Ethiopian could provide more modern Airbus SE 350s and Boeing Co. 787s, he said, in comparison with SAA's Airbus 340 planes. South Africa's government is in need of more than R10 billion ($600 million) to resuscitate an airline that's been in bankruptcy protection since December. The cash is needed in part for ticket refunds and severance packages for almost 4,000 workers who agreed to leave as part of a rescue plan put together by administrators and backed by labor groups. The Department of Public Enterprises has said repeatedly that it is looking at several offers from private investors, but nothing concrete has materialized. Bloomberg News reported a month ago that Ethiopian was among the parties holding talks. Tewolde called on African governments to be more aggressive in reopening borders following months of travel restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic. Ethiopian flights are on average 40% full, the CEO said.