South African Airways (SAA) is making strikes to reclaim its place as a number one pan-African service, with Ghana enjoying a central position in its development technique.
Throughout an unique engagement with journey commerce companions and media in Accra on April 8, SAA’s CEO, Prof John Lamola outlined the airline’s outstanding turnaround and future plans to boost Africa’s world connectivity.
Addressing journalists, Prof Lamola highlighted SAA’s profitable transformation from a government-dependent entity to a commercially viable airline.
“At present, South African Airways (SAA) is rising as a restructured, revitalized airline that’s with a renewed mission, increasing our routes, renewing our fleet to recapture South African Airways’ standing as one of many main world manufacturers on the continent of Africa so far as aviation is anxious. SAA can proudly state that it has an impeccable security report on the continent of Africa. Secondly, now we have been in a position to exhibit previously two years that as a nationwide service, the nationwide flagship of South Africa, it doesn’t should rely upon the state for monetary survival. We’ve got restructured South African Airways to the place it’s pretty financially sustainable, and the most important success for us is the way wherein SAA has been embraced by our market, or the continent of Africa, as an African dependable mode of air transport.”
The CEO highlighted Ghana’s distinctive significance in SAA’s community growth. Describing Accra as “essentially the most strategic hub for our West African operations,” Prof Lamola pointed to Ghana’s wealthy cultural heritage and robust ties with South Africa as key elements on this strategic focus.
The airline is shifting shortly to deepen its presence within the Ghanaian market, with fast plans to extend flights between Johannesburg and Accra from 4 weekly to day by day providers.
Wanting additional forward, SAA is evaluating two main route expansions that will considerably increase air journey choices for West Africans. The airline is contemplating launching direct flights between Cape City and Accra, whereas additionally working to reestablish Accra as a connecting hub for flights to the U.S. East Coast.
“Actually, earlier than the top of the subsequent calendar yr. It takes a very long time, sadly, to launch a route, due to the regulatory processes,” Prof Lamola revealed, noting that discussions with Ghana’s Transport Minister had been productive in advancing these plans.
Nonetheless, the CEO acknowledged important challenges in realizing these ambitions. The worldwide aviation trade continues to face plane shortages following the COVID-19 pandemic, whereas regulatory processes for brand spanking new routes stay time-consuming.
“Actually, earlier than the top of the subsequent calendar yr. It takes a very long time, sadly, to launch a route, due to the regulatory processes, however our greatest problem that now we have in SAA, like different airways is the supply of plane, since after COVID, the trade has suffered a scarcity of plane. AS quickly as we get aircrafts, now we have carried out our research, we’ll need to begin flying to america’ east coast from Accra.”
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