SAA distances itself from Mango sale, ticket claims

South African Airways (SAA) has reiterated in a statement issued on Wednesday that it holds no involvement in the current business rescue proceedings of Mango Airlines, addressing recent public queries surrounding the defunct low-cost airline.

Mango Airlines, which was placed in business rescue in August 2021, remains a subsidiary of SAA. However, Mango’s business rescue process is separate from the business rescue process that SAA’s business rescue process, which concluded in April 2021, SAA notes.

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‘Investor will help restart operations’

SAA’s statement follows an earlier statement from Mango on behalf of its business rescue practitioner, Sipho Sono, who noted that the low-cost airline is “in the final stages” of concluding a transaction with a “selected investor that will help restart operations”. As part of the process, the airline is confirming the value of tickets and vouchers that were paid for but never used due to its suspension of services during business rescue.

If the investor deal succeeds, affected customers will be issued a voucher equal to the value of their unused ticket, which can be used once Mango resumes operations. If the deal is unsuccessful, the ticket will be treated as a creditor claim under business rescue, and customers will receive a partial payout based on available funds.

Claims, refunds, and financial settlements

SAA emphasises that it has no authority or direct oversight over Mango’s financial obligations, current and future business plan, and is distancing itself from ongoing decisions involving the recovery and potential relaunch of Mango.

SAA further stresses that it is not involved in matters related to claims, refunds, or financial settlements for Mango passengers. It urges the public to consult Mango’s official channels for updates on the airline’s restructuring.

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