BRPs stop SAA flights before they even take off

In a statement on Tuesday, SAA said it would resume operations between Johannesburg and Cape Town from mid-June.

JOHANNESBURG – South African Airways’ (SAA) Business Rescue Practitioners (BRPs) on Wednesday came out against a statement they said incorrectly suggested the airline would resume domestic flights by mid-June.

The statement was released by SAA on Tuesday stating operations would resume between Johannesburg and Cape Town.

The BRPs said that commitment was made in violation of the communication protocol that was established to prevent statements being sent out without being vetted.

They said SAA flights would remain grounded until it was clear what the move to level 3 lockdown meant for domestic air travel.

SAA was forced to suspend all operations in March when government implemented the COVID-19 lockdown.

When SAA issued its initial statement on Tuesday, no date was announced regarding when flights would resume, however, the airline said it was making all necessary arrangements to be able to fly.

It said due to the strict rules, it would not be sustainable to fly outside the country.

SAA spokesperson Tlali Tlali had said all customers who bought tickets for flights that were scheduled during the lockdown would be able to use their tickets until March 2022.

And if a passenger no longer wanted to travel, they would be allowed to change the name on their ticket.