South African Airways is the largest domestic as well as international airline company of South Africa. It is headquartered adjacent to Johannesburg, South Africa, and the main hubs are at Cape Town, the Cape Town International Airport and OR Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg.
The South African Airways started at 1934 as the government of South Africa purchased ‘Union Airways’ an airline and renamed it as South African Airways.
The foremost airline flew to Durban, Cape Town and Johannesburg. Later, in the year 1935, this airway took over South-West African Airways that had been offering air-mail weekly service between Kimberley and Windhoek since 1932.
In the same decade, this airline ventured the international lines and began plying flights to Uganda and Kenya resulting in continuous growth, but at consistent and slow pace.
South African flights service is available to various international destinations including the American countries, the African continent and European countries.
This airline in 1945 began its European operations and in 1950s, it began its jet era introducing Boeing 707 in its fleet. In this way it created a history of becoming the foremost airline outside UK operating the jetliner in the world.
South African Airways, in 1971 included Boeing 747, Jumbo Jet and in 1976 Airbus A300 aircraft and in 1983, Boeing 747-300 EUD became an integral part of the fleet of South African Airways and also a preferred international airlines in India.
The South African government apartheid policy in 1970s affected the airways business. Owing to this it grew in a slow pace, mainly other countries refused keeping trade.
In 1980s, the SAA’s offices were attacked owing to the international condemnation of Apartheid and the airline had to face severe hit back such that in 1986 all the South African carriers were banned by the U.S.
In 1990s, South African Airways began flourishing after the abolition of Apartheid and resumed South African flights to international destinations like the U.S. and Asia. In 1992, the airline ventured code-share agreement with Air Tanzania and American Airlines and in 1994 with Uganda Airlines and in1995 with Lufthansa.
In 1997, re-branding was done by renaming to South African with national flag sun as it new livery.
In 1999, it entered Delta Airlines owing to code-share agreement, in 2001 with Nigeria Airways, in 2006 with US Airline and is now a member of the leading airlines alliances, the Star Alliance.
