South African Airways plans to expand its regional and international routes from Johannesburg, despite the collapse of a deal with an investor. The airline aims to add nine new destinations to its current 14 by the end of April and increase its fleet by 50% to 21 aircraft by March, interim CEO John Lamola told Western media in an interview.
Lamola stated that SAA is financially stable enough to operate independently for the next 12 to 18 months. The airline plans to offer routes to Frankfurt, Munich, London, and east coast US cities by March 2028, though specific routes have not been disclosed.
"Our strategic position is to differentiate ourselves as a national flag carrier to be able to offer the country connectivity with key investment and trading partners," he said.
SAA will seek sovereign guarantees for growth over the next three years but does not plan to request bailouts.
SAA is working with Kenyan Airways on a pan-African project to optimize procurement and connectivity.
"The domestic market is not our priority," Lamola said, emphasizing the focus on regional and international markets.
In March, President Cyril Ramaphosa's administration announced it would not sell its stake to the Takatso group, which includes Global Airways and Harith General Partners.
The airline would have received R3 billion ($163 million) from the deal.
The airline would have received R3 billion ($163 million) from the deal.