Strike disrupts South African Airways flights

Airline Industry Information, July 25, 2005

AIRLINE INDUSTRY INFORMATION-(C)1997-2005 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

A strike by ground and cabin staff disrupted international and domestic flights operated by South African Airways (SAA) on Friday (22 July).

The carrier said that by early afternoon on Friday about 75% of its flights had been cancelled, including flights to Lusaka, Zambia; Nairobi, Kenya; Sao Paulo, Brazil; and Bombay, India.

SAA reportedly arranged hotel accommodation for incoming passengers stranded by the cancellation of their domestic connections and transferred some passengers to other carriers.

The unions organised the strike to press their demands for an 8% annual wage increase. SAA management has offered 5%, claiming that it cannot afford to raise its offer because of increasing fuel prices. The unions said that the strike would continue until an agreement was reached.

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