Mango Airlines business rescue

Photo: Supplied

Confirmed: Mango flights to continue until end of May

Mango says it will continue to operate the scheduled flights indicated on its website until the end of this month.

Mango Airlines business rescue

Photo: Supplied

Embattled state-owned low-cost carrier Mango has been operating under a cloud of uncertainty for the past three weeks, since the airline has run out of funds to cover its costs. 

Mango announced in April that it would suspend operations from 1 May and may enter business rescue proceedings.  The airline has however continued to operate a skeleton schedule during May and has been advertising whatever flights it will operate just a few days ahead of time during this period.

MANGO’S BAILOUT PACKAGE

Being one of South African Airways’ (SAA) subsidiaries, Mango is yet to receive its portion of the R2.7 billion approved by the  Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) for SAA’s subsidiaries: Mango Airlines, Air Chefs and SAA Technical.  

The funding was approved by the DPE last year, but has not yet been allocated.  Mango has been facing extreme uncertainty while it waits for the approved funding which it desperately needs to be able to continue operating its network of scheduled flights.

OPERATING UNTIL THE END OF MAY

Head of marketing and communications at Mango Airlines Benediction Zubane told Travel News that Mango Airlines would continue to trade as normal until the end of this month. This gives peace of mind to passengers who are booked to travel on Mango’s flights until the end of May.

Mango has also added a number of additional flights to its schedule for the month of May. The low-cost airline is eagerly awaiting a payout of R819 million which had already been earmarked for Mango Airlines.

FUTURE RELIES ON BAILOUT

The airline urgently needs the agreed payout, which is dependent on the newly proposed Special Appropriation Bill that is set to be passed by Parliament on 4 June. The bill will appropriate R2.7 billion from SAA’s business rescue funding to SAA’s subsidiaries.

Mango has held a monopoly on flights between the paradise island of Zanzibar and South Africa since returning to operations last year. The airline suspended its flights to Zanzibar from 25 April.

The absence of Mango’s direct flights presents a problem for visitors who have booked and paid for Zanzibar holidays. Other airlines are currently unable to start-up flights on this route due to traffic rights being unavailable on the route at this time.

Zubane said that an announcement regarding Mango’s Johannesburg-Zanzibar route would also be made within the next two weeks.