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ASATA in the news: Early restart for SAA unlikely

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While announcing the last R10,5bn bailout for SAA last year, the Department of Public Enterprises simultaneously said the airline would be relaunched in the first half of 2021. But industry observers are sceptical.

Travel News contacted SAA’s business rescue practitioners (BRPs) to find out if they could offer any further information but was told that the restart decision would be taken by SAA’s board and shareholder, and not the BRPs.

“There is currently no expectation that SAA will restart its operations before at least April,” said ceo of Asata, Otto de Vries. He confirmed that the airline had notified trade partners that all flights were being removed from booking systems until the end of March. He also mentioned that SAA’s creditors’ committee had not yet received any communication about a restart date for the airline.

It is understood that six of SAA’s remaining nine aircraft are for sale. This leaves the airline with an almost negligible fleet to operate the 27 routes that are listed in the airline’s business rescue plan.

Read the full article here.

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