SAA South African Airways Passenger Reviews and SAA Customer Trip Reports   South African Airways   199 reviews an official 4-Star Airline   Add your South African Airways review   South African Airways official 4-Star ranking   Airline Reviews : A-Z Index   CHECK this airline's Quality Approval Status

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South African Airways customer review :  27 July 2010 by G Strydom   (UK)

LHR-JNB return. Decided to give SAA another go, after deciding 3 years ago to never fly with them again. A340-300s are dated and no in-seat entertainment is an insult to paying customers - makes me long for the B747-400 which they retired. Cabin crew were courteous (for a change), but obviously wanted to get everyone asleep as soon as possible so they could chit chat at loud volume in the galleys. Food was okay.

South African Airways customer review :  22 July 2010 by D Robey   (UK)

LHR- CPT. I tried to check in 20 mins after check in opened and there were no seats available for selection (make sure you get seats allocated ahead of this as if we had been split up for some reason at booking, that's what we would have been left with). I was impressed with the staff, food and drinks (good wine). Only one drink service but you could ask for extra. The biggest issue for me was the lack of comfort . The seats are close together, are very hard and uncomfortable. To have planes with no seat back entertainment on a 12 hour flight is not acceptable in this day and age.

South African Airways customer review :  20 July 2010 by A Juggernarth   (South Africa)

Durban - Johannesburg, A319 excellent, clean and quiet aircraft. Flight departed on time and arrived 20 minutes early. Food great and healthy. Flight attendants were professional and friendly.

South African Airways customer review :  14 July 2010 by T Hammond   (South Africa)

Lagos to Johannesburg. Boarding gate opened late and after sitting on plane for 4 hours the flight was cancelled at 0300 because of an engine problem. Passengers taken to hotels but not allowed their luggage, only after a crew bus left first - all luggage in tow. No information given on when our flight would be, when we needed to be back at the airport and information telephone number provided to us did not exist. As a result customers got less than an hours sleep and spent the rest of the time waiting and frantically calling every SAA office and travel agent we could think of. SAA eventually gives information at 1230 that all passengers will be collected at 1400. Arrive at airport and again boarding gate is opened late. Sit on plane for another 3 hours after which we are told we'll need to get off and they'll try and get us on one of their other flights - 400 passengers very unhappy! 45 minutes later we're told actually we will be flying and plane eventually leaves 4 hours late, only after we have been shouted at by the crew who tell us they are tired and running out of patience - pity they seemed to forget that they were being paid to handle this situation while we were paying to be treated so badly! Eventually arrive back at 0430 South African time - a day late and very tired and feeling abused because of shocking, rude and unhelpful treatment from staff.

South African Airways customer review :  7 June 2010 by T Dunbar   (South Africa)

After two attempts at departing from IAD on 2 June the captain decided that due to a technical problem we would be spending the night in a hotel. After disembarking we were efficiently given vouchers for various hotels. It took less than 1 hour from the time I disembarked to arriving at assigned hotel. The next morning we departed IAD on another aircraft without a hitch. The situation was handled professionally and we were appraised of what was happening. The captain and crew turned a frustrating event into a pleasant outcome. The rest of my flights from JNB-NYC and IAD-JNB were extremely pleasant, the food was good the service was great and apart from the delay all other legs of my journey were on-time.

South African Airways customer review :  29 May 2010 by Ian Matheson   (Ireland)

LHR-JNB & CPT-LHR: Staff friendly, inflight entertainment was good and food / drink was plentiful and better than most European airlines I have flown with. My only gripe was that my pre-booked seat was changed at the gate by an overly pushy fellow passenger.

South African Airways customer review :  27 May 2010 by Bill Shields   (UK)

London-Cape Town flight. Rude stewardess who argued about my reallocated seat, saying I should have had the alteration signed (how should I know? - it was her colleague who changed it) and seemed to be implying I'd altered it myself. An Airbus still equipped with ancient CRT televisions that dropped down from the ceiling. And they didn't work - the sound kept dropping out on the single available film, so the captain apologised and they were all turned off. As were the overhead lights, the moment the meals were cleared away. So on with the reading lights - but those weren't working either. So there we sat, digesting a dull meal, in pitch darkness, for 12 hours. The longest flight I can remember, and my last with SAA.

South African Airways customer review :  27 May 2010 by J van der Westhuizen   (South Africa)

SAA must be the most rapidly deteriorating airline in the world, the biggest problem is service from a young inexperienced and pretty uninspiring staff. If you travel in Africa you are likely to be flying a vintage plane with tatty interiors and terrible food.

South African Airways customer review :  26 May 2010 by A Gill   (South Africa)

Johannesburg to Durban. The crew were generally pleasant and snack was tasty. A drink was served too and no problem ordering a water. The only downside was when the lady next to me wanted to give the Cabin Attendant her empty bottle as she was checking the seat belts and was told to "put it in your seat pocket".

South African Airways customer review :  2 May 2010 by Paula Loguda   (USA)

Volcanic ash issues led us to purchase Business class from CPT to EZE. Quick check in. Unexciting new lounge now open. Pre departure drinks. Clean aircraft. FA well groomed, professional and efficient. Entrees of the two meals were very - haven't had this experience in years on other carriers. IFE okay, not super. Flat beds and comforters were excellent. Bathrooms kept clean.

South African Airways customer review :  2 May 2010 by L Whistance   (UK)

Heathrow to Cape Town return. Crew not exactly welcoming. Agree with another comment stating that crew can't wait to get the meals out and over and done with. On return flight our family of 4 was not even seated together and whilst trying to locate the different seats, staff just stood there and watched us struggle. Inflight entertainment poor.

South African Airways customer review :  1 May 2010 by Paula Loguda   (USA)

Richard's Bay to JNB and onward to Kruger. Check in was a breeze as was security. Both flights on clean aircraft. Flight crew professional and very efficient. A full box lunch with hot/cold beverage and wine service was included on the under 2 hour flight and a sandwich and beverage on the shorter 1 hr flight.

South African Airways customer review :  28 April 2010 by T Shi   (USA)

JFK-JNB-DAR in Business class. JFK-JNB was an epic 14-hr journey, made relatively comfortable by SAA. The biz class on the plane is a 2-2-2 config. Being at the window seat proved awkward when the aisle seat aside me was fully extended - there's little space to maneuver yourself over the seat to get to the aisle. Otherwise, the food was ample and decent and movie selection very good. The staff seemed a bit hurried as the flight was full, but were pleasant enough and accommodating. JNB-DAR was a much shorter flight. Still, a full meal was provided. The biz lounge at JNB was under construction as of Mar 28, but if you need to smoke, they'll give you a pass for the Prestige Lounge (nicer and less crowded).

South African Airways customer review :  21 April 2010 by G Slater   (UK)

LHR-CPT-LHR Economy. A340-200 with overhead monitors and only 2 movies, starting during dinner time and nothing for the rest of the flight. Space quite good but seats are uncomfortable for sleeping. Service very good and very pleasant FA's. Food and drink good and couple behind me scored with Moet champagne for their honeymoon. New check-in at Cape Town is not so good with all flights together for check-in causing long queues with closed desks.