Could ANOTHER bailout for SAA be on the cards?

More of the same.

That's the analysis by one aviation expert on the challenges still facing South African Airways despite years of financial and strategic interventions to keep the airline in the skies.

Phutego Mojapele says it's 'very disappointing' that not much has changed with the carrier and says it's time government make its intentions known as regards the future of SAA.

"One would have expected that SAA would have made a significant improvement from the previous years that it has not been able to make any improvements on its financial status." - 

- Phutego Mojapele , Aviation analyst

Mojapele says it's important to refer back to the plan that was presented during the business rescue process of the airline.

SAA  was placed under business rescue due to poor financial performance in December 2019 and exited the rescue in April 2021.

''We were promised that SAA would no longer be a burden to the state."

- Phutego Mojapele, Aviation analyst

'What we are looking at at the moment, it doesn't look like there is a plan in place that is going to see us not talking about a possible bailout from the government and keeping the airline in the skies with taxpayer's money.'

Phutego Mojapele , Aviation analyst

Mojapele's comments follow a closed-door meeting on Wednesday as members of the National Assembly's public enterprises committee met with the airline. 

Members of the committee welcomed SAA’s decision to finally submit its financial statements, but still had a lot of unanswered questions about the equity partner Takatso and sale of a majority stake in SAA.