kulula.com

kulula.com
IATA ICAO Callsign
MN CAW COMAIR
Founded 2001
Hubs
Focus cities
Fleet size 10
Destinations 6
Parent company Comair
Headquarters Bonaero Park, Kempton Park, Ekurhuleni, Gauteng, South Africa
Key people Erik Venter, Iain Meaker
Website kulula.com

kulula.com, sometimes simply known as kulula, (from the Nguni languages of Zulu and Xhosa, meaning It's easy[lower-alpha 1]) is a South African no-frills airline, operating on major domestic routes from OR Tambo International Airport and Lanseria International Airport, both just outside Johannesburg.[1] The airline's headquarters are located at Bonaero Park, Kempton Park, Ekurhuleni, Gauteng.[2]

History

kulula.com was established in July 2001 and started operations as South Africa's first 'no-frills' carrier in August of that year. The stated aim is to position kulula.com as more than just an airline brand, but to include booking, paying and making 'the complete travel experience' affordable.[3] In July 2012 kulula announced[4] that it was operating the first of seven brand new Boeing 737-800s, with three to be in operation before the end of that year, and the remaining four to be delivered in 2015 and 2016.

Corporate affairs

Ownership

kulula.com is not a separate company, but is a trading name of Comair,[3] which also operates flights as a franchisee of British Airways.

Financial and operational results for kulula.com are not separately disclosed, but are fully incorporated within the annual results for Comair (for years ending 30 June).

Destinations

As of September 2016 Kulula.com serves the following destinations:[5]

South Africa

Fleet

Current fleet

A kulula.com Boeing 737-400.
The kulula.com Boeing 737-800 Flying 101 livery

As of January 2016, the kulula.com fleet consists of the following aircraft:[6]

kulula Fleet
Aircraft Total Orders Passengers Notes
Boeing 737-400 1 —
162
Boeing 737-800 9 2
186
Total 10 2

Previously operated

Livery

kulula.com has become known for its distinctive, brightly coloured and often humorous aircraft livery.[7] One of its former aircraft, known as Flying 101, was covered with a legend describing the different parts of the aircraft.[8]

Inflight services

kulula.com offers food and drinks as a buy-on-board programme.[9] The in-flight magazine khuluma, has a readership base of 200,000 per month.

Marketing dispute during the 2010 FIFA World Cup

In 2010 kulula.com was forced by FIFA to stop a campaign describing itself as the "Unofficial National Carrier of the You-Know-What",[10][11] which took place "Not next year, not last year, but somewhere in between",[12] obviously referring to the 2010 FIFA World Cup which took place in South Africa at that time. Another advert announced "affordable flights [to] everybody except Sepp Blatter" (the FIFA president), who was offered a free seat "for the duration of that thing that is happening right now".[13]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ This "word" is made of the general verbal present particle ku- and the root lula: easy or light (both easy and not heavy).

References

  1. ↑ "Directory: World Airlines". Flight International. 2007-04-03. p. 103.
  2. ↑ "Contact Us". kulula.com. Retrieved 6 February 2011..
  3. 1 2 "The Comair Story - Launching kulula.com". Comair Limited. Retrieved 2013-09-09.
  4. ↑ "kulula celebrates first of its brand new fleet". kulula.com. Retrieved 2013-09-09.
  5. ↑ "Routes - kulula.com". www.kulula.com. Retrieved 2016-09-18.
  6. 1 2 3 "Kulula.com Fleet Details and History". planespotters.net. 7 August 2015. Retrieved 8 August 2015..
  7. ↑ Wien, Kent (2010-01-30). "Kulula-air tries not to take itself too seriously". Gadling. Retrieved 2012-05-22.
  8. ↑ Fawkes, Piers (2010-02-03). "Kulula Airplane Rebranding". PSFK. Retrieved 2012-05-22.
  9. ↑ "Flight info." kulula.com. Accessed 6 May 2009.
  10. ↑ "Fifa [sic] orders South African airline to drop 'ambush' ad". bbc.co.uk. 19 March 2010..
  11. ↑ "Picture", Flickr, Yahoo!.
  12. ↑ The advert, Facebook.
  13. ↑ The advert, Facebook.

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