South African Airways tackles Credit Card Fraud in its Voyager Centres

South African Airways tackles Credit Card Fraud in its Voyager Centres

South African Airways has changed requirements when dealing with upgrade taxes and verification process in a bid to mitigate cases of credit card fraud at its Voyager Centre.

South African Airways call centres will no longer be required to request credit card authentication from clients in the form of a copy of the back and front of the card together with a copy of the customer’s identification document. The airline is currently also in the process of developing a systematic payment verification process to further ensure the prevention of any fraud incidents in the future.

South African Airways Voyager

In 2010 there were several instances of FlySAA agents experiencing issues of credit card fraud when using their clients’ cards for SAA Voyager upgrade taxes and verification processe. In recent weeks, issues of credit card fraud have resurfaced, with agents complaining that their clients had experienced credit card fraud shortly after the agent had sent through the client’s ID information and a completed form with all their personal details, including address and the back and front of the credit card.

According to the head of SAA Voyager, Manoj Papa, “We view these incidents in a very serious light and have initiated various investigations in this regard. We have a dedicated team of specialists reporting to our head of security focusing on such issues. Within the business unit, we have also set up a team of specialists to look into such cases from an operational level and to assist on all investigations, the review process and to implement necessary preventative measures,” 

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South African Airways launches Flights to Beijing

South African Airways launches Flights to Beijing

For the first time in its 78 year history, South African Airways  has launched flights to China. South African Airways will be servicing the Chinese capital, Beijing with three weekly flighs on an Airbus A340-600 long-haul aircraft . The flights will be departing Johannesburg on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday for a 15 hour non stop flight tothe Chinese capital.

 The launch of the Beijing flights follows a strengthening in ties between South Africa and Beijing. South Africa is China's largest trading partner on the African continent and also a partner in the BRICS bloc that also includes Brazil, Russia and China.

South Africa sees the launch of the Johannesburg-Beijing flights as establishing JNB as a hub connecting the other BRICS countries, particularly Brazil. Chinese airlines have not been quite as enthusiastic as their government in following the money trail into Africa. Many South Africans however feel their country is increasingly falling under the influence of Beijing in a partnership that's unfairly skewed towards the latter.

But for South African Airways, after 78 years of being shut off from China, it's an historic moment to savour. Africa's most awarded airline can finally fly to Beijing with love.

South African Airways: To Beijing with Love

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South African Airways, 1990

South African Airways, 1990

In 1990, South Africa was starting a slowish democratization process (which would still last for several years)

This 1990 timetable includes international services flown by SAA, plus many connections to other destinations in Europe and the Americas. Airlines such as TAP and Olympic were flying to Johannesburg, and also Sabena and UTA were flying between Kinshasa and South Africa. 

The world was different back then: Two countries that no longer exist: Zaire and "South West Africa" (SWA) which is Namibia today. 

Post Courtesy: Airline Memorabilia
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South African Airways: To Beijing with Love

South African Airways: To Beijing with Love

The Politics of aviation
During the colonial days, particularly in the period from the mid 40s to the early 1960s, South African Airways expanded very rapidly offering services across the African continent from Cape to Nairobi, Khartoum to Cairo but things soon changed after independence as many newly independent African nations denied South African Airways the use of their airspace as a protest against apartheid.


Like most of South Africa, South African Airways has been haunted by the history of the country. During the aparteid, the airline was banned from almost all African countries forcing the then management to adopt a very long range strategy for intercontinental flights, a situation that was easened by the arrival of the jet age as the airline was able to acquire aircraft with longer range capabilities. South African Airways is now one of the few international airlines that fly to all the six continents on the planet, partly due this this legacy.


Most of its flights were concentrated in Europe, a few Asian countries, Australia, South America and North America. Then also known by its Afrikaans name Suid Afrikaans Lugdiens, the then "pariah airline" never developed a route network in continental Africa and in many parts of Asia.  In Asia, one of the many country's that were not very welcoming to SAL was Communist China. Across the vast continent, the airline only flew to HongKong, and Taiwan with whom the apartheid regime maintained very close ties .
This postage from a bygone era shows the launch of South African Airways flights to Taipei in 1980: Note that the use of Afrikaans.

South African Airways c.1980: Launch of Taipei flights: Courtesy The Timetablist

Of course after  30 years, the roles are now reversed. Aparthied has been dismanted and South Africa, along with other African countries,  now enjoy very cordial ties with Beijing and both countries are also members of BRICS, carving up a new global political and economic bloc.

In 1999, South Africa and China signed a bilateral services agreement paving the way for the two countries to open the airspace to each other but it has taken South African Airways 12 years to launch flights to China.

The first-ever direct service between China and South Africa was officially launched on April 27, 2007 by China Eastern Airlines. Unlike their governments, Chinese Airlines have been slow to follow the money trail into Africa. On the other hand, some other African airlines have have been servicing the Chinese market for decades. Ethiopian Airlines for example has been flying to China for 30 years while Kenya Airways launched Guangzhou flights in 2008.

The launch of South African Airways flights to Beijing at the end of this month will be very symbolic. It not only marks the end of an era but also cements the relations between the two countries that are now working hand in hand to shape the world through BRIC. South African Airways management recognizes this historical significance, regarding the Beijing-Johannesburg route launch as way to connect China to Brazil, the other BRIC member and one of the more assertive emerging powers.

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Airline Route Maps: A look at South African Airways in 2011

Airline Route Maps: A look at South African Airways in 2011

South African Airways is connecting all the six continent's with flights to Australia, South America, North America, Europe  South Asia and East Asia but its African network is not as developed as its other fierce competitors, Kenya Airways and Ethiopian Airlines. South African Airways has indicated that it plans to focus on developing its African network together with Eastern and Western networks.

Of course this route map does not include three times weekly flights to Beijing which will be launched in January 2012 following the delay in securing slots at the Beijing's Capital International Airport. South African Airways will be flying to Beijing for the first time in its 77 year history. Beijing, together with many African countries, were of course hostile to SAA during its apartheid years. The launch of South Africa's flights to Beijing will also be very historic in the sense that it allows South Africa to connect Chinese Passengers to Brazil via Johannesburg thus connecting three important BRICS nations, the others being India and Russia.

Historic Flight: For the first time in its 77 year history, South African Airways will be flying to Beijing

 In 2011, South African Airways launched flights to three new destinations: Kigali, Bujumbura, Cotonou(an extension of SAA’s existing Libreville (Gabon) service).

South African Airways Route Map Courtesy AirlineRouteMaps.com

South African Airways Regional Route Map 2011: Courtesy AirlineRouteMaps.com

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Nigerians accuse South African Airways of exploitation

Nigerians accuse South African Airways of exploitation

High cost of air ticket on Nigeria-South Africa route has scuttled the plans of many Nigerians resident in the country to travel home for Christmas.

Some of them said they were disappointed at the high cost of fare, which in some cases went up by more than 200 per cent.

Dotun Olubadejo, a medical doctor, said: “It is unbelievable that the cost of ticket between Johannesburg and Lagos now goes for as much as 2,000 Rand (N300,000). The same ticket you could get for less than 700 Rand (N120,000.00).”

He said apart from the high cost of the ticket, it was also difficult to secure a seat for the return journey, which would be risky if one was to resume work immediately after the holiday.

“Having weighed all the options, I decided to celebrate the Christmas here(in South Africa),” Olubadejo added.

Chidi Okereke, a businessman, also said some of the airline operators were exploiting the desperation of intending travellers.

He said: My brother, it is tough. If you are desperate to travel to Nigeria now you have to pay extra. Some airline operators are making money out of this situation.

“It is either they tell you that there is no seat the day you want to go or no seat the day you want to come back. But once you offer to pay them something extra, they will make seat available on the days you want. So if you want travel, you have to play ball.

“It is mandatory for some of us to travel either for family engagement or for the feeling of being with your people during the festive period.

“Some people save money for this annually. In my own case, I have to go because I will turn 40 on December 28, and I just completed my house in the village to mark my birthday.” 

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South African Airways to launch Kigali and Bujumbura Flights in January 2012

South African Airways to launch Kigali and Bujumbura Flights in January 2012

South African Airways has added two more travel options to our African route network as part of the airline's growth plans on the continent.

Effective 17 January 2012, SAA will commence operations from Johannesburg to Kigali (Rwanda) and onwards to Bujumbura (Burundi).  The return flights will operate from Bujumbura to Kigali and onwards to Johannesburg's OR Tambo International airport. These flights are now available via www.flysaa.com

SAA is focused on strengthening its intra-Africa network in line with its Africa Expansion programme. Adding even more destinations to its already extensive Africa route network will create more travel options for their customers to thriving destinations that were previously difficult to reach by air.

In addition to being the capital city of Rwanda, Kigali is also its economic, cultural and tourist transit hub.  Bujumbura is Burundi's capital and largest city and is close to the country's main port, shipping coffee as its primary export.

The route between Johannesburg to Kigali and onwards to Bujumbura will be serviced three times a week by a SAA's A319 aircraft which is able to accommodate 120 passengers in a two class (business and economy) configuration.

SAA's most recent addition to its African route network was the start of flights to Ndola, Zambia on 2 October. The Ndola service is largely aligned to growth in demand from mining executives, especially those flying into South Africa from countries such as Australia.

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South African Airways: Johannesburg-Seychelles-Hong Kong, June 1974

South African Airways: Johannesburg-Seychelles-Hong Kong, June 1974

South Africa's state carrier alights to Hong Kong, with a stop in the Indian Ocean, commencing in 1974. The wings of SAL/SAA's classic springbok emblem beam like searchlights from its back and crown at the top of the graphic (a more ordinary version of the mark is seen on the cancellation stamp). The routing is absent from the map on the left of this first-day cover. Afrikaans is put in front of English on the envelope, two decades before the indigenous Zulu and Xhosa languages would come to prominence in a post-apartheid society.

Courtesy: The Timetablist

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Former South African Airways (SAA) CEO Khaya Ngqula expected to appear in the High Court

Former South African Airways (SAA) CEO Khaya Ngqula expected to appear in the High Court

Former South African Airways (SAA) CEO Khaya Ngqula is expected to appear in the High Court in Johannesburg on Wednesday for allegedly misspending sponsorship money during his time at the company.

“The court argument will be centred around whether SAA, in its haste to sue Mr Ngqula, might have approached the wrong court to deal with the matter,” his spokesperson Louis Seeco said in a statement on Tuesday. 

Ngqula left the company in March 2009.

KPMG conducted a forensic audit following allegations made largely against Ngqula and in July last year, SAA sued him for R30.8-million. 

The SAA board sought to recover R27-million Ngqula allegedly spent on sign-on retention bonuses to company employees, in excess of the authority given to him.

It also sought to recover R3.3-million for his hiring of hospitality suites in various sports stadiums and at least R500 000 he spent on free junkets allegedly for his personal friends. 

Ngqula allegedly organised overseas trips for friends and associates to the 2006 Fifa World Cup, the Rugby World Cup in 2007 and the ATP Tennis Tournament in 2008.

Source SAPA


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Suid Afrikaanse Lugdiens: What the heck is that? How fast time travels!

Suid Afrikaanse Lugdiens: What the heck is that? How fast time travels!

For the benefit of Younger Flight Africa Blog readers:
South African Airways published some vintage photos of the old airline on their Facebook page. How fast time travels. I asked a young Kenyan friend whether he knew about Suid Afrikaanse Luigdens(SAL) and the answer I got was "what the heck is that"? Well it's this: South African Airways. Once upon time it was the airline of apartheid South Africa, the pariah airline of a pariah state. Many young Africans of course do not remember that country.

We know Nelson Mandela and the "Invictus" and the World Cup. Today SAL is South African Airways, a Star Alliance member expanding to newer and newer African destinations. Africa's most Awarded Airline.

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South African Airways woos Indian Travellers

South African Airways woos Indian Travellers

JOHANNESBURG: Every second international traveller to South Africa is an Indian, and most of them fly out of Mumbai . Keen on cornering the largest slice of this passenger pie, South African Airways (SAA) has introduced its stateof-the-art Airbus A330-200 aircraft on the Mumbai-Johannesburg route.

"In 2010, Indians comprised 48.9% of people travelling to South Africa. That's why we earmarked the aircraft on the Mumbai route to ensure that they get the best that SAA has to offer," said Gcobani Mangcotywa , HOD, Asia and Australasia , SAA. In fact, the soccer world cup was a game-changer for the airline as it had to run an additional flight from Mumbai to cope with the surging tourist flow from the financial capital.

The new A330-200 , dubbed one of the best to service longhaul flights, has 36 business class seats, 12 more than the earlier A340-200 that used to fly on the route, and 186 economy class ones. The enhancements are in keeping with the high business class occupancy that SAA enjoys throughout the year, touching 75% during the peak season. "We've increased the bed width of the business class passengers, while the economy cabins have been made more spacious.. "
Denys Botes, general manager of SST Travel in Johannesburg , said, "Most of our Indian tourists come from Mumbai and its cousin Pune and 90% of them are elderly couples seeking to travel in five-star comfort," he said. "That's why we offer nothing but the best for Indians."

(The writer was in Johannesburg on an invitation from South African Airways ) 

Article Source IndianTimes

Cute: South African Airways Rebrands Planes for Nelson Mandela Day

Cute: South African Airways Rebrands Planes for Nelson Mandela Day

South African Airways on Monday unveiled the first aircraft in its fleet to be branded with the Nelson Mandela Day logo, ahead of  Madiba's 93rd birthday.


South African Airways will brand 58 of its fleet with the logo both inside and outside of aircrafts to take the message across the entire globe to contribute to the legacy of Mandela.

Outside, the planes have a poster with a picture of Mandela's famous pose with his fist in the air written "18 July Nelson Mandela Day" in grey and orange. Inside the 280-seat aircraft, the head rest covers have the emblem on each seat.

Nelson Mandela is a brand with a global appeal and South Africans never waste valuable time in using the image/symbolism of their beloved grandfather for maximum marketing and branding efforts for the various initiatives in their country.

"By this initiative, this means SAA will expose its passengers about the Mandela Day message and hopefully they will spread the message to their families and friends," said Nelson Mandela Foundation chief Achmat Dangor.

 Every July 18, the public is asked to give 67 minutes of their time for volunteer work, one minute for each year Mandela devoted to the struggle for justice in South Africa.

Flight Africa Blog wishes Madiba a belated happy 93rd birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!!