'Domestic market isn't our priority' - SAA

South African Airways (SAA) plans to increase its destinations from its hub in Johannesburg by two-thirds by the end of April as it rebuilds its business to focus on regional and international routes after a deal with an investor collapsed.

The company is aiming to add nine destinations to its existing 14 and also plans to boost the number of aircraft by 50% to 21 by March, interim chief executive officer John Lamola said, adding that the South African flag carrier has the cash to fund its expansion.

“We are cash positive as a company, and we are able to survive in the next 12 to 18 months on our own,” Lamola said in an interview with Bloomberg Television in Johannesburg. “Our strategic position is to differentiate ourselves as a national flag carrier to be able to offer the country the connectivity with key investment and trading partners."

Lamola said the company could not comment on the nine new destinations as they are commercially sensitive.

The carrier also plans to open routes to Frankfurt, Munich, London and cities on the east coast of the US, Lamola said, though those destinations would only be considered in the year ending March 2028.

Lamola said the carrier needs an airline partnership that could assist it in extending its reach. South African Airways is working with Kenyan Airways on a project to create a pan-African group, although it focuses on optimising procurement and connectivity capabilities rather than an equity injection.

“The domestic market is not our priority,” Lamola said. “Regional and international markets are our focus.”