SAA to continue repatriation, cargo flights in May

May 10, 2020: South African Airways (SAA) has reassured its customers and stakeholders that it will continue to operate repatriation and cargo flights during the month of May and beyond.

The state-owned airline, which was declared bankrupt, offered compensation deals to all staff from the end of April after administrators - Les Matuson and Sizwe Dongwana concluded that a successful turnaround is now unlikely. The basic value of compensation will be one-month pay per year of service and will depend on the successful disposal of assets such as real estate, rotables, and trade debts.

SAA has no plans to cease its operations on May 8. The airline will honour all existing commitments to provide air transportation services to its customers and any other requests that it receives.

There are several requests for repatriation flights to operate to North, West, and East Africa, the UK, the Middle East, South and North America, and the Far East during the course of this month that are being considered by the airline.

“We are in ongoing discussions with the Departments of Public Enterprises (DPE) and that of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), regarding other destinations where South African citizens may be stranded. Further, we are responding proactively in those instances where there is a need for essential humanitarian cargo for our country and for the neighbouring states to be uplifted,” said Thandeka Mgoduso, interim SAA executive chairperson.

The airline continues to receive and operationalise requests from various foreign governments, who still have their citizens stranded in South Africa.

Since April 3, SAA has transported more than 9,100 passengers to six continents and more than 870 tonnes of freight, both export and import consignments, which included essential humanitarian cargo. As long as such requests are received, SAA will endeavour to fulfill them.