In light of a looming pilots’ strike at state-owned enterprise South African Airways (SAA), the board of directors has expressed “disappointment” at the South African Airways Pilots’ Association (Saapa) for the planned action.
Saapa and the pilots are reportedly disheartened by the carrier’s lack of enthusiasm with regard to issues they have raised - including the appointment of a permanent CEO. But according to a statement by SAA, they are engaging with all parties.
“Management continues to engage with Saapa, other unions and all employees in sharing progress being made and mechanisms being developed to address the many other challenges. Inputs from all interested parties in the company are welcomed and given due consideration,” said SAA.
The airline – which has been embroiled in controversy for years – admitted to a number of challenges, including revenue stimulation and network optimisation, but expressed hopes for a just negotiation process before findings are released.
“We are in the middle of the negotiation process and we would prefer to see that the process run its natural course before any statements are made by the parties,” SAA continued.
SAA has accelerated the implementation of its Long-term Turnaround Strategy (LTTS) as a means of turning around the company’s fortunes, but admitted that all relevant parties would need to be on board to achieve this.
“We would hope that everyone is committed to the philosophy and course of action set out above, which we believe is supported by all key stakeholders,” SAA concluded.
Should the strike go to plan, it would be the first pilots’ strike in the airline’s 80-year history, with more than 500 pilots willing to down tools.
