South African Airways and Kenya Airlines decide to cooperate

Nearly a week after taking flight after an 18-month hiatus, South African Airways (SAA) on Tuesday signed a memorandum of cooperation with Kenya Airlines with the aim of eventually establishing a “Pan African Airline Group”.

“The new group will enhance the growth potential of both airlines in their hubs,” SAA acting CEO Thomas Kgokolo told reporters, noting that it was part of the national carrier’s plans to spread its wings again on the African continent.

“The MoC would help improve customer experience, standardize products and services in line with global trends and leverage internal resources and capabilities to promote sustainable and profitable growth,” he said.

The official also explained that part of the company’s growth strategy is to become a major player in regional travel, through this joint protocol with Kenya Airways.

For his part, Kenya Airways CEO Allan Kilavuka said that partnerships are paramount for the aviation sector to survive in the future.

“The future of aviation and its sustainability depends on partnerships.”

Cooperation between the two airlines will enhance customer benefits by providing a larger combined passenger and cargo network, promoting the exchange of expertise, innovation, and best practices, and adopting local organic solutions to technical and operational challenges, he argued.

The national airline SAA resumed flights last week after being grounded due to a restructuring more than a year ago.

In June of this year, the South African government announced that the airline had acquired a new private equity partner, Takatso Consortium, as majority shareholder.