By Benjamin Alade
The Chief Executive Officer of South African Airways (SSA), Prof. John Lamola, has reiterated the airline’s unwavering commitment to rebuilding and repositioning itself as Africa’s leading network carrier.
Speaking at an exclusive dinner with CEOs of top travel agents and cargo partners, including Wakanow, Quantum Travels, American Express, Touchdown Travels and Business Travel Management in Lagos, Lamola noted that he would rebuild the airline as the global brand it is known for.
He said: “SAA has grown from being a restart. We are repositioning and rebuilding the airline to survive on its own together with our strategic partners. We have a five-year corporate plan of going through renewal and modernisation of our fleet and elevating our customer experience grounded on our African uniqueness. The aim is to have 50 aircraft in the next three years. We have 20 now, and we are expanding carefully.”
Expressing gratitude to travel and cargo agents at the forum, Lamola added: “We are consolidating our routes by having more frequencies. Lagos is not just one piece in our network but a very strategic route for us, and by March 2026, we will have daily flights to Lagos. We also want to connect West Africa with Cape Town because the market demands it. The future going forward is one of cooperation and holding hands together.”
During a feedback session, some of the travel agents shared their experiences working with SAA for over 20 years. Managing Director of Skylogistics, Femi Adefope, said: “It has been an interesting time for us. The potential SAA saw in the Nigerian market many years ago still exists today. We are happy that our business is growing, and we shall have more flights that will hopefully connect us to Cape Town. I am a diehard supporter of SAA, and we will give you the support that I require.”
President of the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA), Yinka Folami, welcomed the CEO to Nigeria and expressed delight with the impressive performance of SAA in the last financial year, adding: “On behalf of NANTA we want to say in all area of our industry concerns; SAA does not fault any.”
