I just returned from a trip to Harare in which we traveled the legs from JFK to Harare and back on SAA. I have to say that the entire SAA staff did a marvelous job of addressing our needs on the airplane. We traveled economy and found the flight attendants to be a welcome relief from the generally poor service I have seen on domestic airlines. The only room for improvement lay in that the guy on the counter in Harare refused to ship my bags all the way back to Anchorage since I had to check in at JFK with Customs and then change to Delta. This was only an issue when we returned because the knuckleheads at the Port Authority got into a pissing contest with TSA about whose job it was to inspect and clear our guns. Here we are, hot sweaty and tired while these guys have a power struggle for 30+ minutes, delaying our opportunity for a shower. Ah yes, New York's finest--not. At any rate, all our gear made it back to Anchorage right on time so we were glad to get home.

Glad it went well.

as far as i know you have always had to recheck in at port of entry.it is a pain but thats all part of the game

I am writing from Richards Bay ZA - just arrived a few hours ago. Flew SAA from TPA - JFK - JNB. Everything was fine, good service, normal airline food, friendly attendants.

Already had my 522 forms filled in and ready and SAPS at the the gun import office were friendly and things went smooth too.

Rechecking onward from JNB to RCB on South African Express was.....not quite so good. I had one rifle case and one checked bag with my ammo in a locked box inside the suitcase. Declared the ammo to the check-in agent and was told I had to take the rifle case and checked bag to the Domestic Flights SAPS office and check them in there.

They accepted the rifle case and I had to sign a log book - piece of cake. They said they could take the suitcase, just the ammo. I pulled the locked ammo box out of the suitcase and they said they had to have one of the airline baggage tags on it. So, one of the SAPS guys goes with me back to the SAE desk and she tell us that I have to pay extra for the ammo box as I am only allowed two checked bags and have to go to the SAE Excess Baggage Desks to pay.

We go there and I am charged 650 Rand ($100 USD) to ship 145 rds (5k) of ammo. The amount they charged is what pissed me off!!! Then back to the SAE ticket desk to get the baggage ticket and then back to the Domestic SAPS office, sign the log book and then go back for a final time to the SAE check-in desk to check in the suitcase. Very luck I had scheduled extra time between connections!!

To be fare, all the SAPS personnel were helpful and friendly and took care of their end of the business. I am must a bit PO'd that there are different "policies" between SAA and its SAE operations.

I remember when South Africa was civilized. It's
Africa. You will get screwed.

To afrcaisttimer,
It's true, you must clear customs at your first port of entry. You can't check your stuff through even if your final is an international.

It is my understanding that you can check your baggage through to your final destination.(I have done it many times) You must clear customs at the point of entry and re check it after customs by placing your checked baggage on the carousel after leaving customs. Many Airports like Washington will even have a TSA station where you can declare and re check your guns with outgoing through a check in at the ticket counter or leaving the secure area.

I flew back home from Harare via JFK on SAA in August. The line for immigration was ENORMOUS-- at least a thousand people-- but it went very fast and the ICE officers were very polite. The customs guy who checked my gun case, the United counter rep and Port Authority cop were all very polite and friendly. Then there was security screening and TSA. What a fiasco! I was fortunate that I had three hours between arrival in New York and deprature for IAD. There were exactly two full body scan machines, a very long and slow-moving line and TSA "officers" who literally treated us like cattle, shouting and herding us through. No one said please or thank you and certainly no apologies for having what was obviously not enough equipment to move people through in a timely manner.

Back to the original topic, I thought all the SAA personnel I dealt with going and coming were fine, as was the service on the plane. The Airbus is cramped, but unless you can afford business class-- which I can't-- what are you going to do?

In 2009, we were able to check our bags all the way through to Anchorage from Namibia. We did have to pull them off the carousel in Cincy to go through Customs but immediately put them back onto the plane as transferred bags without any inspections from the cops or TSA. Piece of cake. That is what I was expecting but JFK has different rules.

I can't say Snoobab African Airlines has impressed me at all in the past. Actually would only use them when there is no alternative.

Booked a flight with Qantas, the flight was badged Qantas on the ticket. Turned out to be Snoobab Air, and every kilogram over 20 kg cost me big time, in total $.

Pretty ffffing ridiculous to lump cabin bag, checked bag plus gun bag ALL in the 20 kg limit! And charge for anything over that.

The Qantas leg of the flights, they waived any excess, but Snoobab African Airlines got its KG of flesh. Cost me big time.

No way would I CHOOSE to fly with these a-holes again.

Plus the usual rip offs of claiming a special permit is needed for SA to Naimbia, the run around to change some $ into Rand, to pay a stupid fee, that seems is applied inconsistently. Probably depending which crook or HIV carrier is "serving" behind the counter at the time ...

Rant over.

I did not incur any extra baggage fees on SAA (or United) for any of my three bags (carry-on, checked and rifle case.)