Destined for the travel industry
“
I WAS always interested in
airplanes but didn’t think
I’d end up in the aviation
industry,” says ceo of Fly
Blue Crane, Siza Mzimela.
“It’s only when I reflect on
it that I can see there were
a lot of events, even in my
youth, pointing me in that
direction. It was destiny
I ended up in the travel
business.”
As a little girl, one of Siza’s
favourite pastimes was going
to air shows. “It’s the most
beautiful sight to see an
aircraft take off. Everybody
takes it for granted, but
there was a time when
something that huge couldn’t
lift off the ground that easily.
So many people, so much
cargo – something must be
said about the marvel of the
mechanics behind it.”
Siza is the second-last
born of her parents’ eleven
children. She has five sisters
and five brothers. Though
born in South Africa, she
was raised by her eldest
brother in Swaziland. “My
mother sent my brother
to study in Swaziland and
because he decided to
settle there, he took the
responsibility of raising
some of his siblings. I
attended school there and
came back to South Africa
after university.”
Siza majored in Economics
and Statistics at university
and first worked as a
research analyst at Standard
Bank for three years. She
then worked at Total, whose
offices happened to be
across from SAA’s when she
was employed there, she
says.
“One day I got a call from
someone who said SAA
wanted to talk to me. I
hadn’t sent them a CV or
anything and thought, ‘why
not – they’re across the
road – I can go see them’
and that’s how I got into
aviation.”
Siza started working at SAA
as a route analyst. Her first
interview was a particularly
tough one and she describes
how her two interviewers,
one of them the current ceo
of the Airlines Association
of Southern Africa, Chris
Zweigenthal, grilled her
during the process. “If there
is ever anyone to blame for
me getting into aviation – it’s
Chris,” Siza says.
She entered the industry
at a very difficult time, she
says. SAA wanted someone
who could withstand the
climate and Chris liked her
independence. The other
interviewer seemed to think
she couldn’t do the job and
that motivated her to take on
the challenge. “Don’t dare
me to do something – that’s
dangerous.”
Taking on the industry
Once Siza joined the industry
she completely fell in love
with it. “We’re spoilt in the
travel industry and a lot of
us don’t actually know it
because very few of us will
leave it and try another, and
those who do, quickly come
back.”
In March 2015 Siza started
her own airline, Fly Blue
Crane, which took to the
skies in September that
year.
She says starting Fly Blue
Crane taught her there
is only so much she can
control. “When you are
dependent on other people
and entities it never quite
works out the way you
planned.
“Starting the airline was
a natural progression. I had
run a regional airline, I had
run the biggest airline at the
time and I was ready for the
next challenge. It’s one thing
to take over something that
is already working but to
start something from scratch
is entirely different.”
She says there was a
tremendous amount of work
before the company could
even call itself an airline. “To
be effective, we had to hire
the right staff – the most
senior people – because
they ensure you have the
proper building blocks.”
As a new airline, especially
in South Africa, you’re not
going to enter the market
with the same terms or
contracts as every other
established party, she says.
“Everyone says, pay upfront
– because they’re still very
nervous about you.”
And to date it’s still the
same challenge, she says.
“Our whole team went
through a learning curve.”
Many of Fly Blue Crane’s
staff are ex-SAA employees
and find they are being
treated very differently to
what they had become
accustomed to at SAA.
“When you said you needed
something by tomorrow you
didn’t have to call ten times
to have it delivered on time.
Now we find ourselves at
the bottom of the food chain
and have to chase people,
but that’s life and it’s a very
humbling experience.”
Getting to know Siza
People closest to her
describe her as good
listener, a problem
solver, impatient and
someone who can
keep a secret. “As a
result, people feel very
comfortable talking to
me.”
The thing that makes
Siza happiest is her
family: if she could have
dinner with any three
people in the world,
living, past or famous,
it would be her husband,
son and daughter.
One of her favourite
songs currently is
Coldplay’s Hymn for the
Weekend.
She recently enjoyed
reading You Can, You
Will: 8 Undeniable
Qualities of a Winner,
by Joel Osteen.
