UA's response if award ticket partner cancels/ceases service -- such as South African

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Dec 1, 2019, 6:38 am

stemme

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Join Date: Mar 2017

Location: Boston MA

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Posts: 24

UA's response if award ticket partner cancels/ceases service -- such as South African

Hi, looking for advice. I have a Mileage Plus award ticket on SAA from IAD to JNB in late January. What happens in the (increasingly likely imho) event that SAA goes bankrupt? Is UA likely to reroute me or am I on my own? I booked a return on BA, so I will be able to get back, but I'm not sure how I get there if they are out of business
Thanks for your advice

Dec 1, 2019, 7:18 am

Kacee

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Join Date: Apr 2013

Location: PHX

Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)

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Quote:

Originally Posted by stemme

Your best bet would be asking UA to reroute you on UA EWR-CPT.

Otherwise you will have to (try to) find award space on one of UA's partners that serves JNB - I believe that's LH, LX, ET, or TK. UA can't open award space on partners.

jsloan and MatthewLAX like this.

Dec 1, 2019, 9:04 pm

PVDtoDEL

Join Date: Oct 2010

Location: SEA/ORD/ADB

Programs: TK ELPL (*G), AS 100K (OWE), BA Gold (OWE), Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Plat, IHG Plat

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I didn't realise that SA was in eminent danger of going under - it's been unprofitable for as long as I can remember, so I'm curious what makes it more likely that SA will cease ops in the next month than it has been in the past decades...

Dec 1, 2019, 9:15 pm

Craig6z

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Quote:

Originally Posted by PVDtoDEL

Lack of confidence in their ability to remain a financially viable concern and calm labor unrest has accelerated in the last three weeks or so. A few days ago some insurers that write travel insurance have refused to issue new policies to cover losses related to SAA.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/busi...ravel-insurer/

jsloan likes this.

Dec 4, 2019, 3:59 pm

stemme

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Join Date: Mar 2017

Location: Boston MA

Programs: AA EXP

Posts: 24

They are being placed in voluntary business rescue:

https://mg.co.za/article/2019-12-04-...usiness-rescue

Dec 4, 2019, 4:12 pm

COGal

Join Date: Dec 2006

Posts: 57

There is also talk of a merger with ET.

Dec 4, 2019, 4:15 pm

hscottm

Join Date: Feb 2001

Location: Pittsburgh, PA

Programs: United Gold

Posts: 2,047

Well it might help UA with new service to CPT

Dec 4, 2019, 6:15 pm

FlyingHighlander

Join Date: Dec 2009

Location: USA

Posts: 1,153

Wow. I didnt quite realize SA were in that bad of a mess.
I have an award booking with SA in May 2020 (IAD-JNB-CPT), followed by an Air Namibia flight (CPT-WDH). Air Namibia are also on the ropes. Ironically I was thinking of switching my Air Nambian flight to SA one, but at this point they both seem in a similar mess

At least, hopefully, ET will still be in business for my return journey. If SA collapse, I'll likely have to find award space on ET to get from IAD-CPT.