South African low-cost carrier (LCC) LIFT, a subsidiary of Global Aviation, has announced a strategic pivot as it moves into a consolidation phase. The airline, launched during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, was designed with a flexible operating model that catered to the challenging aviation landscape at the time.
The airline’s founding management team—Gidon Novick, Jonathan Ayache, and Justin Gordon—will step back from their day-to-day roles to concentrate on long-term strategy and aircraft acquisition. The trio, who have been instrumental in shaping LIFT’s growth, will continue their involvement as board members and shareholders.
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Novick, who previously founded the low-cost airline kulula.com, is also a co-founder of LIFT and Home Suite Hotels. Ayache serves as LIFT’s CEO, while Gordon is the airline’s Chief Financial Officer. Their departure from operational management comes as Global Aviation, known for its expertise in ACMI (aircraft, crew, maintenance, and insurance) wet leasing and charter services, takes over management of the airline.
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In a statement, Novick emphasized that LIFT’s leadership team is well-equipped to steer the airline forward, while he, Ayache, and Gordon focus on broader strategic initiatives. “We see significant potential in expanding LIFT’s flexible model across Africa’s under-served aviation market,” said Novick. He also highlighted plans to build an aircraft fund to secure long-term growth for the airline and address the continent’s aviation needs.
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The leadership transition occurs amidst a global aircraft shortage, exacerbated by production delays at manufacturers Airbus and Boeing. Despite these challenges, LIFT aims to tap into Africa’s potential, with the continent home to 17% of the global population but accounting for just 2% of global air travel, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
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LIFT currently operates a mixed fleet that includes aircraft leased from AerCap and others sourced from Global Aviation’s own A320 fleet. These planes serve various international markets through Global Aviation’s ACMI leasing arm. LIFT has also earned recognition as Africa’s Best Low-Cost Carrier at the 2024 Skytrax awards.
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Previously, Global Aviation was a minority stakeholder in the Takatso Consortium, which was poised to take a 51% equity stake in South African Airways (SAA). However, the deal collapsed earlier this year after South Africa’s Competition Commission raised concerns about conflicts of interest due to LIFT’s involvement. Global Aviation and Novick’s Syranix failed to sell their minority shares in the consortium, leading to the deal’s dissolution.
