SAA is going down the Drain!
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SAA is going down the Drain!
Dear SAA
I would like to thank you for your ever increasing gross Incompetence!! I am sick to my stomach of the Amount of Damage you cause every Day! I am Sick of the losses created by you and when asked to Sort those losses out you just shrug your shoulders!! The Stories and Comments that are about to follow Are happenings within a three week period flying aboard your aircraft! Let me Just state before I start that I, Myself and Me am an Airline Pilot, and so are my friends so there is no real way of replying with Cockamamy Answers as we know exactly how everything Works
Three weeksago myself and two colleagues flew to Sao Paulo for our Yearly Simulator recurrency’s The flight there was quite amazingly uneventful, however on the way back boarding the aircraft we were greated by a bunch of rather unfriendly staff! getting onboard I got the feeling that we should just sit down and shut up before we get wrapped on the nuckles! The seat belt signs were on for 95% of the flight whereas there was no real turbulence to speak of, we were not flying through cloud or visible moisture! i would describe the worst of the turbulance as very light chop at worst! Yet the seatbelt sign were burning brightly! So after a while people needed to get up and visit the restroom, just to be repremanded over the intercom by the “Incharge” not only making them feel like little children but also waking up those who were trying to sleep! We were also told to close the shutters and to keep them closed as there were other passiongers onboard who needed sleep!! Surely that is the choice of the passenger seated by the window whether they would like them open or closed (Except for take off or landing) Then the crew has the audacity of Hauling out the old Duty free Trolley, proceeding to do Sales just after the incharge repremanded passengers to remain seated to ensure their own safety! Now let me tell you, if there were any danger to the passengers by way of turbulence, can you imagine how much damage a 200kg purfume laden Trolley can cause that is flying through the Air!! I mean Really!! I would rather be hit by a 100kg Passenger!! Further to this, we were seated in the midsection of that A346 where it became incredibly hot during the flight! The passengers were fanning themselves and I was sweating! Being rather uncomfortable at that stage I went to the hostee station and asked the hostee very politely to just turn down the heat in that section! She did not even reply verbally, she picked up the intercom and dialled a number! I never had a reply and the heat was never turned down! Horrible uncomfortable flight! Arriving in JHB I waited at the conveyer belt for half an hour, just to receive my suitcase Cut open from end to end and held together by Duct tape! My Brand new R4800 Bose Sound System Pinched, never to be seen again! Add R700 for the suitcase the total Damage received R5500! Nice! Thank you SAA! And you dont give refunds for Damage caused do you?? Noooo! Let me tell you, As soon as the Carrier takes my Suitcase it Becomes the responsibility of the Carrier to ensure no damage or loss is caused to my Luggage!! Thank You SAA
A Few Days after Returning From Sao Paulo, unfortunately I had to board another flight on SAA Bound for Libreville, Gabon for A two month Flying Contract! Accompanying me, yet again my Colleagues and Hostees, other crewmembers from other Airlines, Contract crew working as Divers on the oil rigs, Etc, Etc! Yet again we received the old SAA Sparklingly Lovely Hospitality (NOT) How do you pick these people that work for you?? I guess the only requirement is that they must be Black, because these people have no idea on how to work with people, They have no personality or skill!! Maybe you should screen them a bit better and check them before you just let them handle your “Guests”
Anyway, Arriving at Libreville, Exactly as I pictured it, None of my Two Suitcases Arrived! I Had A full suitcase of Frozen Meat as Good meat is very hard to obtain here! Total cost of the meat, R2500, Neatly packed in a R800 Suitcase, Total Loss R3300 as I arrived here on Saturday and it is Now Tuesday, And I Still have not received my Luggage or even a phone Call from Anyone Apologiseing or telling me when it will arrive, Therefore I will have to throw away that Suitcase too!! My Colleagues Have also not received their luggage or meat or clothes! We have had the same clothes on our bodies for the past few days!! Buying clothes here is Super expensive and we just cannot afford futher Losses!! Onboard were divers That Lost their Diving equipment, So thy cannot do their work!! The Cabin overhead Lockers were Packed Full as SAA does not check how much Hand Luggage these Passenger have with them, The hand Luggage also does not get weighed and Tagged as appropriate and Legal! A Maximum of 5KG is allowed per passenger, yet you totally turn a blind eye to this! This A structural Limitation on the Aircraft!!! If the Bins are overloaded it can cause damage to the Aircraft! It is also a Safety Issue, should things really start flying around in turbulence!! The Latches are not designed to take these stresses which can cause the overhead lockers to open During flight! I have seen people struggling to get their hand luggage down from the Lockers! I estimate that some of them weighed in excess of 20KG!! Now let us think about how this affects the weight and Balance and performance of the aircraft!! So, I Believe this Aircraft is configured to Carry 124 Passengers, Let us Assume and average overload of 5KG per passenger Which, on This flight I believe to be a Rather Conservative estimate, The aircraft overhead lockers are then Overloaded by 620KG!!! This means that these figures were never entered into the Aircraft Loading Data! My Assumption would be that the Aircraft is then Flown Beyond its Maximum All Up Weight, Therefore should an Engine Failure occur, it would make for a Rather messy Day in SAA History.
We were Last to get onboard and I managed to at least put my valuables under the seat infront of me, The Divers however were not as Lucky, Their Fragile equipment and Divers certificates were Shoved into the cargo Hold, They were told if they did not give up their luggage they would be chucked off the Aircraft! They were then told that their Hand Luggage Would be handed back to them Personally! They never received their Hand Luggage! They Are sitting in A Hotel here in Libreville, Paying their own Accommodation as they Are not allowed on the Rigs without their Certificates and Equipment!! Imagine the Financial Losses they are experiencing because of your gross incompetence!!! Imagine the losses to their families and Children!!
I have been at the Airport every single time an SAA Flight was inbound! I still do not have my Luggage!! I am Fortunate enough to be able to have unrestricted movement on the Airport!! On each of your flights at Least forty people were waiting in Cues to report their Luggage!! People that Paid Excess Charges!! But no!! SAA Rather elects to Load Cargo and Take the Excess Luggage Fees, But do not deliver the passengers Luggage!! This is NOT a thing that happens every now and Then!! this has become a Standard Thing For SAA, And You just shrug your shoulders!!
Total Loss For me (Only This Month) Flying on SAA Roundabout R8800.00 This is Money that you take out of my Mouth and that of my Family, never mind the Tax That I pay that SAA takes to continuously to fund their huge expenditures and huge Workforce!! 200 employees per Aircraft where the World Standard is 60!! How do you justify creating jobs like that and funding it out of my Pocket??
If you Think that This little Note that I wrote here is all that I am going to do, You have obviously not met the likes of me! I will be taking my story to every corner of the earth! I have vowed to let the world know how SAA Conducts business! I am not Going to rest until I know that you are Hurting because of Declining Passenger Figures! The World will know!! Watch This Space!!
I would like to thank you for your ever increasing gross Incompetence!! I am sick to my stomach of the Amount of Damage you cause every Day! I am Sick of the losses created by you and when asked to Sort those losses out you just shrug your shoulders!! The Stories and Comments that are about to follow Are happenings within a three week period flying aboard your aircraft! Let me Just state before I start that I, Myself and Me am an Airline Pilot, and so are my friends so there is no real way of replying with Cockamamy Answers as we know exactly how everything Works
Three weeksago myself and two colleagues flew to Sao Paulo for our Yearly Simulator recurrency’s The flight there was quite amazingly uneventful, however on the way back boarding the aircraft we were greated by a bunch of rather unfriendly staff! getting onboard I got the feeling that we should just sit down and shut up before we get wrapped on the nuckles! The seat belt signs were on for 95% of the flight whereas there was no real turbulence to speak of, we were not flying through cloud or visible moisture! i would describe the worst of the turbulance as very light chop at worst! Yet the seatbelt sign were burning brightly! So after a while people needed to get up and visit the restroom, just to be repremanded over the intercom by the “Incharge” not only making them feel like little children but also waking up those who were trying to sleep! We were also told to close the shutters and to keep them closed as there were other passiongers onboard who needed sleep!! Surely that is the choice of the passenger seated by the window whether they would like them open or closed (Except for take off or landing) Then the crew has the audacity of Hauling out the old Duty free Trolley, proceeding to do Sales just after the incharge repremanded passengers to remain seated to ensure their own safety! Now let me tell you, if there were any danger to the passengers by way of turbulence, can you imagine how much damage a 200kg purfume laden Trolley can cause that is flying through the Air!! I mean Really!! I would rather be hit by a 100kg Passenger!! Further to this, we were seated in the midsection of that A346 where it became incredibly hot during the flight! The passengers were fanning themselves and I was sweating! Being rather uncomfortable at that stage I went to the hostee station and asked the hostee very politely to just turn down the heat in that section! She did not even reply verbally, she picked up the intercom and dialled a number! I never had a reply and the heat was never turned down! Horrible uncomfortable flight! Arriving in JHB I waited at the conveyer belt for half an hour, just to receive my suitcase Cut open from end to end and held together by Duct tape! My Brand new R4800 Bose Sound System Pinched, never to be seen again! Add R700 for the suitcase the total Damage received R5500! Nice! Thank you SAA! And you dont give refunds for Damage caused do you?? Noooo! Let me tell you, As soon as the Carrier takes my Suitcase it Becomes the responsibility of the Carrier to ensure no damage or loss is caused to my Luggage!! Thank You SAA
A Few Days after Returning From Sao Paulo, unfortunately I had to board another flight on SAA Bound for Libreville, Gabon for A two month Flying Contract! Accompanying me, yet again my Colleagues and Hostees, other crewmembers from other Airlines, Contract crew working as Divers on the oil rigs, Etc, Etc! Yet again we received the old SAA Sparklingly Lovely Hospitality (NOT) How do you pick these people that work for you?? I guess the only requirement is that they must be Black, because these people have no idea on how to work with people, They have no personality or skill!! Maybe you should screen them a bit better and check them before you just let them handle your “Guests”
Anyway, Arriving at Libreville, Exactly as I pictured it, None of my Two Suitcases Arrived! I Had A full suitcase of Frozen Meat as Good meat is very hard to obtain here! Total cost of the meat, R2500, Neatly packed in a R800 Suitcase, Total Loss R3300 as I arrived here on Saturday and it is Now Tuesday, And I Still have not received my Luggage or even a phone Call from Anyone Apologiseing or telling me when it will arrive, Therefore I will have to throw away that Suitcase too!! My Colleagues Have also not received their luggage or meat or clothes! We have had the same clothes on our bodies for the past few days!! Buying clothes here is Super expensive and we just cannot afford futher Losses!! Onboard were divers That Lost their Diving equipment, So thy cannot do their work!! The Cabin overhead Lockers were Packed Full as SAA does not check how much Hand Luggage these Passenger have with them, The hand Luggage also does not get weighed and Tagged as appropriate and Legal! A Maximum of 5KG is allowed per passenger, yet you totally turn a blind eye to this! This A structural Limitation on the Aircraft!!! If the Bins are overloaded it can cause damage to the Aircraft! It is also a Safety Issue, should things really start flying around in turbulence!! The Latches are not designed to take these stresses which can cause the overhead lockers to open During flight! I have seen people struggling to get their hand luggage down from the Lockers! I estimate that some of them weighed in excess of 20KG!! Now let us think about how this affects the weight and Balance and performance of the aircraft!! So, I Believe this Aircraft is configured to Carry 124 Passengers, Let us Assume and average overload of 5KG per passenger Which, on This flight I believe to be a Rather Conservative estimate, The aircraft overhead lockers are then Overloaded by 620KG!!! This means that these figures were never entered into the Aircraft Loading Data! My Assumption would be that the Aircraft is then Flown Beyond its Maximum All Up Weight, Therefore should an Engine Failure occur, it would make for a Rather messy Day in SAA History.
We were Last to get onboard and I managed to at least put my valuables under the seat infront of me, The Divers however were not as Lucky, Their Fragile equipment and Divers certificates were Shoved into the cargo Hold, They were told if they did not give up their luggage they would be chucked off the Aircraft! They were then told that their Hand Luggage Would be handed back to them Personally! They never received their Hand Luggage! They Are sitting in A Hotel here in Libreville, Paying their own Accommodation as they Are not allowed on the Rigs without their Certificates and Equipment!! Imagine the Financial Losses they are experiencing because of your gross incompetence!!! Imagine the losses to their families and Children!!
I have been at the Airport every single time an SAA Flight was inbound! I still do not have my Luggage!! I am Fortunate enough to be able to have unrestricted movement on the Airport!! On each of your flights at Least forty people were waiting in Cues to report their Luggage!! People that Paid Excess Charges!! But no!! SAA Rather elects to Load Cargo and Take the Excess Luggage Fees, But do not deliver the passengers Luggage!! This is NOT a thing that happens every now and Then!! this has become a Standard Thing For SAA, And You just shrug your shoulders!!
Total Loss For me (Only This Month) Flying on SAA Roundabout R8800.00 This is Money that you take out of my Mouth and that of my Family, never mind the Tax That I pay that SAA takes to continuously to fund their huge expenditures and huge Workforce!! 200 employees per Aircraft where the World Standard is 60!! How do you justify creating jobs like that and funding it out of my Pocket??
If you Think that This little Note that I wrote here is all that I am going to do, You have obviously not met the likes of me! I will be taking my story to every corner of the earth! I have vowed to let the world know how SAA Conducts business! I am not Going to rest until I know that you are Hurting because of Declining Passenger Figures! The World will know!! Watch This Space!!
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I thought when I saw the title of this posting that it might be a well-reasoned and properly written overview of the reasons why SAA has gone to the dogs.
The kindest thing I can say about this is that it isn't.
The kindest thing I can say about this is that it isn't.
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Vlamgat -
Sadly some of what you say is true. Send an email to
[email protected]
Also try the baggage tracer
World Tracer ? South African Airways
"My Brand new R4800 Bose Sound System Pinched, never to be seen again! Add R700 for the suitcase the total Damage received R5500! " we have to consider whether his could have happened in LBV ? But I do agree that the airline needs to tighten security in the baggage department at all stations.
I also had an experience flying back from holiday in Mauritius.
My wife's checked in luggage arrived on the carousel in the same fashion , duct taped and damaged off course. A watch and a perfume was stolen. No re-course from SAA as it was ACSAs problem . The baggage security is not handled by SAA. I'm convinced the bag wasn't broken in to in Mauritius.
I really hope the winds of change sweep through this "potentially" world class airline.
Sadly some of what you say is true. Send an email to
[email protected]
Also try the baggage tracer
World Tracer ? South African Airways
"My Brand new R4800 Bose Sound System Pinched, never to be seen again! Add R700 for the suitcase the total Damage received R5500! " we have to consider whether his could have happened in LBV ? But I do agree that the airline needs to tighten security in the baggage department at all stations.
I also had an experience flying back from holiday in Mauritius.
My wife's checked in luggage arrived on the carousel in the same fashion , duct taped and damaged off course. A watch and a perfume was stolen. No re-course from SAA as it was ACSAs problem . The baggage security is not handled by SAA. I'm convinced the bag wasn't broken in to in Mauritius.
I really hope the winds of change sweep through this "potentially" world class airline.
Last edited by Ghost_Rider737; 17th Dec 2013 at 20:26.
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Dear Vlamgat, just to let you know that a few pilots here in Gabon, think that you are talking utter 
. To many details to correct and we can't really be bothered, but best get your story correct before you spout off.
No one heard you complain when you got an upgrade on that very same flight by a black hostee.
Ps suggest you 120 drivers set a better standard before criticising others.
. To many details to correct and we can't really be bothered, but best get your story correct before you spout off.No one heard you complain when you got an upgrade on that very same flight by a black hostee.
Ps suggest you 120 drivers set a better standard before criticising others.
My last 2 long haul flights (11hr) with SAA on the A340 were good in cattle class.The cabin crew were helpful and even smiled a lot.Things get stolen from baggage all over the world,the lesson is : don't put valuables in there !
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Going down? I thought it was gone.
Vlam, not criticizing, but are you the lovely person I met in Botswana in 2010/2011? Or is that person your F/O? I see them on Facebook complaining about lost luggage too.
Also, the lost baggage they are responsible for replacing. The damaged baggage however, they are not. It is part of the limited liability that you agree with when you purchase the ticket. This is standard around the world with most airlines.
Its one of the reasons why you get travel insurance.
You'll also find that passengers are given a standard weight which includes their carry on luggage. So unless everyone on board was overweight by a significant amount, then you will probably find that you weren't overloaded.
I also challenge you, that in some point in your career (I don't expect an honest reply), that you haven't flown overweight at some point... Either by fudging the figures, or by using standard weights but knowing that all your pax on board weren't standard.
It's best if the pot doesn't call the kettle black.
Luggage bins aren't structural. But you are on the money with the locks not being able to handle it if overloaded by a significant amount.
I totally agree with you on the cabin crew. I think it is a bit hit and miss with what you get. I have had good and bad. My parents however, have only had terrible. The older A340s are an embarrassment as well. Badly need an overhaul.
Vlam, not criticizing, but are you the lovely person I met in Botswana in 2010/2011? Or is that person your F/O? I see them on Facebook complaining about lost luggage too.
Also, the lost baggage they are responsible for replacing. The damaged baggage however, they are not. It is part of the limited liability that you agree with when you purchase the ticket. This is standard around the world with most airlines.
Its one of the reasons why you get travel insurance.
You'll also find that passengers are given a standard weight which includes their carry on luggage. So unless everyone on board was overweight by a significant amount, then you will probably find that you weren't overloaded.
I also challenge you, that in some point in your career (I don't expect an honest reply), that you haven't flown overweight at some point... Either by fudging the figures, or by using standard weights but knowing that all your pax on board weren't standard.
It's best if the pot doesn't call the kettle black.
Luggage bins aren't structural. But you are on the money with the locks not being able to handle it if overloaded by a significant amount.
I totally agree with you on the cabin crew. I think it is a bit hit and miss with what you get. I have had good and bad. My parents however, have only had terrible. The older A340s are an embarrassment as well. Badly need an overhaul.
Está servira para distraerle.
It's probably not a massively mental operation to be able to work out which company employs the OP. One hopes that he and his colleagues were not on ID tickets. Whilst all passengers are entitled to the same quality of treatment, if someone at SAA does the maths then any ticket price concessions and privileges might be rapidly withdrawn as a reprisal.
Would anyone at SAA read these pages? Well yes, certainly a pilot might. Who knows, but one needs sometimes to be careful about the dog and the hand. Of course, all punters might have been travelling as fully paid up F ticket holders in which case -- one can disregard this letter.
Would anyone at SAA read these pages? Well yes, certainly a pilot might. Who knows, but one needs sometimes to be careful about the dog and the hand. Of course, all punters might have been travelling as fully paid up F ticket holders in which case -- one can disregard this letter.
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Apologies
Guys!
My apologies if I have Directly offended Anyone!! That was not my Intention! The Fact of the matter is that I am Hurt and Upset by all that has happened! I am not only writing this for myself but also for the other 15 or so crew members that have flown on this route in the past month! We have all had big financial losses due to the happenings described above!! This IS happening on a daily basis, as if this is some kind of standard!!
Please do put yourselves in Our shoes! We have lost money, equipment, Food etc etc. all our planning for our time up here on Tour has gone to the Pigs!! I want SAA to get their act together! In Five days I have not even had a single reply from them regarding my baggage!! Now Do you really think this is Fair!!?? And I say Again, It is not just me, there are so many others!!
Please think about this post as if it happened to you personally..................
My apologies if I have Directly offended Anyone!! That was not my Intention! The Fact of the matter is that I am Hurt and Upset by all that has happened! I am not only writing this for myself but also for the other 15 or so crew members that have flown on this route in the past month! We have all had big financial losses due to the happenings described above!! This IS happening on a daily basis, as if this is some kind of standard!!
Please do put yourselves in Our shoes! We have lost money, equipment, Food etc etc. all our planning for our time up here on Tour has gone to the Pigs!! I want SAA to get their act together! In Five days I have not even had a single reply from them regarding my baggage!! Now Do you really think this is Fair!!?? And I say Again, It is not just me, there are so many others!!
Please think about this post as if it happened to you personally..................
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The mark of SAA in recent years has been a total lack of consistency in service. I don't fly with them much now, partly for this reason and partly because they no longer offer CPT-LON nonstop. The last flights I did with them on that route were so different it could have been two utterly different airlines. The crew out on the A346 were stunning, cheerful, helpful, friendly, and just wanted to make sure everyone enjoyed the flight. Three weeks later, on the return, sullen, arrogant, aggressive, and unhelpful. Both crew were almost exclusively young, and black, so nothing to do with age or race.
Jees, no. Have you heard the saying 'life's a bitch'. Nothing's fair. Live with it, deal with it.
Now Do you really think this is Fair!!?
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Typical Saffir responses here. Someone points out a glaring 'elephant in the room' problem and he gets criticised!! And told to
I am absolutely astounded that the situation that he is criticising should in any way be seen as 'normal' or something that anyone should be expected to 'live with'!! And from some of the posts it does seem a long way from unusual.
Over about 40 years I have flown on about 30 airlines to about 20 countries (right around the world, having crossed every line of longitude) on countless flights spending several hundred hours as a pax. I have never had my bags tampered with. On three occasions my bags have not met me on arrival, on two of those (on different continents) they were delivered to my hotel room that day, on one occasion it took an extra day to be delivered to my hotel room but on that occasion it was to a completely different country that was not part of my original ticket. I don't see how anyone can see the problems that Vlamgat had as being in any way acceptable, no matter what type of ticket he was travelling on. And to criticise him for complaining is astounding! Maybe the problem is that you people have got used to such low standards that you are ready to accept it all. Or is it that a bit of a North Korean attitude holds sway there that 'thou shalt not criticise'?
You are all going a long way to prove this might just be true: Hunt still on for nice South African.
Live with it, deal with it.
Over about 40 years I have flown on about 30 airlines to about 20 countries (right around the world, having crossed every line of longitude) on countless flights spending several hundred hours as a pax. I have never had my bags tampered with. On three occasions my bags have not met me on arrival, on two of those (on different continents) they were delivered to my hotel room that day, on one occasion it took an extra day to be delivered to my hotel room but on that occasion it was to a completely different country that was not part of my original ticket. I don't see how anyone can see the problems that Vlamgat had as being in any way acceptable, no matter what type of ticket he was travelling on. And to criticise him for complaining is astounding! Maybe the problem is that you people have got used to such low standards that you are ready to accept it all. Or is it that a bit of a North Korean attitude holds sway there that 'thou shalt not criticise'?
You are all going a long way to prove this might just be true: Hunt still on for nice South African.
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It's not what he says, it's the way he says it. He has a justified complaint, nobody disputes that. It needs to be directed to the right department in the right manner. He also needs to understand the scope of the carrier's responsibility.
Let me add to that. If he addresses his complaints in the correct manner, without the rhetoric, simply stating the facts and what he expects to be done, he will get a sympathetic hearing and a fair resolution. If he rants and raves and sends a barely articulate diatribe of invective, he won't.
Let me add to that. If he addresses his complaints in the correct manner, without the rhetoric, simply stating the facts and what he expects to be done, he will get a sympathetic hearing and a fair resolution. If he rants and raves and sends a barely articulate diatribe of invective, he won't.
Last edited by Capetonian; 18th Dec 2013 at 10:38.
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He He!!
Thanks Trossie! You have sommer made my day a Bit better!! I appreciate!!
Master CapeTonian, You must have a level nine in English, I have learnt new words today!! He he! I am just a Boerseun though and I Thought I was being quite articulate!! You and everyone has given valuable input, I just wanted to put it out there and Share and feel better about it too!!
Master CapeTonian, You must have a level nine in English, I have learnt new words today!! He he! I am just a Boerseun though and I Thought I was being quite articulate!! You and everyone has given valuable input, I just wanted to put it out there and Share and feel better about it too!!
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Hey Vlamgat!! You Should Try Using More Caps and Exclamation Marks!!! It Adds Weight and Credence to Your Complaint!!!!!! Have a Good Tour!!!!!!!! Remember to Pr!nt Out this Thread and Attach it to Your SAA CV!!!!!
Last edited by capster; 18th Dec 2013 at 12:25.
How do you pick these people that work for you?? I guess the only requirement is that they must be Black, because these people have no idea on how to work with people, They have no personality or skill!! Maybe you should screen them a bit better and check them before you just let them handle your “Guests”
As for putting expensive items in hold luggage, what were you thinking?
I hope this gets resolved to your satisfaction but I would suggest toning it down a bit if/when you contact SAA.
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Vlamgat gets a roasting!!!!
My man you just committed a cardinal sin! Thou shalt not criticize the national carrier! Let me just say outright that I feel sorry for the hand that life has dealt you this last month – did you swear a leprechaun perhaps? Firstly remember this is a PILOTS forum and most of the people reading these posts have either worked, work or have aspirations to work for SAA….or their families, friends, girlfriends, boyfriends……you get my point – difficult to find sympathy here – although you deserve it! While your grammar and spelling are not exactly to Walt Whitman’s standard and some of your comments are a little harsh and could be written more tactfully. On the other hand some of the people responding need to consider one of our fellow aviators sitting in a hotel for three days in the same clothes waiting for SAA to get their act together – this now common practice of offloading passengers baggage and taking cargo instead has to stop! What people fail to realize is that it is costing passengers thousands of dollars in inconvenience not to mention giving our industry an even worse image problem. What’s next? American Airlines already charge for ALL domestic checked baggage! How long before it becomes common practice all over the world? Possible solution for SAA…the P word! Ok I said it….just waiting for the flames!
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Fact remains......SAA is an embarrassment to the airline industry as a whole. Dysfunctional from top to bottom and left to right. All very well aspiring to fly for SAA as a pilot but how does it sit with you as an individual knowing full well that you're purportedly working for an entity that's hell bent on driving all competition into liquidation + continuously turning to the state's treasure trove to bail it out. A 20 year turn around program? No that's accountability for you! MBA students must love the material being spewed out by SAA to use for dissertations.
SAA = QE at its finest, the US's Federal Reserve bank should follow SAA's example
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While British Airways is increasing capacity and frequencies on its lucrative route from London to Johannesburg, South African Airways has announced this week that it is trimming capacity to Heathrow.
From 28 March SAA will be replacing the A340-600 currently used on the route with an Airbus A330-200. As the A330-200 is smaller than the A340-600, it will result in a decrease in the seats available on the route.
The new aircraft will operate on SA235 at 7pm, the first of SAA’s two daily departures, as well as selected SA237 flights that depart at 9pm.
The move follows SAA’s controversial cancelling of its Cape Town-London route in 2013, and the selling off of a valuable morning landing slot at London Heathrow.
According to Tourism Update, SAA spokesperson Tlali Tlali said the decision was made "so that we are able to meet the expectations of our passengers". The airline has admitted that all its international routes are loss making.
In contrast, British Airways has recently expanded its offering to Johannesburg, with the introduction of A380 services to Johannesburg. It will also increase the daily flights to Cape Town during the winter, adding three additional flights per week to meet demand.
From 28 March SAA will be replacing the A340-600 currently used on the route with an Airbus A330-200. As the A330-200 is smaller than the A340-600, it will result in a decrease in the seats available on the route.
The new aircraft will operate on SA235 at 7pm, the first of SAA’s two daily departures, as well as selected SA237 flights that depart at 9pm.
The move follows SAA’s controversial cancelling of its Cape Town-London route in 2013, and the selling off of a valuable morning landing slot at London Heathrow.
According to Tourism Update, SAA spokesperson Tlali Tlali said the decision was made "so that we are able to meet the expectations of our passengers". The airline has admitted that all its international routes are loss making.
In contrast, British Airways has recently expanded its offering to Johannesburg, with the introduction of A380 services to Johannesburg. It will also increase the daily flights to Cape Town during the winter, adding three additional flights per week to meet demand.
Last night, SA, carried 436 passengers out of a capacity of 539 on its 2 flights JNB to LHR. (PLF 81%)
Those figures are fairly typical of loads on the routes over the last few months, in both directions. I have seen far lower loads on SAA than the above. Whilst a high PLF is not necessarily an indicator of high yield, it does tell something, specially when we know by their own admission that SAA lose money on the London whilst BA have often said it is a highly profitable route.
Both airlines faces the same problem at opposite ends of the route, the aircraft sit for roughly 12 hours unused. BA has better connecting traffic options to and from LHR, other than that they compete on fairly equal terms.
SAA is run by ANC politicians for the benefit of their own kind. Snouts in the trough and all that, whereas BA is run by professionals.
(Figures approximate, and I could roughly estimate the yields but don't have time or energy to do so.)