Travel Any Airline Except SAA!!!!!! PATHETIC SERVICE

On the 22nd of December 2018, i arrived at OR Tambo airport flying from Abu Dhabi with Etihad Airways. Upon landing the airport did not have a terminal for us to exit the plane and hence we waited for approximately 15 minutes. After finally exiting the plane we walked to receive our bags and waited another 15 minutes for the bags to be offloaded onto the conveyer belt.

My family and i, traveling with 2 kids aged between 2 and 4 and my mother in law who is 66 finally received our bags and headed to the South African Airways counter to check in for our onward flight to Durban. We arrived at the SAA counter, checked our luggage in and received our boarding passes.

Travelling with 3 hand luggages, 2 small kids with 2 prams, my wife being 11 weeks pregnant we had to walk literally from one end of the airport to the other. We had received our boarding passes at approximately 18:25pm and the boarding time was 18:30pm.

Due to our circumstances we got to the boarding gate at approximately 18:40pm of which the boarding gate was closed. The plane was still present. The SAA consultant was rude and in no way tried to assist us. She refused to understand that we were traveling with 2 kids and an elderly person. In Conjunction my wife was pregnant. After trying to argue my point the consultant insisted that we go back to the SAA counter.

Upon arriving at the SAA counter and having explained my situation, the consultant refused to assist, was rude and had no compassion at all. She blatantly said to me that it was my duty to make sure irrespective of my circumstance that i make the boarding time. Having said to her could you consultant that checked me in not have told me that i would not make it or even picked up the phone to inform her boarding desk that there were passengers on the way. SAA sates that this was not their job.

The manager on duty came to speak with me and again the same attitude of no compassion for their customers, no service, rudeness, was illustrated.

SAA refused to rebook another flight for me or even pay for 1 nights accommodation. i then had to at 9pm at night with 2 kids, an elderly woman and my wife pregnant and with my 9 bags had to book myself into Southern Sun and re book my flights to durban the next day at my own cost.

I would not recommend that anyone travel SAA, their service and attitude towards customers is pathetic.

Most defiantly the worst airline i have traveled!!!!!