Airlines keep fares down in South Africa

While the cost of airfare has risen dramatically throughout much of Europe and North America over the course of the past several months-as airlines scramble to find ways to pay for the increased cost of fuel-carriers in South Africa have actually kept prices down and avoided these hikes, at least for the time being. Instead, carriers are looking at ways to reduce operating costs, rather than putting more of a financial burden on passengers. Yet there is no question that some airlines are struggling to cope with fuel prices that have just about tripled over the course of the past eight years. In fact, fuel-related expenses now comprise around 40 percent of all costs that airlines must cover.

South African Airways, however, has indicated that despite the difficulties caused by the rising price of fuel, the carrier will not raise its fares dramatically, nor will it cut back on services offered to passengers. The country’s flag carrier only recently went through a process of restructuring, which reportedly “streamlined” the company, and rendered it more efficient than before. Robyn Chalmers, a spokesperson for South African Airways, pointed out that this recent restructuring has made the carrier better able to cope with the pressures posed by spiralling fuel costs. Chalmers also tried to reassure passengers worried about fare increases, that there would be no “astronomical” hikes anytime in the near future, since it is clearly not the carrier’s intention to turn people off from air travel.

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