South African Airways Returns To Nigeria, Ghana

Following the success of its recently introduced (Ghana) Accra to Washington route, South Africa’s formerly cash-strapped national carrier, South African Airways (SAA), is set to resume flights to (Nigeria) Abuja.

With an existing gateway to Lagos, an Abuja route will further strengthen the airline’s position in West Africa as it continues to promote trade and cultural relations with Africa’s largest economy. This development will also serve as an additional business travel option in the West African region.
SAA stated that the addition of this route comes on the heels of the introduction of the Accra, Ghana to Washington Dulles, USA route, as a West African platform in August 2015.

In collaboration with Africa World Airways the carrier also launched flights between Accra, Ghana and Washington DC in North America. A route which has particularly recorded a significant growth in the number of passengers; thereby providing SAA with the confidence to further expand its operations in West Africa.

In collaboration with Africa World Airways the carrier also launched flights between Accra, Ghana and Washington DC in North America.

According to the Chief Commercial Officer, SAA, Sylvain Bosc, Nigeria is one of the fastest growing air travel markets in Sub-Saharan Africa and will be well served with additional services to Abuja. Therefore the introduction of a second entry point in Nigeria forms part of the carrier’s Long-Term Turnaround Strategy, which identified growth on the African continent as one of its key objectives.

In an effort to turn around the company, Nico Bezuidenhout, SAA’s acting CEO had promised to save the airline R600 million a year by closing down the loss-making direct flights to Beijing and Mumbai. At a point South Africa was considering assets sale to bail out ailing firms. Etihad Airways PJSC was given the option of buying a stake in the loss-making national carrier.

In March, SAA said it was not clear how many employees would lose their jobs as they were attempting to turn the company around. Tlali Tlali, SAA spokesperson, said the reduction of staff numbers at the carrier, which employs 11,462 people, would be a “consultative process.” “In order to return the company to relative stability in the context of the 90 Day Action Plan, SAA has had to re-examine every aspect of the business,” Tlali said.

“This has already resulted in substantial savings and stronger governance. The reality, however, is that SAA’s staff headcount grew over the past few years beyond sustainable levels as losses continued to impair business stability,” he added.

However before the end of the ’90 Day Action Plan’, it emerged at the annual general meeting that the carrier’s annual loss had doubled to R2.6 billion ($213.5 million).

With this latest addition to its operations, SAA will be serving eleven destinations in Central and West Africa, with flights from its Johannesburg hub to Lagos (Nigeria); Dakar (Senegal), Libreville (Gabon), Kinshasa (DRC), Pointe Noire, Brazzaville (Republic of the Congo),Abidjan (Ivory Coast); Cotonou (Benin); Accra (Ghana) and Douala (Cameroon).

The non-stop flights between Johannesburg and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja will operate three times a week, with the first flight taking off from O.R Tambo International Airport on 26 January 2016.


Source: venturesafrica.com