FESTIVE CHEER TO ALL!
A warm and festive welcome aboard your SA Express flight. Whatever your destination this festive season, remember that at SA Express #WeFlyForYou!
As always, our friendly and efficient cabin crew are available to make sure that your journey is comfortable and enjoyable. Should you require any kind of assistance, please do not hesitate to ask.
2017 has been a remarkable year. There have been triumphs, challenges and lessons, and – unbelievably – an entire year has come and gone.
As we prepare to enjoy the merry season in the company of loved ones and friends, it is important to pause for a moment and reflect on the year that has passed. The SA Express team has taken the time to gauge how far we have come, and what still needs to be done in order to accomplish the goals we have set for 2018. In order to face the future with confidence, we need to glean lessons from your feedback – as you are our most important investor.
My personal highlights include fostering better relationships with important stakeholders, namely our passengers and suppliers, as evidenced by the positive feedback we continue to receive. This means that through better communication, we have been able to improve on many aspects of our service offering, and aim to do more to meet and exceed our customers’ expectations. The touch points that I have mentioned in a previous letter continue to be the yardstick with which we measure our performance.
Our airport operations are one example of this. The team is focused on improving our pre-flight checks, customer service value chain, effective communications amongst stakeholders, and real-time customer communications. We are gaining traction in making our re-envisioned SA Express a reality while striving for continuous improvement in these areas. Your patience and support have insured that we know what our passengers want and appreciate from our airline. Thank you for immeasurable support in this period of transformation.
These lessons have meant that we have also had to review other relationships with our stakeholders, including our suppliers. I am pleased to announce that the application for liquidation against the airline was withdrawn. While the legal process was due to a dispute pertaining to the quantum, it is important reassure you, our passengers, that SA Express will continue to be an important contributor to the South African economy and aviation industry, and we will stick to our undertaking of continuous improvement for financial and operational sustainability.
December is also a time that we as a nation observe 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children. This period also includes Universal Children’s Day and World AIDS Day. SA Express and its employees fully support this year’s theme: “Count me in: together moving a non-violent South Africa forward.” The campaign continues to raise awareness amongst South Africans about the negative impact of violence against women and children on all members of society. As a proudly South African state-owned company, we pledge our support to this cause.
As we look forward to 2018 – a new year promising a fresh start, and a new opportunity to do things right – we have set an objective of considerably improving on our on-time performance. This is more than a New Year’s resolution, it is our promise to you, our passengers, who remain our most valued investors.
I wish to personally thank you for your continued support this year and look forward to hearing from you, so please tell me about your SA Express experience on victor.xaba@flyexpress.aero.
From the SA Express family to yours, we wish you a prosperous and happy New Year.
Dithoriso Victor Xaba
Acting Chief Executive Officer