Mango Airlines has announced new plans to reimburse ‘unflown’ ticket holders ahead of it potentially resuming operations.
The state-owned airline ceased operations and was placed in voluntary business rescue in July 2021 after mounting debt and government stakeholder financial support withdrawal.
Presently, Mango has entered the final stages of concluding a transaction with a selected investor that could lay the groundwork for its return to operations.
In an interview with IOL, Chartered Accountant Sipho Sono, who is managing Mango’s restructuring process, confirmed this.
He noted that the conclusion of the transaction with the elected investor will help restart the airline’s operations, and as such, Mango is now examining other pertinent details.
This includes assessing the value of unflown tickets or vouchers created by Mango’s entry into business rescue.
“As part of this process, we need to confirm the value of unflown tickets that were purchased but not used and vouchers that were previously issued but could not be used, as a result of the suspension of Mango’s operations when it entered business rescue,” he explained.
Should the transaction go through, those with such tickets or vouchers will receive a voucher equal to the value of the unused ticket, which will be usable as soon as the airline resumes operations.
However, if the transaction fails, they will be treated as a creditor claim in the business rescue process and receive a dividend payout that will cover a portion of the total value of the ticket or voucher.
To this end, Mango released an official statement detailing how the unflown ticket assessment will work.
Those with unflown tickets will need to log onto the Mango Verification Portal and follow the indicated steps to complete the Mango Flight Ticket Verification Form.
The Mango Verification Portal has already opened and will remain open until Monday, 1 September 2025 at 23:59.
Those who purchased a ticket but did not fly while Mango was still operating before 26 July 2021, or who have already been refunded for their ticket, should not apply.
Transaction finalisation and results
While the transaction may be in its final stages, Mango’s parent company, South African Airways (SAA), has yet to approve the share sale agreement submitted in November 2022.
SAA had previously approved Mango entering into business rescue but has thus far abstained from signing off on the agreement that would see the airline pass to a new investor.
Sono’s legal team issued a formal letter to SAA in May 2025 demanding a response and warning that further delays could derail the airline’s return, jeopardising the rescue process.
Should the deal be successful and Mango Airlines return, it could be good news for South Africans, as before it ceased operations, it was one of the few affordable domestic airlines at the time.
After 21 July 2021, its disappearance increased strain on other airlines with reduced competition.
This resulted in a spike in ticket prices due to consistent demand, but with now reduced seat availability – this was particularly notable in high-traffic routes between urban centres.
Mango’s return could help address this imbalance by relieving some of the pressure and providing South Africans with more affordable domestic flight options.
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