My "go to guy" for Pre-approved gun permits in RSA his hearing rumors that South African Airlines may discontinue flights to PE and EL in the Eastern Cape. I'm hoping it's just a rumor but it sounds serious. That would be a disaster in the making for Hunters, Tourists or business travelers. Time will tell if it's political or...???

https://mybroadband.co.za/news...and-east-london.html



SAA to cut flights to Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, and East London

Staff Writer 27 August 2017

SAA to cut flights to Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, and East London



South African Airways will reduce the number of flights between Johannesburg and Cape Town, and stop flights to Port Elizabeth and East London, in its quest to become profitable.

This is according to a report in the Rapport newspaper, which added that regular flights to central Africa will also be cut and that it will reduce daily flights to London from 2 to 1.

SAA will further reduce its fleet of 50 aircraft by 10 as part of its “drastic turnaround strategy” to reduce costs.

SAA has been a drain on the South African economy, with numerous bailouts costing taxpayers billions.

As part of the enterprise’s turnaround strategy, former Vodacom executive Vuyani Jarana was appointed as its new CEO.

Sale

Last month, Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba revealed the need to sell state assets in a bid to inject nearly R16 billion into SAA so it can repay loans.

Following Treasury’s R2.207 billion bailout of SAA in June, Gigaba had to inform Parliament about where the money would come from.

Gigaba’s spokesperson Mayihlome Tshwete recently said the finance minister is in discussions to sell the government’s 39.75% stake in Telkom to fund SAA.

“We shouldn’t speak of it as a done deal. This is one of the things we are exploring,” said Tshwete.

SAA is hemorrhaging money, so time will tell. I hope it is not the case.

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfr...dump-routes-20170826



SAA to dump routes

2017-08-27 05:58

Jan de Lange-



National carrier SAA is dumping routes, reducing flights and getting rid of some of its airplanes – all in a desperate bid to stay aloft.

Sources familiar with the plan to try to rescue the airline have told City Press’ sister newspaper, Rapport, that:

• The airline will reduce flights on its profitable Johannesburg-Cape Town route by more than a third;

• It plans to cancel all flights to Port Elizabeth and East London, as well as flights to all central African destinations;

• It will get rid of at least 10 of the more than 50 planes in its fleet; and

• It will further cut back its already reduced international flight offering.

The Johannesburg-Cape Town route was one of the most profitable flight routes in the world, but probably diminished in gainfulness because of the fact that there are now more direct international flights to Cape Town.

SAA currently has 17 daily return flights between the two cities.

One of the sources said: “The airline is going to make enormous sacrifices to try to ensure SAA’s survival, but none of it will matter as long as [the airline’s chairperson] Dudu Myeni remains involved. She has a destructive influence on the airline and the staff.”

The board term of Myeni, a close personal friend of President Jacob Zuma, comes to an end this week, but there is still no sign of her departure.

“It is a big cause for concern for everyone involved in the attempt to rescue the airline,” said a source in SAA’s employ.

“The current acting chief executive, Musa Zwane, was even admitted to hospital because of Myeni’s actions.”

This news comes in the wake of the surprising revelation by Alf Lees, DA spokesperson for finance, in Parliament on Wednesday that government may sell its 39.76% stake in Telkom in order to finance a R10bn bailout for SAA.

This information was contained in a classified Cabinet document, the authenticity of which has since been confirmed by a Treasury official.

The Telkom shares are actually worth R13.9bn, but it is expected that they will fetch only about R10bn because of the urgency of the sale.

The shares will, in all likelihood, be sold to the Public Investment Corporation, which can gradually sell them off on the open market.

With this move, government will forfeit dividends of about R800m a year which it currently earns from the Telkom shares.

Sources did not want to elaborate on incidents Myeni has been involved in, but she openly misled the standing committee on public accounts when she blamed a French consultant, Sylvain Bosc, for mismanagement and wasteful expenditure.

Bosc was, however, cleared of all charges before a disciplinary hearing more than a year ago.

The plan is to introduce the new flight schedule in October. But before that happens, loans of R6.785bn will first have to be repaid.

Government has, however, guaranteed these loans.

The loans in question were supposed to have been paid back in April, but this deadline was extended twice after representations were made to creditors.

Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba had asked for another extension, but one of the creditors, Citibank, which is owed R1.761bn, has refused.

According to a memorandum that Gigaba presented to Cabinet on Wednesday, defaulting on the loan will mean that the airline will immediately become liable for a further R7.8bn, which would otherwise only have been payable in tranches in 2019 and 2022.

Cabinet discussed the crisis and that same afternoon, Lees presented the memorandum in the National Assembly during Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa’s question-and-answer session.

Aside from its debt issue, SAA’s operating capital is exhausted and it owes R750m to suppliers.

The situation is deteriorating fast, and it is unsustainable because SAA cannot generate enough money to pay its suppliers, Gigaba says in the memorandum.

He also suggests the capital injection of R10bn and that it should be financed through Telkom shares.

The African destinations that will get the chop are Blantyre and Lilongwe in Malawi, Brazzaville in the Republic of the Congo, Kigali in Rwanda and Libreville in Gabon.

Some of the African routes, as well as the routes to East London and Port Elizabeth, will probably still be served by SA Airlink, which is busy expanding its fleet.

The two daily flights between Johannesburg and London will be reduced to one flight a day.

SAA also plans to dispose of 10 of its planes. It owns only nine of its 50 planes and leases the rest, which costs it about R3.5bn a year.

Ok... not to be a racist, but can Africans run anything in the post Colonial/post Apartheid era without blowing it up?

That's a 10 hour drive to either PE or EL from Jo'Berg. That will kill the East Cape hunting industry!

SAA is not the only service provider to the Eastern Cape.

http://m.flymango.com/

Let an travel agent plan the flights for you.

Gerhard, thanks for that information.

I usually fly United and SAA since they're alliance partners and I can use my airmiles. I can check my guns all the way through from California to PE or Durban, etc.

Adding another airline will be more cost but at least there's another option. I just wonder how easy they are to travel with guns.

SAA has a low-cost carrier called Mango that already flies regularly to Port Elizabeth. Don't get caught up in what SAA says they're going to do. Trust me when I say no one in the management of that company knows what they're doing 5 min from now.

SA Airlink which flies to POrt Elizabeth once daily does allow firearms on their flights. They're a growing airline and will most likely take up more flights between PE/Joburg should SAA drop the route entirely.

My wife and I flew Mango from Joberg to CT in May. No complaints. Clean plane, friendly staff and about 20% cheaper ways than SAA.

Ok... not to be a racist, but can Africans run anything in the post Colonial/post Apartheid era without blowing it up?


Nope.

No guns on Mango .. at least not the last time I asked.

I would not book anything on SAA in advance. When an airline goes belly up, the ticketholders are the first in line for the chop.

quote:

Originally posted by degoins:
Ok... not to be a racist, but can Africans run anything in the post Colonial/post Apartheid era without blowing it up?


Nope.

+1

I would avoid SAA like the plague...both of my SAA flights were delayed almost costing me missed connections just a few weeks ago.

Kathi, Any other options for East London?


Will

Anyone know what an air charter would cost from Joburg to some of these places?

quote:

Originally posted by WLW:
Kathi, Any other options for East London?


Will

I just did a quick search..
There are a couple of flights to East London via Comair "branded as Kulula"
Also, British Air has several options to Port Elizabeth

I'm sure there will be options that will sort all this out. If SAA stops flights to the EC, there will be other airlines that will jump on the monkeys back and resolve this. When there's money to be made, a plan will follow the money. I have clients going in early 2018, before my heavy season starts and flights have been paid for. That is my only current concern, but I'm moving to sort that out now.

quote:

Originally posted by Poyntman:
Ok... not to be a racist, but can Africans run anything in the post Colonial/post Apartheid era without blowing it up?

Nope, they could not organise a piss-up in a brewery.

quote:

Originally posted by Scriptus:

quote:

Originally posted by Poyntman:
Ok... not to be a racist, but can Africans run anything in the post Colonial/post Apartheid era without blowing it up?

Nope, they could not organise a piss-up in a brewery.

And even then the colonials would be blamed.

Mango is not an alternative as they don't transport firearms and bows. I was just in Joburg, and a hunting couple from Klamath Falls, Oregon was flying to Port Elizabeth on the same morning as I was . I was booked on SAA, they on Mango. Fortunately Gilbert from Africa Sky was accompanying all of us to domestic and was able to get them re-booked on my SAA flight when Mango refused to check their bows through to PE.

This can be a disaster for people mid trip.

Currently SAA is the only airline that will fly firearms on internal flights in South Africa. Historically they were supporters of hunters and advertised in SCI Magazine etc

Their reduced routes are going to cause a major headache if you are hunting in the Eastern Cape and a minor headache all round for those flying with guns in South Africa