Regional airline Airlink is open to making a public-private partnership (PPE) with whichever airline replaces South African Airways (SAA).
Airlink is a regional airline based in Johannesburg, South Africa. It is privately owned, and its main activity is to act as a feeder airline between small towns and larger hub airports.
According to Airlink CEO Rodger Foster, the airline is willing to partner with the airline that will replace SAA only if the airline runs on commercial principles and proper governance, without political interference.
This would not be Airlink’s first PPE. They have had a PPE with Eswatini since 1999.
The Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) is currently restructuring SAA into a new airline, with a new approach that will include a ‘performance-based culture change for all leadership, management and employees as the transition to a new airline takes place.’
Non state-owned South African airlines Comair and Flysafair have both been approached with a partnership deal for SAA. However, Comair recently entered business rescue and is seeking government assistance to pay its employees. Flysafair has not responded at this time
An unnamed international aviation expert told Fin24 that this transition, however, will not be easy for the embattled SAA. According to the expert, there is little international interest from airline investors because they are all trying to fix their own interests following the devastating effects of the coronavirus pandemic on the tourism industry.
‘The SA government seems to foresee a glorious future for a new airline bringing everyone together, but it will need blood, sweat and tears. Unions would at some stage have to understand that wages are paid out of the income a carrier makes and not out of the pockets of SA taxpayers.’
Picture: Pixabay
