Part II: distasterous experience with SAA
Just to keep you updated: It only got worse on Saturday.
1. SAA made all pax coming to the airport at 0500 am - however first SAA staff only turned up at 0600am ...
2. SAA did NOT rebook ANY passenger onto the reinstated flight on Saturday, 0730 am. Let alone they rebooked any onward connections.
3. Actually, about 0630am, they only found out that the reinstated flight had not been created in their system. So they first had to create the reinstated flight, rebook all pax on to this, open it for check-in. This brought us to 0900am and I was lucky enought to be one of the first pax being checked in for the 0730am flight ...
4. As check-in took some time, the flight was only boarding at 1030am. However, headcount was not correct with a huge difference of 18 pax. Yes, there were two late pax - but the rest of the discrepancy was on the system side. This brought us to 1145am.
5. By that time cabin crew had timed out and needed replacement. Done by 1 pm. Fortunately, they served a snack while sitting on the ground - first food and drink offered since Friday night.
6. Now also flight deck crew timed out. Done by 0230 pm and we took off, and landed in LHR around 1030pm.
7. In LHR at least hotel accomodation was booked and ready. However, onward connections were still not rebooked. I had to rebook myself, although my onward connection is on same (SA)ticket. By that time most Sunday flights were obviously fully booked, so I'll only get to ZRH by Sunday evening.
The management by SAA is just disasterous - using the words of the incoming Captian.
(To be continued).