This why I use BA if I can.

From the Hunting Report

If you are holding a South African Airways ticket to South Africa, you need to know that a lot of travelers are reporting delayed luggage on flights from the US this summer, particularly from Dulles International Airport in Washington. Steve Turner of Gracy Travel International (800-299-8558) tells us he is receiving calls on an almost daily basis from clients whose bags have been left in Washington. Turner says the problem is that SAA is flying nonstop flights this summer using an Airbus that cannot carry all of the necessary fuel, plus all of the passengers' baggage. The weight problem is so bad this summer Turner says SAA is flying the route with 30 to 40 empty seats.

We called SAA's headquarters in South Africa yesterday and spoke to a Customer Care representative, who admitted that weight is an issue this summer, but she said the company was dealing with it by leaving seats empty. She denied that baggage is being regularly left behind. "Occasionally, weight and balance issues are requiring that some baggage be delayed, but this is not a regular occurrence," she said.

That song and dance aside, the bottom line is, SAA is at it again, creating problems for its passengers. If you are booked on the airline, be aware that there is a real chance that one or more of your bags will be delayed, perhaps your gun case. That being the case, it may be particularly important to use a gun-clearing service this summer such as that provided by Air 2000's Hunters' Support (air2000@global.co.za). PHASA (Professional Hunters Association of South Africa - phasa@pixie.co.za) also helps hunters clear their guns. These services may be able to get your gun to you even if it arrives after you have flown on to your final destination. Another thing you may want to do is think through more carefully than usual what kind of items to pack in your carry-on bag.

We plan to bring this problem to the attention of SAA higher-ups and help them understand the severe complications it creates for hunters. If your hunt is affected by a luggage delay with SAA, drop us a note and we'll forward your complaint on to the airline. E-mail your complaint to: tracy@huntingreport.com. - Barbara Crown.

Last year when I flew on SAA through Jo-Berg to Windhoek – my bags did not make the trip on a timely basis -- two days later they delivered the bags to camp.

Driver of the van that was delivering the bags -- as I recall -- had like 17 separate deliveries to make -- he said this was a daily situation and he was making a great money off of SAA and their baggage snafus.

The concession we were hunting on, noted that at least 1/4 of their clients on SAA - that went trough Dulles wound up without their bags. It had actually become necessary for them to stock up on emergency supplies such as toothpaste and toothbrushes due to the amount of clients showing up without their bags.

The concept of adding an additional day on the front end – remains a valid concept all things considered.

Luggage loss an airline’s nightmare - Steffen
By Fanyana Mabuza



The Director of Steffen Air, the company operating the country’s newest airline Swazi Express Airways, has disclosed that they have since put logistics to avert the rampant loss of passenger luggage.
Hans Steffen acknowledged that such a problem was rampant in African Airports, alluding that it was way out of control at the O.R. Tambo International Airport.

He said this fact had forced them to make alternative arrangements for their customers pertaining to their luggage.

In the past weeks, a number of passengers flying the South African and Swaziland joint ventured Airlink, have come out to express their dismay after embarking at Matsapha Airport or Johannesburg Airport only to find that their luggage is missing or had been tampered with.

Only last week, another passenger travelling to Asmarra Eritrea, in 2005, expressed her dismay over remarks made by Swazi Airlink Manager Teddy Mavuso, after she lost her portmanteau, before even reaching her destination, Asmarra.

“By the time I arrived, I had no luggage, can you imagine the inconvenience I had to go through, having to wake up early and buy new clothes so I could attend the conference,†the passenger said after she failed to recover her luggage which got lost in an Emirates flight.

Mavuso apparently told her to make her own enquiries at the O.R Tambo International Airport, despite that she had made her bookings at Airlink’s Mbabane office.

She was then advised to make a lost luggage claim, which totaled to over E5 000.

She has not been paid her claim eversince, nor recovered her luggage.

Mavuso confirmed that he had failed to recover the luggage, hence the decision to ask her to make her own investigations.

The new airline’s director, stated that although things like luggage were handled by the airports, arrangements can be made to ensure that a passenger gets his luggage at the next stop and re-register it as he continued with his journey, especially when he has to connect another flight.

“Although we are still dealing with flights to Johannesburg only right now, we have made arrangements that when we deal with people to make connecting flights from Johannesburg say to Heathrow, London, they would collect their luggage in Johannesburg, and re-register it again with the flight he is connecting,†he said.

This then means that the luggage will not be sent from Matsapha to the final destination, but the owner will collect it and re-tag it again at every stop.

He conceded that this will inconvenience the passenger a bit in terms of time, but at least his luggage will be with him all the time. This is allowed according to international air travel agreements.

He said the charges were normally split between the airlines the passenger is using.

“This is a different approach from the norm, and we are looking at negotiating with other major airlines for the convenience and safety of our passengers’ luggage. But most of all it is to ensure complete peace of mind.

We would like to impress to the local authorities to take the matter of luggage safety very seriously. We hope by the time the Sikhuphe Airport is operational, security measures will be put in place to ensure total luggage safety.

Security cameras and high tech surveillance equipment should be installed at the airport to prevent pilfering and so the passengers could have a total sense of security.

This would greatly enhance the stature of the new airport as more people would feel comfortable in visiting the country,†he said.


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Replacing the 747's with the Airbus was brilliant, wasn't it???

One more reason to not fly SAA.

I always thought that it was a "must" that your luggage went onto the aircraft with you...to keep terrorist baggage bombs to a minimum(fewer terrorists are going to bomb the plane they are riding on). It used to be if your not on the plane, the luggage stays on the ground. I guess it does not matter too much anymore. Hell, once those terrorist find that this is the norm they are going to start their crap again. So much for rules put into place to make safer flights. Its all about the money again!

quote:

Security cameras and high tech surveillance equipment should be installed at the airport to prevent pilfering and so the passengers could have a total sense of security.

This would greatly enhance the stature of the new airport as more people would feel comfortable in visiting the country,†he said.

The norm has apparently become stealing and pilfering and a general inability to function in a civilized world. Is we talkin' Deetwoit or Africa?

True to the predictions, Joberg will only get worse and worse, as will Detroit or any other infested area. Until it is all a uncivilized squalor where the norm is how many people have you butchered today? And stolen their shoes.

I will leave July 4th flying from Denver to Dulles and then on to Jo Berg with SAA. Gracy sent my ticket package this week with a statement of make sure you confirm at the gate that your luggage has been loaded. I travel domestically on a regular basis. I do not know how a gate agent would know if your bags have been loaded. Does anyone have any other suggestions (besides don't travel SAA).

I will be traveling through Dulles June 30th in route to Joberg. I will be attempting to confirm my luggage has been loaded. Interested to hear if anyone has done this. Heck, what if they say that it hasn't been loaded? Do we believe them if they say it has? Is baggage scanned as it's loaded so that they can prove it?

I'm SOOOOO looking forward to this trip but all this luggage trouble talk has me stressing!!

The gate agent HAS the ability to confirm your luggage's been loaded. It's a post-9/11 requirement. I try to give myself at least three hours for the connection to ensure there is enough time for the bags to make the transfer. jorge

jorge that is comforting and I have 2 hours 45 minutes betwwen (if on time) but how does she/he know specifically it is your two checked bags.

Great, I have reservations for Aug 5.

I absolutely agree the situation sucks. But I have a question. Obviously there have been enough incidents of lost/stolen gun cases or bags that it is on the radar. Can folks who have had problems in the last year or so post here? I'm really curious as to the odds of something serious, like rifle not showing up, occuring either on the African end, or back here in the US. I'm seriously considering leaving my brand new rifle behind when I fly to Namibia this September, rather than risk theft or the hassle of it not showing up when it is supposed to.

quote:

Originally posted by huntnjim:
jorge that is comforting and I have 2 hours 45 minutes betwwen (if on time) but how does she/he know specifically it is your two checked bags.

Bar codes. Just look at your luggage stubbs and you can determine which article is your gun case. jorge

Im not making light of you gun guys, but the if your bags are misplaced, eventually they will usually show up. You can borrow the PH's gun while your there. I know I went through this heartache the last time I went over.

But Im travelling with a bow this time. And there are dang few PH's that have a bow with your draw length and weight, sights, release etc sitting in camp for you to borrow till your luggage is retrieved.

Hugh

quote:

Originally posted by Tembo:
Replacing the 747's with the Airbus was brilliant, wasn't it???

Don't worry - it happens to others as well. As an example, Qantas regularly blocks off seats due to weight limitations and fuel requirements on the 747-400 Sydney/Joburg route.

Also. if its a 340-600 that SAA operate on that route, that earoplane carries nearly double the freight of the 744 and it does so at about two thirds of the cost - I would guess they are carrying a considerable amount of freight on that service too.

Sometimes it becomes a bit of a balancing act but they should not carry freight at the expense of passenger baggage.

Its all about wringing the absolute max out of these areoplanes these days unfortunately, hence the shitty little seats one often finds in economy class!

Last August I flew SAA Dulles to Joberg and on to Windhoek Namibia. My bags made it to JoBerg, but missed the connecting flight to Windhoek. I hunted two days in borrowed boots and with a borrowed rifle. My gun case made it, but the bag containing my boots, ammo, and extra clothing had to be delivered later. Fortunately, nothing had been stolen, much to my hosts surprise. I really think I'll consider another route next time. I'm pretty short (only 5'6") and I was really uncomfortable in SAA economy class.

Does it matter if you fly Coach or Premium class if they leave your luggage behind?

Yes, I was told so by a gate agent. If you notice the upper classes have different color tags placed on them.

On my recent trip 6/15 to 6/30 we flew Northwest Airline to (big mistake as they have no customer service) and SAA out of Dulles. I did not know about the baggage issues and failed to confirm my bags were loaded on the plane. In 5 previous trips I have never had a delayed or lost bag. This time my family and I arrived in Harare and only my 2 gun cases made the trip. It was 1.5 days until our bags arrived and no one at NW or SAA could tell us a damn thing about the status of our bags. Then on the return leg we had a 4 hour delay in Dakar and our plane out of New York was delayed for mechanical issues and departed 3 hours late causing a missed connection in Detroit. Our bags proceeded us back to Tulsa and when we finally arrived they and the gun cases were sitting outside the closed NW ticket counter at midnight. I and my brother simply walked up and rolled the baggage away without showing a receipt or ID. The compensation for the delayed flights and inconvenience from NW was $10.00 airport meal voucher for each of us. I should have used the damn things to buy the beer and peanuts on the flights at $3.00 and $2.00 respectively. I will never fly NW again unless I have no other choice and will give Delta my business next time I travel to Africa.


Lessons learned-Pack your carry-on as if you will be living out of it for 2 or 3 days and confirm your luggage is on the flight with you. Also, if you use a travel agent you might want a cell number so in case you are trying to chase lost luggage on a Sunday and all the information you have is an 800 number in the USA to work with.

Perry

quote:

Originally posted by Terry Blauwkamp:
Does it matter if you fly Coach or Premium class if they leave your luggage behind?

YES!! the bags are tagged differently and on some airlines(for example Qantas) the weight allowance is different. i always fly first or business class on international flights and have never had a baggage delay. a friend who works for Am. Airlines told me that they go to extra lenghts to see that premium ticketed luggage gets tranferred first on connections and is usually first to be unloaded at its destination.

For what it's worth. My wife and I flew Business class on SAA in June of this year from Dulles to Joberg. Our rifles did arrive, our baggage did not. When the line formed to report missing luggage, I recognized many of those faces from business class. It just depends on which luggage container they leave on the tarmac.