South Africa’s airline business gets a Lift

A new domestic airline, backed by kulula.com founder and former Comair CEO Gidon Novick, will take to South Africa’s skies in December 2020, bearing the brand name Lift. 

Novick asked members of the public to suggest names for the new operation and — after more than 25,000 suggestions were received — Lift emerged as the winner. “Ubuntu Air” and “FlyMzansi” were among the most common suggestions. 

“‘Djyrynie’ and ‘Planey McPlaneface’ were never going to fly, while ‘Gravy Plane’ must have confused us with another airline!” commented Novick in a statement. 

The new airline is a partnership between aviation company Global Aviation, Novick and former Uber executive Jonathan Ayache.

A group of thus-far unnamed industry specialists has joined the team. Novick raised eyebrows a few months ago when he announced his plans to start an airline when the industry was enduring a torrid time due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Aviation experts, including the International Air Transport Association, expect air travel across sub-Saharan Africa and outside the continent to remain subdued but start to recover in the next three years. But Novick believes the pandemic has turned the aviation industry upside down and paved the way for a new business model to emerge – one that is “customer-obsessed”. 

The pandemic has made starting a new airline from scratch affordable, especially when it comes to acquiring aircraft at a discount, entering into aircraft maintenance contracts and hiring skilled people, some of whom have been retrenched. 

“It’s been a tough year for so many and the airline industry is in a mess,” noted Novick. “We want our new airline to be a collaboration with all South Africans and a statement of optimism. This naming process proved to us once again how very resilient, creative and inspiring South Africans are.”

Eight individuals from around SA all submitted Lift as a name. “The Lift team had open conversations with all the finalists, and everyone agreed to share the prize. Each will receive their portion of a year’s flights. Their names will also be inscribed on the body of the first plane that takes to the air.” One of the eight winners said of the word Lift:

"To me, it is a statement of opportunity, optimism and freedom: to revisit places known, explore places new, find business and reconnect with family.” The airline is expected to fly domestic routes, which might include routes between Cape Town, Joburg and Durban. 

With the naming complete, Novick said the focus would be on finalising pre-launch activities, such as getting the booking system up and running, completing crew training and doing marketing. DM/BM