Safair

Safair is an airline based at the O.R. Tambo International Airport in Kempton Park, South Africa.[1] Operator of one of the world's largest fleets of civil Lockheed L-100 Hercules cargo aircraft,[2] it also conducts aircraft chartering; leasing and sales; contract operations and leasing services; flightcrew leasing and training; aircraft maintenance and modification; aviation safety and medical training; and operations support.[3]

Safair
IATA ICAO Callsign
FA SFR SAFAIR
Founded1965
HubsO.R. Tambo International Airport
Fleet size11
Parent companyASL Aviation Group Limited
HeadquartersKempton Park, Gauteng, South Africa
Websitewww.safairoperations.co.za

History

Safair Operations as it is known today was established in 1965. At the time it was known as Tropair (Pty) Ltd and was a general aviation charter company. In 1970 the company name changed to Safair Freighters (Pty) Ltd when the company was purchased by Safmarine and the new entity began operations on 18 March 1970. Its primary client in the 1980s was the South African Defence Force. Until the 1990s it mainly served the local and regional air cargo market. In 1991 it diversified into aircraft maintenance and overnight courier operations before concentrating on leasing and chartering. In 1998 Safair purchased a 49% stake in Air Contractors, based in Ireland, and was itself acquired by Imperial Holdings for $40 million in December 1998. In July 1999 Safair acquired control of National Airways Corporation and Streamline Aviation (a charter and aircraft sales company).

Safair is wholly owned by ASL Aviation Group Ltd based in Dublin, Ireland,[4] a subsidiary of the Belgian group Compagnie Maritime Belge.[5] Humanitarian Aid and Relief operations has always been Safair's "niche" market. Safair assists aid and relief agencies such as the United Nations, World Food Programme, and the International Committee of the Red Cross in delivering much needed humanitarian aid to stricken regions on the African continent as well as other areas in the world where such assistance is required. Until 2018 Safair was contracted to the Italian Antarctic Program (National Antarctic Research Program (PNRA)) to support science over the austral summer, flying Lockheed L-100-30 missions from Christchurch, New Zealand to Zucchelli Station in Terra Nova Bay, Antarctica. In 2007, Safair obtained its IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA)[6] approval.

Fleet
Safair Boeing 737-300 at Sharjah International Airport
Safair Lockheed L-100-30 Hercules
Safair L100-30 ZS-RSC sitting on the Deep Freeze ramp at Christchurch International Airport in-between missions to Zucchelli Station in Terra Nova Bay, Antarctica.

As of July 2019 the Safair fleet consists of the following aircraft:[7][8]

Safair Fleet
Aircraft In Fleet On Order Notes
Boeing 737-800 7 Passenger
Boeing 737-400 10 Passenger
Boeing 737-400C 1 Combi aircraft
Lockheed L-100-30 Hercules 6 Freight only, passenger only, or combi
Lockheed Martin LM-100J 10 Ordered in 2014 to replace current L-100s
Total 24 10

Previously operated

FlySafair
Main article: FlySafair

In 2013, Safair created a low-cost carrier subsidiary called FlySafair. The initial plan to operate flights in October 2013 had to be cancelled, as a result of a high-court application by Comair.[17] FlySafair is currently operational with the first flight having taken place on 16 October 2014.[18] FlySafair operates to Cape Town, George, Port Elizabeth, Johannesburg, Lanseria, Durban and East London.[19]

References
  1. "Contact". Safair. Retrieved 30 July 2015.
  2. Flight International 2010 World Airliner census. Retrieved 27 August 2010
  3. Flight International 12–18 April 2005
  4. "ASL | Welcome". Aslaviationgroup.com. 16 January 2013. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
  5. About us – History, ASL Aviation official website
  6. IATA. "IATA – IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA)". iata.org. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
  7. "ASL Aviation Group Signs Letter of Intent to Procure Lockheed Martin LM-100J Freighters" – CNN MONEY. Retrieved 16 July 2014
  8. "Our Fleet" – Safair. Retrieved 12 December 2013
  9. Klee, Ulrich & Bucher, Frank et al. jp airline-fleets international. Zürich-Airport, 1966–2007
  10. Klee, Ulrich & Bucher, Frank et al. jp airline-fleets international. Sutton, UK, 2008–2013
  11. Klee, Ulrich & Bucher, Frank et al. jp airline-fleets international. Zürich-Airport, 1966–2007
  12. Klee, Ulrich & Bucher, Frank et al. jp airline-fleets international. Zürich-Airport, 1966–2007
  13. Klee, Ulrich & Bucher, Frank et al. jp airline-fleets international. Zürich-Airport, 1966–2007
  14. Klee, Ulrich & Bucher, Frank et al. jp airline-fleets international. Zürich-Airport, 1966–2007
  15. Klee, Ulrich & Bucher, Frank et al. jp airline-fleets international. Zürich-Airport, 1966–2007
  16. Klee, Ulrich & Bucher, Frank et al. jp airline-fleets international. Zürich-Airport, 1966–2007
  17. "Safair Flights, Bookings | SFR Flights". Southafrica.to. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
  18. Ensor, Linda (17 October 2014). "FlySafair will bring needed competition". Business Day. Johannesburg. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  19. "FlySafair". Domestic Flights South Africa. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
"Safair Flights Bookings | Flysafair". Domestic Flights South Africa
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