Guy Leitch raises questions on SA Express sustainability

The editor of SA Flyer Magazine, Guy Leitch, has raised questions over whether SA Express is capable of becoming a sustainable airline.

The airline remains grounded after failing to pay its R70 million debt to the Airports Company of South Africa (ACSA).

ACSA says it has suspended the state-owned airline operating on its runways due to its non-payment of fees.

SA Express is still negotiating for a R200 million bailout from the Finance Ministry.

Leitch says he does not believe the airline can be saved.

“I think that there is very little case to be made for continuing SA Express. The airline failed a year ago and had to be bailed out by another R1.5 billion. Its current track record is absolutely appalling. It is flying less now than its actual flights and it’s on time performance is half of that, so you have a 25% chance of making it on time. It’s unreliable and has reputational damage. I do think SA Express, as much as it pains me to say so, is beyond saving.”