Top 5 South African carriers you may not have heard of

South Africa has one of the most robust domestic aviation sectors on the continent, with several passenger and cargo carriers facilitating the movement of millions of people and tons of goods across the country every year.

Some airlines, such as Airlink and FlySafair, need no introduction as they are among the largest operators on the continent in terms of fleet size. Many airlines have come and gone over the years, while others are still flying strong today. Here's a list of five South African carriers you may not have heard of before, according to Simple Flying.

Fedair

Federated Airlines, commonly known as Fedair, is a private airline that provides charter and transfer services to the most attractive safari destinations in South Africa. The airline was founded as Comair Charters and later renamed Fedair in 1993. Over the years, it has partnered with various airlines and lodges to provide convenient and luxurious safari travel.

The airline operates from Johannesburg to the Kruger National Park, Sabi Sands Private Game Reserve, Madikwe Game Reserve, and Marakele National Park. Currently, the fleet consists of 17 aircraft, including 12 Cessna Grand Caravans, two Embraer ERJ145s, two Pilatus PC12s, and one Beechcraft B1900D.

LIFT

LIFT is a passenger airline owned by South African airline Global Airways and based at Johannesburg's O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB). It offers flexible travel and low-cost flights to Durban (DUR) and Cape Town, connecting South Africa's famous Golden Triangle. It operates up to 28 daily flights with five Airbus A320s.

CemAir

CemAir is a privately owned scheduled and non-scheduled airline based in Johannesburg, South Africa. It operates passenger flights to 11 domestic and three regional destinations, including Durban, Cape Town, Bloemfontein (BFN), and Port Elizabeth (PLZ) in South Africa, Kasane (BBK) and Maun (MUB) in Botswana, and Victoria Falls (VFA) in Zimbabwe.

Fly Blue Crane

Another of South Africa's lesser-known carriers is Fly Blue Crane. Despite the fact that almost seven years have passed since its closure, many locals probably remember it. Fly Blue Crane was a domestic passenger airline that operated from Johannesburg. It began operations in September 2015 with services to Bloemfontein (BFN), Kimberley (KIM), and Nelspruit (MQP). The airline filed a lawsuit against Airlink, accusing it of predatory pricing on one of the previously operated routes.

After a series of operational difficulties, the airline began to rescue the business in November 2016 and ceased operations in February 2017.

kulula.com

Last on the list is another Johannesburg-based carrier, kulula.com. Known simply as Kulula, it was a South African low-cost carrier known for its striking green and green livery and other unique designs. It was founded in July 2001 as a subsidiary of British Airways, a Comair franchisee. However, as another victim of the COVID-19 pandemic, it suspended operations on June 1, 2022, and was liquidated eight days later.