SAA Silly and Arrogant

[Vatniekaknie]

Wel well well - somedy is also peefed off with SAA

SAA - Silly And Arrogant

07/09/2007 09:11 - (SA)

Gareth Coats, News24 User

SAA's (South African Airways) money woes have been highly publicised recently but I have not read any meaningful response from them to show why they have posted a ludicrous R800m loss.

I've heard them talk about expenses, and low cost carriers taking a large market share but not once have they explained that the fault could be with management and their half-baked business strategy.

SAA staff also deserves an explanation - they will lose their jobs and management will still blame outside pressures, especially when the situation does not turn around. For the record SAA, competition is good for business (if you have a competent leadership)!

Let me share a little nugget of SAA wisdom with you, something I experienced first hand this week. I'm due to travel to Dakar (that's in Senegal, SAA) next month and asked our travel agent for three quotes on tickets.

I only ever fly SAA and I am largely happy with them. When the quotes arrived I was not surprised to see that SAA was not the most economical. It was R500 more than Air Senegal.

Just by chance I noticed Air Senegal departed at exactly the same time as SAA on the same date and, unless SAA are towing the Air Senegal plane to Dakar, this seemed rather strange. I then noted in small print that the Air Senegal flight is operated by SAA. So what does this mean?

Well, it means that whether I buy an Air Senegal ticket or an SAA ticket, SAA will be taking me to Senegal. Why the price difference then? Why can Air Senegal can get me onto SAA's plane and to Senegal for less than SAA can?

Fill the plane

I called SAA Customer Care and spoke to Mpamele. His response - "that's our pricing structure, we offer them good rates". He missed the point that I should buy Air Senegal ticket for an SAA plane or I'll be ripped off.

When I reiterated, his attitude came across as though it was tough, not his problem. I asked if I'd get my voyager miles - "No". I'll be on SAA, but can't claim my miles. Fine. I paid 5% less.

Perhaps this is the reason why SAA are going under. They sell seats to competitors, who then sell the seats for less than SAA - on SAA's plane.

Surely if SAA wanted to be profitable they would reduce their prices to be more competitive, fill the plane with people happily paying their R10 000 for the ticket knowing that if they wanted to pay less for the ticket, they would be stuck in the Air Senegal plane, being towed by the proudly South African?

And stop flying staff for 10%, they think Dakar is in Tanzania. They don't deserve to fly!

[ou Trek dronkie]

This is news ?

oTd

[Vatniekaknie]

Originally Posted by ou Trek dronkie

This is news ?

oTd

You full of red wine or full of frog sorrow ?

[ou Trek dronkie]

Originally Posted by Vatniekaknie

You full of red wine or full of frog sorrow ?

Just a teeny bit frabjious, after all, what is newsworthy about SAA losing huge sums of taxpaers money ?

Serious it might well be, but it has the same effect as a news report of multiple deaths in Iraq, may God forgive me, but I am not trying to be flippant.

And I was not having a go at you either !

I am still laughing my head off at those peole who told me today how the French team was going to donner the Argies (no particular friends of mine, I hasten to add)

oTd

[Vatniekaknie]

No sweat. I have taken Gatvol's brunt a few times. he makes a heavier blow.
Back to the topic : What I am trying to post is that "Jan alleman" feels the same way as the news / the way we see etc .. this guys is just a News 24 reader that had a say.

Lekker slaap - sorry about the loss

[ou Trek dronkie]

Originally Posted by Vatniekaknie

Lekker slaap - sorry about the loss

Very handsomely

oTd