floris_FRA
Nov 12, 05, 1:09 am
I was flying from JNB - CPT last weekend on the 8pm SAA flight. This was by far the worst example of handling by SAA I have ever experienced:
Firstly I was very rudely pointed away from the SAA lounge even though I was welcomed in to the CPT one the day before on the same ticket and the same class, due to my LH SEN status. The incredibly rude lounge dragon had a huge fit and basically shouted at me for being so forthright to even attempt to come into her lounge. She continued to tell me that SAA is not *A yet and I have to wait until then. It didn't matter to her that I have visited this lounge in the past flying Y. It also didn't matter to her that I had been in the CPT lounge the day before...she then lied to me to get rid of me by saying the lounge is "Full" - I pointed out to her that she was talking rubbish as I could see into the lounge and there were maybe 10 people in there...
Anyways,
First the flight was delayed due to incoming flights hindered by thunderstorms. No problem I think, 1 hour is nothing to get upset about, as this is obviously not SAA's fault.
After 1 hour the gate was changed without an announcement and the flight was obviously not boarding anytime soon.
So we stood at the gate for about half an hour before one of the SAA staff told us that the "plane was there" but they didn't have pilots to fly it! Apparently luggage was already on the plane.
After another 45 minutes of waiting the same person told me that they had "found" pilots, but were now short flight crew....!
Another 30 minutes later flight crew had been found, but the departure delayed to 23h30...
During this whole waiting time, there was no manager or person with any descision making rights to be found. The gate agents went looking forthe manager which took 1 hour, before they told us "she can't be found" - only when a C class passenger told them that she was in fact in the lounge "talking" and we were insisting on a descision on this flight did they relent and a "flight indefinitly delayed" message went out. The lounge was opened to all passengers (first good point for SAA that day!). Still no word on the crew or a departure time.
Upon entering the lounge I smiled at the dragon and went and had a gin/tonic.
A notice then went out that departure was now 23h30, guaranteed! At about 23h05 I went to the dragon (who promptly hid her face in her hands!) and asked what the deal was, as we were supposed to be in the air in 15min....she turned to a pilot next to her asking if he couldn't work in the cabin! He politely turned this offer down, as he wasn't licensed for that. So it turns out we have a plane, we have pilots, we have crew but some crew members were refusing to fly!!!
I then requested a taxi-voucher for CPT as my parents weren't going to be hanging around at the airport until 02h30 to pick me up. "No problem, sir - CPT is informed and you'll get a voucher there".
Shortly after this boarding was called - with the plane finally lifting off at midnight - a delay of 4 hours!
Upon arrival in CPT there was of course no one there with vouchers! After waiting infornt of the SAA office with all the other people who had been told the same thing, finally a guy turns up and starts putting people into groups according to destination - there were not going to be any vouchers, but rather shared taxis. At that point in time I really didn't care, and I must say that I feel sorry for the woman who was in the taxi with us as we were going to Sea Point and she had to go to Blouberg...not exactly on the way...The taxi driver was swaering at SAA as he had only been asked at midnight to stay and wait for the flights, which turned into a 2,5h wait for him...
Rant over!
What compensation can I expect for a 4 hour delay and where should I direct my compensation request?
Firstly I was very rudely pointed away from the SAA lounge even though I was welcomed in to the CPT one the day before on the same ticket and the same class, due to my LH SEN status. The incredibly rude lounge dragon had a huge fit and basically shouted at me for being so forthright to even attempt to come into her lounge. She continued to tell me that SAA is not *A yet and I have to wait until then. It didn't matter to her that I have visited this lounge in the past flying Y. It also didn't matter to her that I had been in the CPT lounge the day before...she then lied to me to get rid of me by saying the lounge is "Full" - I pointed out to her that she was talking rubbish as I could see into the lounge and there were maybe 10 people in there...
Anyways,
First the flight was delayed due to incoming flights hindered by thunderstorms. No problem I think, 1 hour is nothing to get upset about, as this is obviously not SAA's fault.
After 1 hour the gate was changed without an announcement and the flight was obviously not boarding anytime soon.
So we stood at the gate for about half an hour before one of the SAA staff told us that the "plane was there" but they didn't have pilots to fly it! Apparently luggage was already on the plane.
After another 45 minutes of waiting the same person told me that they had "found" pilots, but were now short flight crew....!
Another 30 minutes later flight crew had been found, but the departure delayed to 23h30...
During this whole waiting time, there was no manager or person with any descision making rights to be found. The gate agents went looking forthe manager which took 1 hour, before they told us "she can't be found" - only when a C class passenger told them that she was in fact in the lounge "talking" and we were insisting on a descision on this flight did they relent and a "flight indefinitly delayed" message went out. The lounge was opened to all passengers (first good point for SAA that day!). Still no word on the crew or a departure time.
Upon entering the lounge I smiled at the dragon and went and had a gin/tonic.
A notice then went out that departure was now 23h30, guaranteed! At about 23h05 I went to the dragon (who promptly hid her face in her hands!) and asked what the deal was, as we were supposed to be in the air in 15min....she turned to a pilot next to her asking if he couldn't work in the cabin! He politely turned this offer down, as he wasn't licensed for that. So it turns out we have a plane, we have pilots, we have crew but some crew members were refusing to fly!!!
I then requested a taxi-voucher for CPT as my parents weren't going to be hanging around at the airport until 02h30 to pick me up. "No problem, sir - CPT is informed and you'll get a voucher there".
Shortly after this boarding was called - with the plane finally lifting off at midnight - a delay of 4 hours!
Upon arrival in CPT there was of course no one there with vouchers! After waiting infornt of the SAA office with all the other people who had been told the same thing, finally a guy turns up and starts putting people into groups according to destination - there were not going to be any vouchers, but rather shared taxis. At that point in time I really didn't care, and I must say that I feel sorry for the woman who was in the taxi with us as we were going to Sea Point and she had to go to Blouberg...not exactly on the way...The taxi driver was swaering at SAA as he had only been asked at midnight to stay and wait for the flights, which turned into a 2,5h wait for him...
Rant over!
What compensation can I expect for a 4 hour delay and where should I direct my compensation request?