SAA offers cost-competitive charter option

Contrary to perception, the air charter option is not necessarily the most expensive, says SAA Cargo national marketing and sales manager Ronel Rossouw. “We have an aircraft available that has to work and we’ve looked at very competitive pricing based on variable rather than fixed costs. “People don’t understand the pricing of aircraft,” says Rossouw. “The more you fly the aircraft the more competitive the price becomes. And if you work out the per kilogram cost, it’s sometimes a very viable option.” The airline’s Boeing 737 300 has had a busy few months, particularly during the World Cup – and a busy schedule ahead. It has a four-hour range with eight pallets available and a maximum payload on the four hour route of 15 tons. Catering for a range of cargo - from cattle to bank notes to medicine – the aircraft has proved ideal for the movement of livestock, which is a big market for SAA. “We do a lot of horses between South Africa and Mauritius and domestically to and from Cape Town. Three horses to a pallet makes it a cost-competitive option.” The airline has seen its charter business grow significantly by looking at markets like Rwanda and the Congo, both of which rely heavily on imports and have limited widebody aircraft providing scheduled flights. “At the moment we have a Saturday open every week for charters,” says Rossouw. And the benefit of using SAA is its staff and infrastructure. “We’ve got the plane, we’ve got the crew and we’ve got everything in place at all major African airports. There’s no need to wait for traffic rights or an FOP – it’s all there. And while beyond four hours it can become a challenge, the airline can always make a plan,” she said. “The captain and crew are also hugely accommodating – they really create a miracle for you, something which was clearly evident during