PASSENGERS are missing
meetings and connecting
flights and, in some
instances have to overnight,
because of delays and
cancellations of SA Express
flights.
Mbali Zibi, communications
specialist for the airline, told
TNW that due to financial
challenges, it had opted
to reduce its schedule to
stabilise it and better service
passengers. “The schedule is
reviewed on a monthly basis,
given the number of aircraft
available to operate.”
She confirmed that the
airline was using leased
aircraft to bolster the schedule,
irrespective of the route.
Clients have recently reported
flying on unbranded aircraft,
Air Maloti aircraft and even
branded Russian aircraft.
Agents say SA Express
delays and cancellations have
escalated to unmanageable
levels this month, while the
airline is regularly operating
leased aircraft on its routes.
Agents are asking, what
has happened to SAX and
where have all its aircraft
disappeared to?
Tessa Hattingh, travel
manager of Bloemfonteinbased
Sure Etnique Travels,
says SAX’s JohannesburgBloemfontein
route is
“diabolical”. She explains
that the airline is no longer
able to regularly operate its
own aircraft and clients are
reporting that three flights or
more are being consolidated
on to one leased aircraft.
“CemAir is doing well on
the route but this is not the
best option for international
passengers as there are no
interline agreements in place.
To avoid missing international
connections, passengers
are asking us to book the
09h00 SA Express flights to
Joburg, hoping that they will
land in time to connect with
21h00 international ORTIA
departures,” says Tessa.
“I really feel for the SAX
employees too. They are
bearing the brunt of the anger
of both passengers and agents
and don’t know what will
happen from one day to the
next.”
“It has got so bad that clients
are asking to fly on other
carriers,” says eTravel ITC,
Gillian Gerber, from Timeless
Travel Solutions. “SAX does
offer full refunds and has given
25% compensation letters, but
this doesn’t make up for the
inconvenience and frustration
experienced.”
The delays are not confined
to Bloemfontein, with
agents reporting problems
on Kimberley, George and
Gaborone flights.
Michelle Minnaar, manager
of Harvey World Plettenberg
Bay, received a call from
SAX on April 23, advising
her that the next morning’s
George-Joburg flight had
been cancelled. “As the
clients would now miss their
connecting flights with Qatar,
SAX advised us that the clients
should book a kulula ticket at
their own expense in order to
connect. Have you ever heard
of anything like this?”
Denise Cumming, senior
consultant at Harvey World
Travel Shelly Beach, says one
of her clients who regularly
travels on the Sunday
lunchtime East London-Durban
route, often had to stay over
in East London because of
delays.
