https://www.engineeringnews.co.za

SAA and partners filling the flight gap created by the grounding of SA Express

A Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet of SA Express, before the airline was grounded

A Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet of SA Express, before the airline was grounded

30th May 2018

By: Rebecca Campbell

Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor

     

Font size: - +

South African Airways (SAA) announced on Wednesday an extended flight schedule to replace the capacity lost with the grounding of the SA Express airline by the South African Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). (This grounding was because of “severe cases of non-compliance that pose serious safety risks” found by the CAA in an audit of the airline, stated the authority in its press release of May 24.)

The extended flight schedule will be in effect for 12 months. “The year-long schedule brings travel certainty and choice for customers who may want to travel from today, 29 May 2018, until 28 May 2019,” said SAA spokesperson Tlali Tlali.

“Through our collaborative efforts with partner airlines (SAA, SA Airlink and Mango Airlines), we are pleased that we can now offer customers a year-long schedule intended to ensure business continuity for all stakeholders and the markets affected,” he added. Like SA Express, SAA and Mango are State-owned (Mango is part of the SAA Group) but Airlink is a private-sector company.

The replacement flights on three of four international routes are awaiting regulatory approval. They are the Cape Town-Walvis Bay, Johannesburg-Walvis Bay and Johannesburg-Lubumbashi services. The exception is Johannesburg-Gaborone.

On the domestic side, the relief schedule covers routes between Johannesburg and Bloemfontein, East London, George, Hoedspruit, Kimberley and Richards Bay; between Cape Town and Bloemfontein, East London, Hoedspruit and Port Elizabeth; and between Durban and East London. “We trust that the measures introduced provide more clarity on the capacity and sustainability of the relief schedule during the suspension of SA Express services,” stated Tlali.

SA Express has, according to its website, a fleet of 24 regional aircraft, all from Canadian manufacturer Bombardier. The fleet is composed of ten 50-seat CRJ200 regional jets, four 70-seat CRJ700 regional jets and ten 74-seat Q400 turboprops. However, the CAA stated in its press release that the SA Express fleet numbered 21 aircraft.

Edited by Creamer Media Reporter

Comments

Showroom

Booyco Electronics
Booyco Electronics

Booyco Electronics, South African pioneer of Proximity Detection Systems, offers safety solutions for underground and surface mining, quarrying,...

VISIT SHOWROOM 
Weir Minerals Africa and Middle East
Weir Minerals Africa and Middle East

Weir Minerals Europe, Middle East and Africa is a global supplier of excellent minerals solutions, including pumps, valves, hydrocyclones,...

VISIT SHOWROOM 

Latest Multimedia

sponsored by

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION







sq:0.159 0.215s - 157pq - 2rq
Subscribe Now