South African Express Airways SOC Ltd, known as South African Express or simply SA Express, was a state-owned airline based in South Africa that started operations on 24 April 1994, but had to cease operations on 28 April 2020. Although the airline was operationally independent of South African Airways, its flights were incorporated within the strategic alliance with South African Airways. The airline had its head office at Airways Park, Jones Road, next to O.R. Tambo International Airport in Kempton Park, Ekurhuleni, Gauteng."Legal ." SA Express. Retrieved on 6 February 2011. "Street Address: 4th Floor Offices, West Wing, Pier Development, Johannesburg International Airport"
History
On 24 May 2018 the South African Civil Aviation Authority grounded the airline due to "serious safety risks". They reported it could be months before the airline was operational again. Flights resumed on 23 August, following the issuance of airworthiness certificates for a portion of the airline's fleet.
On 13 February 2020, South African Express entered the Business Rescue process, a local form of bankruptcy protection. On 18 March 2020, the airline suspended all operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On 28 April 2020, the business rescue practitioners submitted an application to the Pretoria High Court for the liquidation of the airline. The court approved a provisional liquidation, with stakeholders being given until 9 June 2020 to voice objections before a final dissolution of the company.
In November 2020, the moveable assets of the company such as the eight Bombardiers, spare parts and furniture were to be sold via an online auction managed by GoIndustry DoveBid Africa. The non-moveable assets such as the routes, landing rights and existing licences would be sold to FlySax, a consortium consisting of a key investor and ex-SA Express staff.
Corporate affairs Ownership The holding company is Flymodernark (Proprietary) Limited.
Business trends South African Express is loss-making, and its accounts have been qualified by the auditors since 2012/13; the 2016/17 accounts remain unaudited (as at July 2019) and have been subject to parliamentary questions. Figures that had been made available were disputed, and the previously published accounts were withdrawn in November 2011 after accounting errors that dated back several years were discovered. Some fuller reports have been published since then, although figures are frequently restated in the following year's Report. Available figures (for years ending 31 March) are:
200920102011201220132014201520162017Turnover (Rm) 1,857 n/a 1,640 2,022 2,296 2,562 2,594 2,391 2,310Net profit/loss after tax (Rm) * 0.7 16.9 Number of employees (at year end) 839 n/a 1,026 1,090 1,136 1,188 1,127 1,036 Number of passengers (m) 1.5 1.4 1.6 1.5 1.5 1.4 1.3 Passenger load factor (%) 67 64 61 65 65 62 64 Number of aircraft (at year end) n/a 24 24 24 22 Notes/sources Unaudited
Notes: Profitability figures for 2008/09 are not shown above(*), as they are believed to have been restated since the publication of the Annual Report. Revised figures for 2010/11 are from press reports in April 2013; the financial statements for 2012/13, 2013/14, 2014/15 and 2015/16 were audited, but received a qualified audit opinion.
Destinations South African Express served the following destinations (as of January 2020): All flights had been suspended by 18 April 2020.
Gaborone – Sir Seretse Khama International Airport
Lubumbashi – Lubumbashi International Airport
Walvis Bay – Walvis Bay International Airport
Bloemfontein – Bram Fischer International Airport Cape Town – Cape Town International Airport Durban – King Shaka International Airport Hoedspruit – Eastgate Airport Johannesburg – O.R. Tambo International Airport Hub Kimberley – Kimberley Airport Port Elizabeth - Port Elizabeth International Airport
Fleet
Current fleet The South African Express fleet consisted of the following aircraft : Aircraft In service Orders Passengers NotesBombardier CRJ20010—50Bombardier CRJ7004—70Bombardier Q40010—74Total240
Historical fleet The airline fleet previously included the following aircraft:
Bombardier Q300.
See also South African Airways Congo Express
References
External links