MICHAEL FRIDJHON: Upbeat lessons from Down Under
Australia could serve as a model for what SA could become if it chooses the right paths
Travel to and from the land of the kangaroo is easy rather than sumptuous. Qantas dedicates the most derelict hardware of its fleet to the SA market. If I were to compare my last SAA international flight — where the signs of wear and tear were evident but everything still worked — with my last two Qantas flights, where the décor motif was shabby grunge and one of the seat belts didn’t work (!), I’d assume that SAA was in robust good health and Qantas was about to follow Pan Am into oblivion.
As an aside, anyone — even SAA — could offer a better option on the lucrative Johannesburg-Sydney route. Qantas now doesn’t have to make the effort, having acquired its monopoly courtesy of Jake and Dudu (a “gift” worthy of the state capture inquiry). Imagine a 14-hour daytime passage with a patchy inflight entertainment system whose multiple failures herald the same fatigued and slightly apologetic announcement from the purser explaining that the system will have to be rebooted (“and plea...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.