Johannesburg - Velvet Sky's future will depend on the outcome of BP's application to have the low-cost airline provisionally liquidated, chief operating officer Gary Webb said on Monday.
"It's going to depend on this BP motion... so we are awaiting that judgment to see what the next move is, but we are hoping for a positive outcome," he said
Velvet Sky cancels flights - Acsa
http://www.ewn.co.za/Story.aspx?Id=83202
Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) initially confirmed that Velvet Sky cancelled several of its flights on Wednesday. This was because the airline had not paid South African Airways technical for its services fees. Acsa spokesperson Solomon Makgale said, “Velvet Sky cancelled their flights at Cape Town International Airport. So far they have not given us an update on the flights that were supposed to take-off on Wednesday evening.” One passenger said he was stranded in Cape Town. “I saw on a board that the flight was postponed. I walked to the counter and they said there was a problem [with flights].”
Meanwhile, Velvet Sky’s Chief Operations Officer Gary Webb said, “We do not have any cancelled flights at the moment. A Cape Town flight was delayed for three hours, and a Durban flight for two hours.”
He said operations would continue as per usual on Wednesday.
(via Instapaper)
Air Zimbabwe suspends flights to SA
http://www.fin24.com/Companies/TravelAndLeisure/Air-Zimbabwe-suspends-flights-to-SA-20111216
Harare - Zimbabwe’s state-owned airline has suspended flights to neighbouring South Africa over fears its planes could be seized for outstanding debts, a senior airline official told state media.
Air Zimbabwe acting chief executive Innocent Mavhunga said the corporation, which is struggling to pay off debts of over $140m, had decided to temporarily stop its daily flights to Johannesburg to avoid creditors there.
“We are not flying into South Africa. We are trying to secure funding to pay our debts in South Africa,” he was reported as saying.
South Africa's Blue Flag beaches 2011/12
http://umhambi.blogspot.com/2011/10/south-africas-blue-flag-beachs-201112.html
South Africa has four new so-called “Blue Flag” beaches in 2011/12, but only on the condition that three of the four new beaches meet certain requirements by the end of November 2011. The Blue Flag is a certification issued by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) that a beach or marina meets its stringent standards. The main criterias include standards for water quality, safety, environmental education and information, the provision of services and general environmental management criteria. The Blue Flag is sought for beaches and marinas as an indication of their high environmental and quality standards.
The four new beaches in South Africa are Kelly’s Beach in Port Alfred, which was awarded the full status, as well as Silwerstroomstrand (Cape West Coast), Llandudno (Cape Town) and Keurboomstrand (Plettenberg Bay), which still need to complete steps such as ablution upgrading and putting up educational signage before receiving full status.
(via Instapaper)
THE COST of airline tickets is set to skyrocket even further if the economic regulator grants Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) permission to increase passenger service charges by a whopping 161 percent over the next five years.
If the new cost structure is implemented this year, budget airline passengers will pay an R80.81 service charge for each domestic flight, almost double the current average cost of R42.61.
On international flights the increase is R104.30, bringing the total to R220.72 on overseas fares.
Irrespective of the final outcome, passengers will be paying more for airport taxes over the next five years.
Holidays are important to your health and happiness, and they should be relaxing, rejuvenating and free of stress. Finding the right accommodation for you and your family is one of the biggest decisions you need to make, but can unfortunately lead to problems, disappointment and you wasting your time and money. To prevent any mishaps, here are some tips for choosing the best holiday accommodation.
1. Decide on they type of accommodation
Going on holiday doesn’t have to mean going to a hotel. There are many types of holiday accommodation, each suited to specific activities and groups of people. While hotels offer the most standard features, guest houses can be much more intimate and private, self-catering accommodation gives you more freedom and hostels can be cheaper and more fun for young travellers. Pick the right type for your budget and needs.
2. Research online
Before you look at specific establishments, do some online research into standard prices and types of accommodation at your holiday destination. You will quickly discover if some establishments are overcharging and if the area is dominated by one style of accommodation. Once you have established these points, have a look at specific offerings that look reasonable. Be sure to read as many online reviews by past guests as you can; they will give you a good sense of whether the promises made by the establishment owner are true.
Anna provides 5 tips for choosing the right accommodation for your holiday. Read the full post for the other three tips.
President Zuma greets new jet in Cape Town - e-Travel Blackboard (press release)
http://www.etravelblackboard.com/article/114800/president-zuma-greets-new-jet-in-cape-town
South African Airways (SAA) welcomed the delivery of its first A330-200 aircraft at a ceremony attended by South African President Jacob Zuma. Also present at the ceremony, held earlier this week at Cape Town International Airport, were airline board members, management and staff, as well as hosts, SAA chairwoman Cheryl Carolus and SAA chief executive Siza Mzimela. The aircraft will commence its commercial operations on 14 February under the moniker “Charlotte Maxeke”, named by President Zuma in honour of the first African woman to graduate in South Africa.
Born in 1874, Ms Maxeke received a Bachelor of Science degree from Wilberforce University in Cleveland, Ohio.
It's hard not to get goose bumps watching this magnificent approach to Los Angeles International Airport as the sun sets and the city is illuminated below. (The pumping music, "Los Angeles" by Sugarcult, adds to the ambiance.)
You'll see Malibu, the Pacific Coast Highway and the tangle of streets that make up downtown L.A. along the way. Cars zipping down the city's busy interstates look like blood pulsing through a creature's arteries as the plane turns and maneuvers toward the airport.
The video reveals another detail that pilots see all the time, but passengers never do: City lights reflecting from the nose of the plane.
We've heard about in-flight WiFi for some time now, but at least we now have a launch date. I have been using WirelessG for some time now to access the internet at the airports and other hotspots, and soon we will be able to continue our internet usage during flights. It would be great to keep up with news, emails, etc. during those 2 hour flights.
In-flight WiFi on its way
http://lifestyle.iafrica.com/articles/704598.html
WirelessG, a local internet company, will soon begin installing wireless internet on South African domestic passenger planes.
Passengers flying between Cape Town and Johannesburg will be able to access wireless internet through a service called Fli G-Connect from April 2011. WirelessG CEO Carel van der Merwe said local airline Mango would be the first to have the technology installed in its planes, but noted that his company is currently in talks with other airlines as well to roll out the service to as many operators as possible. To access wi-fi while on a flight, South African passengers will need to open a G-Connect account through the WirelessG website – this does not cost anything. Once signed up, users need to buy a WirelessG voucher to secure time online. The concept is much like buying airtime for a prepaid mobile phone. Van der Merwe said passengers will soon be able to get onto a plane, switch on their laptop, smartphone or tablet, enable their wi-fi, and then pick up a signal. “You then put in your G-Connect account credentials, or you purchase a voucher, and Bob’s your uncle, you are on the internet.”
Kulula passengers can now print boarding passes at home
http://www.travelwires.com/wp/2011/02/kulula-passengers-print-boarding/
Waiting in long queues? So 2010. Thanks to kulula’s new online check-in service, the gateway to a hassle-free holiday is just a click of a mouse away.
The low-fare airline’s convenient new offering allows travellers to print boarding passes in the comfort of their own home or office.
I'd like to give this a try next time, the worst part of flying for me is standing in all the queues.
My name is Chris du Toit and I operate a South African Flight Comparison Website called Best Flights. On this blog and on my flights and travel blog I like to keep readers up to date with specials and travel related news.
