South Africa’s newest airline, and lowest cost operator, Velvet Sky, started flying earlier this week between Johannesburg and Cape Town, and Johannesburg and Durban, reports Southern African Tourism Update. Currently there is a daily flight between Cape Town and Johannesburg, at the cost of R802 return, and 12 flights per week between Johannesburg and Durban, at the cost of R402 return. 

The new airline’s pay-off line, in its refreshing and funky advertising, is “Love every moment”, something the passengers of other low-cost airlines no longer seem to do, judging by the tweets one reads on Twitter.

The new airline belongs to Macdonald Holdings, an industrial company which has operated for more than 40 years.   Velvet Sky Chairman Cecil Reddy says: “Having spent the last two years assessing all trends and demands of the airline industry, we are extremely eager to enter this market and believe that now is, without doubt, the perfect time to do so”.

Planes have been leased from Aergo, and are Boeing 737-300’s.   Customers can pre-order in-flight snacks and drinks at R30, bookable online or at the check-in desks at the airports.

First Car Rental has been signed up by Velvet Sky, and the airline is looking at linking up with other partners to offer passengers “amazing package deals when planning their travel experiences with us”, Reddy added.

Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com  Twitter: @WhaleCottage