The editorial article critiques the South African Airways (SAA) strategy of focusing on African routes, arguing that this policy exacerbates financial losses and harms tourism. The author highlights the withdrawal of direct flights to London from Cape Town’s primary tourist attraction, replaced by a longer, less secure Johannesburg-to-London route, while European airlines fill the gap. Meanwhile, SAA’s planned cessation of service to Buenos Aires threatens trade and tourism ties with Argentina, a growing source of visitors. The piece questions the viability of SAA’s African-centric model, citing high airport duties and limited purchasing power among African middle classes, and contrasts this with the success of Middle Eastern carriers like Emirates, which operate profitable transcontinental routes. The author suggests that abandoning SAA entirely—despite its role as a national symbol—might be a pragmatic