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South African Airways / FlySAA.com
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2.0 155 Reviews

South African Airways / FlySAA.com Complaints Summary

39 Resolved
116 Unresolved
Our verdict: When using services from South African Airways / FlySAA.com with a poor resolution rate, be vigilant. Understand the common pitfalls other customers have faced. Prepare thoroughly for any interactions with their customer service, and consider alternative solutions if your issues are not addressed satisfactorily.
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South African Airways / FlySAA.com reviews & complaints 155

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Newest South African Airways / FlySAA.com reviews & complaints

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2:12 pm EDT
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South African Airways / FlySAA.com unprofessional service : cabin crew

I was on the flight back to the UK from JHB via South African Airways Flight: SA 236 ; Class :VY; Date 27 March @ 2020 ; Airline Ref is Y3HLZI on airbus A 340-200.

The fact that SAA advertises personal televisions screens in front of passenger's seatd over the PA when some were pointed to watch a shared screen is another issue that prompts passengers to ask questions, however this unprofessional attitude that the SAA crew members display infront on international passengers needs more attention!

These young hostesses have a beautiful uniform and all look well groomed and look really friendly and professional. There is nothing wrong with this picture depicting a professional and friendly, proudly South African company and gives me personal pride to be a part of this country!

When you hear the first, automated welcome greeting with the phrase " pls note it is an offence to interfere with the cabin crew" a warning light goes up - the phrase is probably shrugged off by most as it is normally an understood behaviour and probably just needed to be reiterated as passengers admittedly can be a nuisance, also.

This is not the case here, as the saying applies: " It takes two to tango"..

My experience on this flight was this:

I place on an isle seat and the aircon was blowing on me during the flight and another lady actually swopped seats with a gent because of this freeze. We both realized that the aircon is not going to be switched off and so I after bearing it to my limit, lit the hostess light.

I did not get attention from any hostess and the one selling duty free goods passed my seat and switched the light of. ok... I let this on slide, seeing that she was busy .

Next, I went up to the cabin crew "kitchen" and found our main service hostess eating her supper there ..I kindly asked for a blanket when she was done with her meal. She politely responded that it would not be a problem and that was the end of her duty on that request as I never received a blanket from her.

So, after some time, I lit the hostess light once again and waited..

A little while thereafter the "duty-free" hostess who was now doing stock count ( or something on a clip-board) walked moaning to my seat and switched the light off again and wanted to walk off without even looking at me.

Now, I waved her sight to me and asked politely if I could please get another blanket as the aircon was blowing cold on me .This hostess smilingly looked at me and told me she would look for me...well she must not have found a blanket as I did not get one from her or did not hear from her again the whole flight.

I now was disappointed and in this state just kept this to myself but observed these hostesses, further. Having this message in my mind.." It is an offence to interfere with the cabin crew..", I was not going to cause a scene and be an offender because the hostesses have obvious issues with doing their required tasks as a norm!

Our main server had already moaned, quite audibly, next to the kitchen ( without drawing the curtains) about a customer being full of herself, etc!

The whole trip from then on was very uncomfortable for me and I felt like the hostesses are there for fullfill their power needs over the passengers instead of doing their job.

Both hostesses would walk passed passengers and bump into them, whenever I looked up, without excusing themselves. ( No manners?!)

The one hostess dropped a piece of rubbish on a lady in front of me, realized this and walked off. The lady shook her head and removed the paper from her lap and put it to the side. The hostess then returns and searched for this dropped item but just walks off when she cannot find it on the lady. ( Cat got her tongue, or is the hostess too good to be polite and excuse herself ?)

Apart from trying to be assertive the main server was really rude and both had an angry personality on them - even when the main server served our meals she was making the guy next to me uncomfortable by serving me and forgetting him and then returning to offer him the same also. ( other sublte power plays this girl used on us I am not going to mention here and now..)

I also am a customer service rep and could not believe what I was seeing and experiencing! Are these young people trained to be rude and unprofessional and create a cruel atmosphere on a 10 hr flight? Have they even been trained to stay friendly and have the attitude of mutual respect between customer and client (hostess and passenger in this case)? If they have been trained, send them back to training as clearly they have not grasped the concept of customer service !

No other airline does that ! It has been nothing but a pleasure to fly KLM, Ryan Air, BMI and actually all other airlines ! Their hostess are friendly and accommodating and make you feel welcome to be on board with them!

I must admit, I was happy to relax in the next BMI flight and vouched to avoid SAA in future!

Never mind me, but there is still the World Cup coming up ...so if I were SAA management, I would look into getting the hostesses at a professional level!

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6:51 am EST
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South African Airways / FlySAA.com beware

I'll try and be brief You will think I'm kidding, but this really did all happen in one day.

OR Tambo International - Johannesburg, South Africa

Flight SA 190 - Johannesburg - Mauritius

1. My stolen baggage report (A GPS and Braai Tongs were stolen) from a month earlier had not been handled yet and I was told to come back in a week's time.

2. At the check in, I walked up to check in as there was nothing going on at one of the counters. I was told that "she is not ready". As I walked back she muttered "that's why you wait until you are told to move!". There was literally no-one in sight to tell me or anyone anything.

3. When I got to a different counter I greeted a gentleman, back-sliding on his chair who barely acknowledged my presence. While he handled my passport and credit card he spent most of the time smiling at the lady on his right and speaking to the man on his left. I understand and speak 3 African languages, so I knew that his conversation certainly wasn't work related. He was being deliberately slow.

4. There was no special assistance ready for an elderly wheel-chair bound Mauritian lady.

5. As I fell asleep on the plane the woman behind me started blaring Afrikaans dance music through a speaker so the whole cabin could hear every word and beat loudly.

6. The 1st hostess smiled and said it was fine.

7. The 2nd hostess asked that it be switched off.

8. The 1st hostess said turn it back up again, the 1st hostess will get over it.

9. The woman was part of a large "work" group going on a trip. Nashua if I'm not mistaken.

10. The group was given their first "legal" alcoholic beverage by the hostess.

11. With the promise of a tip, the hostess continued to supply liquor to the group.

12. They became increasingly intoxicated and started shouting, singing and swearing (cussing) while the music was blaring.

13. They gave a sizeable tip/bribe to the hostesses.

14. Upon arrival I saw that my zip lock had been cut off.

15. My toiletry bag was wide open inside.

16. There is no sticker on my case saying that my bag was searched.

17. SAA will be charging up to R10 000 for one way domestic trips in June/July 2010.

18. I fly more than twice a month on SAA.

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12:55 pm EST
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South African Airways / FlySAA.com failure to reimburse for stolen goods

My husband and I traveled on South African Airways during a recent safari trip to Africa. My husband's suitcase was stolen and items were pilfered from my suitcase during a flight from Cape Town through Johannesburg to Livingstone, Zambia. South African Airways has not honored our claims, telling us they are not liable. They suggest we should file a claim with our personal insurance company. I find their passing the buck to be reprehensible. My husband's suitacse was never recovered, yet South AFrican Airways never recompensed my husband for the problems he suffered. He had only the clothes on his back and needed to make do for the remainder of our trip, 5 days. I have contacted many different people at the airline company, but they all send polite rejection letters back to me. They have finally paid $400 but we lost nearly $2000 worth of goods. This ruined our trip, to say the least, plus we are disgusted that a company can get away with treating paying customers so poorly. I want to file a complaint and get some recompense for the items lost and for the trouble they have put me through. How do I go about doing that?

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Hester Vivier
Langley, CA
Mar 31, 2011 11:58 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I flew from Cape Town to Harare in November 2010 and SAA lost my luggage. I just received a check for a measly $380 that will not closely cover the cost of all that I lost. I had claimed for $1 000 of lost luggage because my suitcase was full of good quality clothing. I am very disappointed.

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Danie Strydom
Colwyn Bay, GB
Mar 28, 2010 5:28 pm EDT

I felt so strongly after my daughters presents were stolen from my moms luggae that i dedciated a site to the south african airways. I know very little about web design and keywords etc, but i regurlaly get 1000 people a month to have a look at my site, and hopefully someone will listen and book with another ailine and fly to the airports recommended by people on blogs and forums like this one. Please have a look at my website http://www.dontflysaa.com and please sign the guestbook if you have something to say. I don't edit comments. lol

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SAA_Baggage_Theft
, US
Jan 30, 2010 3:44 pm EST

My wife's suitcase was stolen (or, as SAA would prefer to call it, "lost") on a recent trip to Cape Town. SAA told us the same thing - not only would they not accept responsibility for it, they could care less about their customers. This is a reprehensible airline. I can only imagine how much baggage they're going to steal from foreign tourists during the FIFA 2010 World Cup.

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6:58 am EDT
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South African Airways / FlySAA.com saa sucks

I booked flight tickets online for my parents. Since it was a sponsored ticket, I emailed the authentication documents together with my ID & credit card as requested when booking. When my parents arrived at the airport, they were told that the details had not been received. I tried to fax the documents to them at that late hour but due to their poor poor customer service & non-operational fax lines, it was received too late for my parents to get onto the flight. I then had to drive to the airport & paid R1060 to rebook the flight while it was entirely their fault.

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3:40 am EDT
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South African Airways / FlySAA.com rebooking and penalties

I've been charged R1626.00 rebooking and penalties for me and my two boys on 14/8/2009 for being 10 min late for our 6:40am flight?Re-scheduled flight was suppoese to leave 8:00am we only boarded 7:50. I've got all this in writing from staff @ boarding gate etc.
I feel i experienced the worst customer service and this from a senior person.
Not everybody has got funds to re-pay and I want a refund even if I need to take this to the daily dispatch paper with staff names etc.
Is there some senior person who can assist this is like my 4th mail and obviously E/London Airport does not bother to reply

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South African Airways / FlySAA.com flight ticket booked

Hi, I cant tell you how dissapoined I am about your service. Twice I booked a ticket. And both times my boss got to the airport that ticket was not booked, paid by credit card over the internet. Why why why. I had so many trouble at work. Although I did it the way I always did, after the first flight this happened. I phoned confirmed and again on the flight to east london, once again the ticket was not available. Although the ticket was paid for. How im I surpose to sort this out. How will I ever know if these flights will be available for my boss to fly. Its giving me a bad image. (I would appreciate a letter stating what the problem was and an excuse) [protected]@projectworks.Co. Za (Daniella [protected]) flight # [protected] - conj

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Harkerm
, ZA
Mar 11, 2010 4:33 am EST

I have experienced similiar issues.. When I have to amend any flight details (to a sponsored booking), I have to fill out a credit card authorisation form after which I can either fax or email it through to SAA, together with a copy of the credit card and id.

Once I have done that, I wait for atleast two hours for my new e-ticket (apparently it takes an hour as per SAA..yeah right). After a day (and many calls to SA ) my new e-ticket still hasn't been issued. When I called the next day I would be asked by the agent to verify my cvv number(details which I have already sent to them) so they can start payment! What the *&^%?... afterwhich I will have to wait another few hours for the new e-ticket.

This is totally unacceptable and unprofessional. SAA you have to implement a logical solution to improve this issue.

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8:47 am EDT
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South African Airways / FlySAA.com theft from baggage

My wife and I were travelling from Sydney to Capetown and our wedding rings and her engagement ring were stolen from our baggage while in the safekeeping of SAA in Jo'burg Airport. As if this wasn't bad enough, the response to this very serious issue has been amazingly low key. Our £3, 000 loss has been compensated to the tune of just $20, the absolute minimum payment. But more upsetting than the financilal loss has been the lack of effort by SAA to investigate the matter. They say they are leaving it to the police to investigate but the truth is the police cannot cope with the huge amount of pilfering (polite word for thievery) that is going on every day by SAA employees (is this a staff benefit in leui of bonus?).

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Maddy Rice
, UG
Mar 30, 2011 11:55 am EDT
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I traveled yesterday from Cape Town to Entebbe, Uganda. I had a transfer in Jo'berg. When I unpacked last night my lock was broken off and my Sony SLR Digital camera with a Sigma 75-300mm zoom lens was stolen out of my bag, along with battery charger and 8 gig SD card. Stupid me I did not want want to carry it because. The irony is that the ticket attendant was going to charge me 275 rand for 1.5 kilo of extra weight and I convinced him not to make me take the camera out of the bag and pack it in my carry-on because I have a bad bag. Do you smell something fishy? I checked in at the Cape Town airport between 8:15 and 8:30 AM for the 9:50 flight. The ticket attendant was male and it was at the Priority check in counter because I am a gold card member. Please I WANT MY CAMERA BACK!

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Danie Strydom
Colwyn Bay, GB
Mar 28, 2010 5:26 pm EDT

I felt so strongly after my daughters presents were stolen from my moms luggae that i dedciated a site to the south african airways. I know very little about web design and keywords etc, but i regurlaly get 1000 people a month to have a look at my site, and hopefully someone will listen and book with another ailine and fly to the airports recommended by people on blogs and forums like this one. Please have a look at my website http://www.dontflysaa.com and please sign the guestbook if you have something to say. I don't edit comments. lol

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South African Airways / FlySAA.com pathetic service

I have never recieved such bad service. I booked a flight for my 7year old daughter to go visit her gran, was told that I must pay for the booking by the 25th of july, now my booking has been cancelled and I can't get through to customer care! Pathetic, I have spend more time on the phone booking a flight that it would've taken me to drive her down there myself (from cape town to jhb !)
They are the only airlines in sa that offer services (If you can call it that) for unaccomanied minors.

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South African Airways / FlySAA.com employee attitude

On 21st March, at midday, the team of 12 Managers from Eastern Province Caterers checked into Cape Town International airport. We were boarding flight SA 1389 back to Port Elizabeth. Approx 12.30

Since we were traveling as a group, we checked in together, and I, as the Regional Manager for Eastern Cape, took possession of the Identity books, and queued for check-in.

When I reached the front of the queue, your employee Elias ( check in clerk – domestic departures) stated that I had to join the queue, which I advised him I had already done, and now reached the front of the queue.

He would not serve me or my colleague Mrs de Lange, and called for the person behind me to come forward.
Despite me stating I had already joined the queue and reached him, he would not serve me, and instructed me to rejoin the queue.

I asked for his name, which he refused, and camouflaged his name tag in his pocket.

I proceeded to rejoin the queue, re-waited my turn and then was served by the assistant to his side.

I asked the assistant what his name was, and all they were able to provide was “Elias”.
I asked the surname, they didn’t know.?
I asked for the supervisor, who seemed to be protecting him. The lady called Maureen also didn’t know Elias surname.

I again asked Elias for his surname, and attempted to take his badge out of “hiding” in his pocket, so I could review his name.
He grabbed hold of it, preventing me .

In frustration I then took out my cell phone camera and took a photo of the individual. I told him I would report him to his seniors.
I then proceed to go through security x- ray machine, to board my plane that was being called.

Ellias then jumped over the counter and alerted security. The security officers stopped processing my bags and confiscated my boarding pass, preventing me from boarding my flight. They were calling my name to urgently board. I was ushered to go back to check- in and explain why I took a photo. Another man who was security, did not get his name either, insisted that I erase the picture. I said I would not until I get the mans ID from his card. I was told that its confidential to look at his name card, and that I was illegally taking a picture. I requested more than a dozen times to have his name and show his card, he refused. His superior also asked for him to comply, and he refused out right at least 4 times. I was adamant that I was not going to loose my flight so I took back my boarding pass from his superior and went through security checks and ran to board the plane. The plane was upheld because of me and your security antics. The culprit was your Mr Ellias. It will be on camera, if you care to look at it.

This incident caused major embarrassment and humiliation in front of all my Managers.

The employee had no right to demand that I rejoin a queue I had already joined to checkin.

He had no means to determine that I had not queued, and did not follow strict common code of discipline, that the “customer is always right”

Once I advised that I had queued, he could have merely served me (after all, I had to get served by someone, in order to board the flight, whether it was him or someone else, it would have to be an SAA employee).

He purposefully denied me my right to take his name.

He purposefully hid his name tag.

He purposefully didn’t advise his surname to his supervisor when asked.

Only when I took the photograph of him, did he jump into action and spring forward and try and grab my cell phone.

I did offer to delete the photo, in exchange for his name, which he refused.

I believe such treatment of passengers is unacceptable.

He requires disciplinary action, and to be fired.

I require to be updated on the progress of these developments, when the date of disciplinary has been set.

Our company makes regular use of SAA as it’s preferred air partner, but I believe such poor quality personnel do not deserve to be employed by SAA, and tarnish their good name.

I await your further feedback.

Yours faithfully

Robert Buck
[protected]

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ChangChang
, TW
Feb 09, 2011 1:17 pm EST

Indeed, the Employee attitude was really bad. I had very bad experience with them at Windhoek, Namibia today.

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South African Airways / FlySAA.com theft from luggage

as usual SAA does it again, and it seems nothing will happen to the thieves either.On a trip from PE to Zambia i had to book my luggage in and then requested to collect and re book my luggage at JHB Airport myself, as i wanted to make sure it all arrives safely.well on my arival in JHB all my bags were there, so i re booked them for my trip to Lusaka.on arival at Lusaka i was told that 1 of my bags stayed behind in JHB and will be on the next flight arriving.Next morning went back to airport and my bag was there but it was opened and i discovered some of my personal items missing.Now i wonder how this could happen when all my bags are taken at the same time but then 1 mysteriously cannot be put on the same flight.Is there such a huge syndicate operational at SAA that they keep bags behind to pilfer, or maybe the management of SAA allows there staff to keep a certain amount of bags to steal from?is this the way SAA give out ther xmas bonusses to staff?anyway my complaint is in and will have to wait for 21 days to get an answer on if they are going to compensate me for the loss i had.does anyone know of an institution where i can lay a complaint on this issue, or is it just my loss ans SAA and there staff get away with this once again?

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Update by charlene gouws
Nov 23, 2008 4:35 am EST

as usual SAA does it again, and it seems nothing will happen to the thieves either.On a trip from PE to Zambia i had to book my luggage in and then requested to collect and re book my luggage at JHB Airport myself, as i wanted to make sure it all arrives safely.well on my arival in JHB all my bags were there, so i re booked them for my trip to Lusaka.on arival at Lusaka i was told that 1 of my bags stayed behind in JHB and will be on the next flight arriving.Next morning went back to airport and my bag was there but it was opened and i discovered some of my personal items missing.Now i wonder how this could happen when all my bags are taken at the same time but then 1 mysteriously cannot be put on the same flight.Is there such a huge syndicate operational at SAA that they keep bags behind to pilfer, or maybe the management of SAA allows there staff to keep a certain amount of bags to steal from?is this the way SAA give out ther xmas bonusses to staff?anyway my complaint is in and will have to wait for 21 days to get an answer on if they are going to compensate me for the loss i had.does anyone know of an institution where i can lay a complaint on this issue, or is it just my loss ans SAA and there staff get away with this once again?

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Dan Kowalski116
, US
Sep 09, 2010 10:16 am EDT

This has happened to me as well. If you're on Facebook then join my group 'Victims of South Afican Airways Baggage Handlers'. Help publicize how [censor] this company is.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Victims-of-South-Africa-Airways-Baggage-Handlers/113532375367652

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Danie Strydom
Colwyn Bay, GB
Mar 28, 2010 5:26 pm EDT

I felt so strongly after my daughters presents were stolen from my moms luggae that i dedciated a site to the south african airways. I know very little about web design and keywords etc, but i regurlaly get 1000 people a month to have a look at my site, and hopefully someone will listen and book with another ailine and fly to the airports recommended by people on blogs and forums like this one. Please have a look at my website http://www.dontflysaa.com and please sign the guestbook if you have something to say. I don't edit comments. lol

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Dan
,
Nov 24, 2008 6:38 am EST

I have also been a victim of this SAA approach - there are some websites where you can list your complaints specifically against the SAA

Sign the guestbook at www.dontflysaa.com

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7:40 pm EDT

South African Airways / FlySAA.com medical reason-rejected

I am complaining about the total disregard demonstrated by SAA, I booked a return flight from Seoul, South Korea to Durban, South Africa via SAA(I am a SA citizen and was trying to support your proudly SA company).

To my dismay a week before my flight I was hospitalised with a threatened abortion and placed on strict bed-rest for 1, 5 weeks and warned by my ob/gyn that flying is out of the question.
He put together a letter for SAA, so I was given a refund.However you have penalised me KRW200 000 ie. approx R1560.

I understand you run a business and a total refund is unlikely but what about a credit that I can use at a later stage.

I am appalled by your disregard for unexpected illnesses that arises and your lack of customer service.

The Executive office of customer care responded with:
I am sorry to hear of your health and wish you a speedy recovery. South African Airways has a terms and conditions for all their fares, you were booked on a discounted fare. The discretion is on the Manager to give you a full refund, I have also noted that your booking was made a travel agent. Whilst we sympathise with you, we cannot assist you any further.

So not only did I not make the mgt discretion list but I am especially penalised because I booked in advance and got a discount and I went through a travel agent vs. going direct!

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Danie Strydom
Colwyn Bay, GB
Mar 28, 2010 5:26 pm EDT

I felt so strongly after my daughters presents were stolen from my moms luggae that i dedciated a site to the south african airways. I know very little about web design and keywords etc, but i regurlaly get 1000 people a month to have a look at my site, and hopefully someone will listen and book with another ailine and fly to the airports recommended by people on blogs and forums like this one. Please have a look at my website http://www.dontflysaa.com and please sign the guestbook if you have something to say. I don't edit comments. lol

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South African Airways / FlySAA.com bad service

We were booked on the SAA 424 flight from Port Elizabeth to Johannesburg then on KLM 592 to Amsterdam and Aer Lingus 605 to Dublin.

The thing that wrecked the end of our holiday was the disappearance of our bags. We made the mistake of putting our bags straight through to Dublin rather than take them off in Johannesburg to put them on the KLM flight to Amsterdam ourselves.

One of the bags turned up a week and a half later with things stolen out of it and clothes it it that were not ours and the other one is still lost 2 and a half weeks later as I am writing this. At no point in time was the last carrier, which is made responsible, able to tell us where our bags were. In fact what irony that the system they swear by is the one that had the lady from baggage saying both our bags were still listed as missing and location unknown when the Aer Lingus van turned up outside our house with the first bag.

Three days ago was 2 weeks since we landed and three days after the first bag turned up. I had written to my father, who lives in Pretoria, asking him if he would go to JHB to look for the bag that was still missing and untraceable. It took him 10 minutes to find the bag there amongst of a flood of other bags condemned to the same fate as mine was. It had been opened, things had been stolen, the name tag had been ripped off as well as the label bearing the flights it was supposed to be on, gone. He then proceeded to get the bag put on the next KLM flight to Amsterdam. It has now been 3 days since then and Aer Lingus is still incapable of telling me where my bag is with their system that �¢ï¿½ï¿½works�¢ï¿½ï¿½.

Special thanks would go first and foremost to the South African baggage handlers who helped themselves to Christmas presents in people's bags and then leave the bags to rot. Secondly I would also love to thank the South African airways managers for not having these criminals put in jail never mind fired. And then also special thanks goes out to the airport authorities all over the world, KLM and Aer Lingus in this case, that are incapable of enforcing some kind of retrieval operation when they clearly know where the bags went missing and why.

What I would recommend for anyone flying to South Africa:

1)If you can avoid JHB and fly to CT, do it.

2)If you have to fly through JHB, make sure to take your bag off the flight you are on and see to it personally that it goes on the next flight.

3)If you can survive with a large hand luggage do it even if it means posting stuff yourself you buy on holiday.

4)Attach a name tag containing your phone number with international prefix to your bag that is very difficult to remove.

5)When the person at check-in puts the label on your bag make sure it goes on in such a way that would not be ripped open if someone were to search through your bag for valuables.

6)Don't trust anyone when they say that are doing everything possible to get your bag back because they are doing nothing other than waiting for it to turn up.

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robin
,
Aug 25, 2008 1:35 am EDT

Andre de Goede flew back from JHB Friday night on the SAA flight that landed in PE 21h30. There was NO air-conditioner and NO hot water facilities/was not 'functioning'. A cold meal was served so there was no need for heating. Its a VERY worrying factor, because one tends to wonder what the state of the rest of the aircraft is in?!

Small things matter!

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Johan Botha
, ZA
Mar 06, 2012 9:08 am EST

This morning we made a flight booking on the www.flysaa.com website. It clearly indicates that taxes are included in the price. When we wanted to make payment the amount changed and taxes were added. We contact SAA and were informed that it is a " small" mistake on their website still to be corrected. Taxes are still to be added. I think it is very bad service for such a big company not to have their facts in order on an international website and see it as nothing else but FALSE ADVERTISING

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Axel123
, ZA
Jul 22, 2011 11:27 am EDT

COMPLAINT

My nephew, Chung Man Hang, was booked on your flight SA287 of 15 July 2011 out of Hong Kong to JNB with an onwards connection to CPT at 10:05h. Chung Man Hang is a 10 year old minor and was supposed to enjoy your UM service for which the full adult rate was charged.

He arrived at O.R. Tambo this morning at around 08:00h. At 08:30h I received a phone call from JNB immigration telling me that Chung was held there pending payment of R 1, 000.00 for an alleged overstay of 2 weeks in 2010. If I wanted the child ‘released’, I had to pay the money in cash. When I explained that I was in Cape Town and had no means to hand over cash money to the official at the Johannesburg airport, I was told that I may deposit the money (in cash) to the immigration official’s personal bank account and fax her the receipt. Not knowing what was going on and with no way to verify that I really had spoken to an official, I tried to contact SAA here in Cape Town and in Johannesburg. I telephoned your customer service on [protected] who gave me the number of ACSA [protected]). None of your services could or wanted to help. When I asked for ‘UM Services’ I was told that there is no such thing and information on passengers, UM or otherwise, was confidential and could not be disclosed. It was actually suggested that I phone again on Monday (like I was trying to trace a piece of luggage). Through a friend in Joh’burg I was finally able to verify that the person who called from immigration was in fact and official and not just another scammer.

I proceeded as demanded and deposited R 1, 000.00 cash into the account of an A. Mphame and faxed the receipt, as instructed, to [protected]. The child was now set free and according to the person at immigration (Ms. Molebatsi) released into the care of SAA. Of course, as it was now past 10:00 in the morning, my nephew’s onwards flight to Cape Town had been missed. So I once again phoned SAA ([protected]), mentioned the above booking reference and asked on which flight the child was re-booked and when he might be in Cape Town. Once again I was told that such information could not be disclosed. Only after speaking to a supervisor and explaining in great detail what had happened, was I told that he was now booked on the noon flight and due to arrive at 14:10h today.

At no time during all this back and forth was I contacted by SAA’s UM people who were supposed to look after him and, obviously, expected to keep me informed of any problems during his voyage.

Please do have the courtesy to let me know:

1. Why was it not possible for any one of your staff to phone me in Cape Town when you are responsible for the child’s wellbeing while in transit.

2. Why was it not possible for you to volunteer the information of the new flight for him when this was known to you.

3. Why did you issue a boarding pass to him in Hong Kong knowing full well that he will only be issued with a 30 days visa at arrival in SA while his ticket stipulated a stay of 45 days.

4. Will you refund me the fine of R 1, 000.00 paid to immigration today for the overstay last year (SA286 of 25 August 2010) when you let him depart Hong Kong for 45 days knowing that his visa will expire 30 days after arrival?

5. Will you refund the R 1, 000.00 fine that will accrue this time when he overstays his 30 days visa?

As mentioned in 2010 when we had our first UM run-in with one another, your services are inadequate to non-existing. It appears to be dangerous to entrust people in need to your care as such care does not seem to exist. Your so-called help lines are useless and staffed by people who have no understanding of what is expected of them.

I look forward to hearing from you ASAP. Please note that I shall make this experience public as a warning to all potential future flyers who need UM services.

Regards
Axel Zoelzer

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don955
, ZA
Mar 23, 2011 6:39 am EDT

I travelled to Singapore on Singapore Air. They are a Star Alliance partner so you earn Voyager miles. One would assume that when you book the flight and provide your voyager membership number, one would be credited with the miles. I now need to book a flight using these miles and they have after 2 months not been credited yet.
So I call the toll free number and am told to POST by registered mail ( I mean really) the physical boarding stubs to Voyager, so that they can confirm that I was actually on the flight. I asked if I could scan and email the stubs, but it seems that was too much of an inconvenience.
One week later (today) I have made 5 calls, of which 3 were immediately disconnected and the other 2 placed on hold and then disconnected.
I even emailed proof (boarding passes and Post Office receipt) to a supervisor Shaun Pretorius...this email bounced as they are having server problems!
WTF is going on there? Does anyone work there?
Member number: 2596950
Update: 1 month later and still nothing

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Miss WDM
, ZA
Jun 15, 2011 12:47 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

On 5th June 2011 fyling home from UK using SAA the seat i was at had a window (inside) that was loose.. now obviously the inside cover is there for a reason and when i put my head against it the cover gave in and it was attached partially attached at 1 end only. when i called the attendant she politly told me that she is sorry about that and that it is ok for me to still sit there nothing will happen to me. but im sure the cover is there for a reason and i feel that it is really unsafe. the when i wanted to sit back and try to relax and watcha movie to fall asleep, the earphones input was broken so i couldnt even sit back and relax... i was told to move somewhere in the middle wherever i wanted to but who wants to sit in the centre isle i chose to sit at the window which was my preference. then there wasnt any 2 seaters with a window seat open for my partner and i to sit at, but this didnt seem to bother the attendants 1 bit.

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DONOTFLYSAA
, ZA
Mar 24, 2011 5:03 pm EDT

I booked two return tickets from Washington to Johannesburg in January. When we arrived in SA my mother in law was very ill and we had to postpone our return ticket to April, which I did. I was told it would cost $350... a $250 re-booking fee and $100 class upgrade...and told to only pay before we fly in case we have to change it again. Today when I went to pay, they wanted to charge me $5000! They told me I had missed the cut off date to return! What cut off date? I was never informed of such a date! Due to very poor customer service and no one in the SAA offices having a clue what is going on, I have now lost my return tickets to the US and cannot afford new ones and as such both of us have lost our jobs! I am a very very very upset customer and will never recommend SAA to anyone I know!

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JulianJ
, ZA
May 23, 2012 12:21 am EDT

On the 25/04/2012 i took the 18h40 flight from Durban to Johannesburg SA0578, on collection of my bag i found that my bag was soaking wet, my suits, clothes and documents where drenched. It must be noted that my suits which are cashmere are dry clean only have now shrunk and all articles of clothing have been stained brown.

In addition during boarding while waiting for takeoff, the airhostess dropped a sizeable laptop bag on my head from the overhead compartment.

I lodged a complaint on 26/04/2012 and have had no response (I emailed 'Baggageservices@flysaa.com'; 'voyager@flysaa.com'; 'SAAcustomerservice@flysaa.com'; 'Voyagerservicerecovery@flysaa.com') and Natasha Asvat (NatashaAsvat@flysaa.com) Key Account Manager. To date there has been no response.

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Anneke Claassen
, ZA
Mar 22, 2011 7:13 pm EDT
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My son and I flew from Joburg to Cape Town on Sunday morning. SA327. My son were ill, and I realy did not know what to do, while in the air he had so much pain. NO ONE on that flight offered any help. The passengers around us were more worried about my son than the flight attendants. When we landed no one bothered asking if he was ok, nothing. I was very disapointing. And when I got home, one more suprice, my suitcase have been broken into and all personal belongings like camera were stolen. And I bought a lock which they cut off. Why were my camera in my suitcase, because my son was sick I had to put water bottles and medicine in my bag. No one have the right to open my suitcase and take my belongings! No matter what was in that suitcase! SAA you disapointed me...

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nishagh
, ZA
Aug 27, 2012 2:16 pm EDT
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This morning 27August 2012 my grandma had car troubles and was late for her check in, flight SA 534 from DBN to JHB 07.10, there after going to Mumbai .The check in attendant who was a black lady at the counter 9 was absolutely rude, while standing first in the que telling us to wait, while she checked in and printed boarding passes for a whole lot of black passengers, that was after my grand in the que, i did tell her that my grandmum was already late, she tells me to have patience yet she still checked in all other black passengers, i seriously think not only the black people make up the flights, but all races.i believe in the first come first serve basis and not only picking one group of people, just because they black.This is seriously unacceptable, i guess all other race groups flight fares make up her salary.Terribly disgusted. Nisha

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A.Bates
, US
Jan 04, 2013 12:30 pm EST
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I Mr A.Bates was flying from Cape Town with SA302 to OR Tambo (JHB) from there to Ghana Accra SA52 on the 03 January 2013 on arrival in Accra.

My bags was locked but the zip were broken off and the following items were missing. A Western Province rugby shirt, Boss perfume and a black trousers. The bag I also cannot travel any more with due to the damage on the bags zip.

I went to the lost and found in Accra but they just complete a form and inform me to go to SAA Offices in RSA.

I hope that you will contact me.

Cell no +[protected]
Ghana cell no [protected]

Thanks!

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10:03 am EDT

South African Airways / FlySAA.com Late Departures of flights out of neighbouring countries

Lately the last SAA Express flight of the day out of Gaborone and Namibia seems to be 1-3 hours late in a business as usual fashion. This is not a pleasant experience for a business traveller after a hard day's work, neither for a traveller having to catch a connecting flight in Jhb.
The issue is not as such as being late, but certainly the airways can by default notify all travellers on the particular flight by arround 14ho0 on the day via sms that they expect the flight will be running and hour or more late, so that the traveller can perhaps make better use of his/her time than just sitting at the airport, or waisting time rushing to the airport just to go and sit and wait for an hour or 3 extra unnecessary.
Example, from Lesotho, my flight was cancelled as we were going through customs already and SAA Express did not offer any accommodation, nor any transport to a hotel to passengers for the night - this is not a way to treat your Voyager customers in a foreign country.

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Mezzetti
, ZA
Jul 08, 2012 12:04 pm EDT

I checked in for SAA 1823 to Port Elizabeth on 8th July 2012. Boarding ticket issued, seat 6B. In the Bidvest lounge, the flight board remained resolutley blank, no boarding call, no delays, nana. All other flights were being updated regularly. My collegue on same flight, called @ 18:25 to tell me that no movement, at 18:35 I left the lounge, still no update, got to the desk to be told the flight has gone, and now the flight board says departing 18:43. Collegue confirms no boarding calls made.SAA Express flight controller then tells me that it is my fault for, 1). Being deaf, 2) not going to the SAA lounge, which I would not be allowed as I am only a Blue. 3) they are not responsible for ACSA communication.

Cpt to PE - only 1 option and they don't care... Quelle suprize ...
IF YOU ARE DEAF, SAA EXPRESS WILL NOT LOOK AFTER YOU AS YOU CANNOT READ THE FLIGHT BOARDS TO GAUGE IF THE FLIGHT ID OK OR NOT.

STUFF SAA EXPRESS AND ALL WHO ARE IN CHARGE

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Harry smith
New York, US
May 14, 2009 2:48 pm EDT

saa express is the worst airline i have ever encountered. the flights are all habitually late. you cannot count on anything. Schedule? whats that? to carry this further, south africa airways divorces itself from the situation which it should not & expect passengers to book flights thru it on SA express, or to book on SAA itself. and again further, the governments involved should be more proactive. i will not go to these countries anymore if the carriere are so cavakier about performance.

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4:03 am EDT

South African Airways / FlySAA.com poor service

On 25 Setember 2007 I purchased a ticket from the SAA hub at JHB Airport for an amount of GBP586. The ticket was a fully refundable one way ticket from London to JHB, leaving on 13 January 2008.

I subsequently cancelled the ticket via the London SAA Office and was given a reference number for the refund. I was told that I could only claim the refund from the SAA hub at JHB Airport - notwithstanding that I am currently resident in the UK. I was visiting family in South Africa recently and on 1 April I went to the SAA hub to claim my refund. I was told (a) the reference number given to me was incorrect and (b) I could not claim a refund from the SAA hub. I was given a contact number and told that if I called that number my refund would be arranged. When I returned to London I called the number I was given which turned out to be the incorrect number - it was actually for SAA's General Counsel. I was given another number to call.

When I called the number I was given I was told that the London Office of SAA was who should arrange my refund and I was given yet another number to call. This number turned out to be a fax number! The London Office of SAA insist that I have to claim my refund from SAA South Africa.

I have called the number they gave me (customer care) 5 times and still have not spoken to anyone who can help me. It is now 7 months since I purchased my ticket and 3 months since I first tried to claim my refund with no luck. Notwithstanding that I am South African and a Silver Voyager Membner, I will never fly SAA again and will never recommend it to anyone. This experience has left me anything but "proudly South African"!

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1967
, ZA
Aug 06, 2012 12:07 pm EDT
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10 passengers "off loaded" from flight departing JHB to DBN on 3 August at 15h10. No reason given. We had to wait until the next departing flight at 17h40!

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AntiSAAproBA
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Oct 09, 2008 3:04 pm EDT

Excuse me...but what more can you expect when dealing with a South African Company run by South Africans? As a nation of whining ignorant fools you should really quite happy with the service you received. Don't worry though, the airline's run by your country men so it's bound for disaster.

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6:17 am EDT

South African Airways / FlySAA.com incompetence!

I'm not sure whether writing this letter will have any effect in improving the service of SAA or maybe just relieve myself of bundled agitation of dealing with continuous incompetence of bumbling idiots as found in SAA mainly ground staff I may add.

Knowing how busy domestic departures gets at OR Tambo I purposely was there 2.5 hours ahead of flight departure Sunday 9th March, to be found in a manageable queue of about 25 people. This was soon dispelled as going to be smooth, as there was of course 1 individual manning a check-in counter for this queue and he was taking on average anything from 10-15 mins booking in a person, amongst chatting to his friends with no sense of urgency. This combined with individuals who just pushed in from the side of the queue allowed people who have been waiting for 1.5 hrs only to get more and more angry. To top it all the pretty dolled up SAA ladies strutted around as if they were God's gift to someone (definitely not SAA customers) and eventually one of them decided to open up another check-in only to serve 1 customer and then take a friendly telephone call and disappear now leaving a queue in excess of probably 150 people seething in anger. Of course SAA will never have any form of communication in the form of an announcement or a manager manning his staff, talking to customers (probably too terrified they will get killed for being incompetent) just to let us know what was going on. I thought the cherry on the cake must have been when one of the computer terminals started bellowing out smoke only to be told by a client that it was burning whom they thought was shouting at them for service and ignored him till he really raised his voice in concern for the developing fire which was then approached in a circus like panic. Trying to tell them to just switch off the computer which would kill power to the item fell on deaf ears. So a lot of bellowing clouds of dry powder from extinguishers later it was doused.

Only after I had to threaten death to one of the "managers" of SAA (who only came into view with the fire) to open up another terminal was such that he said quote "I didn't realize there was only one person" assisting the ever growing queue which by this time was almost in the car park I'm sure... Well to cut a long story short (this could go on for ever & ever), I had my ticket and off to the gate only to wait there till almost boarding time to then be told to board through another gate and then have your flight delayed by almost an hour, REALLY was the cherry on top and of course zero communication from SAA in this regard is always relevant.

We won't even talk about the food on SAA planes, fish or beef... I think those of you whom have flown will know what I'm talking about, as the food goes quite well together with SAA service as one putrid experience! Experiences of SAA of this nature are now more common place than not and seem to happen almost every time I fly and I do fly once a month every month. I just hope this rot does not cascade into the maintenance section of SAA as we will be in for some scary flights.

Mr W. van der Merwe
Seriously happy SAA Customer... NOT!

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carol-ann skinner
, US
Nov 19, 2018 12:04 pm EST

My daughter bought a return flight to Cape Town (R1700.00) she could not make it due to her exams. She did ask for a refund and was only given R205.66 back?

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sineadlydia
, IE
Oct 31, 2018 6:17 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

JFKSA23698

Above is my claim number and I have been trying to get to speak to a supervisor

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jayster
,
Aug 07, 2008 12:14 pm EDT

What did you expect from an airline infested with the worst symptoms of affirmative action. Chances are the one gentleman's money was deliberately stolen from his bank account and good luck getting it back. The justice system in SA is also suffering from affirmative action. Incompetence, criminality, rudeness, have become the hallmarks of a once great airline. Bring back apartheid!

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w
,
Jun 01, 2008 7:28 pm EDT

BE CAREFUL!
IN 2007, I TRIED BOOKING THE SOUTH AFRICAN FLIGHTS ONLINE AND WAS SUCCESSFUL.
I GAVE MY CREDIT CARD NUMBER AND GOT THE CONFIRMATION DETAILS.

--YET, WHEN I SHOWED UP IN THE SOUTH AFRICAN AIRPORT, I WAS REFUSED. THEY SAID MY CREDIT CARD WAS FAULTY. IN THE END, I HAD TO BUY ANOTHER REPLACEMENT TICKETS.

--AFTER ONLY I RECEIVED MY MONTHLY BANK STATEMENT, THEN I REALIZED THAT THE AIRLINE HAD CHARGED ME FOR THE FLIGHTS THAT I DID NOT EVEN FLY.IF MY CREDIT CARDS ARE FAULTY, HOW CAN THE AIRLINES CHARGED THE FEES ONTO MY CREDIT CARD?
--I HAD TRIED TO CONTACT THEIR REPRESENTATIVE OFFICES. 4 MONTHS HAD GONE, YET NOTHING IS DONE. I TRIED TO SUE THEM THROUGH LOCAL AUTHORITIES, BUT WAS INFORMED THAT THEIR OFFICES IS CLOSED AND ANY CHARGES WILL BE FUTILE.

I SINCERELY WARNED ALL TRAVELERS TO AVOID THIS SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS.
BIG THANK YOU TO SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS FOR MAKING THE TRIP TO YOUR OTHERWISE BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY UNFORGETTABLE...

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