Dear SAA Sucks,

Please see below emails that I have sent to SAA and replies received so far. I would be obliged if you would post these on your site for the information of others who may contemplate flying with SAA. I only wish I had found your site before booking my flights with SAA.

Perhaps others who use yor site should also bombard Mr Smyth’s office with emails of their complaints and let his office share some of the pain and frustration that his company causes their customers.

Best regards

R G Morrissey

—-Original Message—–
From: R G Morrissey
Sent: 10 March 2010 11:43
To: Chris Smyth; Edwin Marsh
Subject: RE: Complaint re Service
Importance: High

Dear Sirs,

Again this appears to be more limp excuses. You requested my telephone numbers in order to contact me, so one assumes it was your intention to ring me, not have one of your menials send me an email. I specifically requested a response from the office of the CEO

In any event, if you read my email, I am not interested in speaking with anybody from Customer Care as this is clearly a contradiction of the term as far as SAA is concerned. I had expected that the matter would be passed to a senior manager appointed by the office of the CEO, but again it is clear that even at the highest level within SAA there is no concept of Customer Care.

As stated I now have no expectation of having a satisfactory resolution to the issues raised and will do whatever I can to damage your business through the media and internet. I will also encourage others who have suffered from the incompetence and mis-management of SAA to do likewise.

R G Morrissey
__________________________________________________________________________________
—–Original Message—–
From: Edwin Marsh [mailto:EdwinMarsh@flysaa.com]
Sent: 10 March 2010 10:11
To:
Subject: FW: Complaint re Service

Dear Mr Morrissey,

Thank you for your e-mail date 09 March 2010.

Initially my colleague Mpumelelo was handling your file. She was on leave when you forwarded your query that you did not get a response. I then asked you to forward me your telephone number. The following day, Mpumelelo responded to your query first thing in the morning, and I felt it was not necessary to contact you again.

Edwin Marsh | Assistant Manager | Customer Care

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From: R G Morrissey
Sent: 09 March 2010 10:55 PM
To: Chris Smyth
Cc: CherylCarolus@flysaa.com
Subject: RE: Complaint re Service

Dear Sir,

I refer to the below correspondence with your company. Since receiving a response from your PA on 25 February 2010, I received the following on the same date from Edwin Marsh :

Dear Mr Morrissey,

Thank you for your e-mail. Can you please advise me of your telephone number.

Edwin Marsh | Assistant Manager | Customer Care

Mobile: | Phone: +2711-978-2888 | Fax: +2711-978-9567 | E-Mail: EdwinMarsh@flysaa.com

I responded to this with both my home and mobile numbers on Sunday 28 February 2010 at 1043hrs, as follows:

Dear Mr Marsh,

Thankyou for contacting me. I can be contacted at +44(0)28 79631307 (Home) or +44(0)7899 877102 (Mobile). I look forward to hearing from you.

R G Morrissey

To date I have not received any contact from Mr Marsh. I did however receive email correspondence in relation to my email sent on 15 February 2010 to your Customer Care Department, the original of which was previously sent on 03 February 2010 and resent 0n 12 February 2010 and again resent on 15 February 2010. This email reads as follows:

EXEC 2010002376/MNG

02 March 2010

E-mail

Dear Mr Morrissey,

Thank you for your e-mail dated 15 February 2010. We apologise for the delayed response.

We have noted your disappointment with the service you received from our airline when you traveled on our airline on the 17th of January 2010. On behalf of South African Airways, I would like to apologise for the inconvenience you and Mrs Morrissey were subjected to when your flight was delayed on the 17th of Janaury 2010 which resulted in you missing your connecting flight. This poor impression of our airline is indeed not the kind of impression we want to leave with such a valuable customers as you.

I do not want to offer you excuses on why the airline industry is an unpredictable industry with many factors that could contribute to various delays, as I am confident that you know all this. I do however; want to mention that South African Airways has always been known within the Global Airline Industry for its high safety standards.

While we realize that flight delays are a reality that all airlines need to manage, we do however know that the human interface and communication with our customers, is what is the most important aspect. We apologise for the manner in which the delay was handled in Johannesburg. We acknowledge that we can definitely do more to improve on this and we will definitely work hard at streamlining these processes. Regrettably due to the fact that your tickets were on a different contract we were not able to reroute you for your connecting flight. All passengers that were booked under the same contract were rerouted as we were aware of their connections and we were obliged to reroute them at the expense of South African Airways. It is regretted that this was not communicated to you in Johannesburg. Improved customer service has been identified as a strategic issue that has to be addressed to ensure our transformation into a successful airline. Staff members must be customer orientated at all times and act in line with the South African hospitality. Regrettably we are unable to accede to your request for a refund for the tickets you purchased for your connecting flight.

We would like to assure you that we will never inconvenience our valued customers intentionally. While we understand that our apologies will not compensate for your loss, we would like to assure you that your concerns are viewed in a serious light. The handling of baggage is a very important element of customer service and minimizing lost and mishandled luggage is of high importance. We sincerely apologise that when you received your luggage in Cape Town it was soaked and dirty.

Thank you for taking the time to bring these matters to our attention. Please do not hesitate to contact us should you have a matter you may care to bring to our attention.

With kind regards,

Mpumelelo Ngcaku | Customer Services Agent | Customer Care

It is now clear to me that the total lack of communication and customer service is both systemic and indemic at every level within the SAA organisation, right up to the highest level. This is borne out by the fact that when I contact the office of the Chief Executive Officer of the company, I cannot get a response from anybody in his office. It is now over a week since I provided the elusive Mr Marsh with my telephone numbers but true to your company form, I have received no contact. In any event I do not wish to hear further limp excuses from an Assistant Manager in your Customer Care office. It is clear that your Customer Care office is not up to the job, if takes a month to respond to a complaint. Maybe SAA receives so many complaints that it takes that long to get along to my complaint in the queue? I contacted your office so that you might appoint a senior manager to deal with the issues I raised.

It is now clear to me that we will never get any satisfaction from your office or anybody within your company, or receive any recompence for the extra expense and distress we incurred through the experience of flying with SAA.

As far as I am concerned the above response is wholly inadequate and does not address the position that my wife and I were put in as a result of the failure of your airline to transport us to London at the agreed time in order that we would get our connecting flight home. The failure was entirely due to the technical failure of your aircraft and not some unforseen problem such as weather etc.

Throughout the time while in your hands, we were informed by at least four of South African Airways staff, one of whom was a supervisor, that our connecting flight would be sorted out by South African Airlines at their expense. This was clearly not true and I am now of the impression that the staff I spoke with are either all totally incompetent or, curiously all told the same lies just to apease us.

If the above response with it’s standard limp apologies from your Customer Care is meant to appease me further then I am afraid that it does not. I have carried out further research on South African Airways since returning home and to my dismay have found many internet sites that are extremely critical of South African Airways, it’s staff and the treatment meeted out to their customers. These include specific sites set up to highlight the incompetence, inefficiencies and total lack of customer care, (www.neverflysaa.com, http://saasucks.com/) to name but two. Others include travel review sites, and web blogs that highlight the problems with South African Airways over the years, from corruption to crime perpertrated by staff and complete management incompetence. I am sure you are very aware of these sites, but if not I would be happy to provide you with an extensive list.

I shall be adding my voice to all of these sites, posting reviews and links to all the sites I have discovered and highlighting the worst travelling experience of my life with South African Airways. I shall be recommending that anybody contemplating travelling with your airline seriously think again. I will continue to do this for the forseeable future in the hope that in some small way I will damage your business by putting people off from flying with your airline, even if it is only a small number of people. In this way I hope that it will cost you much more than the measly £134.00 sterling additional cost and endless frustration that I have suffered at the hands of SAA.

I would still like to have a response from your office regarding the issues I have raised, if someone would take the time and have the courtesy of doing so.

R G Morrissey

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

—–Original Message—–

From: Moire de Vos [mailto:MoireDeVos@flysaa.com] On Behalf Of Chris Smyth
Sent: 25 February 2010 10:19
To: R G Morrissey
Cc: Aneshree Murugasa
Subject: RE: Complaint re Service

Good day Mr. Morrissey

I acknowledge receipt of your e-mail and will ensure someone calls you ASAP.

Kind regards

Moire de Vos | PA to Acting CEO

_____________________________________________
From: R G Morrissey
Sent: 25 February 2010 12:15 PM
To: Chris Smyth; Moire de Vos; “:robynchalmers”@flysaa.com
Subject: FW: Complaint re Service
Importance: High

Dear Sir,

Re the below email, I first sent this to your customer care office on 03 February 2010. I again resent it on 12 February 2010. On 15 February 2010 I again sent it to your customer care centre. Apart from an automated reply, I have not yet received a response. On 22 February I again forwarded the email requesting a response but to no avail.

It appears that this is entirely indicative of how South African Airways treats it’s customers. I would appreceiate a reply to my email if someone would have the courtesy and take the time to do so.

I look forward to your response at your earliest convenience.

R G Morrissey

—–Original Message—–
From: R G Morrissey
Sent: 22 February 2010 10:38
To: Customercare SAA
Subject: FW: Complaint re Service
Importance: High

It is now a week since I forwarded this email to you and I have not yet had a response. I am providing you with a further opportunity to respond before I take the matter further. I look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience.

R G Morrissey

—–Original Message—–
From: R G Morrissey
Sent: 15 February 2010 06:42
To: Customercare SAA
Subject: Complaint re Service
Dear Sir/Madam,

I write to you regarding our recent trip to South Africa, flying with your airline.

Firstly I would state that my partner Rachel and I went to South Africa on 1st January to get married there on 7th January 2010. I am 50yrs of age and Rachel is 46yrs of age. We have been together for 18 yrs and decided it would be great to visit South Africa for the first time and get married there in the town of Wilderness. We have travelled extensively round the world over the years with many other airlines. Our flight out to Cape Town on 1st January from London Heathrow (Flight No SA 0221), arriving on 2nd January, was excellent and we were well pleased with the service, prompt departure and arrival times.

After some travel and sightseeing in other parts, we got married in Wilderness on 7th January, just the two of us and the owners of the guest house we were staying at as witnesses, it was exactly what we wanted and it was wonderful. We travelled then on honeymoon, to Cape Town where we stayed until 13th January when we flew with your airline from Cape Town to Johannesburg, (Flight No SA 0316). Again it departed promptly and was a pleasant flight with excellent service from the cabin crew. However on arrival at Jo’burg and reclaiming our luggage, I was totally dismayed to see the state of our, and other’s, luggage on arrival. It was soaking and filthy with dirt, clearly it had been thrown around the apron upon unloading from your plane. In my suitcase I had a small glazed picture that we had bought in Cape Town as a momento. It was well wrapped in bubble wrap, placed in between the cloths to protect it. However the baggage handlers managed to smash the glass. I am well aware that the baggage handlers are employed by the airport and not yourselves, but this is the only time in all my years of travel that I have ever had anything broken in my case, even after transporting expensive bottles of wine half way round the world. It was unfortunate that this happened while travelling with your airline, and it is that which sticks in the mind.

In any event we travelled on to the Sabi Sands game reserve within the Kruger National Park to complete our honeymoon. On 17th January we were to fly back to London Heathrow with your airline, (Flight No SA 0234), due to depart From Jo’burg at 2040hrs, arriving at Terminal 1 on 18th January at 0625hrs London time. We were then to get our connecting flight with Aer Lingus airline, from Heathrow Terminal 1 to Belfast, Northern Ireland, departing on 18th January at 0925hrs.

We left Kruger National Park well within time to drive approximately 500Km back to Jo’burg to ensure we would have plenty of time to get our flight, in the event of any problems. We arrived at the airport at approximately 1700hrs, returned our rental car and made our way to check in and pass through security etc so we could relax for a couple of hours before the flight. We went and had our dinner and a glass of wine. It then became apparent that our flight was delayed, the board stating it was flying at 2200hrs. However as time progressed it became more apparent that the flight was delayed indefinitely as the time was put back and when all passengers were told to go and get a free meal at the cafe in the airport. We had already eaten our evening meal paid for by ourselves, so needless to say we didn’t avail of the offer. Rachel did get a couple of soft drinks and a pastry though. We were to depart from Gate A22. Rachel and I were waiting down there when I spoke with one of your staff, a lady in a red coloured jacket whom I assumed was a supervisor. I enquired as to the position of the flight and was told that out plane had four blocked toilets and was unable to fly in this condition, which is understandable. She stated that the plane was still in the hanger undergoing maintenance and hoped it would be out on the apron within the hour. I pointed out that we had a connecting flight the next morning and in all likelihood we would miss it and enquired what the position was. She stated that it would be sorted out by SAA when we got to London as it was a technical fault with your plane that caused the delay. We waited at Gate A22 until we were then directed to go to Gate A3, upstairs. Everybody trekked up there and we sat about, waiting without any information from your staff as to what was happening. I couldn’t find any SAA staff to enquire what was happening.

After sitting there for an hour we were all directed to return to gate A22. I would point out that there were 265 passengers, some quite elderly, many young children and babies among them, with young mothers. Children had already been sleeping on the floor. We all trekked back to gate A22, and when we mustered there we were then informed by a male member of SAA staff that we would not be flying tonight. As you can imagine, many people, including myself, were quite irate at 265 people having to all trek down to Gate A22 to be told this, when all it took was one SAA staff member to go to gate A3 to tell us. We were told that we would all have to trek back up, go through the entire airport to arrivals to collect our luggage and we would then be transported by coaches to a hotel for the night. I again enquired about what steps would be taken to re-arrange our connecting flight home when we would eventually get to Heathrow. Again I was told, as were many others, that SAA would sort this all out for us when we got to London. This is not the first time that this has ever happened as these things happen for various reasons. But what struck me on this occasion was the total lack of communication from any SAA staff, senior or junior, as to what was happening and being totally messed about going from one gate to another and back again, twice, for no apparent reason, other than facilitating the laziness of your staff member to make an announcement. It then got worse as having to wait for luggage, wait to pass back through passport control, when got outside the arrivals to get our coach to our hotel, the Birchwood in Boksburg, you can imagine our surprise when we saw two 16/17 seater mini buses, only one with a luggage trailer, arriving to transport 265 people and all their luggage to a hotel 20minutes away. Again there was no SAA staff available to inform us how these were going to get everybody to the hotel for any sleep, before having to return to the airport at 0730 in the morning. A lady next to me went back into the terminal where she spoke to one of your staff, a male. This person refused her request point blank to come out and speak with the passengers and inform us what arrangements were being made to get us all to the hotel. We were all just left to our own devices to organise ourselves, ensuring that the elderly, children and young mothers went first to get some sleep. It was totally reprehensible that none of your staff came out to assist in this regard, and I was totally disgusted by the attitude of your staff.

Another larger bus, 22 seats with luggage trailer, eventually arrived to assist in the transportation. When we got to the hotel, again there was no SAA staff to assist anybody or answer questions. We had to queue once again to check in, queue to get a golf buggy to our room. I can categorically state without fear of contradiction, that the Birchwood Hotel is without doubt the worst accommodation I and my wife have ever stayed in. Rachel slept in her clothes on top of the bed rather than get into it. I travel extensively with male friends, and we are not, as a group of men, too fussy about places we stay. However we would never stay in such a place as the Birchwood. I noted it was supposed to be 4****. I don’t know who graded it but I would certainly question their integrity. In any event we got up the next morning at 0600hrs to queue up again to get the coaches????? back to the airport. Again there were no SAA staff to assist, give any information or answer questions. When we got to the airport and went to check in, a member of your staff directed us to a SAA check in desk. When I informed the lady we were checking in from the delayed London flight, she rudely told me I was at the wrong place and should at the desks across the way. I informed her that it was a member of SAA staff that directed us to be there and I was not moving across the other side to queue further. It was clear that she was put out by this and throughout checking in she was most unpleasant and rude.

When we passed through security and went down to Gate A22, I again asked if there was somebody who could advise us on how to go about re-arranging our connecting flight, but nobody could tell us anything. I then saw the same supervisor in the red coloured jacket, with whom I had spoken to the previous night. She was standing at another desk speaking on the telephone. After waiting for approximately 15minutes for her to finish her call, I approached her and spoke to her. She recalled speaking with me the previous night. I again asked her about what was going to be done in relation to our connecting flight and she stated that it would all be sorted out on London. I informed her that other passengers I had spoken to had already got their connecting flights arranged through SAA reservations desk. The lady then requested my name and who our connecting carrier was and made a phone call. She then informed me that because we were flying with Aer Lingus and had booked the flight separately, it could only be sorted out when we got to London, as Aer Lingus was not part of your Star Alliance. She further informed me that SAA staff would be awaiting our arrival in London to sort out our connecting flight and accommodation as by the time we would get to London there would be no domestic flights flying, and as it was a technical fault with your plane this would all be done at SAA expense. I thanked her and left her with a peace of mind. We eventually boarded flight SA 9234 and flew home to London. While flying home we were also reassured by a member of the cabin crew that we would be met in the luggage reclaim area by SAA staff who would sort us out with accommodation and connecting flight home at SAA expense because the delay was due to SAA.

Upon arrival at Heathrow, we were met by SAA staff, who again assured us we would be sorted out, and directed us to a desk to speak with staff there. When we spoke with the staff there to our surprise and total dismay, we were told that because we were booked with Aer Lingus and had booked this separately ourselves, South African Airways had no responsibility to arrange our flight or pay for it, that South African Airways only contract was to get us to Heathrow, which they had done. I pointed out that throughout we had been informed that SAA would sort it out at their expense. Again we were told we would have to do it ourselves, but that she would give us vouchers for accommodation and hotel bus for the night, even though she was not obliged to do so. I had to walk away and let my wife, Rachel, deal with her as by this time I was totally disgusted by the treatment we had received from your staff, and this young girl made me feel that I should be wholly humble and grateful to her for providing us accommodation for a night, despite the fact that it was SAA’s fault that we were in the position we found ourselves.

We then had to rush to departures to see if we could arrange a flight for the next morning with Aer Lingus. When we got there, their office was closed with shutters pulled down, but there were two members of Aer Lingus staff clearing up in the office. One of them came out to speak to me and I explained the situation caused by you airline that led us to miss our connecting flight that morning. The lady actually went into the office and booked us a flight with Aer Lingus, flying home to Belfast at 0930 the next morning, 19th January. This flight has cost us an additional £134.00 sterling. The Aer Lingus staff member was most helpful and I’m sure she could have told us they were closed and to come back the next morning, had she wanted to.

In conclusion my wife and I are most disappointed with the treatment we received from SAA staff on the return flight to the UK. It is a fact that when travelling there is the risk of delays for many reasons, and when on long haul flights the delays are usually longer. One has to accept these problems from time to time. What really is unforgivable and totally reprehensible in my view is the lack of communication from staff, being told things that were in fact not true, i.e. that SAA would sort out or connecting flight and meet any additional costs. Staff not being available to assist elderly, young passengers, and staff refusing point blank to address passengers. We did receive correspondence apologising for the delay and offering us a 25% discount on a future flight with SAA if taken within 12 months along with other stringent conditions attached. I would point out that we reside in Northern Ireland and would normally travel international via Dublin Airport. We were unable to fly to South Africa from anywhere other than Heathrow, so this is why we flew with SAA. It is not likely that we would be flying to South Africa within 12 months, although I am sure we will certainly visit South Africa again in the future.

This is the first time we have flown with SAA. The initial experience was excellent, however this was so critically impacted upon by the treatment of staff at Jo’burg, and it will always be that, that will be the unforgettable memory.

We went to South Africa to get married. We had the most wonderful time there and met some of the most wonderful people we are ever likely to meet. However it is the treatment by SAA staff that has made our trip most memorable for all the wrong reasons.

I have attached a copy of our original SAA electronic tickets, along with our original Aer Lingus booking for the flights we missed. I would appreciate it if you would consider refunding the additional expense incurred re-booking Aer Lingus flights to get us home on 19th January, i.e. £134.00 sterling. I have a hard copy of the payment slip as it was booked and paid for personally at their Heathrow desk and not electronically over the internet.

R G Morrissey

This entry was posted on Monday, March 15th, 2010 at 12:28 pm and is filed under Complaints. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.