■ SOUTH AFRICA: Comair, SkyWise launch legal bid to block FlySafair's launch.

Following through with its threats of legal action, Comair Ltd and now startup, SkyWise, have dragged the Air Services Licensing Council (ASLC) to court in a bid to block the launch of the Safair's nascent low cost subsidiary, FlySafair (FA), due to commence flights between Cape Town and Johannesburg later this year.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: Comair Ltd profits soar to USD23.1million for latest Financial Year.

Comair Ltd has announced a significant improvement in its profitability for the 12-month period ending 30 June 2013. Revenue grew by 29% to ZAR5.38billion (USD537.46million) from ZAR4.16billion (USD415.96million) in 2012. As such, the airline declared a headline profit of ZAR231million (USD23.09million), a marked improvement on that of 2012 which totalled ZAR18 million.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: Comair's bid to block FlySafair's launch rejected by the ASLC.

South Africa's latest LCC venture, FlySafair, has been tentatively cleared for operations after the South African Air Services Licensing Council (ASLC) reportedly rejected a complaint lodged by Comair Group Ltd claiming FlySafair's parent, Safair (FA), did not meet South Africa's strict 25% foreign-ownership cap.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: Comair Ltd moves to block FlySafair's launch on grounds of alien ownership.

South Africa's Comair Ltd has sought to reverse the recent issuance of a domestic operator's licence to Safair (FA) for its nascent startup LCC, FlySafair, claiming that it does not satisfy South African laws stipulating that domestic operators must be at least 75% owned by local South Africans. 

► SOUTH AFRICA: FederalAir reiterates that it's tie-up with fastjet is above board following allegations of fronting

South Africa's, Federal Air (7V), the airline slated to become fastjet South Africa's new partner, has issued a statement reiterating that it's deal with the United Kingdom-based Tanzanian LCC is fully compliant with South Africa's Air Services Licensing Act, 1993. The move comes after members of South Africa's aviation community expressed doubts as to who was really running the operation and calling the shots.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: Comair Ltd takes SAA's current and previous bailouts to the High Court; disputes their legality.

South Africa's Comair Ltd, the British Airways (BA) franchise owner for South Africa and owner of LCC kulula (MN), is to dispute the legality of South African national carrier, South African Airways (SA)'s ZAR5billion bail out from Government last year and its previous injections amounting to ZAR11billion, in the High Court in Pretoria tomorrow.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: SAA, Mango, Comair all object to fastjet's 1Time licence transfer designs as Skywise's ASLC application fails.

In a rare show of unity, South African carriers Mango (JE), South African Airways (SA) and Comair Group (owners of BA Comair (BA) and Kulula (MN)) have collectively objected to the South African Air Services Licensing Council, a state regulator set to convene next month, over fastjet's (FN) proposed transfer of 1time’s operators licence, who are applying for a Ministerial exemption in order to fast track the process.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: War of words ensues as Gigaba defends Mango, attacks Venter over Comair's disdain for 1Time.

The demise of LCC 1Time (T6) has led to a war of words between Comair Ltd's CEO Erik Venter and South African Minister of Public Enterprises, Malusi Gigaba.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: Knives out for SAA as 1Time goes under.

Embattled South African LCC, 1Time (T6), has filed for liquidation and has subsequently ceased operations as of 3pm this afternoon, 2 November 2012.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: 1Time wants reductions in fuel levy, taxes as private airlines react angrily to SAA bailout.

1Time (T6), the South African LCC, has clarified the air over reports in the press that it had written to the South African government seeking a bail out (akin to what national carrier South African Airways (SA) secured last week), stating that their proposal centred around the South African government subsidising the airline industry as a whole with selected levies and taxes, and not to only offer unfair bail outs to South African Airways and its affiliate SAExpress (XZ).

► SOUTH AFRICA: Comair Ltd declares no dividend despite rise in revenues.

South Africa's Comair Ltd, the parent company of British Airways (Comair) (BA) and LCC Kulula (MN) today reported that it would not issue a dividend despite seeing a 16% growth in its revenue from USD440million in June 2011, to USD510million for the year ending June 30, 2012.