Comair shares gains on B737-800 order
Shares in South Africa's Comair gained 1.3% on Friday, following an order for eight B737-800s announced earlier in the week. The order was valued at USD646 million at list prices and had previously been attributed to an unidentified customer on Boeing's orders and deliveries website.
The new aircraft will be flown by Comair's low-fare airline, kulula.com and will feature the Sky Interior cabin design.
Launched in 2001 as South Africa's first low-fare carrier, kulula.com currently operates an all-Boeing fleet of ten B737s, including three leased B737-800s. Comair also operates as a franchise partner of British Airways, with 13 B737s flying domestically in South Africa and regionally in Southern Africa.
Gidon Novick, joint CEO of Comair Ltd, stated: "The purchase of new B737-800s is historic for our company and gives all our 1800 staff a great feeling of pride. The new fleet is an essential part of our efficiency drive, which will not only give us a cost leadership position in our industry, but also provide our customers with exceptional levels of reliability and comfort with the spacious new interior."
Elsewhere, Kenya Airways' shares eased on Friday.
Selected African and Middle Eastern airlines' share price movements: (% change): 04-Feb-2011
