Home » SAA Making Progress Already in Turnaround Plan

SAA Making Progress Already in Turnaround Plan

South African Airways (SAA) is pushing ahead and already making progress in implementing its turnaround plan to lead the airline to financial sustainability, the company announced on Monday. In a statement, South Africa’s national carrier said: “Over the past six months, SAA has been on roadshows to meet its major codeshare partners and other potential […]

By Jenni Baxter
24-07-18 11:12
in Business

South African Airways (SAA) is pushing ahead and already making progress in implementing its turnaround plan to lead the airline to financial sustainability, the company announced on Monday.

saa

In a statement, South Africa’s national carrier said: “Over the past six months, SAA has been on roadshows to meet its major codeshare partners and other potential commercial partners to revitalise the commercial delivery under the existing agreements and explore mutually beneficial opportunities to expand the network.”

With billions of rands in debt and mounting calls for the airline to shut its doors, SAA has been on a mission to keep afloat and return to profitability.

In November 2017, SAA embarked on a network and route rationalisation programme, which encompassed revitalising all alliance and partnerships, including interline and codeshare agreements (whereby an airline’s designator code is used on a flight operated by another airline, so as to expand its own market presence).

SAA has met with Emirates, Turkish Airways, Qatar Airways, Kenya Airways, Air Mauritius, Unite Airlines and Singapore Airlines.

SAA’s executives have cited unprofitable routes, inefficient planes and a bloated staff compliment for being some of the reasons for its financial woes.

During discussions with the other airlines, SAA says it explored the possibility of other air carriers taking on SAA’s excess cabin and flight deck crew on a contract basis.

Earlier this month current affairs programme Carte Blanche explored international low cost models that could provide answers for the state-owned carrier. (If you live outside South Africa, you can watch Carte Blanche by streaming it on Showmax here.)

Yesterday the airline said its discussions with other airlines has not included the possibility of any of them investing in SAA as part of the Strategic Equity Partner (SEP) process.

Sources include SAA, SANews.gov.za and Carte Blanche.

South Africans abroad can watch Carte Blanche each week from Tuesday, after it airs in SA on Sunday.