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I've used several travel agents for travel to Africa. I suspect that I've used Gracy more than all the others combined. I had an experience this year that demonstrates the benefit that a good agent provides, and it bears mentioning here. Betsy and I were traveling from ATL to JNB, with an overnight at City Lodge at OR TAMBO and flying straight to to HRE the next AM. Bruce met us (plus 7 other travelers), walked us to SAPS, assisted with clearing the guns, walked us to the hotel, said goodnight and promised to return the next AM to walk us through the check in process with SAA. Everything was seamless. Bruce was smiling, as usual. The next morning, Bruce was there (early) and walked the nine of us to the SAA check in line. He dealt with the SAA folks quickly, got our bags weighed, etc etc etc and before we knew it, we were at the ticket counter. That's when the trouble started. The ticket agent told us, "You are not on this flight" and "You have no tickets". Of course, my BP spiked and I calmly reached for the E-tickets in my folio. I handed them to Bruce and she insisted, "Your tickets were cancelled yesterday before you left ATL" and "The flight is full" and "There are no available seats for several days". By now, I'm dropping silent F bombs in my mind, wondering about when I'll get to Zim, how many days I'll lose, how much it will cost, etc. Well, Bruce calmly says, "Debbie can fix this" and he proceeds to call her at 2am Texas time. They have a chat and Bruce hangs up. We go to the SAA customer service desk, receive a call from Debbie, and we return to the same ticket agent that previously told us we were SOL. When we returned, we had seats on the very full plane. I do not know who, how, why or what, but I do know that we were on the plane. Had I been there with an Expedia reservation and confirmation, I suspect I'd still be trying to understand what the agent was saying. I suspect that I would not have gotten onto a plane til yet! That is only the most recent time that a good travel agent saved my bacon and their efforts needed to be mentioned here. Will J. Parks, III | ||
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Aren't you grateful? Damn, I would hate for that to happen. Glad it was resolved with no further issues. | |||
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Bruce saved my tail a few years back when the baggage apes ripped the tag off one of my bags and I had to go back and re-check it, and go back through security. With my connection, there was no way I was going to make it. He "handled" the whole thing -- it did cost a bit -- but I found my way into the "diplomatic" line at security. I had to endure a few sideways glances from gents in three-piece tailored suits, but when I got to the window, a security person stepped up and the official stamped my passport and sent me on my way. I made my flight, as did all my bags. | |||
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I had a similar but opposite thing happen. After spending a few days at Vic Falls, i was ready to go hunt buffalo. After i checked in the luggage(and were loaded on the plane) i was told we did not have tickets. Now i am pissed. First thing to do is get my guns and bags off that plane. It actually went better then i thought it would. Next is listen to the ticket agent tell me my ticket was not paid for and the plane is full. Of course now the plane is ready to leave for Harare, and i am not going. Did i say that i was pissed?? I was offered seats on the flight on the next day. When i say offered i mean that i could buy them(Cash only please)Now i have to get a room for the night and get a hold of the PH so he knows what is going on. I had cell number for PH but the land line phones in Zim do not connect to cell phones. I did find a pilot and ask to use his cell phone. Now that is taken care of, how about a room for the night?? I got a ride back to Azambezi Lodge where we had stayed the previous nights. Only to find out they were booked full for a wedding. Did i say i was pissed yet?? After some pleading and begging(more cash please)i was giving a room(for cash). The restaurant at the lodge was closed for the night because of the wedding. Still pissed!! At least i was invited to the wedding. Of course we were the only two whites at the reception(actually had a good time) Finally get back to airport in morning and we were on our way to Harare. The rest of trip went real well, including two buffalo and a elephant. Had to do it on 9 days because i lost a day to this mess. This was NOT booked thru Gracy. It was another agent Be careful with who you book your trip with. I have had great service from Steve Turner Rant over now. | |||
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Same scenario for my wife and myself at the ticket counter at JHB, no tickets on up to Vic Falls they said, fuss, fuss, fume,fume still no tickets, walked over to BA office and luckily?? they had 2 first class tickets availablefor only 400 US apiece> The manager there said he could get us up to Vic Falls but no guarantee of a return flight, so on we went with 3 minutes to spare. Did I mention I could see our names on the ticket list while standing at the counter arguing with the agent?? Unbelievable, pissed is hardly the word. KLD | |||
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Is the reality here that now SAA is shaking people down for money for tickets they already bought and paid for? ______________________________ "Are you gonna pull them pistols,...or whistle Dixie??" Josie Wales 1866 | |||
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I do not think my case was a shakedown at all. I think there is some glitch between Delta in ATL and SAA in JNB IF you are overnighting in JNB before traveling onward. Because Delta shows your final destination as HRE, they want to tag your bags to HRE. When you tell them to tag the bags to JNB where you will overnight, something in the computer revises your schedule and changes JNB to your final destination and cancels your tickets for the onward journey. Will J. Parks, III | |||
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Will - It didn't have anything to do with how far your bags were checked by Delta. I'm thinking that you had two separate e-tickets, as most people do when they are travelling from the States to JNB and then to HRE or Vic Falls, etc. I've seen this happen before. It has everything to do with SAA, and it is a computer glitch. On 2 separate tickets, the Delta agent can check your bags any way you wish - either all the way to HRE or only to JNB if you are overnighting there. It is simply a computer glitch that happens in the SAA reservations system. There is nothing in the Delta computer that revises your itinerary or cancells your onward reservation to HRE on SAA, no matter how far your bags are checked. Even if all your flight legs are on the same eticket, this can sometimes happen. And SAA isn't the only airline who's computer system accidentally drops reservations, it happens to all airlines occaisionally. (That's computers for you!) When they looked up your e-ticket number, they realized you had a paid-for ticket, and they re-instated your itinerary. How they came up with seats for you guys when your flight was "full, with no available seats for several days", I have no idea. But I'm glad it worked out for you guys. Also, congrats on your recent great safari. Those buff you took were awesome! Also, you are right about Expedia. Once one of the online ticket brokers like Expedia, Orbitz, CheapTickets, Cheap-O-Air, etc. sells you a ticket, their customer service department is basically non-existant. If a glitch happens, they won't be of much or any help, and you will be screwed. It's best not to use them on important international trips. Glen | |||
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While that in particular may not be a SAA scam the overweight baggage charge for connecting flights is. On all three of my trips Bruce has had to haggle with the SAA agents to get overweight charges dropped for connecting flights.... . | |||
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Hope this is an appropriate question, but what are people tipping Bruce or his equivalent for his type services? | |||
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My tickets were not actually paid for by the "Agent". Could not blame airline, but still pissed. Had a real " Nice " talk with agent when i got home. Now i stick with Steve Turner. | |||
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Thanks Glen for the explanation. I should have thought to ask you about it in the first place. All in all, it's a good cautionary tale for anyone flying Delta and SAA on the same trip. Thanks, Will J. Parks, III | |||
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I usually tip him $50. That said, there are two of us traveling and we typically see him on arrival and again on departure the next day. Bruce usually has a helper with him and I figure he shares some portion of that with the help. I've seen lots of single travelers tip him $20 to $25. Will J. Parks, III | |||
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I traveled from Durango, Co to Denver, Co, to Washington DC to Jburg. Overnighted at Jberg, then to Lusaka, Zambia to Mfuwe, then charter to camp on North Luwanga. Then reverse at the end of the hunt, but staying in Lusaka overnight instead of Jburg. Did not have any problems either direction. total time in the air about 48 hours , give or take. Thank you Kathi Klimes @ wild travel. That my friends is what a skillful travel can do for you. | |||
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I have booked twice now to Africa (Zim in 2008, RSA in 2010) with Kathi and both trips went flawlessly. She did advise me to book straight thru here in Boise so I had no SAPS involvement issues (read bribe money). | |||
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I've used Gracy twice, with excellent results. On a 2009 trip to Maasailand, we decided to leave early because everyone was tagged out. We needed an earlier departure from Arusha. Got to the hotel and got on the net and advised Debbie of our situation. In an hour or so, I got a return email with the seats, two in BC and one in coach, all taken care of. Going back in 2013 and will definitely use Gracy again. | |||
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Thanks you Safari-Lawyer | |||
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I have also used Gracy for a majority of my African travel too, and they have always took care of me. Bruce is a valuable asset for them in Jo'burg. He makes out well on tips from African travelers.  | |||
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