South Africa: 1time Spreads Its Net With New Craft, Ticketing Scheme
LOW-fare airline 1time has acquired another aircraft as part of expansion plans ahead of South African Airways’ (SAA’s) launch of a rival low-fare airline towards the end of the year.
MD Glen Orsmond said at the weekend the new SAA venture was not a threat to 1time, unless SAA sold tickets below cost.
“We’re confident we can beat their prices, as long as they don’t sell below cost,” said Orsmond.
1time, which has 190 flights a week, made a small loss last year mainly because of the fuel-price squeeze. It expected to show a R15m profit this year, Orsmond said.
Privately owned 1time announced on Friday that it had gained access to 1800 travel agencies in SA, Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland after concluding an agreement with Galileo, a computerised reservation system used by travel agents across the world.
Orsmond said that, in the past, 1time sold tickets only over the internet as travel agents could not access its flights and the deal gave 1time access to 14000 Galileo terminals in the Southern African Customs Union and to 50000 terminals worldwide.
1time’s prices would not increase as the move “has allowed us to widen our network without any cost”, said Orsmond.
All Galileo-connected agents will now be able to book 1time fares directly through the Galileo desktop,” said 1time marketing director Rodney James.
He said Galileo provided an unbiased display of all carriers, giving customers content from almost every published schedule in the world, thereby providing clients with the greatest choice of flight options and schedules.
The system automatically searched for flights that matched the client’s criteria, including specific connection points and carriers.