Airlink Seeks Legal Action Against SAA for Confidential Information Misuse

Airlink has initiated legal proceedings against South African Airways (SAA) in the Johannesburg High Court, seeking an urgent interdict to prevent the misuse of sensitive commercial information allegedly taken by a former Airlink executive prior to joining SAA. The application demands that SAA and its staff refrain from using or disclosing the contested information, which Airlink claims as its proprietary data.

This legal action also entails a request for a court order to mandate the return of the information to Airlink, along with the deletion or destruction of any electronic copies or derivatives of the alleged stolen files. Further, Airlink has indicated plans to bring additional legal actions against several former employees concerning related issues.

At the heart of the dispute is information related to Airlink’s commercial engagements with travel agencies and consortiums, highlighting the financial significance of these partnerships. Central to the allegations is Carla da Silva, Airlink’s ex-executive manager of sales and marketing, who transitioned to SAA in late 2023. An email from October 2023 suggests Da Silva shared detailed Airlink data with colleagues who later joined her at SAA, prompting Airlink’s legal action.

Both da Silva and SAA’s spokesperson, Vimla Maistry, have refrained from commenting on the allegations, citing the sub judice status of the case, which is now in the hands of legal representatives.

Simultaneously, SAA is reportedly engaged in its own legal battle against a former pricing analyst accused of unlawfully removing confidential fare data, which poses a potential risk to the airline’s operations if disseminated. This complex scenario involves claims of data mismanagement and ownership, with SAA demanding the return of the information, allegedly deleted from a company laptop by the ex-employee who claimed personal ownership of the compiled data.

These unfolding legal disputes underscore the sensitive nature of commercial data in the aviation industry and the potential consequences of its unauthorized transfer between competitors. As both cases progress through the legal system, the outcomes could set precedents for how airlines handle confidential information and protect their competitive edges.