Comair-operated low-cost South African airliner kulula.com is preparing to take delivery of the final two of six new Boeing 737-800 aircraft in August and October.
With the 2009 order now completed, the end of 2015 would see the more environment-friendly new fleet take to the skies more cost-effectively and efficiently.
“The new 737-800s use 18% less fuel per seat than the aircraft we are replacing, thereby saving two-million litres of fuel per aircraft per year for the equivalent total seats. Our decision to purchase these highly fuel-efficient aircraft is a significant component in managing our exposure to the volatile fuel price,” explained Comair CEO Erik Venter.
The fifth new aircraft would be delivered on August 10, with the final delivery completing the order early in October.
The R2.5-billion fleet upgrade also averaged out the age of kulula’s fleet to 11 years, with the company now operating ten aircraft carrying 2.8-million passengers over 14 routes across the region.
Further, Venter noted that all of kulula’s pilots were trained extensively on the new aircraft using Comair’s R80-million Boeing 737-800 flight-training simulator.