SATA International

Flight PDL-YYZ on Sunday July 13. Flight left on time which was a pleasant surprise. I usually do the YYZ-PDL route a few times a year and delays are normal. Flight was only about half full so a little more seat room and over heard space that normal. Inflight service was horrible. No Food choice it was cod or nothing. Horrible cod casserole. Flight attendants disappeared after the meal service on the 6 hour flight - no water service of any sort. Movie screens were blurry and kept cutting in and out and there was No sound in my section of economy. Flight attendants couldn't care less or provide less customer service. Crew had too much attitude and no customer service focus.

BOS-PDL-OPO LIS-PDL-BOS. via PHL. We were delayed a couple hours out of Boston and I was certain to miss the leg to Porto to meet up with my sister. SATA held the flight so to Porto I went after all! Upon return through Lisbon there was a 7 hour 15 minute layover in Ponta Delgada. Again we were delayed from PDL to BOS where I just made my connection to PHL after negotiating Logans chaotic terminal layout. I put SATAs problems solely on management. The crew were friendly and worked hard to please. Service was attentive on all four flights much more so than any discount US routes I've flown. The airline food was ok the beverage service generous. Seats are wide enough but closely set. They are one of the few airlines left flying A310s which will be retired by 2016. Leave yourself at least 3 hours between other airline connections to accommodate delays don't plan anything really important on the first day in and be prepared for basic amenities at a good value by a small airline.

Once again I fly SATA. Once again problems! They too often run behind schedule. TV/Sound equipment always has problems. Outbound to Ponta Delgada from Boston movie starts playing audio starts 20 minutes later. Inbound from Porto to Boston large wall screen in our section wasn't working. We could not watch the movie. Asked crew twine about it never came back with an answer. Not surprised because the same thing happened with no audio on a trip 2 years earlier. The crew should spent less time doing a head count before departure and try harder to act upon customer's issues on board. I've complained via email to SATA about these problems before. They apologize and make an excuse and nothing gets done about it. Some competition with other airlines could help getting these problems resolved or avoid using them and try the competition.

Avoid at all costs! It is worth it to go through LHR EWR MAD etc. I have used this airline 3 times and each time I have been delayed over 12 hrs! Customer Service is non-existent. I was supposed to fly out this evening and received a call that it has been cancelled until tomorrow at 8 am. We will arrive LIS at 7pm and there will be no trains available to my final destination until the morning. They will not provide hotel car taxi as "LIS is the final destination". If I purchase a ticket it is essentially a contract. I purchased a ticket so I could get there in the morning. By cancelling the flight and rescheduling 12 hrs later is a breach of that contract and they should reimburse me! The cheaper fare is not worth the hassle and stress they give you.

What was supposed to be a direct flight changed without notice and stopped in PDL delaying the trip for a couple of hours. Was delayed on departure as well. Rude flight attendants and horrible service. No running water in the lavatories just a nightmare.

Toronto-Portugal. Checked in on time at YYZ. Went to the gate flight boarded but we sat for almost 3 hours on board. No water etc or care. Disembarked and informed the flight was cancelled. Hotel and meal vouchers provided. Forced to make my own way to hotel and arrived there at 0530hrs no other alternatives offered no rebooking etc. Went back to airport the next night for a 2200hrs departure. Two flights from SATA forced confusion. Police called to the gate so deal with distraught passengers. In the air finally at 2300hrs. Landed at 0600hrs in Ponta Delgado. No connections until 1830hrs no hotel offered no meals. Finally arrived in Porto on Sunday at 2200hrss having meant to arrive on Saturday 1100hrs. In total a 36 hour delay. Never again. The planes were old the food almost inedible.

LIS-YYZ on March 28 2014. Full flight that left and arrived on time older Airbus but clean comfortable seats in-flight movies on old ceiling drop down TVs that effectively made them useless for most passengers OK food including a hot turkey cutlet dinner and muffin snack later very friendly cabin crew well informed of weather and flight details by captain very generous pour of good wine other beverages offered periodically water available for the asking. Very good value for the money. After 4 flights on SATA I would fly with them again.

YYZ-FNC Jan 3 2014 Pre-flight email enquiry to SATA concerning luggage allowance was handled quickly and professionally. On the day of the flight late arrival of equipment from storm bound Europe delayed the departure to Ponta Delgada by almost 2 hours. Having tracked the flight I was aware of the delay but SATA maintained the on time status until most had checked in at the airport leaving a lot of grumpy passengers waiting in the departure lounge. Older equipment but clean and comfortable. Two food choices: Take It or Leave It. The Take It meal plunked down in front of us was clearly below average featuring chicken with a sweet sauce but the glass of wine was big and of good quality. Good tail winds or the pilot made up some time and after a nail biter of a connection in Ponta Delgada we boarded our Q400 flight to Funchal. The SATA rep at Toronto check in had misinformed us completely about baggage being checked through to Funchal. He stated that we would have to claim it off the carousel in Ponta Delgada clear customs and then re check it through to Funchal. Not the case because it went straight through leaving us wondering and stressed at Ponta Delgada while we watched an empty baggage carousel go round and round. Not hugely impressed but give the airline credit because we and our luggage made it eventually to FNC on time during a difficult weather travel period.

Recently flew Lisbon to Boston on SATA - flight crew (cabin crew) were courteous helpful and highly respectful of all ages especially a large number of elderly aboard! The aircraft was exceptional in that it was clean and comfortable having flown to Europe a number of times on other flagged aircraft - none equalled the quality of SATA!

Our family of 2 adults and two small children had a huge problem with the crew on SATA. It started once we passed security we sat down at the gate and I looked at our boarding passes and I realized both kids both under 4 were seated together at the back of the plane while my husband and I were seated at bulk head seating I tried to explain the situation and was rudely told "you can figure it out once you board". Once onboard I spoke to the crew about the situation they told us the flight was full and there was nothing they could do and we weren't allowed to switch with anyone. Eventually a group of wonderful people helped us. Not a good start to our flight. Never again.