Originally Posted by
andreyhaas
SAA is a disgrace and should be kicked out of Star Alliance.
I've told you a million times, don't exaggerate.
I don't share your experience. Readily admitting I haven't flown IAD-JNB, my experience with SAA between Europe and SA and internally in SA has been fine.
... I've found the service in J generally ok and the SA lounges are about par with what I'd expect from a *Gold lounge.
My experience, too.
Originally Posted by
andreyhaas
Just want to let everyone know about one more way how SAA can screw you.
What should they do - allow access to a non-qualifying passenger? I magine the lounge agents are qualified to know who has access which AFAIK for *A Gold means flying with a *A airline.
Originally Posted by
andreyhaas
When I was leaving, one of the ladies at the counter said: “put the internet voucher back!”. This is how SAA treats *A Gold members!
Non-sequitur. You wanted to use the complimentary internet voucher in the lounge as a non-qualifying passenger, couldn't get in but still expected complimentary internet?
Originally Posted by
sbm12
... SAExpress is part of SA ...
It's all very confusing but I don't think this the case.
Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_African_Express says:
South African Express Airways is an airline based in South Africa. Although the airline is operationally independent of South African Airways, its flights are incorporated within the strategic alliance with Airlink and South African Airways.
... so a stragic alliance.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_African_Express
It's not part of Star Alliance and its flights are excluded from the *A African Airpass - an old link at
http://www.airfares.com.sg/airfares/...canAirpass.htm - see Flight Restrictions.
It's good to highlight the differences between mainline SA and its local SA partners who generally don't offer *A gold benefits such as extra baggage allowance.
As for lounge access, before I had *A Gold I used my Priority Pass card when flying domestically with SA and/or its partners.