State-owned airline SAA said it has implemented contingency measures to minimise the impact of planned industrial action by pilots set to begin on Wednesday.
The pilots are demanding higher wages and better conditions of employment.
SAA group CEO John Lamola said: “Our focus remains on ensuring uninterrupted service and providing real-time updates on flight statuses to all stakeholders. Our priority is to resolve outstanding issues collaboratively while maintaining service continuity and minimising inconvenience to our valued customers while upholding the highest standards of safety and operational reliability.”
The national carrier received notification from the SAA Pilots Association (SAAPA) and National Transport Movement (NTM) Pilot Forum, which represent 145 of 156 staff members, about their decision to commence “work-to-rule” industrial action from Wednesday.
Work-to-rule is a form of industrial action where employees strictly adhere to their contractual obligations, doing only the bare minimum in an effort to slow down production and put pressure on employers.
SAA expressed “deep regret over the pilots’ decision to proceed with industrial action, particularly in light of the comprehensive and favourable final offer extended by the company on March 5 2025”.
The industrial action follows months of wage talks that started in May 2024 with pilots demanding a 30% wage increase, which was later revised down to 15.7%.
In November 2024, SAA implemented a 7.2% average salary increase and increased the medical aid subsidy from R2,275/month to R4,000/month, but this was rejected by the unions and led to a pilot strike on December 5.
A compromise deal was reached during the strike that included a 1% increase in total cost of employment (TCE) from December 1, and a daily domestic allowance of R200 for all flight deck crew, among other things.
SAA’s final offer includes a 7.66% TCE increase from April 1, followed by 3% annual increases in 2025 and 2026, and a further 3% plus inflation-linked adjustments in 2027.
“We consider our offer to the pilots both fair and generous, especially given the financial challenges the airline continues to face,” Lamola said.
“SAA remains dedicated to reaching an amicable resolution through ongoing negotiations and open communication with the pilot body and all stakeholders.”
The company said it continued navigating “significant financial pressures, operating within a challenging environment marked by elevated fuel prices, a weakened rand, intense competition, and ongoing productivity and labour cost hurdles”.
In November, SAA reported a net profit of R252m in the year to end-March 2023, from a loss of R3.65bn a year earlier, marking the first time it logged a positive bottom line since 2012.
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