SAA and Emirates
will expand SAA’s
international network to over
100 destinations, which can
now be sold on a single ticket,
while Emirates gains access
to over 50 African destinations
in the sub-Saharan region.
SAA’s international network
currently includes direct flights
to Washington, New York,
Munich, Frankfurt, London
and Hong Kong, and Emirates
has just over 20 direct
flights into Africa, including
Johannesburg, Cape Town and
Durban as well as Harare and
Lusaka in southern Africa.
The deal, which was signed
toward the end of last year
and expands the existing
commercial agreement and
codeshare, is expected to go
through on April 1, subject to
government approval.
“SAA is recognised as
an Africa specialist in
markets around the world,
and therefore when buying
tickets inbound into Africa,
SAA’s tickets offer enhanced
connecting points on the
SAA domestic and regional
network,” Tlali Tlali, SAA
head of department: Media
Relations, told TNW. He
added that, in addition, the
codeshare enhancement
would allow SAA to once again
offer the first-class cabin
product on SA code.
While the deal is unlikely to
grow SAA’s passengers out
of the local market, it could
significantly grow the number
of SAA passengers that fly
on Emirates on SAA tickets,
which was 90 000 in the
previous financial year.
Rodger Foster, ceo and
md of Airlink, sees this is as
a great move for SAA and
Emirates. “This should’ve
been done years ago.”
He says the agreement,
which gives SAA access to
Dubai as a network, combined
with SAA’s network of intraAfrica and intra-regional
services, is advantageous for
both airlines.
Rodger points out that SAA,
together with its partners
Airlink and SA Express, has
an incredibly comprehensive
network out of Johannesburg,
adding that Airlink alone has
about 50 access points in the
sub region.
“It gives SAA the ability to
pick up passengers anywhere
within the sub region and
on the SAA brand and take
them to any destination out of
Dubai.”
The agreement is expected
to also enhance the
airlines’ respective loyalty
programmes, although it
is unclear how. Voyager
members are already able to
earn and redeem miles on
flights operated by Emirates,
and Skywards members earn
and redeem miles on SAAoperated flights.
Loyalty teams are discussing
other enhancements, says
Tlali.
Tlali also told TNW that no
international SAA route cuts
were planned, adding that the
airline’s route network was
evolving to adjust to market
opportunities and highlighted
the recent increase in flights
from Washington DC to Accra
as an example.
An Emirates spokesperson
told TNW that South Africa
continued to be a priority
market for the carrier, which
currently operates eight
daily flights to South Africa,
including two using A380s, to
Johannesburg, Cape Town and
Durban.
In another recent
development, in December
Public Enterprises Minister,
Pravin Gordhan, publicly
pledged support to SAA ceo
Vuyani Jarana, after the
latter’s near resignation.
After a meeting with Vuyani,
the Minister announced
that the ceo had agreed to
withdraw a letter to the board,
in which he said he intended
to resign unless he could be
assured of the board’s full
backing.
“When SAA is asking for
assistance to keep it afloat,
we need maximum confidence
in the organisation,” he said.
“The matter has now been
resolved and there is no
conflict.”
