What Is The Cost For An SAA Flight?

The cost of an SAA plane parked at the airport is what exactly? I took this photograph at 11:54 and it is now 12:41. Three of the planes in the photograph are still on the ground, in the same position. I can only assume that some form of maintenance is being performed, but from where I am sitting I can't tell. I also don't know enough about the aviation industry, but I would have thought maintenance happens at the hangar and these bays are purely for on boarding of passengers as well as drop off.

So how much does it cost SAA for these three planes to sit here idle for almost an hour? This operational cost has to be absorbed into the ticket price, so that SAA can make a profit. Failing which, SAA has to go cap in hand and ask for a government bail out, which will come from the taxes us working class citizens of South Africa pay. Planes should only be on the ground to pick up and drop off passengers, with the required maintenance being part of a plane being grounded.

Looking at the length of these planes being on the ground in my sample of five, would it be fair to say SAA has more planes in its fleet than it needs? Take into consideration, today is a Public holiday with lots of people going away to make for a long weekend getaway.

As I post at 12:50, one other plane is backing out, presumably with passengers on board.