From the CEO's Office

A Moment of Reflection, A Moment of Contemplation

By the time you read this edition of **Indwe**, your in-flight magazine, most of you would have wound down an eventful year and are, hopefully, preparing to take your well-deserved break with loved ones. As we close this momentous year, I thought I should reflect on the last 12 months. Together, we have accomplished much, and for this I extend my heartfelt gratitude. Your support in consistently choosing us as a carrier of choice has been wonderful and appreciated.

Around the world, in January 2014, the industry observed exactly 100 years since the first paying passenger boarded a commercial airline in the US – a flight that would fundamentally transform the world economy in decades to come. Locally, SA Express marked its 20^th anniversary alongside the country’s 20^thanniversary of democracy and freedom. SA Express’ first flight, which took off from Johannesburg to Kimberley in the Northern Cape in 1994, altered the face of aviation in the subsequent 20 years, and is projected to continue to be a key role-player in the next 20 years.

Furthermore, I am pleased that we have been able to maintain our excellent safety record. We have had no significant safety incidents during the year. SA Express’ team continues to embrace the airline’s core values which include Safety First, which is a value that as an entity we never compromise on, no matter what! We will continue to believe and ensure that all customers who we fly for are acknowledged as our most important investors.

During the year, we moved our headquarters from OR Tambo International Airport to Airways Park. We share Airways Park with South African Airways and SAA Technical, so this move was designed to reduce outlays and also to increase collaboration among the state’s aviation interests. This is over and above our code-sharing arrangements with SAA. We are planning to maximise our cooperation in the coming months and, hopefully, we will be able to pass on some of the benefits of this increased collaboration to you, our valued customer.

As per our two additional values, the airline will carry on striving for continuous improvements and will ensure that we continue to keep our operations and all customer engagements as simpleas possible.

Finally, as we look towards 2015, the local airline industry is envisaged to grow, with new entrants entering the growing domestic market. Undoubtedly some of these new entrants will be targeting SA Express’ passenger base. This is beneficial to our travelling passengers, and we welcome this competition. The key differentiator will, however, not be price, but rather the service we provide to you. SA Express will continue to implement our Vision 20/20 strategy, our board- and shareholder-approved long term corporate strategy.  

Once more I thank you for your loyal support during the year, and may you have a restful break and a prosperous 2015! I look forward to “flying for you” in 2015, our 21^st year of existence, and we will continue to offer our valued customers strategic connectivity and a safe and enjoyable flying experience.

Regards

Inati

  

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