Standby Travel airline |
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With Velvet Sky going into liquidation, 1time and Kulula struggling financially, and Santaco Airlines scaling back plans, we thought people would be too scared to start an airline in South Africa. We were wrong. On Tuesday, the 15th May 2012, one Danie Coetzee approached parliament to request funds to start a new public airline. Standby Travel is a fledgling business which wants to capitalise on possible lower prices for people willing to travel at the last-minute (lower airline, bus & hotel prices).
The idea is for Standby Travel to operate 2 models, both of which offer a service from taxi rank to aircraft to taxi rank:
customers book discounted flights, but are only informed if they are successful 48 hours before the flight (this is because Standby Travel passengers only get seats if there are some left if other airlines have space left over at this point).
Standby Express Airline has its planes & is used to fly to area like Mththa, which aren't well covered by commercial airlines.
As on their website on the 16th May 2012, Standby Travel mentioned that the following offers is valid for the first thousand members:
For a once-off payment of R200, you get:
• A Standby Travel card and an IMB Debit card
• 200 Standby Travel Limited shares
• IMB transaction account
• A share account with 200 shares loaded
• A personal share register to build up
An additional R25 is charged for posting cards.
You deposit money into your account and R225 is deducted, as well as a monthly banking fee of R38.95 (R5 of which goes to Standby Travel).
The Standby Travel Card can then be used for payments on taxis, busses and aircraft.
A special emphasis is placed on cellphone applications, to allow online quotes & reservations.
Website |
Phone |
Postal Address |
Physical Address |
|
083-294-8437 |
Box 7082 |
16 Industria Road |
On 15 May 2012 Standby Travel approached parliament requesting funding of R5m to build an IT system & R26m in total to get going. They have an objective of listing on the JSE.
Standby Travel aims to implement BBBEE by selling their shares to black South Africans. It aims to have more than 2 thirds of its shares in the bands of the previously disadvantaged.
Ruth Bhengu, the chairwoman of Parliament’s oversight committee on transport, declared that her daughter owned shares in Standby Travel.
Danie Coetzee, Executive Chairman, started with South African Airways, and "has 36 years of aviation experience", including consulting for the launch of a number of airlines in SA.
CJ (Johan) Steenkamp, executive director, Director of the Elwierda Group.
Pieter Pieters (non-executive director)
Peter Byers, financial consultant.
Alan Dickinson, a facilitator in dealing with government.
Thys Muller, who was Chief Instructor pilot at SAAF, as well as having served in "all key positions as required by the Aviation Licensing Council & CAA of South Africa".
4 May 2012. It's reported that Santaco Airline's proposed purchase of Standby Travel had fallen through.
2008 Standby Travel is converted into a public company
2005 Danie Coetzee founds Standby Travel
2004 Standby Travel is registered