South African Airways (SA, Johannesburg O.R. Tambo) aims to grow its fleet from 20 to 50 aircraft in the next three years as it shifts from recovery to growth and deepens its regional footprint, according to CEO John Lamola.
"SAA has grown from being a restart. We are repositioning and rebuilding the airline to survive on its own together with our strategic partners. We have a five-year corporate plan of going through the renewal and modernisation of our fleet and elevating our customer experience grounded on our African uniqueness. The aim is to have 50 aircraft in the next three years. We have 20 now, and we are expanding carefully,” Lamola said at an event with travel trade and cargo industry partners in Lagos, Nigeria.
The airline is also consolidating its route network, he said, increasing frequencies and prioritising key markets. "Lagos is not just one piece in our network but a very strategic route," he said, noting that daily flights to Nigeria’s commercial hub are set for March 2026, Nigeria's The Sun and The Guardian newspapers reported.
Plans are also afoot to link West Africa directly with Cape Town International in response to market demand. "The future ahead is one of cooperation and partnership," Lamola said.
During an earlier travel trade roadshow to Ghana, Lamola revealed plans for fifth freedom flights from Cape Town International via Accra, Ghana, to the United States by the end of 2026 as part of SAA's West African expansion strategy.
Following 17 months in administration, SAA exited business rescue on April 30, 2021, with a fleet of six aircraft, which increased to 20 by January 2025. The current fleet comprises twelve leased A320-200s with one more to be delivered; two leased A330-300s plus two more to be delivered; and two company-owned A340-300s. It wet-leases one B737-300 from Cobra Aviation and two B737-800s from SunExpress.
