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As a result SAA will be privatised with a 51% share of the company being passed to Takatso consortium which allotted around $200 million to revamp the airline and resume operations, considering the figure to be sufficient for 12-36 months of operations.Ĭoming out of hibernation, SAA has once again obtained its air operators certificate (AOC) from the South African Department of Civil Aviation. The end of court proceedings concluded with the airline’s creditors voting to keep the airline alive, requiring the government to provide a figure of $597.8 million. Although told to halt operations by 8th of May 2020, airline personnel continued operating cargo and repatriation flights, whilst taking the matter to South Africa’s Labour Court. The government’s decision was met with heavy opposition by the airline’s employees who saw that albeit financial pressures, the government had chosen to shut down the airline without a convincing rescue plan, leading to a legal battle that ran between May to July. In May of 2020, South African authorities provided an official statement announcing the end of SAA’s service with the intention to create a new flag carrier in the near future. This came as a result of the heavy toll inflicted by the covid-19 pandemic, along with the fact that the government stopped funding the airline as it had failed to generate profit since 2011. Having been rejected loans by Standard Chartered along with Citibank, the South African government stepped in providing the airline with $147.9 million dollars in an effort to save the situation.Īlthough it had been placed in bankruptcy protection by the government along with cutting more flights (such as to Munich) to further reduce costs, SAA eventually hit bankruptcy in 2020. In 2017, SAA had begun to reduce its fleet and announced to reduce flight operations by 23%. Albeit attempts to restrict routes to save costs, less than a decade later the airline began facing financial difficulties that ultimately lead to its recent grounding. Furthermore, its application to join Star Alliance was met with success and it became the first African member in 2006. Meanwhile, its fleet grew to include updated Boeing models such as the 737, along with Airbus A300 aircraft.īy the early 2000s, South African Airways had heaved a reputation as a cargo transporter alongside its passenger services. In the years that followed, albeit political turmoil, South Africa Airways grew to be one of the most active African flyers adding more destinations that included Paris, Hong Kong, Buenos Aires, Tel Aviv and Seychelles. By 1960 SAA had acquired its first Boeing 707-320 aircraft that were deployed on the routes to London and Australia, along with adding a flight to New York via Rio De Janeiro. Meanwhile, the airline also operated its Wallaby route that flew eastward, spanning the destinations of Johannesburg, Mauritius, Cocos Islands, and Perth. This duration was decreased to 18 hours when the stop was transferred to Kano, Nigeria. With them, SAA scheduled 21-hour flights to London with one refueling stop at Khartoum. It was at this time that the airline purchased Douglas DC-3 and -4 aircraft that covered domestic routes between Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban.Īs the years moved on, the airline embraced the jet era with the integration of BOAC de Havilland Comet along with the Douglas DC-7B model that was capable of conducting long-haul flights. It grew so fast in popularity that SAA went from offering a single Springbok service per week to six. The journey took three days to complete with overnight stops at Nairobi and Cairo. Known as the Springbok service, SAA cycled the destinations of Palmietfontein, Nairobi, Khartoum, Cairo, Castel, Benito–Hurn and Bournemouth (The main UK airport before Heathrow). It continued to make gradual expansions adding more regional destinations and aircraft until after the second world war when SAA began to see significant growth in response to increased travel demands and growing passenger numbers. Furthermore, 40 members of staff were transferred to government payroll continuing their work for the airline. As part of the deal the new administration received various aircraft that included a de Havilland DH60 Gypsy Moth, one de Havilland DH80A Puss Moth along with three Junkers F13s and A50s. South African Airways was conceived in the winter of 1934, when the South African government acquired Union Airways. South African Airways (SAA) was conceived in the winter of 1934