South African carrier FlySafair interested in buying SAA’s low-cost arm Mango

South African carrier FlySafair is interested in buying the low-cost arm of state-owned South African Airways -- if it’s put up for sale. FlySafair management has approached SAA’s administrators about a possible acquisition of Mango Airlines, CEO Elmar Conradie, 44, said Tuesday. However, the business-rescue experts made clear their priority is to complete a turnaround plan of the main carrier due at the end of the month, he said. “The only one that makes sense is Mango,” the CEO said, when asked if he would be interested in any future SAA asset sales. A move for SAA Technical, which provides aircraft maintenance, would be “total overkill” given FlySafair’s fleet is already serviced by its parent company, Safair Operations (Pty) Ltd., he said. FlySafair sees capacity increasing by 15% this year, and the airline has yet to see any impact on bookings from the spread of the coronavirus. The South African carrier doesn’t carry many international passengers, the CEO said, while only 13 cases of the virus have been identified in the country to date. “It’s not having an impact on us yet,” Conradie said. “It could become much worse.”<br/>