SA Airways vice probe

Staff are accused of smuggling and prostitution

South African Airways is investigating allegations that members of its staff are involved in prostitution, bribery, money laundering and smuggling.

The Johannesburg-based Sunday Times reported that more than 90 employees have been suspended pending an inquiry, after the company used phone taps and security cameras to monitor the activities of its staff.

Some of our male cabin attendants are highly sought after in destinations like Australia

Noedine Isaacs, SAA

An SAA official told the newspaper that a minority of cabin attendants were treating their jobs as a means to enrich themselves, and that the 90 suspensions represented only "the tip of the iceberg".

"To them, SAA has become a conduit for personal gain to the detriment of our levels of service, and we are determined to root it out," said Noedine Isaacs, SAA's vice-president of inflight services.

She told the newspaper that investigations had revealed that cabin attendants were involved in drug trafficking and both male and female prostitution while on foreign stopovers.

'Open secret'

"We know from telephone conversations that some of our male cabin attendants are highly sought after in destinations like Australia," Ms Isaacs said.

"It is an open secret among flight staff, and incidents have been reported to us where women have been seen waiting for our attendants in their hotel rooms. It is, however, difficult to prove that money changes hands."

Other allegations against staff include illegal foreign currency deals, and the smuggling of electronic goods.

Cabin crew members are accused of bribing the clerks who allocate staff to particular routes, paying money to be allocated to a destinations like London, Zurich or the US which bring in lucrative foreign currency allowances.

SAA says it will continue to act against smuggling and corruption, and is working with police and customs officials.

Three SAA flight attendants and three passengers have been arrested recently for drug smuggling - a problem which SAA says "bedevils top airlines worldwide".