Has anyone been monitoring and can offer updated information on the status of the FAA withdrawing SAA certificate to fly into the US?

Thanks,
Rob

After I posted this question, I spoke with Shawn at Gracy Travel. When asked about this, she said she had heard of the letter "posted by a pilot" and that she had heard nothing of the FAA revoking SAA's ability to fly into the US. I would speculate that she is in the know if one of her vendors whom she books alot of tickets for is having difficulties. Also, with the other options she has available, and Gracy's superb reputation I think they would be booking their customers on Delta, BA, etc if they felt SAA was going to put their customers in a lurch.

I think it was another internet rumor out of control. Never believe anything posted on the Internet, 99% BS. I would think if it where true you could google the topic and find supporting documentation.

Tradewinds... Agreed.

The letter I posted from an SAA captain came from a highly trusted source. It is not just another internet rumor.

Ride whatever airline you choose. It's your life. With what is going on at SAA, you won't catch me on one of their aircraft.

Kathi has booked Glenda and me on SAA for 15Mar bound for Harare returning 7April

Actually SAA has a very good safety record. For fatal accidents you have to back to 1987 when a 747 caught on fire in mid flight and crashed in the Indian Ocean. Before that you have to go all the way back to the 1960's when Pilot Error caused a 707 to crash on take off.

Pretty good record as far as I am concerned. But lets not get caught up in facts when you have a letter off the internet that is supposed to be from a pissed off Pilot!

Tradewinds- There are a lot of previously loyal SAA customers who frequent AR. They have watched what BEE has done to the company. There is really no comparison to what SAA was 8 or 10 years ago to today. May I ask what your benchmark for comparison is? Having had a chance to compare, I will fly anything but SAA until this current trend has been reversed.

Crane - I think you are missing the point. It has nothing to do with the different airlines service, seating, routes, prices or even safety record. I have flown SAA, Delta, and KLM. They all suck in Economy and they all are good in Business Class or First. I personally have never had a late or delayed flight, lost bag, trouble with firearms, etc. I would imagine at one time or another they all are late, cancel flights, lose bags and have bad service. This year we are flying both Delta to JNB and later SAA to WDH.

And the FACT, yes FACT remains they all have a good Safety Record. I believe BE started in around 1994 and SAA plane's have not exactly been falling out of the sky since that time. And yes I imagine there are some pissed White Pilots at SAA. I might be one if I worked at SAA since BE.

The OP asked a question about SAA Flight Status in the US. This was brought about by someone that we really do not know who he is. He puts up a supposed letter from a Captain at SAA. Whether the letter is the truth or a disgruntled employee, or just someone with nothing to do writing a BS letter I do not know and really do not care.

The letter stated that the FAA may suspend SAA rights to fly in the US. And because of this letter the OP was hesitant to book a flight on SAA. Well I asked a couple Travel Agents and they never heard about this incident, I tried to Google the subject and found no supporting articles. I would think if this where true there would be something on the internet or a Travel Agent would know something.

My point was simple and what amazes me is that people read something on the internet and take it for 100% fact when most is BS. And it is not just this Forum it seems like hardly a day goes by I do not hear about another amazing fact or story that someone read from an anonymous poster on the Internet.

I suggest you read my thread on SAA. I used to work indirectly for SAA flying a 747-200 on contract for them hauling their freight around the Atlantic rim. I used to ride them a lot. I rode them in '05 from ATL to Joberg and that was enough for me.

So what do you like, fly what you like. I really don't care. I simply posted that letter to everyone who considers sticking their necks out.

You think you're gonna get a straight answer from a trevel agent? Maybe that's a bit unfair, but travel agents, Gracy included, fill seats for a living. And they want to give their clients the best deal. They usually have good inffo, but what I posted was inside info that few travel if any agents would have access to. They're gonna hear what management tells them, and in SAA's case, management, or the absence of it, is the real problem. Everything else is a result of incompetent management. Just look at Northwest, for example. It's a horribly managed airline and has the reputation to prove it.

SAA has layed off aircrew when there is a worldwide pilot shortage. That should tell you something. Those aircrew are being picked up by other international carriers. The machanics (engineers, for you Brits and Europeans) have left en bloc. Black empowerment has weakened the integrity of the airline. I have a lot of African experience flying on the continent, based there in various countries over the last twelve years of my career, and if you want to stick you neck out, fly on an African carrier. They have about the worst safety records in existence. SAA is being dragged down to the African level by their choice of equipment, maintenance and training. They once operated on an European and American level. No longer.

I'm a pilot with 39 years in the profession. If you want to stick your neck out and fly SAA, then be my guest. You won't catch me aboard an African carrier, with the exception of ET.

Do what you like. I don't have a dog in this fight. I could care less what happens to SAA. They once were a great airline, but no longer.

But if you end up in deep ca-ca, remember you heard it here first.

End of story.

"insider info" Now I believe it!

which airline is ET?? why are they any better then the rest??

quote:

Originally posted by tradewinds:
"insider info" Now I believe it!

Could care less. Fly what you want to fly. It's your ass.

ET is Ethiopian. They maintain western standards in training and maintenance and record keeping.

I am glad there is no Black Empowerment in Ethiopia.

quote:

Originally posted by tradewinds:
I am glad there is no BE in Ethiopia.

BE stands for the old British European, long gone, as I recall. We're talking airline identifiers . NW=Northwest, DA=Delta, AA=American Airlines. Ethiopian has a good reputation. About the only crash I recall is the hijack that ended up with a ditching in the Indian Ocean a few years ago. That old SAA explosion overwater was likely an ANC bomb. Now that the ANC runs the airline, the bombs waiting to explode are in management. Being Communists, they haven't quite figured out the supply/demand equation, and likely won't.

Black Empowerment. Just say it Jetdrvr, Black Guys can't fly airplanes

Hi

The flight that went into the Indian ocean was the Helderberg, long rumour has always been and I believe it more than anything else that SA Military/Intelligence/State organization was flying back soem dodgy !@#!$ from the East, we were under a arms embargo and SAA used to fly in lot of stuff no questions asked,

As South Africa I agree, i prefer not too fly SAA, but last year on Delta too Atlanta I must have been i the oldest plane that Delta still has even the airhostesses were ancient, no in flight entertainment at all $@$@$%

My advice, Emirates best airline n the world best service, and safest in my opinion

Kwan, Delta is using newer 767-400 this year.

quote:

Originally posted by Kwan:
Hi

The flight that went into the Indian ocean was the Helderberg, long rumour has always been and I believe it more than anything else that SA Military/Intelligence/State organization was flying back soem dodgy !@#!$ from the East, we were under a arms embargo and SAA used to fly in lot of stuff no questions asked,

As South Africa I agree, i prefer not too fly SAA, but last year on Delta too Atlanta I must have been i the oldest plane that Delta still has even the airhostesses were ancient, no in flight entertainment at all $@$@$%

My advice, Emirates best airline n the world best service, and safest in my opinion

Emirates is great. I'd give the nod for service and luxury to Singapore, though, and first class on BA is tremendous.

Delta will be improving service on the Joburg run as they build a bigger customer base. You must understand that aircraft allocation is system wide. If all they had to start up the Joburg run was a 767-300, then that's what they used. The dash 400 will have longer legs.

I've heard that rumor about SAA flying arms. SA was doing a land-office business with the Israelis. They also manufatured a lot of their own stuff. It's highly unlikely that a munitions transshipment would spontaneously explode. I've flown literally hundreds of tons of the stuff. You rarely hear at all of any munitions cooking off unless they have some help. An ANC bomb aboard is certainly not out of the question. In those days, getting a bomb aboard an aircraft was a piece of cake. Still isn't too difficult, regardlss of all the TSA bullshit.

That might be, but that was the oldest plane for me in 20 years of overseas travel and the bloody ticket was not cheaper due too the age of the plane neither the loss of my luggage for 4 days, or the fact that there were no in flight entertainment for 18 hours,

I have not flown Cathay, yet, but business class is way ovr my profit margin,

So economy of Emirates it will be

Oh forgot too say. definely not ANC,

I was in Gov 17 years,doing all weird kinds of things in the name of NP and country and can put my life onit that was no ANC bomb

Most of the US airilineshave not bought alot of new aircraft in the last few years because of Bankrupcy. Cathay and Emirates are great. It seems like the Middle Eastern Airlines have bought most of the new aircraft in the last few years.

Delta BE in the newly refurbished 767-400 is a pretty good ride. SAA Business is better because of the lie flat but is also a couple thousand more per seat.

Jetdrvr... I thought Delta was "DL" ??

Yep. My mistake.

quote:

Originally posted by Kwan:
Oh forgot too say. definely not ANC,

I was in Gov 17 years,doing all weird kinds of things in the name of NP and country and can put my life onit that was no ANC bomb

OK. that's good to know.

Skydiving is a small world, and I have a couple of buddies from back then who were doing a bunch of weird stuff out there, too. Guy named Steve W. from Port Elizabeth and Stefan deW from Windhoek. They used to stay at my house during the winter and jump at Homestead in South Florida. Taught me a lot about South Africa before I ever visited the place. A tough pair. Stefan got off jumping off buildings in downtown Miami. I like South Africans. Well. some of them, anyway.

http://www.caa.co.za/press_files/2008/CAA%20Media%20Sta...0Audit%20Results.pdf

Found this on the net and thought it is worth reading

quote:

Originally posted by tradewinds:
Black Empowerment. Just say it Jetdrvr, Black Guys can't fly airplanes

Unskilled, poorly trained black guys can't fly airplanes, and neither can unskilled, poorly trained white guys. This ain't racial, pal. Not with me, at least. I can't speak for SAA though. With evidence to the contrary, it is with them.

And after experienceing those surly, ill-trained cabin crews I rode with down and back from ATL in '05, I'll take a tramp freighter to RSA before I get back on SAA. Do what you like.

BTW, I flew with a few black pilots over my 39 year career. A few did the job and a few couldn't fly paper airplanes and got the jobs because someone had a quota to fill. They didn't keep them long, though, after multiple writeups by multiple check airmen and captains.

Actually, I could care less. It's Delta/BA/NWA/KLM for me. If you're so cotton pickin' PC, climb on that airline and help SAA's BE out with your tourist dollars. And your tender white butt.

When I still wore a green suit we were flown around by a variety of pilots; black, white and brown. Never impacted the ground at high speed, yet. I personally think that most airedales are full of it anyway, most of the time. I joined the infantry in '59 because I found out at a tender age that I could walk a hell of lot further than I could fly.

I would aggree that te best airline I have flown was Singapore.

However I have never had a problem at all with SAA in international flights, barring one hostess who i felt was rude, but have had those on other ailines too.

Worst ailine I have ever flown was North West. Olympic had the 'dodgiest' feeling old planes it felt, but I am no expert.

Don't forget Air Canada has had 2 crashes in the last few months if I remember correctly - one belly landing without all the landing gear extended and one runway overshoot. I may be remembering it wromg, so correct me if ncessary...