Johannesburg – South African Airways (SAA) pilots have suspended their strike and flights have resumed after their unions secured a conditional deal regarding the wage hike dispute.
More than half the SAA flights – mostly to overseas destinations – had been cancelled as a result of the strike, which began on Thursday, (5 December 2024).
However, on Saturday morning, (7 November 2024), reports emerged that overnight the unions – South African Airways Pilots Association (SAAPA) and the National Transport Movement Pilots Forum (NTM-PF) reached a conditional agreement with SAA management to address pilots’ demands.
In a statement posted on X confirming that the strike had been suspended, SAA management said it was “pleased to announce that the pilots’ strike, which began on 5 December 2024, has been suspended as of 02:00 this morning”.
The statement added: “This resolution follows successful negotiations between SAA Executive Management and the South African Airways Pilots Association (SAAPA).
“Management has offered an additional 1% salary increase, resulting in a total salary increase of 9.47% for SAA pilots.
Commenting on the matter, SAA CEO Professor John Lamola said: “As part of the agreement that broke the deadlock in wage negotiations, engagements on a continuous enterprise improvement program will continue over the next eight weeks.
“We are committed to implementing work-life concessions that should enhance the productivity of our world-acclaimed pilots”.
Professor Lamola said SAA was expected to return to a 100% flight schedule by Sunday, 8 December 2024, with more than 100 pilots returning to their duties by 12:00 today, (7 December 2024).
“SAA extends its heartfelt gratitude to our valued customers for their patience, understanding, and support during this period,” he said.
Customers are advised to visit the SAA website www.flysaa.com and social media platforms for updates on the SAA flight schedule.
See post on X: https://twitter.com/flysaa/status/1865306601537573024
Long queues could be seen at SAA counters at OR Tambo International Airport on Saturday morning.
The strike began after unsuccessful wage negotiations.
SAAPA had demanded a 30% pay increase, which was subsequently reduced to 15.7% (plus associated benefits).
However, SAA offered an 8.46% raise retroactive to April 2024.
“SAA’s final wage offer, made to SAAPA on 24 September 2024, is significantly higher than the general salary increases in South Africa in 2024,” the airline’s management said.
The airline added that its final offer was benchmarked against international pilot salary adjustments and was in line with what was granted to the rest of SAA staff members in June 2024.
Owing to the impasse pilots associated with SAAPA embarked on the strike, resulting in 60% of SAA flights being cancelled, mostly on international routes.
In a related development earlier this week, Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said: “For the first time since 2012, the SAA has recorded a net profit of R252 million for the 2022/23 financial year, and group revenue increased from R2 billion to R5.7 billion.
“Remarkably, SAA achieved this milestone while operating with only six to eight aircraft across nine destinations at the beginning of the 2022/23 financial year,”
Ntshavheni, who was speaking on outcomes of the latest Cabinet meeting, said the SAA has doubled its fleet, launched intercontinental routes, and increased its network to 16 destinations.
Looking back:
