SAA Orange Tail

February/Februarie 1969

No. 62

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WHAT OUR ANNUAL REPORT FOR 1967/68 REFLECTS

It is gratifying to record that S.A.A. completed its most profitable year as yet during the financial year 1967/68. This notable result was achieved notwithstanding the anti-inflationary measures introduced during the year and the serious shortage of manpower, which had its impact in nearly every department of the organization. WORKING RESULTS The profit recorded during the year 1967/68 was R7,592,542 – more than double the record figure returned for the previous financial year. Total revenue earned amounted to 855,882,109 an increase of 15.16% over 1966/67 whilst expenditure increased by 8.16% from R44,643,399 to R48,289,567. The fact that passenger journeys increased by 10.09% from 887,056 in 1966/67 to 976,587 in 1967/68 is proof in itself that a higher level of productivity was maintained throughout the period under review and that the capacity available on all routes was used to best advantage. ROUTES AND SERVICES On the Springbok route an unchanged pattern of ten services per week was maintained through out the business year. Passenger journeys increased by 20.73% or by 16,487 from 79,531 in 1966/67 to 96,018 and mail tonnage by 27.93% whilst cargo traffic re­flected a decrease of 12.44%. As the tonnage of the all-cargo service operated by S.A.A. and U.T.A. was not included in S.A.A.’s statistics this had a decided bearing on the lower freight figures. Response from the travelling public to the introduction of the S.A.A./Qantas weekly jet services between South Africa and Australia has been most encouraging. Passenger traffic conveyed by S.A.A. alone increased from 4,948 to 6,840 or by 38.24%. S.A.A.’s regional operations to Rhodesia, Mozambique, Bot­swana and Lesotho all showed a healthy growth rate. At the close of the fiscal year (1967/68) S.A.A. operated a total of 218 services weekly throughout the Republic and South West Africa. Boeing 727′s were used on 132 of these services, Viscounts on 76, DC-3′s on 6 and Aztecs on 4. The number of passenger journeys on the standard class services (including those to S.W.A.) increased from 582,708 to 653,337 or by 12.12%. The tonnage of mail and cargo carried increased by 8.28% and 16.28%, respectively. S.A.A.’s Skycoach Services showed an increase from 152,769 passengers to 153,179. The volume of mail and cargo traffic on Skycoach Services increased by 14.08% and 5.26%, respectively. CHARTERS During the year eight northbound and nine southbound Boeing 707 scheduled services were blocked off as charter services between South Africa and points in Europe and the United Kingdom. A total of 160 special charter flights was operated to points in South Africa and adjoining territories as against ’113 during the previous year. RESERVATIONS A record number of 1,862,971 requests, sales and cancel­lations was electronically processed in respect of international and domestic services. The ‘Telex Relay Centre of the Central Reservations Office in Johannesburg despatched 1,742,421 and received 1,616,705 messages. ENGINEERING AND MAINTENANCE The increase in flying hours from 45,300 to 49,550 and the continued demand for aircraft availability required a special and concentrated effort from the Engineering Section, but despite staff shortages the commitments generally were met, thanks mainly to enhanced engineering productivity, coupled with sig­nificant extensions of the times between overhauls of the Pratt and Whitney engines used on Boeing 707 and 727 aircraft.

FLIGHT TRAINING 24 Conversion and 51 refresher courses for aircrew were conducted, involving 1,968 flying hours and 5,218 landings. A total of 7,060 hours was spent on the simulators by Simulator Instructors and Training Captains and a further 2,195 hours by the former on refresher courses for pilots prior to proceeding on normal route *lights.

SURFACE TRANSPORT A total of 1,996,114 miles was covered by surface vehicles in the Republic and South West Africa and 250,245 passengers were conveyed. This represents an increase of 84,798 miles and 5,227 passengers over the figures for 1966/67.

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AGAINST HIJACKING

Member airlines of the International Air Transport Association have been urged to ask their governments to seek United Nations action in regard to armed intervention involving air­craft in scheduled service.

In a message to the 103 member airlines of the trade association, I.A.T.A. Director General, Knut Hammarskjold, called for government support to have hijacking and similar acts of armed intervention declared as international crimes comparable to piracy and genocide. He also asked that U.N. member nations bring criminal charges against those who commit such offences.

I.A.T.A. further suggested that the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization, a U.N. specialized agency, should be advised of such actions and that international commissions of inquiry with neutral chairmen should investigate each incident involving armed interference with airline operations.

In addition, Mr. Hammarskjold called for speedy signing and ratification by governments of the Tokyo Convention dealing with unlawful acts commited on board aircraft. He stressed the need for immediate implementation of Article II of this Con­vention, which notably calls for the immediate release of the hijacked aircraft, together with their passengers and crew. In order to provide maximum deterrent to armed interference with airline operations, I.A.T.A. urged immediate introduction of appropriate and effective national legislation to punish those who jeopardize the safety of the travelling public. In a separate but related move, I.A.T.A. is co-ordinating a worldwide action programme involving airport and other authorities as well as the Association’s member airlines to ensure that all possible practical measures are taken to support the requested government programmes.

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‘N GOEIE REISGENOOT

Eksemplare van die Bybel word reeds vir baie jare deur die Suid-Afrikaanse Lugdiens op sy vliegtuie gedra. Vier eksemplare, wat bestaan uit een Engelse en een Afrikaanse weergawe van die hale Boek en twee twee­talige uitgewes van die Nuwe Testament, maak deel uit van die kajuituitrusting aan boord van eike internasionale vlug van die S.A.L Twee eksemplare word ook op elke binnelandse en streekvlug gedra. Dit word op versoek te eniger tyd aan passasiers beskikbaar gestel en dit is verbasend hoe baie mense wel van hierdie fasiliteit gebruik maak.

As gevolg van die steeds groeiende getal dienste van die S.A.L. en die feit dat baie Bybels as gevolg van herhaaldelike gebruik reeds erg verslete geraak net, het die Gideon­iete Internasionaal onlangs 120 nuwe eksem­plare van die Bybel aan die S.A.L. geskenk vir plasing aan boord sy vliegtuie en om as vervangings te dien.

(Links na Regs) Mnr. Bill Sly, kajuitdiensbestuurder, ontvang di Bybels van mnr. T. Kopke, sekretaris van die Oos-Randse Laer van die Gideoniete Internasionaal.

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ATTIRE ALOFT

Following the introduction of the new style uniforms for Travel Hostesses which met with a favourable reception both from the girls themselves and the travelling public it was decided to further improve the standard of cabin attire worn in flight, by introducing special service jackets for Flight Stewards.

The new jackets have been designed and styled in con­formity with current airline trends, while maintaining overall

compatibility with the decor of the aircraft interior and the orange-coloured aircraft tail which has become a distinguishing feature of our airline’s image.

Designed and tailored by a well-known clothing manufac­turer of Cape Town the jackets became S.A.A.’s official attire for Flight Stewards on January 15, 1969, for in-flight duties.

Junior Steward: Short “Eton” type jacket in grey fabric with orange piping down fronts to button and orange jetted pock­ets.

Senior Steward: Shawl collar style jacket with cuffs and three out-jetted pockets and link but­ ton. All-grey body and orange facings, jets and cuffs.

Chief Steward: Shawl collar style jacket with cuffs, out-jetted pockets and link button. All orange jacket with grey facings and trimmings.

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35 JAAR VAN DIENS

Op 1 Februarie 1969 het die S.A. Lugdiens reeds vir 35 jeer lank vervoer verskaf aan Suid-Afrikaners en passasiers van oral in die wëreld op sy binnelandse, streek- en buite­landse dienste. Die redery het sy bedrvwighede in 1934 as ‘n blote plaaslike karweier begin maar dit word vandag wyd en syd beskou as ‘n vooraanstaande internasionale lugredery. Ge­durende 1968 is die eenmilioenkerf oorskry t.o.v. passasiers wat in ‘n enkele jaar vervoer is, en die omvang van sy uitge­breide network van internasionale roetes wat Suider-Afrika verbind met Australasia in die Costa, Europa en die Verenigde Koninkryk in die Noorde en vanaf 23 Februarie ook Suid- en Noord-Amerika in die Weste, is ‘n eprekends voorbeeld van een van Suid-Afrika se suksesverhale.

Voornoemde is egter slegs ‘n deal van die S.A.L. se wêreld­wye bedrywighede. Hy is ‘n stigterslid van die Internasionale Lugvervoervereniging wat in Desember 1945 tot stand gekom hot, en het ‘n aansienlike bydrae gelewer tot die daarstelling van masjinerie vir belangrike aspekte soos die instelling van vasgestelde reisgelde en vragtariewe dwarsoor die wêreld, die aanname deur lugrederye van mekaar se reiskaartjies en vrag­dokumente, oorstangeriewe, sitplekindeling in die verskillende vlieg.uie, ens., wat tot die gerief en voordeel strek van beide passasiers en die lugrederye.

Die vliegtuie wet dour die jare heen dour die S.A.L. gebruik is, was of van ‘n beter- of ten minste van dieselfde gehalte as die van sy mededingers op dieselfde roete, en die rederye se puik prestasies, onder meer baanbrekerswerk t.o.v. die oop­stalling van nuwe roetes, was op sigself mylpale in die vooruit­gang van lugvaart.

Wat van die toekoms? Verskeie van die eerste weeklikse vlugte na New York oor Rio de Janeiro wat op 23 Februarie ‘n aanvang geneem het, was vroeg reeds vol bespreek – ‘n be­moedigende begin vir ‘n nuwe stuk pionierswerk!

Tans hou die S.A.L. elf dienste in beide rigtings in stand tussen Suid-Afrika enersyds en Europa en die Verenigde Konink­ryk andersyds. Met ingang 1 April word hierdie frekwensies na twaalf vermeerder en vanaf 4 Junie 1969 na dertien. Die moontlikheid van ‘n diens na Israel word in die vooruitsig gestel terwyl vooruitbeplanning ter voorbereiding vir die koms van die hoëdravermoë Boeing 747-stralers waarvan die S.A.L. drie bestel het, in die hoogste rat funksioneer.

Benewens die geed gevestigde S.A.L.-kantore in 22 stede in Europa, twee in die V.S A., een in Australië en vier in buur­state in Afrika is ten voile tnegeruste verkoopskantore onlangs ge-open of is hulle in die proses om ge-open to word in Rio de Janeiro, Kopenhagen, Tel Aviv, Perth, Melbourne, Toronto, Los Angeles, Bulawayo en Blantyre.

Die wëreld mag wel krimp in hierdie eeu van stralervlugte maar die S.A.L. se wëreld het deur die jare heen al wyer ge­word, en daar kan allerweë verwag word dat die toekoms nog wyer uitbreidings sal inhou.

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