South African Airways (SAA) is selling nine of its wide-body aircraft: four Airbus A340-600s and five Airbus A340-300s, as well as ’15 spare engines and four auxiliary power units’.
In a statement, SAA’s acting CEO, Zuks Ramasia, made it clear that ‘The decision to sell the aircraft has nothing to do with the business rescue process.’
‘After we received the four new Airbus A350-900, it has become necessary for us to sell our older models to accommodate the new models with superior features such as the quieter cabin, relaxing in-flight environment and more extra-legroom seats in economy class and lie-flat beds in business Class’.
Ramasia said that a plan to replace the national carrier’s four-engine aircraft with the two engine planes had been in place ‘for some time’.
‘When we received five A330-300s in late 2017- early 2018 we had already planned to retire five A340s at that time, but due to the operational fleet undergoing maintenance, the retirement of the aircraft was postponed. Now is the time to sell the aircraft,’ she said.
The new A350s, which replace the A340s, will begin operating on the carrier’s international route network next week. The nine aircraft that SAA wishes to get rid of went on sale on 10 January and the closing date for the tender bid to purchase these closes on 30 January at 11.00am SA time.
A330s and A350-900s will be used on regional and international routes to replace the aircraft for sale.
Image: Pinterst
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