The South African airline, South African Airways (SAA), announced this Friday that the lack of demand for its services to Maputo will lead to the suspension of the daily return connection from Johannesburg to the Mozambican capital, starting December 1.

SAA's press release states that the level of demand for its services remains far from the company's forecasts and, for now, "this change is in line with our strategy of transparent and accountable management."

According to SAA's Acting Chief Commercial Officer Simon Newton-Smith, quoted in the document, "no airline likes to cancel flights, but we are committed to success and sustainability."

As such, passengers who had already purchased tickets will be transferred to flights operated by Mozambique Airlines, which also connect Maputo and Johannesburg.

The company decides to suspend these flights shortly after it resumed the connection last September when it restarted operations.

SAA is flying again after a shutdown in March of last year due to financial difficulties and mismanagement that led to a receivership of the company.

Source: Lusa