FlySafair, a leading domestic airline, has introduced a special sale offering a generous 30% discount on all domestic flights. The sale runs until midnight on Wednesday, 19th July, with the discounted flights applicable for travel until 30th March 2024.
To take advantage of this offer, prospective travelers have a 15-minute window to access the website and make their bookings, utilizing an online queuing system implemented by the airline.
The airline industry in South Africa has experienced significant fluctuations, with the liquidation of Comair at the beginning of 2022 leading to a 40% reduction in domestic airline capacity. Subsequently, ticket prices surged as other airlines rushed to increase their capacity.
However, the situation has since reversed, resulting in an oversupply of seats and low demand, partly due to seasonal changes. While the lower ticket prices benefit travelers, it has raised concerns in the industry. Jonathan Ayache, CEO of competitor airline Lift, expressed the need for companies to grow responsibly and raised questions about dominant airlines providing tickets below the cost of operating flights, calling for an investigation by the Competition Commission.
FlySafair has consistently expanded since its first scheduled domestic flight in 2014. Currently, it operates over 150 flights daily, connecting major South African cities and offering additional connections to Mauritius and Zanzibar. The airline also received approval for three new routes in 2023 to Windhoek, Zanzibar, and Harare from the International Air Services Council (IASC).
With roughly 60% of the domestic air travel market share, FlySafair continues to be a significant player in the domestic air travel space.