Low-cost airline 1Time, which recently applied for business rescue, has launched a 'Rescue 9-1-1time' Facebook campaign to rally support behind the struggling carrier.

The campaign hopes to generate awareness of 1time’s business rescue and growth plans, and encourage travellers to keep flying the airline. 1time CEO, Blacky Komani says that the campaign is a testament to the unity of South Africans, and their determination to help make a difference in the country’s economy by keeping private businesses afloat.

“When we first informed our stakeholders that 1time had applied for debt relief, we were uncertain as to what their reactions would be as the term Business Rescue is relatively unknown in the market place.  People didn’t understand that Business Rescue is providing us with a temporary safety net so that we can re-organise the business financially and strategically.  However, thanks to the media highlighting our current position and our strategy going forward, support has literally poured in from every corner of the country.

"The 9-1-1time campaign is a perfect example of the power, conviction and purpose that South African consumers demonstrate whenever a favoured brand is faced with a crisis, and is also an indicator of the powerful impact that can be made by social media and through two-way communication.

“It is fantastic to see that so many of 1time’s passengers are backing us as a sure bet and publicly committing their support to sustain our future. Just as interesting, is that it is clear that members of the general public are also concerned with the outlook of the low cost aviation industry in general to ensure that fair pricing and competitive practice is maintained.”

“Flights that are scheduled to depart and arrive tomorrow and the days to follow, will keep doing so as we have for the past eight years," says Komani. "In fact, operations are running so smoothly that we have again beaten traditional as well as other low cost carriers in On Time Performance across South Africa for the fourth month in a row."

Will you keep flying 1time, or are you concerned about their future in the skies? Post your comments below...