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Thursday, March 28, 2024
Aviation

SAA and Discovery announce strategic partnership to provide airport lounge access for Discovery Bank clients

SAA airline plane

Recently updated on November 29th, 2023 at 03:06 pm

Johannesburg, 20 June 2022 – Discovery and South African Airways (SAA) today announced a landmark partnership that will enable Discovery Bank clients to access SAA’s airport lounges, and also make SAA’s flight network available on the Vitality Travel platform.

With immediate effect, Discovery Bank Purple, Black and Platinum cardholders will be able to use their Discovery Bank app to access SAA’s airport lounges.

The long-term partnership will provide customers with access to refurbished lounges and upgraded service offerings at SAA’s Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban lounges.

Discovery Bank CEO Hylton Kallner explained that the partnership is a contribution to both government and the national carrier’s broader aims to revitalise operations through a public-private partnership while contributing to the tourism industry. “We are delighted to work with SAA to upgrade these iconic lounges. Along with our Priority Fast Track Lanes at the OR Tambo and Cape Town International Airports, Discovery Bank clients will now enjoy the best possible end-to-end travel experience. In fact, the comprehensive Vitality Travel suite of benefits ensures that our clients enjoy the best value and experience in travel – whether for business or leisure.”

“We are also excited that SAA flights will soon also be available on the Vitality Travel platform as part of our flight network, giving our clients more choice and value in terms of airlines and destinations, and extending our reach into the continent,” says Kallner.

SAA Interim Executive Chairman and CEO John Lamola say: “We appreciate the collaboration with Discovery and believe that this partnership will add to the customer experience when choosing SAA as your carrier of choice.  We are heading in the right direction, as this partnership is a win-win-win for SAA, Discovery and, most importantly, our customers.”

Discovery Bank clients and Voyager members can look forward to exciting enhancements

Discovery Vitality CEO Dinesh Govender says: “This is a milestone partnership which amplifies the Vitality Travel offering for Discovery Bank clients. Vitality members book over 1 million flights a year – enough to fill 10 planes a day – and airport lounges are a quintessential benefit for those who enjoy travel. Now, in addition to the 1,000+ Lounge Key airport lounges that our Discovery Bank clients have access to worldwide, they will also enjoy the exclusive, world-class experience that SAA lounges will deliver. While access to the lounges commences today, clients can look forward to exciting new menus and luxury amenities, as well as refurbishments to the facilities in the coming months.”

SAA Commercial Executive Simon Newton-Smith says: “This partnership allows customers to enjoy world-class facilities at SAA lounges and we are very much looking forward to welcoming Discovery clients.”

About South Africa Airways

South Africa Airways (SAA) began operations on 1 February 1934. SAA, is a leading carrier in Africa, serving regional destinations between Johannesburg and six African destinations – Accra, Kinshasa, Harare, Lusaka, Lagos, Mauritius and 2 domestic routes from Johannesburg to Cape Town and Durban.  SAA is a member of the largest international airline network, Star Alliance.  SAA’s core business is the provision of passenger airline and cargo transport services together with related services, which are provided through SAA and its wholly-owned subsidiaries: SAA Technical (SAAT), a world-class maintenance facility and Air Chefs, the catering entity of SAA. SAAT has particularly been successful in the delivery of high-quality maintenance services such as major airframe checks; engine overhauls; mechanical components; avionics and line maintenance. From its first flight in 1934, SAA welcomed the world to South Africa by showing off the warm generous heart of the country. The airline has more than 88 years of excellence and innovation to draw on.

About Discovery

Discovery Limited is a South African-founded financial services organisation that operates in the banking, healthcare, life insurance, short-term insurance, savings and investment, and wellness markets. Since its inception in 1992, Discovery has been guided by a clear core purpose – to make people healthier and to enhance and protect their lives. This has manifested in its globally recognised Vitality Shared-value Insurance model, active in over 35 markets with over 20 million members. The model is exported and scaled through the Global Vitality Network, an alliance of some of the largest insurers across key markets, including Asia-Pacific, Europe, North America and South America.

Discovery trades on the Johannesburg Securities Exchange as DSY. Discovery Group is the holding company of Vitality Group in the USA and of Vitality UK.

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