"Jetlag" by Denis Beckett

[PAXboy]

I have just started reading this book and even the first chapter and skimming the one about the end of Sun Air makes for dismal reading.

Anyone else reading it?

[The Guvnor]

Sounds interesting - what does it cover, exactly? Does it go into the mysterious disappearance of Flitestar/Trek - and the millions of taxpayer's rands that were used to bail out the Broederbond (and in the process deprive said taxpayers of the right of choice).

[The Actuator]

Actually it is a very interesting book and very well written. The mind boggles as to how much less head shaking, doom predicting, hand wringing and casual criticism there would be if the staff were aware of just a fraction of the information contained in the book. Initially commissioned by Andrews to write it and then told to put it on hold - Beckett has come through with what appears to be an honest honest account of SAA in the Andrews era. His underlying theme being we have the potential to be great we just need to polish up on a couple of aspects.

[tired]

Anything commissioned by Coleman Andrews must be suspect, surely???

[The Actuator]

Read the post - comissioned then told to put on hold. He went ahead and did it anyway so it can't be all roses and tequila for Andrews.

[126.9]

DB is a fantastic journo and artist. CA was a doos! He was right however: we have the potential to be great we just need to polish up on a couple of aspects All we have to do is to stop the killing!

[The Guvnor]

Is DB still doing Beckett's Trek?

[PAXboy]

AFAIK he is still doing Trek but not on screen at the moment.

I am now half way through the book and will reserve full judgement. However, I agree that DB has written an incredibly honest book. He praises CA for some things and clobbers him for others.

I support the comments of The Actuator. It is also very readible and would be useful for the travelling public who want to know why things sometimes happen the way they do in the airline world. It has been written for the average citizen. That said, he has written specifically for the South African market as it contains many references and words that would be lost on others.

[Airways Ed]

PAXboy: can you give me the publisher's details, please? Would like to obtain a copy. Thanks

[PAXboy]

Hi, just got home this morning and I have been out of contact for ten days.

I gave the book to my nephew who is Senior First Officer with Airlink. But I shall e-mail him and ask for details.

His comment about Andrews was, "Trying to get anyone at Airways to say a good word about CA is like finding someone to say a good word about apartheid." :)

My brain is a bit scrambled as I did JNB - MUC and then had a four hour transit before getting back to LHR mid-morning. Not to mention that yesterday the temp was + 30 C and I was in the swimming pool and now it is - 2 C. I think there needs to be an inquiry! So I'll be in touch.

[Airways Ed]

Thanks; have since discovered that the publisher is Penguin and will attempt to contact direct as now need a couple of dozen copies for re-sale in the USA.

Stay warm and dry. HNY

[PAXboy]

Yep,it is Penguin Group (SA) (Pty) Ltd. I bought it in the CNA at CPT for R119.00 I founbd it on Exclusivebooks.co.za for R123.

I do not have the ISBN at the moment, as my nephew is not on his e-mail very often. However, you should be able to locate it now.

As I was not living in ZA at the time of the CA episode, I am not biased towards or away from him.

As described by the author, the ZA govt. wanted a 'fixer' a 'turnaround' merchant. CA was highly reccomended and, from what I read, did a standard job. SOme was slash and burn, some was nuture. It is clear that a LOT of the SAA sacred cows got slashed and burned! Also, it would appear , that ZA has not seen much of that sort of thing and most everybody freaked.

CA ran over a lot of toes, that is the nature of turning a company around. He also failed to grasp the ZA (note ZA not SAA) culture quickly enough and no one really tried to teach him. Of course, many might say that they tried to teach him and he would not listen! By the time he HAD learnt - it was too late and the political machine was preparing to move him out.

It might be the case that, had he have been given the next 12 months and the web project, that he could have brought the ship into harbour. The problem is that we will never know. He was not allowed to succeed or fail and be judged. This means that everyone at SAA and in ZA can be 'right' - you can criticise CA and you can praise him but no one will ever know the truth. That is a great disservice to both ZA and SAA.

[The Claw]

If you think that CA was bad, you ain't seen nothing yet! Africa wins again? <img src="eek.gif" border="0">

[PAXboy]

'The Claw' I am not quite sure what you mean by that? Are you implying that Africa (or ZA) is making similar mistakes, yet to be discovered?

[The Claw]

PAXboy: I mean that I have little faith in the two bean-counters currently running SAA. Lookout for the hidden agendas, I say. In particular look at the people whom they employ around them. <img src="cool.gif" border="0">

[WildFrequency]

Details for Jetlag

Publisher:- Penguin Books
ISBN:- 0-670-04783X
The author also has a website <a href="http://www.denisbeckett." target="_blank">www.denisbeckett.com</a>

Hope this helps thoses living outside sunny SA to obtain copies!

[ 08 January 2002: Message edited by: WildFrequency ]</p>

[PAXboy]

The Claw: Yep, I follow you on that. Although I am outside of ZA now, the bits and pieces that I saw whilst I was there in December and on various corners of the web, SAA is unlikely to move into the middle rank of carriers in terms of size, anyway.

The SAX/Link goings-on is a part of it too.