All South African Airways articles
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NewsSouth African Airways expands fleet with more A320s
South African Airways has expanded its fleet with the addition of a pair of Airbus A320s, taking its operation to 20 aircraft. The airline has been gradually rebuilding its services and network since emerging from business rescue and despite the failure of a privatisation effort. SAA says the extra pair ...
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NewsSAA pilots start returning to work after suspending industrial action
Pilots at South African Airways have suspended their industrial action which has disrupted the carrier’s services since 5 November. The airline says the suspension took effect from 02:00 on 7 November, and it expects to reinstate its flying schedule fully on 8 December. SAA says this follows “successful negotiations” between ...
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NewsSouth African Airways rejigs schedule ahead of pilot strike
South African Airways has amended its schedule following the decision by cockpit crews to embark on industrial action from 5 December. It has published timetable changes for services between Johannesburg and Cape Town, Durban and Port Elizabeth, as well as the Namibian capital Windhoek and Port Louis in Mauritius. SAA ...
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NewsSAA pilots threaten strike over salary demands despite carrier’s fragile finances
South African Airways is warning that it is not financially strong enough to support a salary demand from pilots, who have threatened to strike from 5 December. The carrier has been negotiating with the SAA Pilots Association, but claims the association’s initial request for a 30% wage increase – subsequently ...
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NewsSAA claims positive full-year results for first time in over a decade
South African Airways has disclosed its full-year results for the fiscal year to March 2023, claiming a net profit of R252 million ($14 million). The carrier’s management board unveiled the performance during its annual general meeting in Johannesburg on 20 November. SAA emerged from business rescue in September 2021. But ...
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NewsInvestigators probe SAA A330’s pitch oscillation during cruise
Investigators are probing an in-flight oscillation at cruise altitude which affected a South African Airways Airbus A330-300 operating a domestic service. The aircraft – flying from Cape Town to Johannesburg on 27 October – had been cruising at 41,000ft when it started to oscillate in pitch, between nose-up and nose-down. ...
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NewsSAA chair: South African domestic market strong despite Mango absence
South African Airways’ chairman is uncertain whether budget carrier Mango will be revived, but believes that the country’s domestic market is strong and signals that SAA is more focused on regional and intercontinental services.
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NewsSAA striving to recover R1bn from Zimbabwe as it seeks funds for development
South African Airways is keen to recover some R1 billion ($59 million) in funds from a Zimbabwean legacy debt, but admits it has achieved only minimal success. The carrier’s senior management appeared before a parliamentary public accounts committee on 22 October, laying out the need to source funding after a ...
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NewsSAA floats possibility of selling Heathrow slots to fund fleet expansion
South African Airways has raised the possibility of selling slots at London Heathrow in order to help address the airline’s financial pressures. SAA is government-owned and has been forced to revise its business strategy after a long-running attempt at privatisation collapsed earlier this year. The carrier’s chair, Derek Hanekom, told ...
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NewsSouth African regulator orders medical rechecks alleging certification fraud
South African Airways has been rechecking personnel, including pilots, after the country’s civil aviation regulator accused the airline’s chief medical officer of issuing fraudulent certificates. The South African Civil Aviation Authority says the officer’s designation as an aviation medical examiner was not renewed after 31 March this year – pending ...
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NewsLufthansa, KLM and SAA pay $900m for ‘extreme delays’ in refunding passengers
The US government has secured more than $900 million in refunds for passengers who faced “extreme delays” in receiving compensation from for Covid-19-related flight changes and cancellations.
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NewsSAA receiving batch of A320s through Hong Kong lessor CALC
South African Airways has taken delivery of an Airbus A320, the first of a batch of three it is leasing from Hong Kong company CALC.
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NewsSAA rebuilds intercontinental network with Perth resumption
South African Airways is to resume its service to the Australian city of Perth by the end of April, continuing a restoration of the flag-carrier’s long-haul services. It has already re-introduced flights to Sao Paulo in Brazil, around six months ago. SAA’s rebuilding of its network had already been planned ...
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NewsSouth African Airways seeks new chief to steer carrier after privatisation collapse
South African Airways is formally seeking a new chief executive to pursue an alternative strategic course after the collapse of its privatisation effort.
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NewsCollapsed SAA privatisation being referred to special investigators
South African Airways’ failed privatisation is to undergo scrutiny after being referred by parliamentarians to special investigators.
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NewsSouth African government to explore alternative financial avenues for developing SAA
South Africa’s government is confident that flag-carrier South African Airways will be able to continue expanding despite the collapse of a long-running effort to sell a majority share to private investors. Investor consortium Takatso had been set to take a 51% share of the airline, but the two sides have ...
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NewsSouth African Airways’ drawn-out privatisation deal collapses as parties agree cancellation
South Africa’s government and an investment consortium have ended public-private partnership plans for South African Airways under which the consortium would have taken a majority share in the flag-carrier. The Takatso consortium had been unveiled as a potential investor in SAA some two-and-a-half years ago. But finalising the agreement has ...
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NewsSunExpress to expand SAA damp-lease deal to four aircraft
Turkish leisure carrier SunExpress has signed a memorandum of understanding to double the number of aircraft it damp-leases to South African Airways for the winter 2024-2025 season.
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NewsSAA restoring Star codeshares with Lufthansa Group carriers
South African Airways is restoring its Star Alliance codeshare relationship with Lufthansa Group, with a new agreement centred on Frankfurt services. The African carrier says the codeshare will provide access to the German hub as well as connections to several European destinations. SAA adds that it aims to introduce a ...
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Airline BusinessSAA emerges profitably from ‘holding pattern’: CEO
South African Airways chief executive John Lamola believes that the Star Alliance carrier emerging profitably from its first full-year of operations since resumings flights almost two years ago underlines it is in good shape to expand.