SA Express

Cape Town - Port Elizabeth SAA Express. Domestic terminal working very well considering it was Monday morning and in view of the ongoing major construction work. As SAA silver card holder grabbed 20mins in pleasant SAA lounge. Flight called 10 mins before departure and bussed to remote stand. CRJ200 fitted with the brightest blue leather seats I've ever seen. Excellent weather en-route which always helps with the sense of a nice flight. Crew served breakfast of juice muffins ham fruit bowl and coffee. Service would put most US and Europeans airlines to shame and all on a little CRJ. Landing and disembarkation at PLZ efficient.

Cape Town - George SAA Air Link. Domestic terminal busy but check-in fairly efficient. Please note SAA Silver card holders you can check in at Business/First desks and use lounge. Flight called 20 mins before departure and bussed to remote stand. EMB-135LR awaited which as only half full was qucikly boarded and ready for departure. Captain warned of poor weather in George (thunderstorns wind and low cloud) before departure which was 20 mins late as a result. Brief 30min flight during which juice and muffins were served. Descent began into George dodging thunderheads. Broke out over George airport perimeter at what must have been decision height for a greaser of a landing. Got the feeling this was a thoroughly professional crew doing a super job.

Port Elizabeth to Durban economy. Not impressed very rocky flight with a seemingly over zealous person on the stick. Took a travel sick tablet for a 50 mins flight! Service seemed OK and plenty of cabin crew around but I really just wanted to be on the tarmac. Possibly one of the worst flights I have known - but that may just be me.

Full flight on Canadair Regional Jet departed at 0620. SAX has not refurbished cabins on the CRJs so they are looking a little tired and dated - would be great to have the seats installed on their Dash 8s rolled out across the fleet. Expecting the worst for breakfast I was pleasantly surprised - fruit yoghurt and a hot meal were provided. The hot meal consisted of an omelette sausage tomato and onions - the omelette was fresh and tasty and certainly the best omelette I have had on board any flight. Two rounds of coffee/tea followed by which time the descent to Windhoek commenced. Very impressed with the breakfast on this run - can't see why it can't be expanded across the network for morning flights. All in all a good experience.

Travelled Johannesburg - Kimberley - Johannesburg and Johannesburg - Gaborone - Johannesburg in June. SAX has refurbished all their Dash 8-300s so seating very comfortable - stylish blue leather seats with adjustable headrests (more comfortable than seats on many larger jet aircraft). Service good on all sectors however catering seems to be hit-or-miss and inconsistent in terms of quality and quantity. JNB-KIM flight departs at 0555 with a flight duration of 1h20 - appaling breakfast is served consisting of yoghurt a few pieces of melon and papaya that they call a fruit salad and a stale dry unappetising muffin. Return flight from Kimberley at 1935 - different story; delicious chicken wrap savoury biscuits and chocolate. JNB-GBE although flight is only 50 minutes and departed at 0730 a full breakfast was served (why they cannot do this on the Kimberley flight is beyond me). Bread roll cold meats cheese and fruit. Afternoon departure from Gaborone at 1540 - the most disappointing of all... snack box handed out opens to reveal a packet of mixed nuts and a packet of crisps ! This definitely leads one to feel ripped off at having paid over R2500 for the return flight to Gaborone. Air Botswana by comparison have taken heed to catering feedback and replaced their peanut-and-biltong service with proper sandwiches etc on board. A little consistency at SAX would be great !