Fin24 reports that Captain Grant Back, chairperson of the SAA Pilots' Association (Saap), said on Monday that if it took job cuts to make South African Airways (SAA) sustainable, the state-owned airline's pilots could find alternative opportunities in a region like the Middle East, where there was a huge demand for pilots.  

He commented as follows on the business rescue process:  "We have to wait and see what the numbers will dictate regarding possible retrenchments and downsizing at SAA.  If the business rescue practitioners (BRPs) present figures that make sense, and we can establish these as accurate, then obviously we will work with them on their plan, but the plan must still be formulated and presented.  They will need buy-in from labour, and in order for that to happen, the process must be transparent.”  Indicating that Saapa would cooperate with the BRPs in their quest to save SAA because its members would like to see SAA succeed, and finding a new job might mean having to relocate, Back advised that there were more than 540 pilots who actively worked for SAA.  He added that, unlike the aviation sector in the developed world, where there were many airlines and a huge resource pool of skills to choose from, there were limited airline skills in SA.  In his opinion, it would therefore be a good idea to look for an SAA CEO from outside SA.  "With the right skills in place in management, it will go a long way to get SAA back on track," Back opined.

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

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