Uncertainty prevails regarding the future of the state-owned budget carrier Mango Airlines, which will not be able to fly again until a buyer is found. Amid the uncertainty, a video has surfaced painting a sad picture for the state-owned budget airline which has been grounded since July.
MANGO STANDS BY THE NATION
The video praises Mango Airlines for standing by the nation through the lockdown and commends the carrier for transporting passengers and cargo during the extended period when its parent company South African Airways was grounded.
“After lockdown struck, you were there to join friends and families and bring back much-needed cargo and restore hope to our people. You flew when your sister airline could fly no more. You built a community of people around you – from the pilots, cabin crew, ground crew, and the passengers who made your airline an airline,” it says.
South African Airways was grounded in March last year when the initial hard lockdown was imposed on the country. When airlines were permitted to resume domestic flights in June last year, SAA could not restart operations as the airline had been grounded by its business practitioners one month earlier.
MANGO PAYS THE ULTIMATE PRICE
Mango Airlines was able to restart operations on domestic routes last June, providing a lifeline to SAA who could offer carriage to its passengers, using Mango Airlines. SAA restarted operations two months ago while Mango Airlines remains grounded since this July.
The video states that Mango’s lifespan has been cut short, alluding to the fact that Mango Airlines is being disposed of, at the expense of the relaunched South African Airways which has a tiny route network comprised of only one domestic route and a handful of regional ones.
“You built a family of aviation enthusiasts who were there to see the highs and the lows. But now the time has come. You are to be sent to your final destination. You had your takeoffs and you had your landings. When you were criticised you fought from it. Your journey was cut short,” it said.
MANGO’S FUTURE HANGS IN THE BALANCE
At a meeting with creditors last week Mango’s business rescue practitioners were informed that the airline’s original business rescue plan must be amended and that Mango could not resume flights as set out in that rescue plan.
Mango’s sole shareholder, South African Airways (SAA) said it wants Mango’s original rescue plan to be amended, to allow the airline to resume operations only once a suitable investor has been identified.
Mango’s business rescue practitioner (BRP) Sipho Sono proposed that the airline receive the outstanding funds owed to it as part of an earlier package approved by parliament, to allow the airline to resume operations ahead of the December holidays – when the airline could earn income from high passenger volumes. This would have made the airline more attractive to potential buyers.
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from The South African https://ift.tt/30N75NK
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