FlySAA status

South African Airways (SAA), known by its IATA code SA and ICAO code SAA, is the national flag carrier of South Africa. Established in 1934 from the assets of Union Airways, the airline is headquartered at Airways Park, O. R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg. SAA operates a hub-and-spoke network, serving 13 destinations in Africa and two intercontinental destinations to Perth, Australia, and São Paulo, Brazil. The carrier joined the Star Alliance in April 2006, becoming the first African airline to sign with one of the three major airline alliances. The airline entered voluntary business rescue in December 2019 due to financial difficulties and suspended all operations the following year. In June 2021, the South African government announced that SAA would be partially privatized in a Strategic Equity Partnership (SEP) transaction with the Takatso Consortium, which would hold a 51% controlling stake and 49% remaining with the State. After almost three years of protracted negotiations, the government terminated the SEP with Takatso, reverting back to the status quo of a 100% state-owned SAA. The South African Civil Aviation Authority confirmed on 4 August 2021 that SAA's air operator's certificate had been reissued with an approved fleet of eight aircraft. The airline restarted operations on 23 September 2021, despite not having concluded the investment agreement with the proposed private partners. Nonetheless, SAA was recognized as the second-best airline in Africa by Skytrax in 2021, despite not having flown a single scheduled flight for 18 months. Since emerging from business rescue, SAA has grown steadily, with a fleet of 20 aircraft, 15 destinations, and 2,000 employees. In 2022/23, the airline reported a revenue of R5.7 billion, an operating income of R277 million, and a profit of R252 million. Voyager is the frequent-flyer program of South African Airways. Apart from South African Airlink and South African Express, which have an alliance with SAA, the program also partners with 32 other airlines, along with many more businesses. Voyager consists of five tiers – Blue, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Lifetime Platinum. Despite past financial difficulties, South African Airways continues to focus on low-cost travel, aiming to provide affordable and efficient air travel options across its network.