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HOME ⇒ Airline reviews & Traveller opinions ⇒ South African Airways


South African Airways Reviews

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All reviews about South African Airways

08 June 2015 12:06:00 FURIOUS

DO NOT FLY SAA. I flew from Bloemfontein to Harare over a month ago and booked my luggage direct. Needless to say it never arrived. Over a month later and still no luggage. I have not received ONE phone call from SAA. I have had to call the airport department, Joburg, Bloemfontein and make several trips back to the airport to check myself. I have left numerous messages and been into their head office. No one cares. Even the manager promised to call me back (speaking face to face in her office) and five days later I am still waiting. SAA are now avoiding my calls and I either get cut off or told the manager is busy, in a meeting or on another call. Their service is disgusting.

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24 August 2014 12:08:00 Adam Kidton

I am an ultra-frequent flier – Diamond Skyteam (Delta); Executive Platinum Oneworld (AA), 1K Star Alliance (UA) and I have travelled SAA on the New York JFK to Johannesburg route (flights 204/203) 10 times this year (5-round trips). Of these flights (9 in coach and 1 in business) only 1 has been remotely satisfactory. On 7 the entertainment system has not worked properly (on 4 not at all). On 7 flights the temperature has been either boiling of freezing and the cause of a multitude of complaints. On 3 flights I did not get the meal i ordered and on the flight I took in business the cabin smelled of the toilets, and the seat power went out, which meant that the seat could not be moved for 90 minutes. In the coach cabin, there is no seat power, and the entertainment system is contained in a steel box under the seat which eats up the vast majority of the leg room. On top of all of this, complaints whether written in flight or emailed do not get resolved... Then there is the bipolar nature of the flight crews, some of whom are apologetic and cool, but the majority of whom are churlish and in one case actually threatening. SAA on the New York to Johannesburg route is to be avoided – choose either Delta via Atlanta or BA via London instead.

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25 April 2014 12:04:00 Guest

Flew Washington Dulles to Joburg and return. Overall the service was pretty good. Very good outbound fr om Dulles, only fair on the return flight. Beware of economy seating on SAA's Airbus 340-300's. They're hard, don't recline much, and seem designed specifically to cut off blood flow below the waist. The 2-4-2 configuration makes for narrow aisles which is bad since passengers need frequent stretching and walking breaks, but it's hard to walk more than a step or two. Ticketing and baggage service at OR Tambo in Johburg was good and efficient. Unfortunately there aren't many signs directing where to go so it's a little hard to figure out. Fortunately SAA has a lot of staff floating around to direct you wh ere to go. I'd been told that SAA was a horrible experience but found it to be better than expected.

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15 November 2011 12:11:00 Frequent SAA passenger, not any more

I flew South African Airways for 5 years. I've spend not less than 55000 US with them. Despite some acceptable service on board. The rest forget about this company. Non polite, luggage arrive days later, damaged, etc. I’ve travelled because I didn’t have options flying in the south hemisphere unless you go to Europe or middle east and from there to your destination.
Prices in routes without competency are abusive, definitely higher in this company. If you need to make any change in your travel they'll charge you 3, 4 times or more than other companies. In South Africa they'll be almost always impolite. In the other country they'll say that they don't know or they need to ask to South Africa. Customer care is just a lie. They don't care about you. After been a very frequent traveler for many years, this year only I've spent 23000 US travelling with them. I needed to travel with my wife and kids because she was diagnosed with cancer and her treatment was a urgent paramount. After explaining the problem, presenting the evidence and begging some support to be able to travel with them, even with 13 days different dates, they offered a seat for me at a price 1500 U$ more expensive than the standard price in the same economy class. Finally I’ve used an European company with much more flying distance but the price was 1300 U$ less than what they offered. When I’ve informed that I’ve already paid the ticket in other company and I was disappointed with them, because they didn’t facilitate the option of travelling with my sick wife they offered another ticket 550 dollar more expensive than the standard. Knowing that I’ve already paid in other company and in these circumstances I couldn’t spoil the money I need for my wife treatment. They didn’t care about how desperate I was and the suffering of my family. They didn’t care about for how long I flew with them or even the customer they’ll be losing. They saw a good business in my disgrace. Just do like me, flight this company in there is not any other option or the price by any other company is much more expensive. Or soon or later you’ll pay the consequences. But remember if you have a problem this company will take as much as possible from you for any change. They don't care the customer, they're not ethical and they don't care any customer loyalty. They are in Africa to take from Africans and traveler as much as possible given them as less as possible abusing that they are in Africa. SAA is an abuser company. I hope will appear many other companies operation in the southern hemisphere and we'll never again be forced to use them. Even paying more or flying longer distance I'll do my best to not use them.
If you are flying with them, don't say later that you didn't know. When you need them more, they'll not be there. Invest in becoming a loyal customer of a serious company. I couldn’t imagine how I was ignored by this people. Don’t believe it will be different with you.

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09 January 2011 12:01:00 Guest

Sydney-Johannesburg return. Flight was on time FA's very friendly and offered great service check in was quick with no waiting around, no lost baggage leg room in Business was what you would expect and in Flight entertainment was good on the A340-300. Overall best airline ever flown and will certainly fly again.

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17 June 2008 12:06:00 Guest

I recently flew Heathrow to Johannesburg and back again on SAA. I thoroughly enjoyed the flights and found the crew to be courteous and helpful.

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