• Benefits of the agreement include strategic positioning in global aviation and diversification of earning streams
• The Kenyan carrier said it remains committed to its financial turnaround strategy
• The deal comes at a time when SAA has just resumed operations after an 18 month hiatus

Kenya’s national carrier Kenya Airways (KQ) and South Africa Airways (SAA) have entered a memorandum of cooperation with a longer-term view to co-starting a Pan-African Airline Group that in time will enhance mutual growth potential between the two carriers.

In a statement, KQ said the cooperation aligns with core purpose of ‘Contributing to the sustainable development of Africa’.

The airline added that the agreement would be based on mutual benefits, including strategic positioning in global aviation, diversifying earning streams, and reinforcing regional partnership in Africa through diplomatic and commercial relations.

These benefits are expected to translate into an increase in passenger traffic, cargo opportunities, and general …

After suffering turbulence for the last few years, South African Airways (SAA), which was on the brink of being grounded, has got new wings from none other than the hands of the private sector.

SAA, South Africa’s flagship carrier links well over 40 local and international destinations across Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, South America, and Oceania. The carrier was also the first African carrier to sign with Star Alliance back in April 2006.

However, after a few years of struggling to stay afloat, the airline faced a lot of criticism and the final blow was the Covid-19 outbreak that literally anchored the aviation industry. Ailing airlines like the SAA could not recover from the devastating impact of border closures and restricted travel, and finally, the government has, under duress, had to give up control of the flagship carrier.

In a recent announcement, South Africa’s Department of Public Enterprises has …

Growing competitiveness, a roller coaster of fuel prices, labor unions, and especially the phenomenon of low-cost carriers have made it all the more difficult to reach positive earnings pretty much in every route.

With a number of countries sporting continental distances, Africa has been an exciting promise for air carriers, but not without its challenges. Poor infrastructure and the high cost of maintenance and logistics have plagued the development of an effective air grid in the continent. Nevertheless, a great opportunity remains.

At the beginning of the last decade, South African Airways was a dominant force, carrying some 9 million passengers yearly while Kenya Airways and Ethiopian Airlines combined were just shy of 6 million yearly passengers. However, poor management choices combined with borderline irresponsible behavior from …

South African Airways (SAA)—one of Africa’s largest carriers have gained a promising turn, as its administrators said conditions for a business rescue were met to bring the state-owned carrier back to operations.

According to information from Bloomberg News, the administrators did not provide any further notice to affected parties on Tuesday, Bloomberg reported that “whether the government had met their demand to place in an escrow account $988 million the state has guaranteed to creditors should the carrier fail. The Treasury said on Monday its usual guarantees should suffice”

The SAA which was illustrated by News24 a South African business publication, that had a net asset value of nil in 1999 and since then has contended with a weak balance sheet exaggerated by weak management and a poor business model.

Further, the which SAA has received no less than $3 billion in bailouts or recapitalization over 20 years, starting from …

South African aviation industry, which is also one of the regions largest carrier is facing challenging setbacks, including the current state of the SA Express—which is state-owned, which just slid from a liquidation process, as a judge granted its three-month delay, pending anticipated government intervention, according to information Reuters.

Saved by the possibility of an investor

After several rescue attempts, June 9 was the set court date—hence, due to the possibility of a potential investor—which the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa and the South African Cabin Crew Association (SACCA) claim to have an investor from the United Arab Emirates potentially interested in buying a stake in SA Express, the issue has been postponed until September 9, according to information from News24.

According to the laws of South African regarding foreign ownership in domestic airlines, the “potential” investor is limited to 25 per cent. Hence—as the unions did not …

South African Airways (SAA)—one of Africa’s largest carrier has just proposed to the south African government a $ 1.2 billion bailout assist debt settlement and resume flying as the second-largest economy anticipates to reopen the economy.

The fresh plan has received mixed feelings as Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan powerfully disapproved to that plan, and announced his ambitions for the creation of a new airline at the start of the month.

While on Sunday, President Cyril Ramaphosa restated the government’s purpose to revive SAA, according to information from Bloomberg News.

As the Ethiopian Airlines CEO Tewolde Gebremariam assures the world of a decent return for African planes, “here in Africa we expect to be slightly faster in recovery,” Gebremariam said in an interview with Bloomberg, SAA administrators eye a massive return.

According to information from Bloomberg News, the plan includes about 977 million rands that will go toward repaying South …

South African Airways (SAA), one of Africa’s iconic airline, which currently operating under-loss, could resort in cutting-routes to save the state-owned flag carrier, SAA rescue team revealed.

Several news outlets, including Bloomberg, noted that SAA administrators have defended their decision to cut-routes, even after several objections from South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, the government and labor unions.

According to a report by Reuters, under South African company law, the business rescue team is entitled to take decisions that are deemed necessary to turn a distressed company around, independently of government. In theory, it could ignore the government’s objections.

Bloomberg reported that South African Airways will halt service to nine international cities, including Hong Kong and Sao Paulo, and cease all local services except those between Johannesburg and Cape Town.

The move is “in the best interests of SAA,” joint administrators Les Matuson and Siviwe Dongwana said in an emailed statement …