South African Airways (SAA) announced the cancellation of its flights to Perth and São Paulo on Thursday following confirmation from the South African Airways Pilots Association (SAAPA) that they would proceed with a planned strike after deadlocked salary negotiations.
The decision to cancel these international routes was made late Wednesday when the airline could not secure alternative carriers to accommodate affected passengers, explained Khaya Buthelezi, SAA’s Senior Manager of Corporate Relations.
“We concluded last night that, since we could not find partner airlines to transfer our customers, it became necessary to cancel flights on these two routes,” Buthelezi told Reuters.
Despite these disruptions, domestic and African routes remained unaffected early Thursday due to contingency plans put in place by the airline. Pilots, however, were seen picketing outside the SAA office at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg.
SAA’s Interim CEO, John Lamola, reassured the public that the airline remains operational.
“While there are alterations and restrictions to our schedule during this period, SAA continues to operate,” Lamola said in a statement.
Pilot Demands Focus on Working Conditions
Sibusiso Nxumalo, a representative of SAAPA and the National Transport Movement Pilots Forum, told the public broadcaster SABC that the strike is about more than salary increases.
“The company has been profitable in recent months. While we are not asking for a share of the profits, we are advocating for better working conditions,” Nxumalo stated.
Initially, SAAPA had demanded a 30% increase in pilot salaries in May, later reducing their request to 15.7%, inclusive of associated benefits. SAA, however, warned that meeting these demands could jeopardize the company’s financial stability.
In a separate statement, Lamola emphasized that a 15.7% salary increase would put SAA at risk of bankruptcy.
The strike highlights the ongoing challenges in balancing employee demands with corporate sustainability, as SAA continues efforts to stabilize its operations post-restructuring.
