South African low-cost carrier kulula.com is to replace its entire fleet by the end of the year, the airline said on Tuesday.
The new fleet of Boeing 737-400 aircraft will reduce the airline’s cost per seat by 8% and allow kulula.com to add 160Â 000 additional seats into the market per annum, it said in a statement.
In announcing the new fleet of 162-seater aircraft, valued at R90-million each, Comair joint CEO Gidon Novick said: “With the efficiency of our new fleet we will have the lowest costs in the industry, which will continue to allow us to offer consistently low airfares and achieve our goal of having 10% of South Africans flying by 2010.”
The new aircraft are significantly more fuel efficient and environmentally friendly than the current fleet.
With their new technology engines and spacious cabin, the aircraft are quieter and more spacious than the older MD82 aircraft.
The current MD82s, which are on lease from Safair, will be phased out as the new aircraft arrive, Novick added.
The latest of the new aircraft will arrive from Rio de Janeiro this week. Initial aircraft purchases will be funded out of Comair’s cash resources. — I-Net Bridge