In the news
Something fishy about SAA's handling of baggage and cargo
The Star's Wendy Knowler's had "a very unsettling chat with someone who has first-hand knowledge of the extent of baggage pilfering at Joburg's OR Tambo International Airport." The figure quoted by the Airports Company of South Africa (ACSA) - an average of 14 pilferage incidents a day - was not an accurate reflection of the extent of the problem, said her source, adding that revealing his identity would jeopardise his safety.
In addition to traveller's experience of having their check-in baggage tampered with, it appears air cargo is also not safe from pilfering. Daryl Batho, who supplies restaurants and shops in KwaZulu-Natal with fish, including fresh Scottish salmon, says that on numerous occasions SAA has delivered the boxed product in an unacceptable state. "Often the boxes are broken and held together by packaging tape - each time I'm simply told that SAA can't guarantee us that the boxes wouldn't be damaged and that is was likely due to the people handling the cargo," Batho says.
SAA, incidentally, uses the cold room facilities of a third-party company, WFS, because they don't have their own. Batho's company paid "ridiculous prices" - R2200 a box - for perishable cargo to be flown around the country, he said, "and I find it unacceptable that a company such as SAA cannot look after the products they are providing a service for." SAA's acting head of group corporate affairs, Dileseng Koetle, said it was "the first incident of this nature" which had been reported. "Mr. Bartho has since placed a claim which has been received by the airline for prompt processing."
Read the full article on www.iol.co.za
