Fly Blue Crane Launches Flights In South Africa

The airline industry in South Africa industry just got more competitive on September 1 with the launch of Fly Blue Crane.

The airline plans to fly under-served routes in South Africa from its base in Johannesburg.

Their business model is a high-frequency “hybrid” service (somewhere between full-service and budget) that is geared towards the business market.

“We are a hybrid airline that will offer quality products but at a more competitive price,” said Theunis Potgiter, COO, to Southern African Tourism Update.

The airline is run by several former South African Airways executives who first announced their plans to launch flights in May 2014.

Flights will operate on two ERJ145s planes, with the capacity to hold 50 passengers each.

Initially three domestic routes will be available, between Johannesburg and Bloemfontein, Kimberley and Nelspruit.

The current flight schedule for Fly Blue Crane is as follows:

  • Bloemfontein – five times a day during the week, twice on Saturdays, and three times on Sundays
  • Kimberley – three times a day during the week, once on Saturdays, and twice on Sundays
  • Nelspruit – twice daily Mondays to Fridays, once on Saturdays, and once on Sundays

They plan to expand quickly and add more domestic and regional routes.

The company enters the market at a time when budget airlines continue to open and expand across South Africa. FlySafair launched flights around a year ago, joining carriers like Mango, SkyWise, and Kulula.

Read More: Southern African Tourism Update, ENCA

Want to discover the finer side of Africa? Sign up for our weekly newsletter.


Leave a Comment