South African Express flights
South African Express (SAX) operates passenger and cargo flights to and from the smaller towns in South Africa (routes where it is not viable to fly narrow-bodied jets), and is based at Johannesburg's OR Tambo International Airport. The airline has a strategic alliance with South African Airways (e.g. shares the same flight booking system and you can earn Voyager miles on South African Express flights), but is operationally independent.
Contact details
SA Express website |
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Email reservations |
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Telephonic reservations |
27 11 978 9905 |
Fax reservations |
+27-11-978-5578 |
Group reservations |
+27 11 978 9905 |
Customer Care |
Airports
Bloemfontein Airport |
+27 86 160 6606 |
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Gaborone (Botswana) |
+267 390 5740 |
George Airport |
+27 44 801 8434 |
Johannesburg OR Tambo International Airport Head Office |
+27 11 978 9900 (switchboard) |
Hoedspruit Eastgate Airport |
+27 15 793 3681 |
Kimberly Airport |
+27 53 838 3337 |
Lubumbashi (DR Congo) |
+243 971 37 000 (SAA Office) |
Richards Bay Airport |
+27 35 786 0301/2 |
Walvis Bay (Namibia) |
+264 6420 0403 |
Flight routes
flights to Bloemfontein |
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flights to Cape Town |
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Hoedspruit to Cape Town |
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flights to Durban |
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flights to East London |
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flights to Johannesburg |
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flights to Port Elizabeth |
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flights to Walvis Bay |
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flights to Windhoek |
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Top management at SA Express
Chief Executive Officer |
Siza Mzimela |
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Chief Financial Officer |
Sikhumbuzo Zulu |
General Manager: Commercial |
Arson Malola-Phiri |
General Manager: Strategy & Business Development |
Inati Ntshanga |
General Manager: Corporate Services |
Bahle Goba |
General Manager: Airport Operations |
Helmut Strobele |
Executive Manager: Flight Operations |
Dave Allanby |
Executive Manager: Technical |
Ramon Vahed |
Expressions of Africa
Expressions of Africa is South African Express's travel office, offering flight and accommodation packages. Its contact details for reservations are eoa@flysax.com or 011-978-5569.
In-flight magazine
SA Express's inflight magazine is called "Indwe", which is the isiXhosa word for South Africa's national bird, the blue crane, a symbol of independence.
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History & news
20 Nov 2011 |
It is reported in that the South African Express's auditors (Nkonki Incorporated) are accusing SAX management of withholding information which lead to the airline incorrectly reporting a R51m profit in the year to 31 March 2011: "It is quite clear that certain information was withheld from us and our suspicions that there is a material error in the annual financial statements have been confirmed. We also believe that a reportable irregularity has taken place. The reason for this is that management has withheld information that, had we as auditors known about it, would have caused us to have a different audit opinion to the one we expressed. We believe that this is fraud. In our opinion management was legally obligated to disclose the information which they intentionally failed to do." The detail is that R32m was incorrectly carried as a recoverable amount from the Receiver of Revenue, R16m owing from South African Airways needed to be impaired and R31m owing to SAA for fuel wasn't disclosed. |
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1 Aug 2011 |
SAX increases its JNB-Lubumbashi flight frequency from 4 to 5 a week. |
26 Jul 2011 |
South African Express starts flying CPT to Hoedspruit, with a CRJ 200. One flight on Tuesdays and one on Thursdays, leaving CPT at 09h30 and landing in Hoedspruit at 12h10. The return flight leaves Hoedspruit at 12h45 and lands in CPT at 15h25. |
Jul 2011 |
Flybe, sells 3 Bombardier Q400 aircraft to Rand Merchant Bank at a price above book value. Rand Merchant Bank in turn will be leasing the aircraft to South African Express. Jim French, the chairman and chief executive of Flybe, said that “The disposal announced today is part of our continuing process to adjust our fleet capacity in order to balance organic growth and demand across the group as a whole,” |
10 Jan 2011 |
SA Express adds Durban-Cape Town-Durban route JOHANNESBURG, 02 December 2010. SA Express is proud to add the Durban-CapeTown-Durban route to its convenient network, effective 10 January 2011. The domestic and regional airline will operate the Durban-CapeTown-Durban route a minimum of 3 times daily during weekdays and 2 times a day during weekends. In order to adequately accommodate customers who frequent this business and leisure route, SA Express has factored in frequency, availability and timing of flights in this addition to its schedule. The flights will initially be operated by a CRJ-200 aircraft. Customers can view the full flight schedule and make a booking on flyexpress.aero. Issued by: Dileseng Koetle |
17 Apr 2010 |
A South African Express aircraft, SAX 1753, flying from Cape Town to Windhoek carries out a successful emergency landing following failure of its nose wheel to fully extend outward. |
Jan 2010 |
Ink Publishing produces its first version of Indwe, South African Express's inflight magazine. Ink’s Group Publishing Director, Simon Leslie, said "We are very excited to be launching a new and improved version of South African Express’ magazine; it’s a fantastic opportunity for Ink and we intend to maximise Indwe’s value to the airline, passengers and readers. South Africa has huge growth potential and we will seek out every opportunity. Ink’s first office in Africa will open shortly in Johannesburg." The Corporate Communication Manager and Public Relations Manager at South African Express, Dileseng Koetle, said that "South African Express needed to find a publisher that would strengthen its position as the leading regional airline in Africa by producing an innovative, quality monthly magazine. Ink’s experience and strategy for Indwe magazine show they have a clear understanding of the direction we want to go in." Ink Publishing produces more inflight magazines for more airlines than any other company in the world, with their airline clients include Air Macau, AirTran Airways, Bangkok Airways, bmi, bmibaby, Brussels Airlines, Cebu Pacific, China Airlines, Delta Air Lines, easyJet, Gulf Air, Jazeera Airways, Jet2.com, Jetstar Airlines, Jetstar Asia Airways, KLM, Kingfisher Airlines, Mandala Airlines, Midwest Airlines, PrivatAir, Ryanair, South African Express, Thai Airways, Tiger Airways, Thomas Cook, United Airlines, vivaAerobus, Vueling and Wizz Air. |
27 Oct 2009 |
South African Express announces that its in-flight magazine will be published by Ink Publishing with effect from the 1 January 2010 magazine. The magazine is known as Indwe. Ink’s Group Publishing Director, Simon Leslie, said that “South African Express needed to find a publisher that would strengthen its position as the leading regional airline in Africa by producing an innovative, quality monthly magazine. Ink’s experience and strategy for Indwe magazine show they have a clear understanding of the direction we want to go in,” said Dileseng Koetle, Corporate Communication Manager and Public Relations Manager at South African Express. Ink continues with its global expansion with the launch of its first South African title for Johannesburg-based carrier South African Express. The new monthly Indwe will be onboard in January 2010. The magazine’s front section will contain engaging articles and regular columns by respected journalists covering a wide selection of topics – culture, sport, cuisine and fine dining, hotel/lodge reviews plus gadgets and product pages – that will contain eye-catching visuals that draw the reader in. The features section will contain travel, profiles and business stories plus in-depth coverage of one of the airline’s destinations written by a local writer. We are very excited to be launching a new and improved version of South African Express’ magazine; it’s a fantastic opportunity for Ink and we intend to maximise Indwe’s value to the airline, passengers and readers. South Africa has huge growth potential and we will seek out every opportunity. Ink’s first office in Africa will open shortly in Johannesburg.” |
23 Dec 2008 |
SAX adds 2 Bombardier CRJ-700 70 passenger jets, with its fleet now including 23 Bombardier aircraft. |
6 Jun 2008 |
An SA Express flight, SA1009, from Johannesburg to Bloemfontein takes off without the pilot warning passengers to take their seats and buckle up, and then returns to Johannesburg O.R. Tambo International Airport as a result of a “warning on the aircraft landing gear”. Passengers on the flight included Welsh rugby supporters, heading to Bloemfontein for the rugby test match between the Springboks and Welsh rugby teams. |
Dec 2007 |
The South African Express Bill provides for the transfer of South African Express shares and interests from Transnet to the South African State; and for the conversion of South African Express into a public company with share capital (a schedule 2 entity under the Public Financial Management Act, with commercial autonomy). |
20 Nov 2007 |
Alec Erwin addresses the National Council of Provinces on the South African Express Bill. |
17 Aug 2006 |
South African Express flight SA1601, the 0600 flight from Johannesburg to Richards Bay was diverted to Durban due to a terrorist threat at Richards Bay Airport. The flight eventually landed at Richards Bay at 0825. |
24 April 1994 |
South African Express is established and starts its service, the same year that a democratic SA is born. |
