View Full Version : Saa
Hi SAA Guys
Are you guys ever going to fly into Dubai? EK ( Emirates ) do JNB twice a day with a code share I think, but it is a huge mission trying to get on any flight from DXB or JNB on ID 90, even believe it or not on ID 50.They are almost always full, both ways. The Queues in JNB are a nightmare. A seperate flight operated by SAA or even another, I am sure would be good business for you. Qatari, I believe has now started JNB from Doha a few times a week terminating in CPT via JNB, and ETIHAD out of Abu Dhabi, 100 kms from DXB, will be starting soon. Would have thought you guys would have jumped on the band-wagon, as plenty of SA people in this part of the world.
SAA, still far better than anything in the Mid East, love the cartoon, safety video. Don't even have to understand Engels.
tic
farmpilot
1st Mar 2005, 16:28
Are you mad!!!!!!
SAA far better than EK????? I don't think so, try EK lightyears (from a PAX point of view) ahead of SAA
Gimbal
1st Mar 2005, 18:35
Farmer... but guess who tried to cut the grass at the end of runway 21R at Joburg with an A340 last year....
Anyway, at the moment SAA is joining up with Star Alliance, so I'm not sure if they require SAA to do the Dubai route. Although I'm quite certain that that route's becoming quite a money spinner. But realistically it will be impossible for SAA to do any additional routes as they just don't have the capacity aircraft wise. The London routes at the moment are keeping the airline extremely busy with 4 full Jumbos every Fri, Sat, and Sun. And 3 full jumbos everyday of the week. (you should actually see Heathrow on the weekends, it looks like an SAA hub !)
It seems the aviation industry has come out of the earlier economic slump quite nicely and the only way SAA can take on additional routes is to buy more aircraft.
About the 'best airline' , maybe one can have an opinion about passenger preference, but from a pilot point of view I can tell you that I know of some SAfrican pilots at EK who are trying to get back into SAA, and are even willing to start of as boy pilots, things are not looking too good for aviators in the sand box, as management at EK starts cutting down on costs, by biting the hand that feeds them.
farmpilot
2nd Mar 2005, 07:28
Fair play Gimbal
That's why I said from a pax point of view. I've got a few mates who used to drive for BMI who looked at EK before going to VS. I know where they would rather be!!
Is it me or do the girls look great in the red gear - but then I guess I'm bias as I'm going out with one :ok:
Back to topic, EK as a pax is way better than SAA even with the low fly by, I'm sure SAA have had their problems too........
farmpilot
The Claw
2nd Mar 2005, 09:20
"Farmer... but guess who tried to cut the grass at the end of runway 21R at Joburg with an A340 last year...."
Guess who used an A320 to cut the grass in Zambia...........
It happens to the best of them mate. From a PAX point of view SAA doesn't even begin to compare. Still many people at SAA who would like to work for EK. Working in foreign countries can be difficult, it does not always mean that the company they work for is bad.
journeyman
2nd Mar 2005, 09:59
In light of Gimbal's post - just for the record:
Yes, EK had an incident in Jhb - no denying that. But people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. Remember SAA's A320 runway excursion? There are a few more we could mention, but that would be petty mudslinging...
SAA did operate the DXB route until they cried off in the late nineties due rationalisation/unprofitability. EK now operates that route very successfully twice a day. Speaks for itself.
As for pilots clamouring to get back to SAA, here are the numbers:
Jungle to sandpit - about 50. Sandpit to jungle - 1 (and that was about three years ago). Not a very convincing statistic, now is it?
Of course, people will always have preferences as to who they travel with for a multitude of reasons - one man's meat is another man's poison - but to insinuate that standards are dropping at EK just demonstrates a complete lack of understanding of the industry as a whole.
T Hairy Henry
2nd Mar 2005, 11:44
Pilots....what are you like!!???
Just because EK has a double daily, doesn't mean that SAA would be successful on the route.
How many of EK's pax are transferring to other flights? SAA would be relying on the point to point market, which I doubt (but can't confirm) is that big!!!
farmpilot
2nd Mar 2005, 12:29
Fair point!
And it is their hub after all. I've gone through there many times, but always onto somewhere else. Their fares are very competitive......
farmpilot
You obviously fly for SAA and you should be proud. EK sucks compared. I fly both regurlarly. Internationally with EK coz u guys not there, but locally, and it definately is far better on SAA. My opinion. Dubai is growing big time and you should be there.
tic
farmpilot
14th Mar 2005, 08:05
Tic
No way man, I'm far too stupid to fly heavy iron:}
I just fly helis:D So in answer to your question no I dont work for SAA :ok:
I've never travelled on EK internally, only internationally. They're good - way better than SAA but not as good as VS, who in my opinion are the best by far!
farmpilot
bigmanatc
14th Mar 2005, 18:06
Have to say.......KQ is way cheaper to Jhb.....and its even cheaper via Europe with ID 90`s ......any delay and its going to be EK ....or if SA get.....same for them......unless of course we get discounts with them...which we don`t.....
Standing by for the flak........however true it may be
EK has the worst leg-room, in my opinion. SAA domestic much better, and service ( again my opinion ) far far better. It's all about service and EK definately takes 2nd place to SAA. My question was, is SAA contemplating a DXB route again? I sincerely hope so. Come and visit the sand-pit, you will like it, for a holiday anyway.
tic
Speed Managed
15th Mar 2005, 04:12
Tic
To answer you question, I can't see SAA flying to Dubai in the near future. This may change when SAA is encorporated into the STAR Alliance and the routes are aligned to STAR requirements which is about this time next year.
Besides not having enough aircraft at the moment, it looks like top of the new route list is Washington or Miami in June/July(B747 - 400) and Munich at the end of the year(A340).
Dessert Aviator
18th Mar 2005, 17:41
SAA have just leased out three A340's to Jet Airways of India to operate to the UK, if they are so short of A/c why the lease???
Speed Managed
24th Mar 2005, 08:09
Dessert Aviator,
Apparently the reason for the lease to Jet Airways is purely financial.
The 3 x 340-300's were suppose to replace 3 x 340-200's which were going to be returned to Airbus Leasing.
However, the leasing costs of the 200's are apparently a third of that of the 300's!
So the 200's are staying for the moment.
Probably just a better financial decision, until better leasing agreements appear?
So to answer your point, the fleet size is not reducing!