First for SAA: Black African female pilots take to the skies

History was made for SAA on 25 October, when for the first time ever, two black African female pilots operated a flight in SA.

The future is female

Tuesday, 25 October 2022 was a day of note for South African Airways (SAA), when for the first time, two black African female pilots operated a flight from Johannesburg to Cape Town.

Captain Annabel Vundla, SAA’s first black African female captain, and First Officer Refilwe Moreetsi, its first black African Management Pilot, both operated the flight.

SAA Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer, Professor John Lamola, said that the airline was honoured to operate such an historic flight as part of Transport Month.

“This is a milestone in the transformation of our national carrier. The airline continues to show leadership in transforming the aviation sector and overcoming inequalities in scarce skills and employment opportunities,” Lamola said, as per Travel News.

According to the Air School in 2018, the aviation industry only has 5% of airline female pilots and 3% of them are CEO’s. First Officer Moreetsi encouraged young girls to continue persevering.

“My message to young girls is that your dreams are valid. If this is a career you would like to follow, it is possible. Your gender and your race are not a barrier.” she said.

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SAA to add more aircraft to meet demand

In other news from SAA, to help deal with the increased demand for flights, the airline is bringing additional aircraft into service, in the form of three Airbus A320s, tallying up their total number of A320s to five. 

John Lamola, SAA Executive Chairman, said it was all about supply and demand.

“The addition of extra seat capacity in the market enables the achievement of an equilibrium between supply and demand in the market that affects the pricing of air tickets.” Lamola claimed.

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