SAA Issues Requests New Cargo Aircraft

South African Airways has issued a Request For Proposals (RFP) for the replacement of its Cargo fleet which, according to the ch-aviation aircraft database, consists of three B737-300(F)s including one on lease from Safair (FA, Johannesburg O.R. Tambo).

SAA Cargo deploys the aircraft on flights between Johannesburg O.R. Tambo, Cape Town, Durban King Shaka, Port Elizabeth, and East London domestically as well as to Kinshasa N’Djili regionally.

South African Engineering News says the tender is part of SAA Cargo’s Long Term Aircraft Fleet Replacement programme which itself is part of the SAA’s 90-Day Action Plan.

The 90-Day Action plan, unveiled late last year and due to end on March 24, is a precursor to the Long Term Turnaround Strategy (LTTS), a restructuring programme aimed at turning the loss-making carrier into a profitable entity.

The deadline for submissions is March 31.

Airbus A319’s go as new A320’s enter the fleet

SAA has begun to return the first of the Airbus 319’s to their lessors as more factory fresh Airbus A320’s are delivered. The first to go was ZS-SFD in May 2014, it has since found a new home with Fastjet, while ZS-SFE  and ZS-SFF are withdrawn from use and stored in Johannesburg.

On 5th November 2014 ZS-SFE was flown to Montpellier in France for storage.

SAA takes 6200th Airbus A320

SAA took delivery of the 6200th Airbus A320 series aircraft of the production line, when ZS-SZG was delivered on 8th August 2014.