SAA route rationalisation disrupts travel

THE transfer of routes
to Mango that were
previously serviced by SAA,
has left agents unable to ticket
through-fares on international
flights with domestic
connections, as Mango
does not have the interline
agreements with international
carriers that SAA holds. As a
result, agents are having to off
sell or issue separate tickets.
When SAA handed over
flights to Mango in December
last year, the airline stated
that a similar number of
flights would still operate
domestically.
However, no provision
was made for add-ons to
international flights.
Both Sharon Chen, assistant
manager, marketing of Cathay
Pacific, and Sally George,
market development manager
of Singapore Airlines, said
the airlines did not have a
special prorate agreement
(SPA) with Mango.
“For agents who wish
to use Mango to fly up to
Johannesburg and connect
onwards with us, they will have
to issue separate tickets with
Mango and Cathay Pacific
respectively,” said Sharon.
Previously SAA was first choice
for add-ons due to its Star
Alliance affiliation,” said Sally.
“Very few of the remaining
SAA domestic flights connect
well with our international
flights, which leaves BA Comair
as the only real option for
add-on flights,” said Sally.
“Unfortunately they don’t have
the frequencies that SAA used
to have in place.”
Acting ceo of Mango, Nic
Vlok, confirmed that it was a
point-to-point carrier that did
not have add-on fares. He
explained that the exception
was a unilateral interline
agreement that was in place
with SAA where SAA was the
marketing carrier on SA-coded
flights operated by Mango.
“Our current emphasis is to
provide a convenient interline
experience to SAA connecting
passengers. We may consider
other interline agreements in
future but there is no definitive
timeline,” said Nic.
Melissa Phillips, owner
Sure Map Travel, confirmed
that her office was selling BA
Comair almost exclusively for
add-ons and that even her
most loyal Voyager supporters
were swopping to other
airlines due to connection and
availability issues ex-Durban.
She felt that the rationalisation
and the full consequences for
passengers in outlying areas
had not been properly thought
through.
“Many of SAA’s international
flights are now wide open, as
destinations beyond Joburg
cannot support them with
connecting flight services. It
is sad as SAA is still a good
airline in the sky although there
is much room for improvement
on the ground,” she said.