SAA looses out on low - cost airlines

[Gunship]

Again not SAA slagging ... just headline news ..

South African Airways (SAA) seems to be cutting down on domestic flights to smaller airports as it starts to feel the pinch from low budget airlines.

Confusion reigns over SAA's reported plans to do away with flights to East London, Port Elizabeth and George, in spite of a measurable increase in passenger numbers on those routes.

So far, only a plan to discontinue flights to George can be confirmed.

SAA spokesperson JJ Tabane was quoted earlier this week as saying the airline would end flights to these destinations because they were unprofitable.

They would be handed over to SAA sub-division SA Express, he said, which operated 50-seater aircraft.

When asked for more information, SAA spokesperson Sarah Uys said she was only aware that flights to George would be terminated.

An SAA booking agent at Cape Town International Airport confirmed that the airline would stop flying to George at the end of next month.

At George, passenger numbers had increased noticeably over the past two years, said the town's tourism information manager, Joan Shaw.

"The airport here is busier than ever," she said.

[Warlock2000]

If they carry on giving away routes soon they'll only be going to Cape Town, Durban and London.
:confused:
Oh wait, and Lagos. Gotta go to Lagos!

[Recuperator]

Maybe not to Lagos in the future??

Rumour has it that Virgin Nigeria will be flying to SA soon... cheaper, with better cabin crew, newer aircraft and also not so susceptible to having passengers stuck in Nigeria with SAA being on strike half the time.:ok:

[Gunship]

That 's a good rumour Recuperator :ok:

Surely Not .... how is SA ? :E:E:E:E

[Recuperator]

Apparently a very, very strong possibility and less of a rumour. See web page:

http://www.busrep.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=2834140&fSectionId=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/viewtopic.php?p=516&sid=cc58925f52d43768fcc03dd6fe3319b3


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/2005/05/black_empowerme_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....:ok: 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... :eek:

Go Virgin, beware SAA! (SAA=Sadly Affirmative Actioned)