https://www.engineeringnews.co.za

Crash and Burn: A CEO's crazy adventure in the South African airline industry – Glenn Orsmond

Glenn Orsmond unpacks his book 'Crash and Burn: A CEO's crazy adventure in the South African airline industry' (Camera: Nicholas Boyd; Editing: Darlene Creamer)

12th July 2024

     

Font size: - +

You'll never think of flying in South Africa in the same way again. 

This is an insider’s tale of the South African airline industry over the past thirty years, as told by Glenn Orsmond, and particularly the story of the dramatic collapse of Comair in 2022.

Orsmond, who was twice the CEO of Comair and the founder CEO of 1time, takes the reader on a wild ride through the ultracompetitive sector of low-cost airlines that boomed in this country after South African Airways’ stranglehold on the skies was loosened in the 1990s.

Comair – which operated both Kulula and British Airways – and 1time were at the forefront of this new wave of airlines that saw domestic flying and tourism take off. But after some incredible highs and lows, Comair crashed under Orsmond’s watch despite the company’s 75-year unblemished profit history.

The pandemic’s impact, the grounding of aeroplanes after a questionable regulator investigation and poor management decisions all contributed to its downfall.

You can expect tales of industry legends and innovation but also of competitors trying to gut each other, battles between pilots and accountants, unions and bosses at loggerheads, and warfare between shareholders and directors in boardrooms.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Glenn Orsmond was a co-founder of 1time and did three stints at Comair – twice as CEO – in an airline career spanning more than 30 years. He is not sure accountants have adventures but believes the airline industry was a more exciting choice of career than auditing.

'Crash and Burn: A CEO's crazy adventure in the South African airline industry' is published by Jonathan Ball Publishers

Edited by Creamer Media Reporter

Article Enquiry

Email Article

Save Article

Feedback

To advertise email advertising@creamermedia.co.za or click here

Showroom

Sika South Africa
Sika South Africa

Sika South Africa is a trusted partner for the nation’s infrastructure, commercial, residential, and industrial sectors.

VISIT SHOWROOM 
Alco-Safe
Alco-Safe

Developed to exceed the latest EN 15964 standards for police breathalysers proving that it will remain accurate and reliable for many years to come.

VISIT SHOWROOM 

Latest Multimedia

sponsored by

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION







301

sq:0.055 0.527s - 145pq - 2rq
Subscribe Now