Key people CEO: Erik Venter
Revenue Increase ZAR 6.28billion (2014)[1]
Profit Increase ZAR 265million (2014)[1]
Website www.comair.co.za

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.[2]

It was founded by the Novick and Moritz families.

History

Comair General Aviation Holdings was formed 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.[3] Scheduled services between Rand Airport, Johannesburg and Durban began on 1 July 1948, using a Cessna 195.[4]

In 1978, Donald (Dave) Novick negotiated a management buyout of Comair's aviation assets.[5] 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. Comair has an internationally recognised safety record.

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.[6]

Comair Douglas DC-3 in 1973 at Skukuza.

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:

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Turnover (R m) 1,475 1,714 1,973 2,212 2,688 3,049 3,010 3,588 4,163 5,387 5,903 5,891
Profits before tax (EBT) (R m) −136 99 116 157 103 114 124 106 11 331 374 301
Number of employees 1,519 1,738 1,736 1,559 1,781 1,782 1,941 1,953 1,853 1,912 2,026 2,088
Number of aircraft (at year end) 19 22 24 23 23 23 25 24 24 27 26 25
Notes/sources [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18]

Destinations

Comair 737-400 ZS-OTF in British Airways livery

Comair offer flights to and from the following destinations, operating under the British Airways brand:[19]

Mauritius
Namibia
Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
South Africa
Zambia
Zimbabwe

Codeshare agreements

Logo used on British Airways aircraft operated by Comair.

Comair codeshares with the following airlines:[20]

Fleet

Comair 737-800 ZS-ZWG in British Airways livery

The Comair fleet included the following aircraft as of February 2016:[21]

Comair/British Airways Fleet
Aircraft Total Orders Passengers[22] Notes
C Y Total
Boeing 737-400 10 — 18 126 144
Boeing 737-800 5 2 24
–		 138
174		 162
174		 Orders due in 2016. Newest aircraft in all economy configuration[23]
Boeing 737 MAX 8 0 8[24] TBA Orders due from 2019 to 2022 [25]
Total 15 10

Fleet orders

As part of a R3.5-billion[26] investment in fleet upgrade, Comair ordered eight Boeing 737-800s to update its fleet.[27]

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.[25]

Imperial Air Cargo

Main article: Imperial Air Cargo

Imperial Air Cargo is a cargo airline which started operations on 1 August 2006. Comair owns 30% of it.

Incidents and accidents

See also

References

  1. 1 2 http://www.fin24.com/Companies/TravelAndLeisure/We-have-tricks-up-our-sleeves-Comair-CEO-20140911
  2. ↑ "Contact Us." Comair. Retrieved on 30 September 2009. "Comair Limited Physical address: Cnr Atlas Road and Marignane Drive Bonaero Park 1619 South Africa"
  3. ↑ Van Dyke, Capt Donald L (2008). Fortune Favours the Bold: An African Aviation Odyssey. Xlibris. pp. 52, 70. ISBN 978-1-4363-9314-0.
  4. ↑ Van Dyke, Capt Donald L (2008). Fortune Favours the Bold: An African Aviation Odyssey. Xlibris. p. 102. ISBN 978-1-4363-9314-0.
  5. ↑ Hahlo's South African Company Law Through the Cases: A Source Book : a Collection of Cases on Company Law, with Explanatory Notes and Comments.
  6. ↑ ""
  7. ↑ "Comair Limited Annual Report 2004" (PDF). 6 September 2004. Retrieved 19 September 2013.
  8. ↑ "Comair Limited Annual Report 2005" (PDF). 5 September 2005. Retrieved 19 September 2013.
  9. ↑ "Comair Limited Annual Report 2006" (PDF). 12 September 2006. Retrieved 19 September 2013.
  10. ↑ "Comair Limited Annual Report 2007" (PDF). 10 September 2007. Retrieved 19 September 2013.
  11. ↑ "Comair Limited Annual Report 2008" (PDF). 15 September 2008. Retrieved 18 September 2013.
  12. ↑ "Comair Limited Annual Report 2009" (PDF). 14 September 2009. Retrieved 18 September 2013.
  13. ↑ "Comair Limited Annual Report 2010" (PDF). 13 September 2010. Retrieved 17 September 2013.
  14. ↑ "Comair Limited Integrated Annual Report 2011" (PDF). 12 September 2011. Retrieved 17 September 2013.
  15. ↑ "Comair Limited Integrated Annual Report 2012" (PDF). 11 September 2012. Retrieved 17 September 2013.
  16. ↑ "Comair Limited Annual Report 2013" (PDF).
  17. ↑ "Comair Limited Annual Report 2014" (PDF).
  18. ↑ "Comair Limited Annual Report 2015" (PDF).
  19. ↑ http://www.kulula.com/flights/routes-and-schedules/routes
  20. ↑ "Profile on Comair (South Africa)". CAPA. Centre for Aviation. Archived from the original on 2016-10-29. Retrieved 2016-10-29.
  21. ↑ http://www.planespotters.net/Airline/Comair
  22. ↑ http://avcom.co.za/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=56880 Comair Aircraft configurations
  23. ↑ https://www.planespotters.net/airframe/Boeing/737/40972/ZS-ZWG-Comair
  24. ↑ http://boeing.mediaroom.com/2014-03-19-Boeing-and-South-Africas-Comair-Limited-Announce-Order-for-Eight-737-MAXs
  25. 1 2 http://www.news24.com/Travel/Flights/Does-Comair-have-eyes-on-Africa-expansion-20140319
  26. ↑ http://www.comair.co.za/media-room/media-statements/british-airways-operated-by-comair-celebrates-first-of-its-new-fleet
  27. ↑ http://www.aviationcentral.co.za/airlines/190
  28. ↑ "C/N 19484". The Dakota Association of South Africa. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
  29. ↑ "ZS-EJK Accident report". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
  30. ↑ "Accident Synopsis » 03011988," Airdisaster.com
  31. ↑ Comair Flight 206 accident

Further reading

Media related to Comair Limited at Wikimedia Commons

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