SA Express Investing in Our Future
I would like to wish all our passengers a warm welcome aboard this SA Express flight, and thank you for choosing us as your preferred carrier. Regardless of your destination today, I trust that you will have a pleasant customer experience with us.
In my previous messages, I emphasised that your satisfaction is a top priority for our airline, and is the very essence of what drives our pursuit for operational excellence. Although we still have much to do in this regard, we have made a concerted decision to go “back to basics” in terms of our daily operations – the results of which are imminent.
Customer satisfaction is only one aspect of our commitment to repositioning our airline, as we are also determined to ensure that we give back to the communities we operate in and around. As such, we recently committed ourselves to several worthy Corporate Social Investment (CSI) initiatives.
This included participation in the Boys2Men initiative organised by the Moving Ahead Development Agency (MADA). The initiative seeks to expose young men from households without male role models to a wide spectrum of opportunities. SA Express hosted 45 Grade 9 male learners, who were given the opportunity to receive first-hand exposure to the airline’s operations by primarily shadowing the airline’s technical employees in their daily work routine.
Furthermore, 30 SA Express volunteers played their part in the Mandela Day Corporate Packing Event, hosted by Food Forward SA to ensure food security for a number of disadvantaged communities.
The management team and I have also been immersed in the process of renewal and transformation of the airline, with a keen focus on long-term operational, commercial and financial sustainability. As a result, we have been steadfastly focused on improving operational efficiencies, upholding good governance, adhering to industry regulations, and creating human capital value in order to achieve our goal of long-term sustainability for SA Express.
Although we are operating in the midst of challenges – as recently highlighted in the media – I wish to reassure you, our most valued investor, that in partnership with our stakeholders, we are working to stabilise our operation to ensure the short-term fortitude and long-term sustainability of the airline. As with any transformation, this too is a process rather than an event, which requires a methodical approach in order to resolve our challenges with long-term solutions. Rest assured, however, that whilst this process is underway, we will continue to fly for you!
The challenges and strategic interventions that are underway address the airline’s schedule disruptions which are adversly impacting you and contributing to the airline’s negative perception. With your continued support and patience, as well as the support from our stakeholders, our airline will be able to make the improvements required to fulfil our brand promise and vision.
A major component of our re-envisioned SA Express is a customer centric operation. We have, therefore, committed ourselves to being more accountable on every level. In so doing, we will be able to restore our credibility as an airline and be an efficient and reliable carrier that continuously meets and exceeds your expectations. In short, we are on a drive to actively reduce inconvenience whilst increasing the convenience associated with our services.
I have enjoyed receiving your feedback and wish to encourage you to continue to keep me informed regarding whether or not we are living up to the high standards we have set for ourselves, as this will allow us to partner with you in achieving world-class service that provides real value.
Please contact me on victor.xaba@flyexpress.aero to inform me of your experience with SA Express.