Parly committee to lobby for Competition Commission to launch market inquiry into SA's airlines

CAPE TOWN - Parliament’s trade, industry and competition committee says it will lobby Minister Parks Tau for the Competition Commission to launch a market inquiry into the country’s airlines.

Committee chairperson, Mzwandile Masina, also wants these airlines to appear before Parliament early in the new year. 

At a briefing on Monday, Masina said that while airlines such as FlySafair, CemAir and LIFT had been masquerading as affordable options, in reality, air travel had become unaffordable for the masses.

Masina said that when state-owned budget airline, Mango, folded, as well as other commercial industry players, new airlines entered the fray under the guise of being budget airlines.

But he said that FlySafair, LIFT and CemAir had proven anything but cheap. 

Masina said that FlySafair must also answer questions about its foreign shareholding, which has been found to have been legally non-compliant by the International Air Services Council. 

"We are going to have to call this entity to formally brief Parliament about the implications, so we are able to take up these issues. These are the things that are happening in the industry and there are attempts to block reports like this."

Masina was also concerned that Airlink had taken over routes previously operated by SAA, which is trying to make a comeback since emerging from business rescue.