Velvet Sky still grounded

The Pietermaritzburg High Court is expected to pronounce on the matter tomorrow, 7 March. Until then, the suspension of flights will continue. "We will only be able to give a firm commitment to flights once we have the court pronouncement on Wednesday. However, operationally, we are continuing to prepare for the resumption of flights," he said.

Webb said discussions with suppliers had been completed and had been fruitful. Intensive discussions are under way with a number of parties regarding the future ownership of Velvet Sky. Currently, Velvet Sky is owned by Excalibur Aerospace.

When announcing the suspension of flights, chairman Stephen Nthite said he was confident that the long-term outlook for Velvet Sky remained positive and that current developments would significantly improve the airline's position.

Velvet Sky was created in 2008 by a team with a passion for the airline industry. As South Africa's first 100% BEEE airline, it began flying on 21 March last year.

Webb said Velvet Sky was continuing to process refund paperwork. He said that customers should submit their documentation as soon as possible.