Tourism minister Lindiwe Sisulu said on Thursday the imminent closure of airline operator Comair was unfortunate and will hurt tourism in the country.

Comair, which grounded its British Airways (domestic) and Kulula flights a week ago because of a funding crunch, has failed to raise the cash it needs to return to the air.

Its business rescue practitioners said on Thursday the requisite funding could not be raised for the company to continue with its operations. They  said they no longer believe there is a reasonable prospect that the company can be rescued.

“This development is really unfortunate, especially at the time when we are making progress in terms of the recovery of our sector. This essentially results in a limited distribution network where there is limited capacity for both domestic and international travellers to reach and explore the length and breadth of our beautiful country,” Sisulu said.

She said affordability and access are already a big consideration for travellers.

“We hope the grounding of Comair flights does not result in other airlines raising their prices. For our sector to continue to recover, we need to partner and find a solution that will not put travellers in a worse position,” Sisulu said.

TimesLIVE