SAA announces operational changes to flights into Blantyre, Malawi

The aircraft size, which SAA operates to Blantyre, does not fit in the required categories/classes of the secondary runway, which will remain operational. Accordingly, SAA’s operations to Blantyre have been cancelled, for Wednesday, 24 April 2019 and Saturday, 27 April 2019.

However, contingency plans have been put in place for smaller aircraft, operated by SA Express to operate this route, with the exception of the Wednesday and Saturday flights.

“We have implemented contingency plans by using the SA Express’ Q400 turbo prop aircraft to continue with SAA’s schedule operations with the exception of the 24th and 27th April 2019, whereon no scheduled operation will be available to/from Blantyre.

“We apologise to our valued passengers and customers for the inconvenience caused by these cancellations,” says Tlali Tlali, SAA Spokesperson.

SAA operates a three weekly service between Johannesburg and Blantyre (Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays).

The airport authorities notified SAA that the main runway will be closed from 24 April to 23 July 2019 for maintenance and rehabilitation. However, the secondary runway will remain operational for the duration of the works and will be used for arrivals and departures of aircraft of appropriate categories/classes.

“The type of aircraft deployed during the rehabilitation of the runway will be a single cabin aircraft. In the light of this change, SAA has decided to compensate all passengers who had purchased tickets to travel in the premium cabin. The decision was based on the nature of the offering in the single cabin aircraft and in accordance with our compensation policy,” says Tlali.