Killing me softly

“Strummin’ my pain with his fingers” #1Time

So!

Another South African low-cost carrier bites the dust. Local airlines are having it rough.

Earlier this afternoon, the airliner indicated it had filed for liquidation, leaving hundreds of people stranded and scores others lamenting their pre-booked seats.

Then, while reading up on the whole fiasco, I came across a bizarre bit in the story.

Flights which had taken to the air at around the same time as the liquidation announcement had to TURN BACK mid-flight and return to base!

Huh?

Mid-flight!?

Imagine if you were on that. Or worse, imagine seeing your destination, then the dri- I mean the piliot.. then the pilot klaps a u-turn and heads back.

I would’ve been on some: “Sorry driver, mawuqeda ukujika” (I get off after the turn) – that’s what goes down in taxis, though.

I’d imagine it would be a tad tougher telling a pilot, though, right?

Ja.

This whole saga goes beyond a messed up travel plan for people who had tickets for today. One passenger quoted in an article revealed that they had upwards of R10 000 in pre-booked flights.

Then there’s still the entire staff body at 1Time. They’ve also been plunged into uncertainty.

Moneyweb reports that, since deregulation in 1991, a total of 10 out of 11 independent private airlines launched in South Africa have failed.

Far stronger models need to be put in place before these businesses take off. There are too many knock-on effects from this whole story. So many people affected.

We’re talking about people’s lives here. Their livelihoods.

Reports indicate that the company was is in debt to the tune of R350m.

You can’t put a price on livelihoods, though. Far greater care is needed when so much is at stake.

-Tyson