SAA Flight 581 to Durban From JHB
So there we were, after two days of a long, yet good, conference, desperate to get home, and just relax before conquering our to do lists and hopefully heading on to a relaxed weekend.
At check in, our luggage was thirteen kilograms overweight. Okay, understandable, and we were happily assisted by another colleague who took our extra luggage home for us on a different flight. The luggage weigher-inner, though, was not only snotty and rude to us, but refused to offer any assistance to us at all. She just tore her little strip of paper and stared at us like we were common criminals. Nice. Customer. Service. Not.
Then we checked in, some of our luggage deemed ‘fragile’. Interesting, of course, that check in had NO sellotape with which to tape up luggage. I would, however, like to thank our check in consultant who helped us get emergency exit lane seats. My Director is very tall and she needs the leg room, seriously. So, one kudo for you, Sir.
So, off we go to wait for our boarding time. When it finally arrives, we’ve been waiting in the queue since way past the boarding time specified. We finally get on the plane.
And we sit. And sit. And sit.
Suddenly, the power goes out and the lights go off. A badly-articulated apology is given to us over the PA (including the words “the navigation system is being resetted”) and we are left to sit and listen to banal music and stare at the air stewardesses.
They could’ve done so much. Served a drink or two for parched passengers. Done the meal rounds. Danced a jig, anything. No. They stared at us.
Finally, we take off. Worst take off, ever. Bumpiest ride ever, punctuated by stewardesses who are not properly equipped with refreshments, give away special meals previously assigned to other passengers, and yes, you guessed it… We got asked if we would “want something to drink”, just as we began descent into Durban. After having my fruit juice just about thrown at me, I sat back and thought, I should have flown kulula.
By the way, SAA, cater for vegetarians on your flights. Being told that “there is no veg option, eat the fish” does not cut it for me.
Still, our drama was not over. After finally landing in Durban, and bouncing right onto the runway, my neighbouring passenger’s luggage was lost, and our previously deemed ‘fragile’ luggage was torn open, lidless and looking like it had come home on top of an overloaded taxi.
Never mind the rudeness of the stewardess, the inconvenience of late home, let’s worry about the fact that you have passengers on your plane totally unconfident about your ability to fly a plane that clearly has power issues.
No comment, SAA. No comment. Next time, I’m flying Kulula.
Tags: Boarding, Check-In, Communication, Complaints, Luggage, SAA
November 13th, 2008 at 1:41 am
‘They could’ve done so much. Served a drink or two for parched passengers. Done the meal rounds.’ No, actually they could not serve meals…not allowed until after takeoff. And you don’t say how long you sat waiting. The staff arent there to amuse you so why not just sit back and accept that there’s nothing you can do about a dleay and read a book or something.
‘Worst take off, ever. Bumpiest ride ever’. So SAA is to blame for the weather????
‘I should have flown kulula.’ yes…but then you would have paid for your food. Can’t you manage to go 2 hours without eating?
‘bouncing right onto the runway’. how awful for you. maybe you should go to flying school and see how difficult it is to land a plane. It can’t always be smooth for a lot of reasons.
‘totally unconfident about your ability to fly a plane that clearly has power issues’. SAA has some of the best pilots in the world. If the plane’s power issues were serious the pilots would not have even taxied to the runway. But then of course you would really kick up a fuss about the delay.
Shame Nationwide isn’t around anymore. Now there was a REALLY bad airline. I’ve flown a lot in my time and can tell you now that SAA, in the good vs bad stakes is above average, but certainly not the best. Though with Nationwide I’d luv to see your comments when an engine falls off
March 1st, 2010 at 10:12 pm
Just to let everyone know…I live in the US and service by SAA is far superior to any American airline. I have lost luggage more times flying on airlines in the US than with SAA. In 8.5 years of flying back and forth between here and SA about 3 times a year, my luggage has only gotten lost and arrived late once. Every time I have traveled to europe from the US on an American airline, my luggage has gotten lost and delayed. As far as tampering goes, that’s not really SAA’s issue, that is the issue of the airports itself and I believe they have gotten stricter and the tampering has lessened (by the way, if you put valuable and electronics in your checked luggage-and in an OUTSIDE pocket- you deserve to have it stolen. You don’t do that anywhere. Not Africa, not America, not Europe…nowhere!!!!). South Africans looooove to complain about everything that is faulty in SA, but you guys actually don’t realize how good you have it. Come here and take a flight from New York to Houston or LA and then talk about the quality of SAA. You will be appalled with the service here. Traveling and flying is risky and a pain….suck it up or shell out the extra cash for business class.