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Due diligence on a deal for the Takatso Consortium to buy a 51% stake in state-owned South African Airways (SAA) is substantially complete and no material issues have been identified, the consortium said on Thursday. The government said it was selling a majority stake in SAA to the consortium in June as part of efforts to curb bailouts to struggling state companies that have placed a huge strain on stretched public finances. SAA said on Wednesday that it planned to restart flights next month after operations were mothballed in September 2020. It exited a form of bankruptcy protection last April. “Takatso will now move ahead with concluding a share purchase agreement for 51% of SAA with the Department of Public Enterprises,” the consortium said. “The agreement will be subject to various approvals and pre-conditions which are likely to take some time.” Takatso is a joint venture between investor group Harith and Global Aviation.<br/>

Air New Zealand and Qantas have different views over whether the trans-Tasman bubble will reopen, with Air New Zealand’s boss giving a glimpse into the numerous hurdles customers will need to jump in order to travel. Last month PM Jacinda Ardern suspended quarantine-free travel from Australia for two months, as New South Wales and other states struggled to contain a Covid-19 Delta outbreak. Following Auckland’s Delta community outbreak the Australian Government said it was also pausing quarantine-free flights from New Zealand. On Thursday, after both airlines posted heavy losses, Air New Zealand and Qantas gave insights into the future of trans-Tasman travel. Air NZ is operating a heavily reduced trans-Tasman schedule, largely to keep cargo moving, while Qantas and its subsidiary Jetstar have suspended flights. On Thursday Qantas said, based on vaccination rate projections and the Australian Government’s plan for reopening borders, flights between Australia and New Zealand would begin from mid-December “in line with the anticipated restart of the trans-Tasman travel bubble”. They will go on sale “on the assumption some or all parts of the two-way bubble will restart”. Air New Zealand CE Greg Foran said it was also planning to ramp up flights to Australia before the end of the year, but it was unlikely to be under a trans-Tasman bubble arrangement. “A bubble is quite an interesting concept, and I’m not convinced in my own mind that we’re going to see too many more bubbles or even a return to bubbles,” Foran said. Bubbles made travel a seamless experience for customers because they did not need to provide proof of a pre-departure test or vaccination, he said. “I’m not sure that even in a few months Australia becomes a bubble again.”<br/>

Air New Zealand is phasing out its fleet of Boeing 777-300 aircraft as it moves to simplify its long-haul fleet in the post pandemic world. The announcement was made as part of the airline's 2021 financial results, which were released today. Air NZ posted a loss before other significant items and taxation of $440 million for the 2021 financial year - its first full 12-month period of operating during the COVID-19 pandemic. The airline sent its eight Boeing 777-200 aircraft to an early retirement last year, but today's announcement confirms the larger and newer 777-300 are destined for the desert also. Air NZ introduced the Boeing 777-300 in 2010 to replace the Boeing 747-400 on long-haul routes. The aircraft was used to fly the flagship London - Los Angeles - Auckland route and was the first aircraft to feature the Economy Skycouch and the Premium Economy Spaceseat.<br/>