SAA Qantas code share agreement update.

South African Airways (SAA) and Qantas Airways (QFA) have been granted an interim extention of permission to codeshare on flights between Johannesburg (JNB) and Perth (PER) and Sydney (SYD) by the Australian International Air Services Commission. The extention is valid until the end of March 2013.

The two carriers are seeking a three-year extention of permission for the arrangement, and a decision is expected later this year. Under the agreement, flights between JNB and PER are operated by SAA, while flights to SYD are operated by QF.

Following this decision, SAA General Manager Commercial Theunis Potgieter said the airline would increase the number of flights between JNB and PER from 6 services per week to daily services in mid-August. It will also codeshare on QF's seven flights a week between JNB and SYD.

SAA has operated the Perth route for more than 50 years, making it one of the airline's longest established destinations.