SAA resumed its complimentary full beverage and meal service on domestic flights between Cape Town and Johannesburg on October 26.

The airline says its on-board catering product is strictly compliant with all the COVID-19 regulations and health and safety measures.

Catering services have only been absent from domestic routes – international flights have been serving food, including SAA’s regional flights to Accra, Kinshasa, Harare and Lusaka. The airline will also serve food and beverages on the Mauritius and Maputo routes, which will start operating in November and December respectively.

SAA’s wholly owned subsidiary, Air Chefs, is one of those that was given a cut of the controversial R27bn that was moved from SAA’s rescue plan by means of a Special Appropriation Bill in June 2021, to allow the DPE to come to the rescue of Air Chefs, SAA Technical and Mango.

SAA’s complimentary magazine Sawubona is back. Passengers may pick one up as they check in or as they depart the aircraft. According to the COVID-19 regulations, the magazine may not be read and then shared, by being left in the seat-back pocket. It can be handled only by one passenger and must then be disposed of.