South African authorities have decided the fate of South African Airways. It liquidates the existing one, and from the ashes of SAA to be reborn another national company South African Airways. It may not be called the same, but it certainly wants to be built in a public-private regime on the foundations of the current airline.
South African Airways is on the verge of bankruptcy after losing the support of the South African government. And because of that, he even announced the dismissal of over 4700 employees, the equivalent of 85% of the entire SAA workforce.
Goodbye, South African Airways!
South Africa's national carrier, which began operations in 1934, has been in short supply for the past seven years. And the COVID-19 pandemic was the "icing on the cake" of bankruptcy.
The transition to the new airline will not be easy, as nothing is known about post-COVID-19 life. The new South African air operator will have a solid corporate structure, led by a qualified, competent and experienced management. It is also expected to compete in a post-COVID-19 world with much lower demand.
At the moment, the situation of the new air operator is uncertain. The announcement by the South African Ministry of Public Enterprises sounds more like a protection against those who want to take advantage of the SAA bankruptcy. Several private operators, such as Comair, FlySafair and Airlink, "hunt" the assets of South African Airways.
We look forward to seeing the new South African Airways restructured and refurbished for the post-COVID-19 period in flight.