Fin24 reports that business rescue practitioners have, at least for the moment, put a moratorium on any plans to close the Cape Town pilot base of South African Airways (SAA).  

Captain Grant Back, chairperson of the SAA Pilots' Association (Saapa) advised on Friday that SAA had been intending to close the base in Cape Town, but the airline's own figures showed that closing the base would not guarantee savings.  With SAA sticking to its guns, whilst keeping the cabin crew base open, the pilots had recommended to the airline's business rescue practitioners (BRPs) that any closure would be premature until an independent check of the SAA decision was undertaken and the final plan on the restructuring was completed.  "The BRPs have therefore, for now, put a moratorium on closing the Cape Town base.  It would only be considered once the business rescue plan has been submitted," said Back.  He explained that closing the Cape Town pilot base would mean that pilots flying very early flights out of and very late flights into Cape Town would result in far higher hotel costs for SAA as Johannesburg-based crew would have to overnight in Cape Town.  "Having pilot bases away from a main base is common practice around the world and Mango, Airlink and SA Express all have a Cape Town Pilot base," Back indicated.  He added that SAAPA had had some very positive engagements with the BRPs.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Carin Smith at Fin24

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