South Africa Travel Forum

They still took bookings this morning.....then stopped flying this afternoon due to a "cashflow crisis". Will they fly again?

I don't think they will, but I have to ask a question for the forum ;-)

I am no expert for sure but I don't think they will. When that engine fell of at Johannesburg and then they were grounded, it was the beginning of the end in my opinion. That is unfortunate because competition is usually a good thing.

I hope they will.

Odd that the saying is a "Wing and a prayer", not 'wings'.

I don't get how these airlines can continue to sell seats right up until the last minute and then just quit. I'm sure they know many days ahead that they are going to stop operating. The poor passengers are stranded and short a lot of money.

There are no staff behind their counters this morning. Their phone number is answered by the standard after hours "We are closed" message.

Their website http://www.flynationwide.co.za/ has been replaced with a sorry message. No contact details provided on web site.

Passengers stranded in London are having to find their own way home.

An airline that takes bookings and money hours before they close down should NOT be allowed to fly again. The public should not tolerate it. I don't understand your sympathy DAO?

From a SAPA news report:

April 30, 2008, 16:30

The company appointed to provisionally liquidate Nationwide airlines will start taking details of passengers and creditors owed by the airline, it said today. "The office phone will be open for the whole weekend and I am going to open a register to get the details of passengers and creditors," said Hannes Muller, an associate of Michelle du Plessis, who was appointed as provisional liquidators.

He cautioned that no immediate action could be taken, but passengers and creditors could at least get their details onto a register. "As soon as I get information I will send out a circular," he explained.

Yesterday, passengers were left stranded when the airline announced that it had ceased operations due to cash flow problems and that a Black Economic Empowerment deal which it had hoped would bolster the company's finances, fell through due to concerns raised in a due diligence report. To travel passengers would have to buy new tickets on other airlines.

These airlines were trying to accommodate them, but because it was holiday season, there was a shortage of seats available. The company applied for the provisional liquidation in the Johannesburg High Court on Tuesday and this was granted, the company's attorney Haroon Maher said, adding that the provisional liquidation process would take six weeks.

"There is a possibility that the company can go out of liquidation in a way which is not prejudicial to employees and creditors," he said. The company would meet this afternoon afternoon to discuss what to do about passengers and refunds and hoped to make an announcement on this evening or tomorrow. "We are busy working on that at the moment," he said.

Contact details
The provisional liquidator would also deal with staff matters. Maher said that since the news broke, he had received four calls from parties interested in buying the airline. "There are a lot of interested parties," he said. The details to register a claim with the provisional liquidator are: Tel: 086 1874 926. As the line is expected to be busy details can also be registered through: fax: 012 333 4672 or 086 618 9067 or email tshwanetrustintekom.co.za for the attention of Michelle du Plessis or Alta van Wyk.

Details should include a name, address and contact number and the nature of the claim -- an airline ticket or for services rendered. - Sapa

I guess this also puts a lot of people out of work. I would like to comment on the BEE as I understand it but I guess that would be considered political.
Thanks for the explanation Gerald.

My in-laws have booked flights to Vic Falls with them (came in a package deal with Sun International)... and now have to buy NEW flights from the UK and SA, for a party of 8. No compensation, travel agent says it isn't there fault... what a terrible situation. They have already spent thousands on deposits, so it's cheaper to pay the extra to at least have the holiday, than cancel, because they won't get anything back. Insurance does not cover this either.

Good grief Jenn that is terrible.