SAA pilots to probably strike

South African Airways (SAA) has reportedly obtained a notification from the SAA Pilots Association (SAAPA) conveying their plans to go on a strike tomorrow, 5 December 2024.

According to a press release, the airline stated that administration was doing all the pieces potential to keep away from a strike by its pilots or any disruptions to operations, particularly now throughout the December peak season.

Wage disputes

The airline revealed that SAAPA’s preliminary wage enhance demand, tabled in May 2024, was for a 30% enhance in pilot salaries. This was then lowered to fifteen.7% (plus related advantages), with South African Airways then providing a rise of 8.46% (backdated to 1 April 2024).

SAA’s last wage provide, made to SAAPA on 24 September, is considerably greater than the overall wage will increase in South Africa in 2024.

“Not in the financial position”

SAA only recently reported its first internet revenue since 2012, marking a big milestone within the airline’s street to restoration.

After a challenging period for greater than a decade, the airline reported regular monetary outcomes for the 2022/23 monetary yr, with a internet revenue of R252 million and whole income surging by 183% from R2.0 billion within the earlier yr to R5.7 billion now.

Despite this, Interim Chief Executive Officer Professor John Lamola stated that whereas the airline did report a modest revenue, SAA might not by any means declare to be in a financially strong place.

“Ironically, the pilots have chosen to go on strike exactly on the fifth anniversary of the day SAA was placed in Business Rescue in 2019.  SAA cannot return to the lucrative benefits that SAA pilots have historically enjoyed. Acceding to SAAPA current demand for a 15.7% wage increase will trigger SAA’s decline into bankruptcy”, Lamola stated.

“SAA has only recently regained its operational viability after emerging from business rescue in 2021. In order not to disrupt this momentum, we are committed to ongoing negotiations with SAAPA and to do everything possible to reach a fair settlement that is mutually beneficial to both the pilots and the company”. he added.

Professor Lamola completed by saying that the airline could be implementing contingency measures to make sure that disruption to its providers because of the strike could be as minimal as potential.

How do you assume the strike will have an effect on flights this festive season?

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