Around 5 years ago, South African Airways pilots were costing the carrier around R2 billion a year in "excessive" benefits. Here are some examples of the royal treatment they enjoyed

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In 2016, SAA spent R634m on pilot and crew accommodation and rest facilities. This amount excludes travelling benefits of R63m

It was revealed that SAA pilots were accommodated in hotels of the highest global standards while the remainder of the flight crew stayed in 2-star hotels, which goes against international aviation practice where crews (pilots and flight attendants) stay together

This practice was costing an additional R60m to the annual cost base and led added labour pressure on the SAA to permit all crew the same benefits, which added a further R100m/year in expenses. R160m more a year

The families of SAA pilots are entitled to free, preferential travel in business class. Meaning normal-paying business class passengers regularly get bumped off to accommodate the family members. Leading to losses in revenue for SAA

One peak holiday flight carried 19 pilot family members in business class. To help visualise the costs: If all SAA pilots flew a family of four once a year to Washington, the total annual cost to the airline would be R250 million! No other airline has such benefits

According to SAA insiders, if a pilot gets divorced, the former spouse gets these benefits along with the new girlfriend/boyfriend, at the same time, as part of the agreements SAA has with the pilots.

The SAA Pilots Association approached the courts to stop Dudu Myeni and SAA from reducing their benefits which included sick leave of 180 days a year, costing the airline R57m, annual leave which cost R370m, maternity leave adding up to R7m and travel benefits of R63 million

The pilots' contracts are non-negotiable - they are "evergreen" - even if SAA were to go bankrupt and sold, the agreements would continue with the new company

For comparison: pilots cost the airline R2 billion a year, while management was taking just under R658 million. i.e. pilots, who make up 12% of the workforce, were taking home about half of the total wage bill

Some SAA pilots did not live in South Africa. A few lived in Australia and the US. This means they would take free business class flights from their residences to come to work, after which they would fly for free back home

Even if a pilot flies for another airline, s/he, along with their families and former wives still receives free flights on SAA.

One pilot said: "I would use SAA to fly to my destination with my benefit ticket. If my wife wanted to join me she would do the same thing. My wife and family would use SAA benefits to go and see me while I am working for another airline."

At the time, SAA said the benefits enjoyed by SAA pilots were contained in a "Recognition Agreement" between SAA and the SAA Pilots Association, which recently won a court case they opened against former chairperson Dudu Myeni

The demographics of the most senior pilots: 225 senior captains, 217 of which are white males and 4 Africans. There are 4 senior female captains, all of them white. Captains: 116, 108 white males, 3 African, 2 coloured and 1 Indian. 1 white female, and 1 Indian female