page_title: South African Airways
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: South African Airways / History
caption_attribution_description: Deutsch: Mango Boeing 737-8BG ZS-SJO am Lanseria International Airport
context_page_description: South African Airways is the state-owned flag carrier airline of South Africa. Headquartered in Airways Park at O.R Tambo International Airport, the airline operates a hub-and-spoke network, linking over 40 local and international destinations across Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, South America, and Oceania from its base at O. R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg. The carrier joined Star Alliance in April 2006, making it the first African carrier to sign with one of the three airline alliances.
context_section_description: South African Airways was founded in 1934 after the acquisition of Union Airways by the South African government. The airline was initially overseen and controlled by South African Railways and Harbours Administration. Anti-apartheid sanctions by African countries deprived the airline of stopover airports during apartheid, forcing it to bypass the continent with long-range aircraft. During this time, it was also known by its Afrikaans name, Suid-Afrikaanse Lugdiens (SAL, lit.  '"South African air service"'), which has since been dropped by the airline. In 1997 SAA changed its name, image and aircraft livery and introduced online ticketing services. In 2006, SAA was split from Transnet, its parent company, to operate as an independent airline.  It remains one of the largest of South Africa's state owned enterprises. SAA owns Mango, a low-cost domestic airline, and has established links with Airlink and South African Express. It is a member of the Star Alliance.
caption: Boeing 737-8BG ZS-SJO of Mango, a subsidiary of South African Airways
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