Beware SAA Cargo - ****

<p>I was planning to fly with my pet to Tanzania on the 23rd December 2016 for Christmas.</p> <p>I called SAA way in advance, my flight booking was done in October 2016. Soon after i called SAA to make bookings to fly with my pet. The lady i spoke to, gave me the number for SAA Cargo - I called there and found someone who told me that before they can make the booking for me, i should apply for an import and export permit out of Tanzania and send them copies. She added i would need to apply directly from Tanzania consulate here in SA - the information was so detailed, i really took it for the truth and all i needed.</p> <p>When i had flown with BA before - i was sent a document with all requerements listed, there was nothing of that nature from SAA, no document, just the phone conversation. What i did not know at the time, was that this information was incomplete.</p> <p> </p> <p>However i managed to aplly for the Ta****an permit, it took me a long time and i went through many agents, after i got the permit, i called SAA again to make the booking. This time i was told i could just travel with the dog as excess luggage if it was smaller than 23kg. So i am confused, i reached out to the first person i spoke to and they said - i should send the documents i have to ********** Tebogo confirms i have to go through SAA cargo, he checks the documents i sent him and makes the booking for me. Remeber the first time they could not make the booking because i did not have all the papers - now i assume i must have all the papers and he confirms the booking. He actually asks for my cell phone number - which i give him. The first red flag goes up when he says i must call him immidiately when i arrive so he can organise a "clearing agent" for me, he says there are some papers i will need at the airport but the agent can get them quick quick.</p> <p>That was confusing because if u already have a booking, all the papers why else do i need to call this guy before i even check my pet through. When i arrived on the day - i did not call Tebogo, i went straight for the Pet Lounge and attempted to check my pet through.</p> <p>This is when i got the shock of my holiday, i did not have all the papers. The SAA booking agents were able to tell me about the Tanzania import and export permits i would need but conveniently forgot to tell me about the South African export permit or health certificate, which is actaully very easy to apply for and i could have done that even faster than it took me to get the Tanzanian papers. They tell me this at the airport and i am now 3 hours before my flight departure, i have my pet with me there and no other plan B. They understand i am now in a desperate situation, which they created.</p> <p>So it hits me, this is why i have to call Tebogo so he could orgnise me this "clearing agent" he must have known all along i did not have all the papers. I call Tebogo and he arrives immediately, acts like he did not know about the health certificate . . . .how stupid does he think i am? He then comes up with a plan to save the day, he calls his friend the clearing agent, who was conveniently waiting there already just standing by and this "agent" tells me i need to go to Pretoria - State Vet and apply for the health certificate. But because i am already now two hours before my flight departure - he can organise all that for me on my behalf, he does not even ask for payment, he will just charge me at cost, this is his plan - i must withdraw the following monies and give to him:</p> <p>- R1500 so he can apply for the health certificate from Pretoria State Vet</p> <p>- R250 so he can get the pet microchipped</p> <p>- R100 per day so he can take care of my pet, because he can only get the papers next week and he will then send the pet through. I should however just pay for the booking now for next week.</p> <p> </p> <p>I agree, i dont really have much of a choice at this stage, waiting until next week Wednesday does not seem too bad, its Xmas season and this is the next day the State Vet would be opened - in all of this he does not ask for his payment, so i already know this is all very fishy. So we go to get a quote for the dog, they put it on the scale - i remember being quoted about R400 per kg, my dog barely weighs 3kg - a puppy chihuahua. As the guys is weighing the dog, the "agent" tells him - this is usually R3100, i know that is what you will get. And suprise suprise the person weighing the dog quotes me R3100 exactly. So i ask for a printed quotation, he says he cant do it. Then i ask, can i just pay now - do you take card? He says no, i can only pay when i check the dog in on the day of the flight, so he says i should just give all the money to the "agent" he will just pay it on my behalf and send the pet on the Wednesday flight. At this stage i am turning red, i am ambushed my flight leaves in two hours and i am stuck at the airport with these ******. I ask him, how will i give you R3100 in cash on top of the R1500 and R250 and R100X5 days - my daily limit will not even allow. This is where i just lost it - he says, this is Tebogo my the way, he says "we will just give you bank details then you can transfer all the money in, there are still ccustoms charges that will be added"</p> <p>I said enough, just stop it. If its going to cost so much i will just leave my pet behind. I am obviously very dissapointed, i had planned for this 10day vacation to take with my pet. The "agent" gets really angry and storms off. I sat there tried calling all the pet hotels within a 10km radius - they were all booked for the holidays. I was starting to think of cancelling my holiday or postponing the trip - i would have lost all my prepaid holiday money.</p> <p>So Tebogo comes to me with another briliant idea to save the day - he knows another agent who can take the pet and take care of it until i return at a price of course. I ended up paying this new agen R1000 cash and left my pet at the airport with a stranger because of SAA. My entire holiday was ruined before it even started, who gives them the right?</p> <p> </p> <p>I think SAA should make it simpler to fly with pets, you cant change the rules of the country but you can make it easier for your clients like BA does - send information officially to anyone who makes a pet booking. At a minimum send through a checklist of documents to your clients that we can be better prepared. This loophole is allowing ****** and ********* to de***** your clients and cost you future business, i would like to see this Tebogo Mo***eng held accountable for his behaviour, i have all the emails, evidence of our communication as i was making my initial booking. I can prove my story.</p> <p> </p> <p>At this stage i would never ever again fly with SAA and i will tell everyone i can about my experience, I will book another airline and if they dont fly to thedestination i was planning to go to - i will rather change my holiday destination, everyone at that pet lounge seems to be in on the **** - including the gentleman weighing the dogs. I purposefully did not want to book a pet agency for the travel - they are overpriced and i had enough time to get all the papers myself.</p>