South Africa: South African Airways (SAA) to resume some flights November 19 /update 2

Event

On Monday, November 18, South African Airways (SAA) announced that continental flights to six destinations would resume from Tuesday, November 19, amid an ongoing union strike. SAA representatives said that customers traveling on SAA's regional network would be rebooked on the reinstated services; individuals are requested not to travel to the airport unless they have been rebooked. They also said that all international services are operating as normal as of Monday. Flights operated by SAA partner airlines are not expected to be affected by the work stoppage. However, local flight operations remain suspended and it is unclear when service will return to normal.

Continued flight disruptions are expected over the coming days, including an increased demand for alternative flights. Further information can be found on the SAA website here.

Context

Around 3000 SAA workers, including cabin crew, ground staff, check-in, and ticket sales staff launched an indefinite strike on November 15, after SAA officials did not meet their salary demands and started consultations for removing over 900 workers. SAA officials have warned that the strike may cause the airline to collapse and threatens all of their jobs and those in related industries. Union leaders are calling for a three-year guarantee of job security and an 8 percent salary increase.

Advice

Potentially impacted travelers are advised to keep abreast of the situation, plan alternative travel arrangements, anticipate heightened demand for other flights, and to contact their airline for additional information.