SOUTH African low-cost
carrier, Skywise, is still
planning to go ahead with
the introduction of a low-cost
service between Cape Town
and Johannesburg, despite
experiencing major delays and
a few setbacks in launching.
In April, the Department of
Transport (DoT) cancelled the
airline’s Air Services Licence
(ASL) because it had yet to
launch flights within a year
of the licence being issued.
However, Skywise recently
challenged the DoT’s decision
in court and was successful in
obtaining a court order for the
ASL to be reinstated.
Andries Ntjane, deputy
director: licensing and
permits of the Department of
Transport, said: “Skywise said
it was in the final process of
launching the airline. We won’t
oppose the court order and
have reinstated the ASL.”
Skywise ceo, Rodney James,
confirmed that the licence had
been reinstated but would
not provide further details.
“We are in the middle of
negotiations regarding the
structure of the airline and
unable to make any comments
about Skywise.”
News about the plans to
launch Skywise first broke
toward the end of 2012, with
the airline’s founders hoping
to have its flights operational
by the first quarter of last year.
Rodney previously cited delays
in obtaining an Air Operator
Certificate from the South
African Civil Aviation Authority
as one of the main reasons
the airline had yet to take
off.
