Given the small margins that SA’s low-cost airlines operate on, the looming Acsa (Airports Company South Africa) tariff hikes are expected to be passed on to the long-suffering customer, making it hard to be sure you bagged that bargain after all.
Increased e-commerce in recent years has led to South African consumers being more comfortable booking and buying online. And today, with travel, the internet is pivotal. We use it to research destinations, accommodation, prices, and even to make our actual bookings instead of going to a traditional travel agent.
This has led to a proliferation of travel websites popping up in recent years, and entrepreneurs are now also getting in on the act alongside airlines such as Kulula, Mango and 1time. SAflights, Compare Travel and Travelstart are among those movers into the market.
Online-only flight “aggregators” use search technology that scoops up all available flights and presents them ranked by price, duration or other criteria.
Marc Samouilhan, CEO of CompareTravel.co.za says that users of his site can be assured that “the cheapest option is always presented to you, even if it means two one-way flights on different airlines. And our system can combine these two flights into one booking.”
“We have seen (internet) traffic rise by 160 percent in our first few months,” said. Samouilhan
“The modern consumer is very value-conscious… A rate hike will only drive the local market to be even more particular on where and how they spend their cash.” - The Mercury