South African Airways cancels more flights but denies it is on brink of collapse
South African Airways is believed to have cancelled at least another 12 flights today, including one from Munich, as its financial crisis deepens.
Airline spokesman Tlali Tlali said the airline had grounded a few flights, adding that a statement will be issued later today.
The airline is running out of money following the South African government failed to provide a promised R2 billion (about £106 million) of emergency funding when the airline entered bankruptcy protection in December.
South African media claims theTreasury has refused to provide the funds without guarantees. The airline has lost R30bn (£1.6 billion) over the past 13 years.
Despite the cancellations, the airline said it ‘wishes to assure its customers and stakeholders that flights to all its destinations continue as normal’.
SAA operates only one flight to London, between Heathrow and Johannesburg.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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