1time Airline (Pty) Ltd commonly called 1time was a South African low-cost airline that operated between 2004 and 2012. Based in the Isando Industrial Park in Kempton Park, Ekurhuleni, Gauteng,"Contact Numbers ." 1time. Retrieved on 6 February 2011. "16 QUALITY ROAD, ISANDO, KEMPTON PARK " 1time operated scheduled domestic and regional services. Its main base was OR Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg. The name of the company, "one time!", is a South African expression meaning "for real!"."About Us ." 1time. Retrieved on 1 March 2010. "The name 1time, is a reflection of the South African soul of the company. In South Africa, the phrase "one time!" is a colloquialism meaning "for real!"."
In November 2012 the airline went into liquidation and ceased operations.
History
Early history The founders owned an aviation holding company, Afrisource Holdings, through which they owned Aeronexus, an aviation company that offered various aircraft services (and performed maintenance for 1time).
1time itself commenced ticket sales in January 2004, and started flying on 25 February 2004, with three daily return flights between OR Tambo International Airport and Cape Town International Airport.
The Avstar Group acquired a 15% shareholding in 1time Holdings, and under the deal the airline leased two additional 157-seat McDonnell Douglas MD-83 aircraft from the Group. In 2006 1time carried over a million passengers on services to eight destinations.Airliner World, February 2007
The airline was owned by Afrisource Holdings (50%), MKJH Trust (30%) and Mogwele Investments (20%) and had 420 employees (at March 2007).
1time Holdings made an IPO on the Johannesburg Securities Exchange (JSE) on 14 August 2007.
Provisional liquidation On 22 August 2012, it was reported that 1time had filed for business rescue to give it protection from its creditors because it was "financially distressed".
1time ceased operations and filed for liquidation on 2 November 2012, cancelling all flights and stranding hundreds of passengers, after a final meeting with shareholders. The airline's final flight was at 15:00 on the day it was liquidated.
The airline later issued the following statement on its website:
On 6 November 2012, Dr Gerhard Holtzhauzen, 1time's business rescue practitioner, filed an application for the termination of the Business Rescue proceedings, and for the airline to be placed under provisional liquidation. The North Gauteng High Court issued a provisional liquidation order on 7 November 2012, and decreed that the return date for the order would be 11 December 2012, at which time the court will rule on the final closure of the business. On the same date, the Master of the High Court appointed Aviwe Ndyamara as the provisional liquidator.
On 19 December 2012 Fastjet announced that it had entered into an option agreement to buy the entire issued share capital of 1time Airline, and planned to take over up to three of the aircraft that were in the 1time fleet, and operate services on domestic South African routes. However, negotiations with the liquidator appear to have lapsed.
Low-cost carrier in South Africa was liquidated in November 2012
Destinations
At the time operations ceased, 1time flew to the following destinations:
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 Port Elizabeth – Port Elizabeth Airport
Zanzibar – Zanzibar International Airport
Livingstone – Livingstone Airport
Victoria Falls – Victoria Falls Airport
Fleet
At the time operations were suspended, the 1time fleet consisted of the following aircraft:
+ 1time fleetAircraftInServicePassengersNotesMcDonnell Douglas MD-823157McDonnell Douglas MD-835157McDonnell Douglas MD-873132Total11 Additionally, the airline previously operated at least x1 Boeing 737-200 and x5 Douglas DC-9s.
See also Kulula.com, another South African low-cost airline Mango, another South African low-cost airline
References
External links