Apparently a very, very strong possibility and less of a rumour. See web page:
http://www.busrep.co.za/index.php?fA...612&fSetId=662
I believe Virgin Nigeria or Virgin Atlantic Airlines is on the up in Africa. They are causing quite a stir in Nigeria and they are hungry, delivering the goods and are providing a great service. Virgin Nigeria are taking more passengers away from the existing aviation companies here than any other company ever before.
If they do start flying to Jhb from Lagos, they will do the same to SAA, taking over their passengers, just simply by providing a better, less expensive service. SAA's clients are tired of paying excessive ticket prices due to a lack of competition on this route, tired of flying in their old aircraft that are always breaking down or being delayed due to technical problems on the Jhb-Lagos-Jhb route. They are tired of SAA's terrible and arrogant cabin crew with their poor service.
While talking about them. SAA's plight is not helped by their cabin crew. They already have a bad reputation, worldwide, as unionised members have been implicated in being involved in prostitution, theft, bribery, money laundering and smuggling.... Read the BBC link below....
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/732246.stm
Including drug smuggling, 2 kilograms of cocaine worth R4.4 million in Oz....
http://www.iinvestigate.net/phpBB2/v...c03dd6fe3319b3
Gone are the days of SAA's domination in Africa, unless they wake up. With them giving away local routes in SA, because they are not cost effective, because they have not set up a low cost airline like Qantas has in Australia, to counter 1time etc, they stand to lose much more in the long run. Sadly turboprops and RJ's don't cut it, especially not at fast jet prices.
But as mentioned, in this forum, from top useless management down to aircraft washer, SAA's personnel all have chip's on their shoulders and think they are God's gift to aviation in Africa, if not in the world. Leaving people stranded worldwide recently didn't help them either and just tarnished their reputation further. They are in for a rude surprise.
Here is some older, but interesting reading:
http://www.amren.com/mtnews/archives...mpowerme_1.php
SAA, as with other SA government black empowerment backed companies and their policies will cost them dearly.
SAA will probably eventually fade away into obscurity and become another LAM or just another lesser known African Airline, far removed from the days when it was a major player in world aviation, winning countless awards.
Then again, those days, it did have an orange tail on the back....
We are not living in the past here, but we have to deal with the present and the future, by making proactive decisions that will positively affect SAA's existence, otherwise SAA will be pushed aside by companies like Virgin Nigeria or ....
even worse....
who knows, SAA might even be included in France's blacklist...
Go Virgin, beware SAA! (SAA=Sadly Affirmative Actioned)