Low-cost Airlines in Africa

We all know about low-cost airlines in Europe and even Asia, but it turns out this business model has also spread to airlines on the black continent. Travelers who have made it to Africa can also travel on low-cost carriers. There are only three of them: 1time Airlines, Mango, and Kulula.

1time Airlines

The company was founded in 2003 and began regular flights in 2004. The fleet consists of only 12 McDonnell Douglas aircraft, which are on average about 25 years old. This is not typical for most low-cost airlines, whose average aircraft age is 3–5 years. However, for Africa, this is normal. The airline flies to:

• Kenya: Mombasa — Moi International Airport
• South Africa: Cape Town — Cape Town International Airport Focus City Durban - King Shaka International Airport Focus City East London — East London Airport George — George Airport Johannesburg OR Tambo International Airport Hub Lanseria International Airport Hub Port Elizabeth — Port Elizabeth Airport
• Tanzania: Zanzibar — Zanzibar International Airport
• Zambia Livingstone — Livingstone Airport

Mango

A younger airline, founded in 2006 and a subsidiary of South African Airways. The fleet consists of 5 Boeing 737–800 aircraft, with an average age of 11–12 years. Mango flies only within South Africa (RSA):

• Bloemfontein — Bloemfontein Airport
• Cape Town — Cape Town International Airport
• Durban — King Shaka International Airport
• Johannesburg — OR Tambo International Airport and Lanseria Airport

Kulula

Kulula is the oldest low-cost airline in Africa, founded back in 2001. Its owner is the South African carrier Comair.

By the way, from the Zulu language (the language of local residents of South Africa), Kulula translates as “It’s easy”.

The fleet consists of 9 aircraft, mainly Boeing 737s, with an average age of 17–18 years. Kulula mainly flies within South Africa:

• Cape Town — Cape Town International Airport Focus City
• Durban — King Shaka International Airport Focus City
• George — George Airport
• Johannesburg — OR Tambo International Airport and Lanseria International Airport

However, on Kulula.com, you can also book tickets for Comair, which flies to:

• to Mauritius: Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport
• to Namibia: Windhoek — Hosea Kutako International Airport
• South Africa: Port Elizabeth — Port Elizabeth Airport
• Zambia: Livingstone — Livingstone Airport
• Zimbabwe: Harare — Harare International Airport Victoria Falls — Victoria Falls Airport

And also tickets for Federal Air, which will take you to Mozambique, Vilanculos - Vilankulo Airport.