Other Middle East and Africa Frequent Flyer Programs - SA221 - CPT further marginalised

Very annoyingly I see that SAA has cut back on the SA220/221 CPT-LHR to 4 times per week instead of daily.

I presume they are trying to monopolise with the Virgin codeshare and push up prices on the route.

Cape Town is being further marginalised as they try to force us through JNB which takes basically an extra half day with connections etc.

.......s!

Very annoyingly I see that SAA has cut back on the SA220/221 CPT-LHR to 4 times per week instead of daily.

I presume they are trying to monopolise with the Virgin codeshare and push up prices on the route.

Cape Town is being further marginalised as they try to force us through JNB which takes basically an extra half day with connections etc.

.......s!

What I found very annoying was that they cancelled the Friday flight, moving me to Saturday, then reinstated the Friday flight a few weeks later (but with no chance to move back). Ugh! :eek::p

It is not quite clear if this is a permanent or temporary change. When I look at October, it still is a daily schedule (which is good, as I have a booking in Oct).
But the long and the short of it is that SA will ultimately only have a few intercontinental destinations and fly to every hellhole in Africa as there they can basically ask any fare. And the few intercontinental flights will all be ex JNB. As this is a policy which does not suit me, I am currently burning my miles stack and when that is done I will jump ship to BA (and also surrender my Voyager Amex CC and start using the BA linked Standard Bank MC).

It is not quite clear if this is a permanent or temporary change. When I look at October, it still is a daily schedule (which is good, as I have a booking in Oct).
But the long and the short of it is that SA will ultimately only have a few intercontinental destinations and fly to every hellhole in Africa as there they can basically ask any fare. And the few intercontinental flights will all be ex JNB. As this is a policy which does not suit me, I am currently burning my miles stack and when that is done I will jump ship to BA (and also surrender my Voyager Amex CC and start using the BA linked Standard Bank MC).

I hear you!! Two issues though, firstly SA Taxpayer demanded SAA deliver profits, and although Im in no way justifying poor management, stupid salaries and fleet renewal every 3 months, fact of the matter is because of our lousy location, flying the sexy routes will always be difficult. A 'shorthaul' for an SAA A330/340 pilot is Perth or Munich, whereas european airlines would call that longhaul. This means SAA pilots cannot be rotated as efficiently as they should be and this adds cost, that other airlines dont contend with. Ultimately flying Africa at mad profit is the future. Preferably I would like to see SAA operated smartly, full accountable, but because of our strange location and circumstance allow for marginal losses covered by myself and other taxpayers. I would rather have decent flights and connections in decent cities even if it costs the taxpayers a few billion. It sure beats SA tourism spending 100's of millions of pounds painting the flag on few london taxis or flying the flag from a few lightpoles in Paris.

My problem with BA is the kick in the face the UK government has given South Africans with regards to visa's even just transit visa's. I'm fairly fortunate in that I dont need to live or ever work in the UK, and can afford to fly whatever suits me best, BUT I will never ever pay a cent to prop up the failing British governments bank balance so that i can have the 'pleasure' of flying BA or VA or being in transit at LHR.

Anyone who has ever looked at the mess that is the UK application form will know its been drawn up by a halfwit oxygen thief, I mean really 2 lines for "where have you travelled in the last 10yrs"? Jeepers you need a few A4 pages for a question like that, just plain silly.

SAWorldVoyager, I agree with your take on SAA and their route network. I accept that they cannot maintain a comprehensive international network. But the CPT/LHR market is there (a few years ago, it was served with a 346!) and if they dont want to serve it, I have to look for an alternative as I still hate flying though JNB (which admittedly is a lot better than it used to be). I need / want to fly via London on my way to continental Europe and 2 stops is certainly not on.
As far as the UK is concerned: I dont need a UK visa myself, as I have an EU passport (not UK). But mrs t has (at the moment) only an SA one, so I am familiar with and share your frustration about the UK visa process which is excessively frustrating. But I dont agree this is caused by the British need to balance their budget, it is because for too long it has been too easy for all sorts of undesireables to forge a (or buy a forged) South African passport. The SA government did not take any of the UK (and other!) warnings about this seriously until the UK implemented the visa requirements for South Africans. Then they got serious at making the SA passport more secure but that was too late. Now the visa rule needs to be reversed and that will take at least a few years. What gets more up my nose is the extortionate Air Passenger Duty (APD) on business class passengers leaving the UK. I think it either is or will soon go up to 160 Pounds! You cant win in this world....:rolleyes:

Yes the punishment for having the nerve to travel in business class is extraordinary :rolleyes: only in the UK I guess? I suppose we should be grateful SAA no longer flies an F Cabin.

I do believe the British government has peddled this counterfeit story so well, that most South Africans and Brits have bought into it. The real issue was not counterfeit passports but genuine passports issued by home affairs to non South Africans. This is as result of dodgy birth certificates, identity documents and administration in the dept. especially legacy admin. Do you know how many South Africans are born April 27 1976, just in time to vote?? A baptism certificate was all that was required to prove age and identity, clearly an opportunity was created for non South Africans. This is an issue and one that clearly has upset foreign governments, and rightly so....

But a visa does not solve this problem, because when you head off to the consulate the only document you provide is your passport, and if it is genuine they have no way of knowing if you are genuinely from SA or not. They have to make a decision then and there, and the same result could be achieved at the border post sans visa.

My second concern is the cost that is levied. I understand there is an admin cost but if it is genuinely an admin cost and not a money making operation why does the cost vary based on Visa type? Surely the admin cost and the sticker has a fixed cost irrespective of the type of visa???

Lastly if they are just confirming we are authentic bona fide citizens, once done why not load us into the system for life???

I too hold an EU passport, but I am SA born, my parents are SA born we are realistically South African. I didnt even go to Italy until I was in my twenties, in reality I am as Italian as Jacob Zuma. So why do I get extra credibility compared to friends who have the same birthplace, same schooling, etc etc as I do?

I am grateful for the situation I am in, and yes it certainly has had its advantages, but I know I am abusing the situation *ashamed face* and my good fortune has had nothing more than luck in play ... Again I am forced to believe most visa schemes are pure money making operations. Especially when my own mother has to apply for a visa each time, why am I more special? There is soon to be a mrs as well and the visa issue will continue :confused:

My second concern is the cost that is levied. I understand there is an admin cost but if it is genuinely an admin cost and not a money making operation why does the cost vary based on Visa type? Surely the admin cost and the sticker has a fixed cost irrespective of the type of visa???
Yes, that's a bare-faced lie if ever there was one. My partner and I got the 10-year visa and it cost ZAR13,000!! You can do a lot of administration for that! :rolleyes:

But, back on topic... where was this reduction in schedule announced. I'm booking for next month and haven't noticed anything.

BA manages to make the route so profitable they fly 2 flights a day in summer - why does SA struggle to keep one going? :confused:

Cheetah - very strange. it seems like it might be temporary (aircraft issue?). If I search in Feb it shows 4 times a week, then 5 times in March, then back to 7 times in April.
http://www.flysaa.com/za/en/flyingSAA/schedulesroutes/SAARoute.html

So hopefully temporary blip. Although it messed up my plans for this week unfortunately.

*sigh* so this was indeed a taste of things to come..!

temporary? SAA USA confirmed it is for good...
I am flying in Jan and got bumped via JNB! grrrr HATE that airport.
It really reminds me that I am in Africa (security, immigration, all very unhelpful). Capetown is boss!

For those hoping the route would return; looks unlikely as they have now sold the 6:20am landing slot:


http://www.news24.com/Travel/International/SAA-sells-prime-Heathrow-slot-20120717