kulula.com claims Mars spot

That's right... To mark ten years in business and a staggering 55 million kilometres flown (the distance between Earth and Mars - which will take you about seven years to cover at kulula's cruising speed of about 900km/h using their current aircraft, but using their UnusuallyFreakyObject should take a fraction of that time) the airline has claimed a ten acre spot on Mars for future expansion. Part of the land will be given to staff and business partners as part of the birthday celebrations.

Now flying's fun, seriously

Gidon Novick, joint CEO of kulula.com says, "Ten years ago flying was something only for the elite few who could afford it and not much fun. The launch of kulula.com literally changed the entire industry and we've come a seriously long way since our first flight. It's only right that as well as celebrating the past we look to the future and think on a grand and possibly even interplanetary scale."

Will the terminal have a delight for the dipsomaniacs... You know... a Mars Bar?

To help visualise the future and what a kulula.com Mars base could look like, an artist's impression has been commissioned showing a self-sufficient living module, travel terminal and retail complex. A (non-space ready) prototype kulula space ship will also be unveiled at

click to enlarge

Cape Town International Airport and OR Tambo International Airport during the birthday month.

Only a little while to wait... Not!

It is anticipated that the plot of land, registered by kulula, could be in use as early as 2060. In the meantime, kulula.com has approached international space agencies including NASA, to alert them to the claim and invite them to visit (at some point).

kulula fans and customers can take part in a competition to win a plot within the kulula Mars base by suggesting a creative use for their plot. Go to www.facebook.com/iflykulula for further details.

In the meantime, however...kulula has been rolling out its fleet upgrade plan from 2010, which includes Boeing 737-800s (186 seats) and operates over 396 flights a week with 16 domestic routes, including five regional destinations.

click to enlarge

For more information about kulula and its various offerings, including 'jetsetters' (SA's first low-fare carrier reward club), affordable holiday packages, the kulula mobi site and online check-in service, go to www.kulula.com. Become a kulula fan at www.facebook.com/iflykulula.

• The kulula.com land claim on Mars has been registered with the Lunar Embassy. For more information visit (and read the FAQs): http://www.moonestates.com/p2/One_acre_parcel_of_land_on_Mars/product_info.html?osCsid=48a31c01b95feac5f73f6ea6536b71bf

For background on travelling to Mars go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manned_mission_to_Mars