South African Airways plans to resume scheduled flights in September.
South African Airways has announced that it will resume scheduled flights to Accra and other parts of Africa on September 23.
This comes after the national carrier was forced to discontinue commercial flights in 2020 due to deteriorating financial conditions and increased travel restrictions in the country as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Earlier this month, South African aviation regulators restored SAA’s operating licence, allowing it to resume services.
South African Airways has announced that it will begin flights from Johannesburg to Cape Town, Accra, Kinshasa, Harare, Lusaka, and Maputo.
More destinations will be added to the route network, however, as the company ramps up operations in response to market conditions.
It goes on to say that ticket sales will resume on August 26.
“After months of diligent work, we are delighted that SAA is resuming services, and we look forward to welcoming on board our loyal passengers and flying the South African flag,” says SAA interim Chief Executive Thomas Kgokolo.
As we prepare to take off, Team SAA is filled with excitement, with one goal in mind: to rebuild and sustain a profitable airline that will once again take the lead among local, continental, and
international airlines.”
In late 2019, SAA entered a formal business rescue process, but efforts to restructure the carrier were complicated further by the pandemic’s disruption to global travel.
The airline emerged from bankruptcy in April, and the South African government agreed in June to sell a 51 percent stake in the airline to a consortium of local investors.
Kgokolo previously stated that SAA will restart operations with a fleet of around eight aircraft.
”The aviation sector is currently undergoing testing, and we are aware of the difficult challenges that lie ahead in the coming weeks,” Kgokolo says.
”We would like to express our gratitude to South Africa for its assistance in obtaining our visas.