SAA adds 27 Exploring new opportunities destinations

 SAA’s new strategic partnership
with Etihad Airways was
consummated last week with
the launch of SAA’s inaugural daily
service to Abu Dhabi. The new service
dramatically improves SAA’s offering to
the Middle East, Asia and even parts of
Europe.
The cash-strapped airline, unable to
finance the new aircraft it would need
to open new routes, has instead tied
up with Etihad in a close alliance that
improves passenger options without
putting additional aircraft in the air.
Today you can book SAA on 27 new
routes, as diverse as the Maldives and
Manchester. For more details on routes
see page 2.
Etihad and SAA have co-ordinated
each of their daily flights so that both
airlines can offer services between
Johannesburg and Abu Dhabi (AUH)
every 12 hours.
More codeshare destinations are
being finalised, adding to the 27
onward destinations already in place.
Etihad is waiting for regulatory approval
to add its code to 17 destinations in
Africa that SAA operates.
Barry Parsons, SAA’s chief strategy
officer, told TNW the alliance worked
well for both parties. Etihad is free
to allow SAA to specialise in Africa
on its behalf while Etihad focuses on
other new international routes that will
need to be developed for the 200 new
aircraft it has on order.
SAA has cleared regulations to allow
for close parity pricing with Etihad, a
development that will take effect over
the next few months.
Barry dismissed the idea that the
closer relationship with Etihad meant
that SAA would consider leaving the
Star Alliance. Etihad is not a member
of any major alliance but there were
many examples of airlines in alliances
dealing with non-members, he said.
With regard to SAA’s codeshare with
other Gulf carrier, Emirates, to Dubai,
Barry said the arrangement worked
well for both airlines but that SAA did
not have the right to operate onward
to other destinations, which the Etihad
agreement allows.
Peter Baumgartner, Etihad Airways’
chief commercial officer, said there
would also be reciprocity across the
airlines’ respective loyalty programmes,
sharing of lounge facilities and the
review of the airlines’ cargo, training
and procurement operations.
SAA will use an A330-200 aircraft,
with 36 business class and 186
economy seats, on the Abu Dhabi
route. (See page 2).