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Fewer SAA domestic flights would be welcome, says Comair
If ailing South African Airways (SAA) were to reduce its scheduled flights, it could help to get rid of the "suicidally" cheap tickets at the bottom end of the domestic market, says Comair CEO Erik Venter. "If SAA stopped flying tomorrow, there would be enough seats in the market to accommodate all its passengers," said Venter, as Comair reported a 54% rise in taxed profit to R297m for the year to end-June on revenues that had increased by 2%. Costs increased by only 1% as the airline continued its relentless focus on improving its efficiency every year. Venter said that about 25% of total seats in the domestic airline market went unsold. Passenger numbers in the market rose 2.3% during the year, but the industry has experienced minimal growth since 2008, and with the economy weak and profit margins narrow, Comair is increasingly looking to its non-airline businesses — in pilot and crew training centres, travel and catering, and the Slow Lounges. In the latest year, these had contri...
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