SAA joins Star Alliance, ATP tennis
South African Airways (SAA), the country's national carrier, is on a roll with two major partnerships: it has become the first African country to join Star Alliance, the world's leading airline network, and has clinched a three-year deal as the official airline of professional men's tennis body ATP.
The Star Alliance membership includes a massive year-long campaign to promote South Africa as a tourism destination, with all the alliance's member airlines agreeing to run a series of feature articles showcasing the country in their in-flight magazines.
The partnership brings Star Alliance membership to 18. The world's two other global airline alliances are Oneworld, with eight member airlines, and Skyteam, with nine members.
"On behalf of all member carrier CEOs gathered here today, it is with great pleasure that we welcome SAA into our family," Jaan Albrecht, Star Alliance CEO, said at a ceremony in Johannesburg on Monday to mark the new partnership.
"With SAA we do not only gain a further member, but we more importantly provide improved access to an entire continent to our customers."
Immediate benefits
SAA passengers will, with immediate effect, benefit from the alliance's network of more than 15 500 daily flights to 842 destinations in 152 countries, as well as check-in, mileage redemption and collection, and access to more than 660 lounges.
"Membership of this alliance places us among the top airlines in the world," said Khaya Ngqula, CEO of SAA.
"We are an award-winning airline, and vibrantly African. Our membership will allow us to show off our African culture to the rest of the world."
SAA will bring key new routes to the Star Alliance network, including 21 destinations on the African continent. The airline also provides flights across both the north and south Atlantic, improving flights options between the Americas and South Africa and making Star Alliance the only air group to offer this link in the network.
Members of SAA's Voyager Frequent Flyer programme will also be able to collect and redeem miles when flying with any of the other Star Alliance members.
To mark the new partnership, Star Alliance and SAA have launched African Airpass, a special fare product that facilitates travel across Africa for customers visiting from other continents.
The airpass can be bought in conjunction with any intercontinental return ticket to South Africa or other African destination issued by any Star Alliance member, and used to construct an itinerary of choice using SAA's domestic and African network.
"This [product] adds to the numerous possibilities our Star Alliance membership offer our customers," Ngqula said.
Official ATP airline
Also announced on Monday was the new ATP deal, in which SAA is to become the official airline of the men's professional tennis circuit
governing body.
The agreement secures SAA's presence at selected ATP events, and ensures that players and officials will use SAA - or one of the 17 other Star Alliance partners - to travel around the world.
"This is the perfect alliance between two organisations as South African Airways expands into the global marketplace by joining the Star Alliance and the ATP helps to establish professional tennis as the premier global sports network," said ATP president Etienne de Villiers.
"We are happy to showcase South African Airways and their partners to the world as they help us do the same for the ATP and its stars."
SouthAfrica.info reporter
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