Former Chairman of the Mango Pilots Association, Jordan Butler, hopes the defunct carrier can return to service by December so that it can take advantage of peak-season traffic. But first, Mango’s sale agreement needs final approval from SAA and the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE), its shareholders, something Mango hopes to get soon. 

Butler was less positive about dealing with the national government and its decisions. “My trust in them is very low,” he said. 

He said Sipho Sono, Mango’s Business Rescue Practitioner (BRP), however, had acted brilliantly by doing everything in his power to see the deal go through. 

According to a monthly status update for the airline’s creditors published by the BRP at the start of September, Mango’s preferred bidder has provided all the necessary information required to make the agreement official.

According to Sono’s update, the sale is now only subject to the approval of a change of ownership of Mango’s air services licences by the Air Services Licensing Council (ASLC), notification of the transaction to the Competition Commission, and approval from the DPE and SAA. 

Sono told Mango’s creditors he had engaged extensively with Mango’s buyer to ascertain that it had the working capital and the availability of funds to resume operations, adequate skills to operate an airline, plans for securing aircraft, and a route network and expansion plan. 

“As previously indicated, the disposal of shares by South African Airways SOC Limited requires SAA to notify and seek approval of the transaction in terms of the Public Finance Management Act No 1 of 1999. In accordance with the BR Plan, the BRP will compile an application and submit to relevant parties for consideration and/or approvals. The BRP will further engage with both the DPE and SAA to agree next steps and any announcements to be made in due course,” the update said. 

Sono said Mango and the bidder would immediately start engaging with the ASLC and submit the required documentation as soon as possible. This would facilitate the lifting of the suspension of Mango’s domestic licences, he explained.

“Hopefully,” said Butler, “Mango can start operating before the December holidays. It is the key revenue time and will help consumers greatly.”

Meanwhile, Rodger Foster, CEO and MD of Airlink, said there was room for competition in the market, provided new and revived players traded responsibly.

Regarding the news that SAA is in talks to take over the British Airways franchise from Comair, Foster said: “Airlink has a solid and mutually beneficial commercial relationship with British Airways – and a number of other global carriers – and looks forward to continuing it.”

Concerning Mango’s revival and the question of there being room for other competitors in the market, he said: “Airlink supports a competitive market as long as the playing field is level, the rules are applied consistently, and participants do not resort to unsustainable tactics such as flooding the market with sub-economic fares to gain market share, which, as we have seen in the past, weakens the entire sector. Airlink is happy to compete but will not be distracted from its strategy of building a network and schedule that gives passengers and cargo customers unmatched and great value, choice, reach, and service.”