South African Airways (SAA) is expanding its collaboration with Turkish airline SunExpress by leasing four Boeing 737-800 aircraft, complete with cockpit and maintenance crew, for the peak summer season and extending into April 2025. This six-month agreement begins in November and includes the busy Easter holiday period.
Building on a successful first year of partnership, SAA will double its leased fleet, enhancing capacity by adding an average of 20 daily flights, totaling 134 weekly flights across three routes. This move aims to improve connectivity and travel options during the high-demand holiday season.
The partnership not only boosts SAA’s competitiveness in the local market but also supports the airline’s plans to increase flight frequencies to Mauritius, Perth, and various African destinations like Harare and Lagos. Additionally, the agreement includes a specialized training program for SAA cabin crew, conducted in Antalya, Turkey, and Johannesburg. SunExpress CEO Max Kownatzki expressed excitement about the growth and commitment to operational excellence through this enhanced collaboration.