Comair has opened bookings for domestic services and will operate flights from December 9, despite a last-minute attempt by Numsa to get an interdict from the Labour Court to declare that Comair employees were not bound by the terms of the collective agreement signed during September.
A spokesperson for the airline confirmed to Travel News that the Labour Court had dismissed Numsa’s application. Had it succeeded, the dispute over what was a suspensive condition of the implementation of the business plan, could have triggered a liquidation and a loss of 2 200 jobs at the airline.
The airline plans to restart all the domestic British Airways routes it previously operated. Regional services will be reintroduced as it ramps up to full operations over the next few months, adds the airline.
BA Comair flights are available for sale on www.britishairways.com and in the GDS, confirm agents. However, sister airline, kulula.com flights are currently only available for sale online. Agents say this is due to a temporary BSP issue that the airline advised them it is trying to rectify.
“With reservations for the British Airways flights open, we’re now able to offer bookings on a considerably expanded schedule. As well as giving customers the choice of booking on either airline’s brands and a greater range of competitive fares, they now also have the option of booking in business class,” says Glenn Orsmond, representing the Comair Rescue Consortium.
Comair introduced the British Airways brand to domestic and regional routes in Southern and South Africa in 1996 when it signed a franchise agreement with the UK carrier. “British Airways’ ongoing support is a huge vote of confidence in the future of Comair,” adds Glenn.
Discovery Vitality has resumed its agreement with kulula.com as has FNB’s eBucks rewards programme.
Comair has also reopened its domestic SLOW lounges at Durban, Cape Town and OR Tambo airports. The other lounges will reopen as the flight schedule expands, says the airline.
Comair will initially operate a fleet of 15 aircraft across both airline brands, gradually increasing as the remainder of the fleet returns to service over the next few months.
