South African Airways (SAA), Africa’s leading airline has announced that it has accepted Qantas’s decision to conclude their long standing code share agreement effective 31 May 2014.

(TRAVPR.COM) SOUTH AFRICA - February 25th, 2014 -  South African Airways (SAA), Africa’s leading airline has announced that it has accepted Qantas’s decision to conclude their long standing code share agreement effective 31 May 2014.

SAA has been flying to Sydney for more than 27 years before the code share with Qantas was put in place in October 2000 following the strategic decision for SAA to stop operating between Johannesburg and Sydney with its own aircraft and to begin code sharing with Qantas.

“Australia and New Zealand remain important markets for SAA and its customers and although we no longer operate flights ourselves to Sydney, we will maintain our presence in the country through our own operations to Perth and all of our established partnerships,” says Kendy Phohleli, SAA General Manager Commercial (Acting).

SAA customers will continue to have the opportunity to travel on the service between Johannesburg and Sydney, through our gateway in Perth, which will offer a daily service.

“We have always worked well with Qantas and together we are looking at a smooth transition for the benefit of our respective clients which are both business and leisure travellers,” Phohleli said.

SAA code share flights on Qantas’ Sydney operation will be closed off for sale on 21 February 2014.  No further bookings will be made for travel after 1 June 2014.

All SAA ticketed code share passengers on the Qantas flight will be accommodated onto the Qantas flight number QF064 and QF063 and transported to their final destination. Such re-accommodation will be communicated to all SAA offices and all our travel partners with ticketed passengers of the appropriate procedure to follow so as to ensure no or minimal inconvenience to our leisure and business travellers.

All SAA unticketed code share passengers who had booked SA7700 and SA7701 on Johannesburg-Sydney-Johannesburg will be re-accommodated on SAA’s Perth operations with the ticketing agent using the most convenient option available for the onward connection to Sydney that is permitted within the conditions of the fare conditions.

###