CIVAIR is steaming ahead with its plans to launch its low-cost airline, Redair, in November this year despite a sky-rocketing fuel price that has caused the collapse of numerous low-cost carriers worldwide.

Civair owner, Andy Cluver, said the company was finalising the lease of a “fairly modern” B767-300 ER and was awaiting its airline operating certificates from the Spanish and British aviation authorities. Redair plans to start off with three return services a week between Cape Town, Barcelona and London Stansted, offering 180 seats in economy class and 25 business-class seats. Cluver said Redair would deal with the rising fuel costs by calculating its fuel surcharges on US$120 per barrel. Depending on the fuel price on the day of travel, Redair passengers would either have to pay in or get a refund, he said. Cluver said Redair was still looking for a BEE partner after five previous candidates had failed to come up with the required money. He said the company had been given the go-ahead to fly for 36 months without a BEE partner. A website, flyredair.com, is ready to go operational as soon as all loose ends have been tied up. Tickets will be sold through the website and the GDSs and be available through the website to travel agents and tour operators, but not at a preferential rate. Pretoria’s Air Service Licensing Council last year granted Civair the right to operate five weekly frequencies from Cape Town or Durban to London Stansted, as well as three weekly frequencies to Spain. The company raised R40m in capital from local investors and the Industrial Development Corporation of SA (IDC).