There is nothing wrong with the Airbus product - the problem is the seating pitch and possibly seat type that SAA has specified and that needs to be changed to make more leg room and more comfortable.

By the way for those who think the 747 is the greatest - more and more airlines will start to replace 747s with A340s and 777s. They will basically do the same job, carry more freight and use less fuel.

Wait for the A380 .....

SAA asks public for 'great ideas'





Do start getting some bright ideas!

South African Airways (SAA) is turning to the public for ideas about how to salvage its loss-making business.

Taking the concept that the "customer is always right" a step further, SAA wants people to send in their thoughts on how to improve the company.



Cuts that SAA will implement include limiting staff travel, and reducing laptop computer and printer numbers. It also may end meals on economy flights.



SAA is struggling after it made massive losses betting on currency movements.



Wrong side



In the year through to the end of March, SAA made a pretax loss of 8.7bn rand ($1.4bn) after it took out long term currency hedges.



Instead of weakening - as SAA had predicted - the rand gained against the dollar.



Its new chief executive Khaya Ngqula has implemented a strategy called People Patronage and Profit, which he hopes will succeed in making SAA "the best in the world".



He called on staff to "raise their standards and work at full capacity" so that the group's planes will be full of "satisfied and loyal customers".



And should those customers have any thoughts on where the firm is going wrong or what can be done to put it right, then they should send them to: greatideas@flysaa.com

just sent a email to tell them what they can do with their airbus

How about limit the number of crew changes on a flight to the USA! This is the second trip I've made where we left Jo'burg, flew to Capetown, changed crews, flew to the "rock", changed crews, and then on to Atlanta! I suffered through three crews and the hour or so it took for them to land, deplane, change crews, fuel up etc. Maybe if they had to endure the same flight we did they would look for ways to make it a more pleasant trip for all involved!

Trade winds,

I've flown SAA many times in the past 7 years. I will for sure send them a email! I have some imput for them! To start, NO AIRBUSSES!!!! Go back to the Jumbo jets. I'm sending a email today, not nasty just some facts...

btt

Is there any other reasonable way to get to RSA besides SAA through Atlanta?

SAA thru JFK

I just sent off an email, so diabolicaly nasty, I wanted to strangle myself! Hopefully, there are a few Stellenbosch grads there to decipher.

They got another email from me too.

Email sent.

btt, one more time

KLM. It takes a little longer but they fly 747's.

My list of commetns for SAA:

- The Airbus is slow and uncomfortable: Bring back the Boeing 747!

- You flight crews are not as personable, well-trained, or efficient as they were a few years ago.

- My bottom line: I fly your airline to S. Africa because I pretty-much have to. If I had a choice that made sense, I'd fly with some other airline. For other African destinations, I do intend to fly with someone else, ebenm if that means going through Germany or -- wherever.

AD

Mine went out also. My recent trip in the awfull French flying contraption about ruined the trip for me. Next time I fly to Germany & down on a good ole 747!

Gist of the message: Dump the Airbus or customers will not use SAA.

I was just wondering if any of you who sent SAA an email have received a reply from them. I haven't .

Nope.

I wonder if this isn't just a B.S. "make them feel good" promotion to make people think they're actually going to try and make things better.

Mike,

This blurb appeared on the SAA website, and it looked to me to be for domestic consumption in RSA.

Maybe to make their gov't owner think they are working the cost problem.

jim

I know most of the guys here dislike SAA but I have to say on my flight to J-berg in Sept I was pretty comfortable.
Granted I was lucky enough to have no one sitting next to me and that definitely helps, but I also found the service to be pretty good as well.