PAK Africa Aviation, the
company planning to acquire
1time Holdings and possibly
launch a new carrier using
the 1time brand, hopes to
beat other new carriers in
launching domestic flights in
South Africa.
Late last year the company
announced plans to launch
local flights using the 1time
brand by March 2014,
following PAK Africa’s
acquisition of a stake in
Global Airways (see TNW
December 18/25, 2013).
Javed Malik, director of
Pak Africa Aviation, says
the company is still going
through the final audit
process of acquiring 1time
Holdings. He says the final
listing process is expected
to be finalised by June.
Javed says the target date
to launch flights between
Johannesburg and Cape
Town as well as between
Johannesburg and Harare
will be 60 days after
the acquisition of 1time
Holdings is announced.
When asked about
concerns that have
been raised by industry
authorities regarding the
lack of demand to sustain
more new carriers planning
to launch domestic services
between Johannesburg and
Cape Town this year, Javed
says: “First entrance is
very crucial. We believe we
will have the first mover’s
advantage.”
He explains that it is
still Pak Africa Aviation’s
intention to use the
1time brand but that the
company’s marketing team
is doing a survey on the
pros and cons of doing
this. “We would like to put
a message to consumers
to comment on the 1time
Facebook page about their
views on using the same
brand,” says Javed. The
1time Facebook page,
however, has been inactive
with the last post on
November 2012.
Javed says the company
has two other brand options
but that these could not be
disclosed until a later stage.
“All legalities are complete
in terms of regulations but
we want to use one brand
and wish to launch both
domestic and regional at
the same time,” he says.
In December Pak Africa
Aviation acquired a 62%
stake in Global Airways,
which offers non-scheduled
flights throughout Africa.
Global Airways is also
licensed to operate
scheduled passenger flights
and has purchased four
A320 aircraft.
