SA Airlink for sale?
WildFrequency
If you look at the history of these two carriers you'll see that nobody "gave" either carrier any routes. They have a mutual arrangement and it normally comes at a "price". 
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Correction
The Claw,
If my post is re-read, I posted 6 months for the SAX routes and what happens thereafter is guesswork. I agree, there is a lot of politics with the routes "given"!
If my post is re-read, I posted 6 months for the SAX routes and what happens thereafter is guesswork. I agree, there is a lot of politics with the routes "given"!
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Someone whispered something in my ear, that SAX will be replacing the 2x DASH 8’s operating In Tanzania with 2 x CRJ’s to pick up their local routes again lost to Airlink.
I also heard that the 2 x Tanzania DASH 8’s will be joined with 2 more DASH 8’s soon.
So do not rub your hands to hard….” Claw & Baleka” the hair on your palms will wear off.
Its going to be much better now at SAX with SAA steering the ship…..you Airlink ou’s should climb on board man.
….at a price of course!
“SENIORITY you know”
You will have to slot In under the SAX pilots
I also heard that the 2 x Tanzania DASH 8’s will be joined with 2 more DASH 8’s soon.
So do not rub your hands to hard….” Claw & Baleka” the hair on your palms will wear off.
Its going to be much better now at SAX with SAA steering the ship…..you Airlink ou’s should climb on board man.
….at a price of course!
“SENIORITY you know”
You will have to slot In under the SAX pilots
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Eisschhh!
Kunjani Vrottels,
First the routes were given, now they were lost. 
Then you will replace the Dash 8's with CRJ's, then you will add two more to the two already in Tanzania.
Seems to me the ship is even more off course already...may already be the influence of SAA. 
Contradictions rule it seems. Uncertainty...no let me shut up.
By the way, SHARALUMI seems to have a point based on your theory regarding the weight differences causing performance differences.
Care to elaborate on your theory?
Salagahlè
BAKELA
SAX will be replacing the 2x DASH 8’s operating In Tanzania with 2 x CRJ’s to pick up their local routes again lost to Airlink.
I also heard that the 2 x Tanzania DASH 8’s will be joined with 2 more DASH 8’s soon.
I also heard that the 2 x Tanzania DASH 8’s will be joined with 2 more DASH 8’s soon.
Then you will replace the Dash 8's with CRJ's, then you will add two more to the two already in Tanzania.
Its going to be much better now at SAX with SAA steering the ship
Contradictions rule it seems. Uncertainty...no let me shut up. By the way, SHARALUMI seems to have a point based on your theory regarding the weight differences causing performance differences.
Care to elaborate on your theory? Salagahlè
BAKELA
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Reading this thread with interest....
A few questions for you guys out there in the know. What ever happened to the FACT- Eros services that Airlink made work so well they put on extra flights? Is Eros now closed and if so what happened to the service between Windhoek and Cape Town?
Secondly if I recall Link took this route from SAX - given that eros has an elevation of 5575ft AMSL and has field length of <2000m, performance issues must have really been important in such high density altitude conditions.
The Embraer website gives a take off field length of 1770m (ISA, SL, MTOW). So how did Airlink and SAX go on when they flew out of Eros?
Secondly if I recall Link took this route from SAX - given that eros has an elevation of 5575ft AMSL and has field length of <2000m, performance issues must have really been important in such high density altitude conditions.
The Embraer website gives a take off field length of 1770m (ISA, SL, MTOW). So how did Airlink and SAX go on when they flew out of Eros?
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Kunjani GT,
Eros was closed by the Namibian government earlier this year. I still believe it was a set-up between SAA & Air Namibia to get the Eros pax into Hosea Kutako. Both SAX and Airlink did well while operating into Eros as pax obviously avoided the mountainous 80 km odd drive to Hosea. SAX was supposed to fly the Cape-Town - Hosea route from 1 April 2003. They most probably 'dumped' it like other routes I'm aware of (Jo'burg-Livingstone, Durban-Maputo - both long ago but they have a history for doing it
). 
We need a CRJ and ERJ driver here for the performances. However, the info I have is that the ERJ135 had no restrictions (37 pax - full load) on RWY 01, and took a slight penalty on RWY 19 only when IFR conditions existed (obstacle clearance limitations).
The CRJ200 I think was limited to 25 pax (50% load!) max on RWY 01 and could not operate on RWY 19 at all. I hope this reply and your questions gets the guys on here.
Wild Frequency?
Salagahlè
BAKELA
Eros was closed by the Namibian government earlier this year. I still believe it was a set-up between SAA & Air Namibia to get the Eros pax into Hosea Kutako. Both SAX and Airlink did well while operating into Eros as pax obviously avoided the mountainous 80 km odd drive to Hosea. SAX was supposed to fly the Cape-Town - Hosea route from 1 April 2003. They most probably 'dumped' it like other routes I'm aware of (Jo'burg-Livingstone, Durban-Maputo - both long ago but they have a history for doing it
). We need a CRJ and ERJ driver here for the performances. However, the info I have is that the ERJ135 had no restrictions (37 pax - full load) on RWY 01, and took a slight penalty on RWY 19 only when IFR conditions existed (obstacle clearance limitations).
The CRJ200 I think was limited to 25 pax (50% load!) max on RWY 01 and could not operate on RWY 19 at all. I hope this reply and your questions gets the guys on here.
Wild Frequency?
Salagahlè
BAKELA
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Is It so Hard
Bakela,
Unfortunately this forum does not allow me to draw pictures.
Is It really so hard to understand the language.....Just read It slower this time.....OK OK I should have kept It simpler for you Airlink ous!
vrottels
Unfortunately this forum does not allow me to draw pictures.
Is It really so hard to understand the language.....Just read It slower this time.....OK OK I should have kept It simpler for you Airlink ous!
vrottels
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The Cape Town - Eros route was operated by SA Airlink on behalf of SAX for a number of months, the flight number was a SAX number as was the callsign. Ironically even though the ERJ's regularly flew full there was very little money made by Airlink, the profits went back to SAX/SAA - sort of flying for free I guess.
Peformance....Airlinks ERJ's are 135's with 145 engines, it is an overpowered machine. Out of Johannesburg the WAT limit becomes a problem when the temperature enters the mid thirty degree area! The aircraft climbs direct to FL370 whatever its weight! Airlink, on previous threads, has been accused of "cheating" the performance figures before, both on the J41 and ERJ. This is obsurd, the performance program is factory written, the data entered is correct, you can double check the runway/airfield data entered on the performance figures if you think someone added a few metres to the runway!
Vrottels, do you know what the pax loads are like in Tanzania at the moment? Curious to know.
Peformance....Airlinks ERJ's are 135's with 145 engines, it is an overpowered machine. Out of Johannesburg the WAT limit becomes a problem when the temperature enters the mid thirty degree area! The aircraft climbs direct to FL370 whatever its weight! Airlink, on previous threads, has been accused of "cheating" the performance figures before, both on the J41 and ERJ. This is obsurd, the performance program is factory written, the data entered is correct, you can double check the runway/airfield data entered on the performance figures if you think someone added a few metres to the runway!
Vrottels, do you know what the pax loads are like in Tanzania at the moment? Curious to know.
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Tanzania Loads
Haven't got a clue, but asume that the prospect looks good.
Therefore the demand for 2 x more Dash 8's.
I am a bit out of touch with those sort of figures.vrottels
Therefore the demand for 2 x more Dash 8's.
I am a bit out of touch with those sort of figures.vrottels
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Tch! Tch! Tch!
Kunjani SAXers & Linkers,
Go outa town for a week and the place gets quiet.
Vrottels, glad to hear it's going okay in Tanzania. I've heard that the loads are picking up very good therefor the need for the additional aircraft. Don't have specific figures though but it seems the plan of replacing the J41 with the DH8's is paying off.
WildFrequency, I was told that the same as seemingly happened on CT - Eros is happening on the CT - Sun City and CT - Hoekoesspruit routes that Airlink is now flying. Good loads but zip revenue! Plenty pax apparently were given freebies by SAX loooong ago.
I'm hearing vibes about the merger again. Where are all you guys with the hot info? Apparently it could be fairly close.
Shala Gashle
Bakela
Go outa town for a week and the place gets quiet.
Vrottels, glad to hear it's going okay in Tanzania. I've heard that the loads are picking up very good therefor the need for the additional aircraft. Don't have specific figures though but it seems the plan of replacing the J41 with the DH8's is paying off.
WildFrequency, I was told that the same as seemingly happened on CT - Eros is happening on the CT - Sun City and CT - Hoekoesspruit routes that Airlink is now flying. Good loads but zip revenue! Plenty pax apparently were given freebies by SAX loooong ago.
I'm hearing vibes about the merger again. Where are all you guys with the hot info?
Apparently it could be fairly close.Shala Gashle
Bakela
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Yip rather quite here Bakela,
I cannot deny or confirm (that’s because I honestly don’t know) the revenue issue on any of the “new” SAX routes flown by Airlink. Will scratch around a bit and see what dirty washing I uncover.
Mergers again, this rumour always raises its head again around the same-time every year, appears to coincide with Airlink salary negotiating time. Quite frankly would rather work for SA Airlink than SAX, sorry Vrottels, never wanted to be a government employee!
I cannot deny or confirm (that’s because I honestly don’t know) the revenue issue on any of the “new” SAX routes flown by Airlink. Will scratch around a bit and see what dirty washing I uncover.
Mergers again, this rumour always raises its head again around the same-time every year, appears to coincide with Airlink salary negotiating time. Quite frankly would rather work for SA Airlink than SAX, sorry Vrottels, never wanted to be a government employee!
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WF,
Welcome back - it was getting awfully lonely here. I fully agree with you, will definately not like to work for SAX. The same as SAA as I see it.
Merger and the salary negotiations at Airlink - never connected the two. Have been told that there's more happening as well at Airlink. But maybe we should wait that one of the Airlink heavies gets on here to give us the white hot gen. Come on guys, give us the hotties.
Welcome back - it was getting awfully lonely here. I fully agree with you, will definately not like to work for SAX. The same as SAA as I see it.
Merger and the salary negotiations at Airlink - never connected the two. Have been told that there's more happening as well at Airlink. But maybe we should wait that one of the Airlink heavies gets on here to give us the white hot gen. Come on guys, give us the hotties.
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Watch the press for details guys. There will be NO merger whatsoever. Neither SAX nor Airlink are doing very well. Both are running huge losses. That at least, the bosses confirmed at a recent board meeting.
SAX will be swallowed up by SAA, and Airlink will continue to function for political reasons. Watch this space carefully. There are major developments on the cards.
SAX will be swallowed up by SAA, and Airlink will continue to function for political reasons. Watch this space carefully. There are major developments on the cards.
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A Stupid question but......
Why are neither of these carriers making a profit?. Firstly most of their routes are not subject to competition either from other carriers or from other forms of transport i.e. (in the UK Virgin trains hope to compete with the airlines for the domestic business market). The SA economy is in relatively good shape compared to the UK, EU and US, tourism is booming and neither carriers has been exposed the slump in the US air-travel market, SARS or the war in Iraq.
Whats the view in Pprune world regarding the merger would it be a good or bad idea?
Whats the view in Pprune world regarding the merger would it be a good or bad idea?
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Clipboard,
Sounds like you have the hot gen my mate.
Who's board meeting?
What exactly are you implying here?
Right. If SAA swallows SAX and Airlink continues as is, what major development can possibly take place?
GT,
Without commenting on the alleged losses suffered by both (I'll wait for Clipboard), SAX has been flying the wrong routes with the right aircraft or the right routes with the wrong aircraft. This has happened since their inception in '94 and to right that wrong is going to take a major effort I reckon.
A merger will make sense for SAA, SAX and Airlink I reckon. The effect it may have on staff and crews is another kettle of fish though. A merger would in effect mean that everybody would then work for SAA. Tells me that some people may just jump ship.
Sounds like you have the hot gen my mate.
That at least, the bosses confirmed at a recent board meeting.
for political reasons
major developments
GT,
Without commenting on the alleged losses suffered by both (I'll wait for Clipboard), SAX has been flying the wrong routes with the right aircraft or the right routes with the wrong aircraft. This has happened since their inception in '94 and to right that wrong is going to take a major effort I reckon.
A merger will make sense for SAA, SAX and Airlink I reckon. The effect it may have on staff and crews is another kettle of fish though. A merger would in effect mean that everybody would then work for SAA. Tells me that some people may just jump ship.
