South African Airways Pushes for Better International Service standards

[flare and touchdown!]

South African Airways, an airline having just won, once again, the international Skytrax airline ranking "Best Airline to Africa" award, coupled with a join to intercontinental airline group, "Star Alliance" has recently began a further upgrade to their International service, especially hoping for a domination of the airline for UK - South Africa competitive route.

Combined with PAX suggestions, results being upgrading economy class legroom onboard all new Airbus A340's - (300E's and 600's), some of which are still being converted (Increasing seat pitch and moving IFE boxes), South African Airways is encouraged by their fortune that main rival competitor, British Airways are still making cost cuts on the profitable route, decreasing, once again, the standards of economy class service while SAA themselves, are adding those small extras to hopefully attract customers towards them, with a hopeful attempt of being the dominant airline for the routes (Joburg - London, and Cape Town - London).
SAA have recently introduced menu's back into the economy class service, along with upgrading amenity kits, onboard catering and In-flight entertainment - now offering the MAS 3000 video on demand systems to all passengers aboard any Airbus A340-300 or 600 series jet, which are servicing London more frequently as more of the new jets come in, which replace the Boeing 747-400's which previously and to some extent still servicing or serviced the route.
These added extras are a even bigger benefit to SAA as British Airways discontinue offering amenity kits, lower catering service futher, failing to meet what is seen by leading airlines as primary service industry standards - an IFE system which does not offer Video on Demand.
SAA are also enjoying the strong punctuality records they are having on the route, espesicially comparing themselves to the weaker British Airways statistics for the London - Cape Town service.

Both passengers of and SAA itself, hope and look forward to a strong path forward on the intercontinental service in and out of South Africa, hoping leading the profiting industry to another good change on the routes worldwide, Europe America and Australia, out of RSA.

[james ozzie]

Is this a press release or advertising? It still does not change the general contempt in which SAA holds its customers. Given equal fares & conveneince, I would still use another carrier

[flare and touchdown!]

I would like to Clairfy that this "SAA is the airline from Hell" thing going around is rubbish. I won't try and deny there are some bad apples among the SAA cabin crew, but, there are lots very ripe (very professional and friendly) staff, combined with the fact that they are winning Interntaional awards throughout the year, are the first airline to approach in the USA and UK when travelling to South Africa and they have an excellent international reputataion.
South African Airways produce some of the best trained pilots in Africa, and while supported in the UK and USA, and many others around their servicing destinations around the world, they have to take the moans and groans of their own people, while (1) they offer cheap fares, full service and reasonable reliability and (2) represent South Africa fantastically showing you guys off (a pospective of an outsider) and (3)have one of the most successful "bums on seats" policies in the whole industry - managing to fill the aircraft on most routes.

SAA recently handled the recent Hijack attempt very well, calm crew, and SAA dealing with distressed passengers well.

It's very easy to predict the reaction from this post, so for those people who like to argue....BRING IT ON!:}

[DawnTreader]

I would like to Clairfy that this "SAA is the airline from Hell" thing going around is rubbish. I won't try and deny there are some bad apples among the SAA cabin crew, but, there are lots very ripe (very professional and friendly) staff,

Perhaps some of the staff are a bit over-ripe or even rotten:E If there is talk doing the rounds about SAA did you ever consider that they may deserve their new reputation? I found them neither professional nor friendly. I believe in their rush to transform (just like many SA entities) they forgot to learn the finer points of customer service. ----> Clearly, good spelling is not a prerequisite ;)

combined with the fact that they are winning Interntaional awards throughout the year, are the first airline to approach in the USA and UK when travelling to South Africa and they have an excellent international reputataion.

Which awards are these exactly. If you are talking about "Best Airline to Africa" and any other award that ends .."in Africa", then I declare 'no contest'.

South African Airways produce some of the best trained pilots in Africa,

Again, where else IS there to train in Africa?

...and while supported in the UK and USA, and many others around their servicing destinations around the world, they have to take the moans and groans of their own people,

What? So their own people complain about them? Well they should know!

while (1) they offer cheap fares, full service and reasonable reliability and (2) represent South Africa fantastically showing you guys off (a pospective of an outsider) and (3)have one of the most successful "bums on seats" policies in the whole industry - managing to fill the aircraft on most routes.

Cheap fares!! I don't know where you are looking, but I used to travel between Europe and SA regularly and SAA was ALWAYS more expensive. SAA are also usually more expensive than local competitors, including Nationwide, Kulula, Comair, Express, etc..

SAA recently handled the recent Hijack attempt very well, calm crew, and SAA dealing with distressed passengers well.
We don't really know because little was reported about the crew apart from the cabin staff who for the duration of the drama reportedly "ran away and huddled at the back of the aircraft". The news also contained multiple complaints saying; "SAA never informed us of anything.". "We were not told what was happening or where we were going". etc etc.:yuk:

It's very easy to predict the reaction from this post, so for those people who like to argue....BRING IT ON!:}
What's left to argue about? All your points are invalid.:E

[Shrike200]

Ja, bring it on....the fact of the matter is that despite all wanting to be there, SAA is the airline that many love to hate. New planes (and lots of them), huge crew numbers (750+ versus next biggest Comair at 175 or so?), tons of support etc all point to huge budget - thanks in part to the taxpayer. As most people here are pilots, many (even most) of whom are denied entry into SAA due to their skin colour, having to support somebody involuntarily while being denied even a chance at entry grates them. For better or for worse, I believe any post like this that rubs SAA's budget superiority in peoples faces just further reinforces that 'We are Skygods, you're all lesser mortals' perception. And thus you can expect a negative reaction (as you did), especially coupled with the stories of bad service encountered by individuals.

SAA is a professional airline, staffed by many highly competent individuals, I have no doubt. Just don't expect everyone to be as thrilled about it as you. :hmm:

[George Tower]

All seems set for privatisation then I presume :ugh:

[FO Gyro]

It seems true that people seem to love to hate SAA.:* If you look around at other airlines like BA, Virgin, Lufthansa, KLM, they make SAA look wonderful. Their cabin crew can also be accused of having attitudes, and being quite cheeky at times. Their service is also very average. Don't talk about Olympic, or the low cost carriers in the States! Quantas also very dismal. The problem with SAA is that some, not all of their 2000 cabin crew are rude. It's always the bad stories that make news headlines. If anyone out there has ever dealt directly with pax, you would know that they can be extremely rude as well. SAA was in such a rush to get the BEE thing going so quickly, they were employing anyone off the street. Now they realise that they need more mature people, those that have more people skills.
I would imagine that a lot of folk are also a little bitter and jealous that they haven't got into SAA. I hear it from some of the remarks that pilots from the competitor airlines make about the Airways guys. It's not their fault. Goverment make the policies, not flight operations or SAAPA. At the end of the day we are all in the same team! Isn't human nature funny. It's always easier to break something down than to build it up. Building something up takes effort, breaking down - for the no brainers.:D

[putt for dough]

SAA can do what they want.
I still will NEVER EVER fly them!:=
I would rather go the long way around via dubai,amsterdam etc.

Schweet...

[SortieIII]

Flare and Touchdown, or is it Thierry?
Last I looked, JNB LHR was exclusively served by B744, 2 flights/day.This is 2/3 of SAA flights to LHR.....in your books this equals 'to some extent'?? :confused:
Sounds like you work for EADS, with your ongoing punting of their products?
Or maybe SAA?

[james ozzie]

Thanks to the original poster for this thread - I presume it was intended to stir up debate?

Passengers are not interested in the number of pilots or how new the planes are - the majority cannot tell the difference between a 732, a 738, a 320 etc and really do not care. They do care about is how they are handled on the ground & when aboard & seat pitch on long hauls.

In marketingspeak there are the 2 terms "enablers" & "differentiators" Enablers get you onto the field, differentiators allow you to win the game. You cannot win if you are not on the field. In the airline game, enablers are frequent reliable service and good attitudes to customers. Skilled pilots are taken as an enabler, not a differentiator. A major differentiator is the handling of disputes & the experience of many is that SAA is far behind in this respect.

I had a fight down to the wire with Viljoens office some years ago and their stubbornness was unbelievable - defend the company position to the death, never concede anything, the company is ALWAYS right.

In contrast, BAComair seem to say "Lets see if we can give this idiot what he wants, make him happy, get him out of here and get on with our lives" The result is that BAComair passengers return, inspite of the odd imperfections in service.

Although BEE is identified as an SAA problem, my tangle with SAA had no BEE types involved.

When criticising SAA, no-one is having a go at the flight crews - I think I am right in saying they are universally respected among colleagues.

Incidently, an airline pilot is the last profession that is shown any respect at all by the general public - when did you last hear anything positive said about a lawyer, doctor or accountant?

[flare and touchdown!]

Thank you Shrike 2000. Sensible view. Everyone loves and hates different airlines. It's inevitable.
James Ozzie, the answer is yes, it is inevitable that my post would and will start up a debate, but yeah, i was a bit fed up with the close minded, bias one sided view on some of the posts in this forum about SAA. At least this post started and revealed, mixed and sensible views about the airline. I can take critisim, but i don't like bias close-mindedness from some of these people.

[Islander Jock]

I flew regularly for nearly 2 years between Perth and Luanda with SAA. Never had what I would say was a bad flight with them. Always found the cabin crew only too pleased to help.

Only complaint was that fU&king seat pitch on the Airbuses (whichever model it was) doing the PH-JNB route. It was brutal!

Gotta admit, I miss flying with the Springbok.

[flare and touchdown!]

Thank you for a two sided balanced comment, Islander Jock, at least you cover BOTH pro's and con's of SAA.