Other Middle East and Africa Frequent Flyer Programs - Best way to complain to SAA?

I had a really poor experience with the WDH check in staff on Saturday - rude, unhelpful and then denied me lounge access despite being Star Gold and having a valid card with me! Disappointing as my experiences with SAA up to this point have been pretty good.

This isn't a quest for compensation, I just want to pass my comments on in the hope that someone will sort them out. What is the best way of getting my comments seen by someone who might take some action?

How did you manage to get your car to the transit zone?

The WDH lounge is not one of the SAA operated ones, so it would not surprise me if it is not a *G lounge, in which case you unfortunately dont have access to it on the strength of your *G car(d). Just check your facts before complaining to SAA.
Once you have done this, the email address of the WDH office is: seretarywdh@flysaa.co. See the SAA website under 'contact us' for more contact options (including 'phone and fax).

Typo corrected!

The odd thing is that after I challenged not being given an invite the agent stated I was entitled to access, but no guest (as they had been told Star Gold is the same as Voyager Gold). This despite the Star Alliance website stating it is me plus one guest when on a Star Alliance operated flight. If i was entitled to access as Star Gold, then the lounge must have been considered as Star Gold lounge.:confused: I've never been denied lounge access on the basis of a lounge not being operated by the relevant airline. LH, OS, LX to name three have given me contract lounge access across Europe on the strength of Star Gold. That said, there was no Star Gold sign outside the WDH lounge.

I'd prefer to complain to SAA HQ rather than the local team, as my request to speak to the station manager was met with "he agreed the policy, ask at the ticket office if you don't believe me". Do emails to the customer care address get looked at, or is snail mail a better option?

I have experienced the same situation on my outbound flight on Nov 13. I was denied access to the Voyager Gold lounge. This was also the first time I was ever denied access to a lounge even with my Gold card. However, I was redirected to go to the Swiss lounge; I was accepted there with my SAA boarding pass and my Star Alliance Gold card.

Typo corrected!

The odd thing is that after I challenged not being given an invite the agent stated I was entitled to access, but no guest (as they had been told Star Gold is the same as Voyager Gold). This despite the Star Alliance website stating it is me plus one guest when on a Star Alliance operated flight. If i was entitled to access as Star Gold, then the lounge must have been considered as Star Gold lounge.:confused: I've never been denied lounge access on the basis of a lounge not being operated by the relevant airline. LH, OS, LX to name three have given me contract lounge access across Europe on the strength of Star Gold. That said, there was no Star Gold sign outside the WDH lounge.



Yes, I agree that it seems odd, but I still believe the problem is that this is most likely not a *G lounge, just a contract lounge. Probably, the lounge has an agreement with SAA that they allow Voyager Gold members in without guest and - by extention - also *G without guest, not on the strength of it being a *G lounge, but as per the contract between the airline and the lounge operator. According to the *A website, the lounge is only a *G lounge if it is signposted as such:

Star Alliance Gold card holders and one guest, have access to any lounge around the world that is identified with a Star Alliance Gold lounge sign when departing on a Star Alliance flight, no matter which class of service they travel in. Just look for the Star Alliance Gold sign outside the lounge and present the ticket for your same-day Star Alliance flight, your boarding pass and your frequent flyer programme card featuring the Star Alliance Gold logo. Guests must enter the lounges with an eligible Star Alliance Gold member and must depart on a Star Alliance member airline, but may travel on a different flight.

Not trying to be pedantic, just trying to understand why you were denied entry.

Log any complaints with the SAA on

http://www.dontflysaa.com/

just sign the guestbook, sooner or later they will get the message

ALSO SEE

http://www.saasucks.com
:mad::mad::mad::mad: