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South African Airways is flying again after its government cut funding last year. Here's a look at the collapse and revival of the 87-year-old national airline.

Thomas Pallini and Taylor Rains

Sep 23, 2021, 4:04 PM ET

SAA relaunches flights after a year of inactivity

Reuters

South African Airways relaunched operations with a flight from Johannesburg to Cape Town after a year of inactivity.
Though not involved in the relaunch, the airline has likely secured a new investor, Takatso Consortium.
SAA said it's optimistic about its revival, but it's not without its skeptics.

South African Airways was on the brink of disappearance after years of financial struggles, but it may have received a lifeline.

On Thursday, the carrier relaunched operations on a flight from Johannesburg to Cape Town using money it received from the South African government. After getting in millions from the state, the long-suffering carrier was denied further funding last year, and, as FlightGlobal reported, business rescuers entrusted with the difficult task of rescuing the 87-year-old airline had given it two options: liquidation or a wind-down and sale process.

However, SAA has likely secured a private investor, Takatso Consortium, in June 2021, which agreed to funnel up to $243 million into the crippled airline over the next three years. Takatso Consortium CEO Gidon Novick said the relaunch is independent of the negotiations between the consortium and the carrier.

Take a look at South African Airways' collapse and rebirth.

The airline itself dates back to 1934 when South Africa's Union Airways was nationalized to form the new South African Airways. The state-owned airline would become the flag carrier of South Africa, which was still part of the British Empire at the time.

A South African Airways Junkers aircraft.

The Print Collector/Print Collector/Getty

Source: South African Airways

Initial operations for South African included regional flights within Africa. Intra-African and domestic flights were operated by aircraft including the Junkers Ju 52, Douglas DC-3, and Junkers Ju 86.

A Douglas DC-3 painted in South African Airways former colors.

Simon_g / Shutterstock.com

Source: South African Airways

Once World War II ended, South African expanded beyond the shores of its home continent with a multi-stop flight to the heart of the British Empire. The route was known as the "Springbok" service, after the national animal of South Africa.

An Avro York aircraft similar to the one used by South African Airways.

The Montifraulo Collection/Getty

Source: South African Airways

The 34-hour, three-day service initially flown by an Avro York aircraft, stopped in Nairobi, Kenya; Khartoum, Sudan; Cairo, Egypt; and Castel Benito, Libya, before arriving in Bournemouth, England.

An Avro York aircraft similar to the one used by South African Airways.

The Montifraulo Collection/Getty

Source: South African Airways

Springbok would also become the radio callsign for South African Airways flights.

A Douglas DC-3 painted in South African Airways former colors.

Simon_g / Shutterstock.com

More modern aircraft from Western manufacturers including the Lockheed Constellation L-749 and Douglas DC-4 were later added, helping fuel international expansion.

A Douglas DC-4 painted in South African Airways former colors.

Simon_g / Shutterstock.com

Source: South African Airways

The airline added flight attendants on its services in 1946 and later added in-flight movies to some of its flights in the same decade.

A Douglas DC-3 painted in South African Airways former colors.

Simon_g / Shutterstock.com

Source: South African Airways

South Africa entered the jet age in 1953 with a British Overseas Airways Corporation de Havilland Comet operated by South African Airways that flew from Johannesburg to London.

A BOAC de Havilland Comet aircraft.

PA Images/Getty

Source: South African Airways

Intercontinental expansion continued with South African Airways later growing its route network to Australia in 1957 with "Wallaby" service.

A Douglas DC-4 painted in South African Airways former colors.

Simon_g / Shutterstock.com

Source: South African Airways

The 1960s then saw further expansion to South America, with flights to Rio de Janeiro, and then North America, with flights to New York, using the Boeing 707.

A South African Airways Boeing 707 aircraft.

Antony Matheus Linsen/Fairfax Media/Getty

Source: South African Airways

South African hit a milestone in the 1970s with its first Boeing 747 aircraft, an aircraft that had begun flying passengers only at the beginning of the decade. The quad engine aircraft quickly became a status symbol for the world's airlines.

A South African Airways Boeing 747 aircraft.

Rolls Press/Popperfoto/Getty

Source: South African Airways

Other new arrivals included the Boeing 737…

A South African Airways Boeing 737-800 aircraft.

JOKER/Hady Khandani/ullstein bild/Getty

Source: South African Airways

And Airbus A300.

A South African Airways Airbus A300 aircraft.

STR New/Reuters

Source: South African Airways

South African was also one of the first commercial operators of a unique Boeing product, the 747SP.

A South African Airways Boeing 747SP aircraft.

EQRoy / Shutterstock.com

Source: South African Airways

A shortened version of the popular Jumbo Jet but with the same four engines, the 747SP offering extended ranges unmatched by most aircraft of the time. The range of the 747SP was so great that South African flew it from Seattle to Cape Town nonstop, a distance of over 8,800 nautical miles, on its delivery flight.

A South African Airways Boeing 747SP aircraft.

EQRoy / Shutterstock.com

Source: South African Airways

While airlines liked the 747SP for its performance capabilities, South African had a different reason involving the country's apartheid policy.

A Boeing 747SP aircraft.

Mo Azizi / Shutterstock.com

Due to the discriminatory policy, some African countries had restricted South African Airways flights from entering their airspaces and the airline would often have to fly indirect routes to get to Europe.

A South African Airways Boeing 747SP aircraft.

EQRoy / Shutterstock.com

Source: New York Times

The Boeing 747SP allowed for South African to go around the countries without having to stop for fuel on the way to Europe. Other aircraft frequently used Cape Verde as a refueling stop for flights to Europe, despite the archipelago's location off the coast of West Africa.

A South African Airways Boeing 747SP aircraft.

EQRoy / Shutterstock.com

Source: New York Times

A route from Johannesburg to Athens on the 747SP, for example, stopped in Lisbon and Rome along the way. The flight flew direct or with one stop to Lisbon, and then headed into the continent.

A South African Airways Boeing 747SP aircraft.

EQRoy / Shutterstock.com

Source: South African Airways

The 1980s then saw turbulence for the carrier as Western nations adopted sanctions against South Africa for its apartheid policies. Flights to the US and Australia were revoked in addition to the countries that had barred South African's flights.

Australian protests against South Africa's apartheid policy.

Robert Pearce/Fairfax Media/Getty

Source: South African Airways

When apartheid ended in the 1990s, South African was allowed to grow its route network once again and the airline no longer needed to fly the long, costly routes to avoid some nations.

A South African Airways Airbus A320 aircraft.

Rogan Ward/Reuters

Source: South African Airways

One of the most notable displays of the new airline came in 1995 during the Rugby World Cups when a South African Airways Boeing 747 did a flyover of the stadium with "Good Luck Bokke," a nickname for the South African team, painted on the belly. The feat was repeated multiple times in later years by other airlines.

An aircraft flyover at a 2013 Springboks vs All Blacks rugby match,

David Rogers/Getty

Source: South African Airways and Safair

The decade also saw the airline win the title of Africa's leading airline from 1994 on to 2015. The 1990s, however, also saw the airline begin its financial losing streak.

South African Airways aircraft.

William F. Campbell/The LIFE Images Collection/Getty

Source: QZ

The 2000s saw South African undergo a fleet renewal where most of its long-haul Boeing jets were retired in favor of European-built Airbus planes. The new long-haul flagships became the Airbus A330…

A South African Airways Airbus A330 aircraft.

SUMAYA HISHAM/Reuters

Source: Planespotters.net

And A340-600.

A South African Airways Airbus A340-600 aircraft.

Bruce Bennett/Getty

Source: Planespotters.net

South African was later brought into organizations to which it had been denied including the International Civil Aviation Organization and joined the Star Alliance.

South African Airways joined Star Alliance in 2006.

SIPHIWE SIBEKO/Reuters

Source: South African Airways

Its new-found praise and acceptance, however, couldn't replace the financial woes of the airline. In 2019, South African entered the equivalent of bankruptcy protection and began restructuring after racking up nearly $3 billion in debt.

South African Airways employees protest during the airline's bankruptcy.

Siyabonga Sishi/Reuters

Source: QZ

Despite being in the midst of restructuring, South African leased a new aircraft, the Airbus A350-900 XWB, which ultimately launched on the Johannesburg-New York route in January 2020.

A South African Airways Airbus A350-900 XWB.

South African Airways

Read More: Bankrupt South African Airways just debuted its newest plane, the Airbus A350, weeks early despite verging on the brink of collapse

The swanky new aircraft would be ideal for the ultra-long-haul routes that South African planned to use them for.

A South African Airways Airbus A350-900 XWB.

South African Airways

With the new aircraft in the air and flying passengers, the hope was that South African might have a plan to save itself from collapse.

A South African Airways Airbus A350-900 XWB.

South African Airways

South Africa's government, which has been incrementally providing relief, however, ultimately pulled the plug in April 2020.

A South African Airways Airbus A340-600.

Fabrizio Gandolfo/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty

Source: FlightGlobal

Without intervention from either the government or a private buyer willing to keep the airline going, South African Airways looked like it was going to disappear from the skies for good.

A South African Airways Airbus A350-900 XWB.

Sumaya Hisham/Reuters

However, the airline is back up and running after over a year of inactivity. SAA relaunched operations on September 23 with a flight from Johannesburg to Cape Town using an A320 aircraft, which carried 123 passengers on the maiden journey.

SAA's first flight in over a year

Reuters

Source: Aerotime Hub

The relaunch came after months of restructuring, which included reducing its debt and cutting its workforce by 80%, down from 4,000 to 802.

SAA relaunch at Johannesburg airport

Reuters

Source: Aerotime Hub, ch-aviation

The airline will be backed by Takatso Consortium, a joint-venture between Harith General Partners and Global Aviation, which is in late stage talks to buy the majority stake from the South African government in June.

South African union buildings

Burhan Ay Photography/Shutterstock

Source: africannews

The consortium's deal made with South Africa's Department of Public Enterprises includes investing up to $243 million into the airline over the next three years.

SAA A330 takes off from Lusaka, Zambia

Vidit Luthra

Source: africannews

Without its private funds yet secured, the company is using $33.8 million of the $712.3 million bailout it received from the state to restart operations.

SAA A320

Thiago B Trevisan/Shutterstock

Source: ch-aviation

SAA's interim CEO Thomas Kgokolo said the company needs a modern fleet of aircraft if it is going to be competitive outside of Africa. Currently, its all-Airbus fleet has an average age of more than 15 years.

SAA plane in Namibia

Felix Lipov/Shutterstock

Source: africannews

However, Kgokolo said ticket sales are promising and early numbers indicate flights could be 75% full.

SAA passengers

Reuters

Source: africannews

The airline's fleet has shrunk, having only six of the original 44 it had before insolvency. SAA will start with a small network, operating one domestic route and five regional routes, including to Accra, Ghana; Kinshasa, DRC; Harare, Zimbabwe; Lusaka, Zambia; and Maputo, Mozambique.

SAA plane in Johannesburg

Reuters

Source: ch-aviation

While it still has a long way to go, SAA's relaunch has brought pride and excitement for its employees. Crew members danced and sang at the Johannesburg airport before the maiden flight.

SAA employees dance after relaunch

Reuters

Source: Reuters

While the airline is optimistic about its return, skeptics believe it will be short-lived. According to Efficient Group economist Dawie Roodt, Takatso Consortium's absence from the relaunch is not a good sign.

SAA A340 wing

Vidit Luthra/Shutterstock

Source: jacarandafm

He explained that the slow deal with the consortium makes him wonder where the money to keep SAA in the air is going to come from. Without the agreement finalized, the airline will likely have its wings clipped again soon, according to Roodt.

SAA tail at Frankfurt airport

Vytautas Kielaitis/Shutterstock

Source: jacarandafm