SAA expects profitablity by 2003

SOUTH AFRICAN Airways (SAA) has reduced the airline's costs by more than R600m, the airline's ceo AndrŽ Viljoen told travel agents in Johannesburg last week. Initially SAA expected to reduce its headline loss from R730m to around R50m but September 11 killed any hope of that, according to FTW's sister publication, TNW. "Nevertheless, if costs have been cut so dramatically, then the industry can reasonably expect a headline loss of say between R150m and R200m," said Viljoen. He spoke of a "turnaround" which suggests that, all things being equal, SAA will be in the black in 2003.