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News24 User

No Mango for me

by
2006-11-01 11:31

Dear Editor,

Well done, SAA! You're so predictable with the launch of the Mango airline.

Those of us who can remember the demise of Sun Air and other small competitors squeezed out of business over the years, were waiting for SAA to react to the market share won by 1Time, Kulula and Nationwide.

Is it going to be the same strategy again? Undercut their prices, shut them down and raise your prices again? This while maintaining the same level of service - long queues, delays and poor customer liaison?

I, for one, will not be flying Mango. I suggest that others follow suit.

Ingrid Andersen
Grahamstown

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Disclaimer: News24 encourages freedom of speech and the expression of diverse views. The views of users published on News24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent the views of News24.

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Werner 11/1/2006 2:11:17 PM
I got on to the site at 03:00 on Tuesday morning to book a ticket. On the last step the transaction went through as my fiance got an sms. The site bombed out before I could get my reservation nr. My fiance tried to phone from before 08:00 til 16:00, no luck. I got lucky just after 18:00, after going through the "the number you have dailed..." procedure. Getting through doesn't mean a thing, cause all the person on the otherside can say is sorry, our servers crashed, we cannot help right now.

Mat 11/1/2006 2:28:15 PM
I think the launch of Mango is awesome, having just purchased a return ticket CT/Durbs for a cool R428 for which for same days i would have had to shell out R1399 ONE WAY on kulula. The former were also getting arrogant and fat-cattish, not to mention the obligatory flight delays. To survive they better get their cost structures to work for the customer because if u're only marginally cheaper than the flights where they actually still feed u, can u still call yoself a low cost airline?

Peter 11/1/2006 3:07:18 PM
I will not fly Mango,stand in those long queuse,i will pay the extra to get a proper service. Peter

Kim 11/1/2006 3:13:49 PM
I don't see why Ingrid is so fired up about Mango giving the industry some competition. Nico Bezuidenhout clearly stated the costings involved and it is so obvious that the industry really did need some "fresh" competition. It is so obvious why the fat cats earn the fortunes while the public have no way of affording to fly around their own country. Wake up, smell the coffee - this is exactly what we needed. Leave the tickets to those who want it and go fly fly away at the higher cost.

Shaun 11/1/2006 3:14:26 PM
Seriously, R428 for a ticket is cheap but then don't forget to add the stolen goods to that which will no doubt be identical to the SAA record. What is a safe flight worth? SAA don't care about customers so what's the difference with Mango? GO 1TIME all the way for excellent service and cheap flights, they are the best and the safest option.

Pieter 11/1/2006 3:26:27 PM
Competition is always a good thing, we'll just have to see if the current scramble from the other two airlines will last! Pricewars always has a winner - the consumer! I got my tickets really cheap, even if it was on Kulula. Thanks, Mango!!

Paseka 11/1/2006 3:28:23 PM
Now or never! I my self have never been in a plane before..... I will be getting my bonuses soon why not spoil my self now while I can.

Atsho 11/1/2006 3:31:25 PM
It's what most of SA underpriviledge citizens have been waiting for. Instead of going to a bus why not fly?.Only if it would fly to former homelands Umtata to be specific as the likes of Kulula and 1time do not go there. Thumbs up for Mango!!!!!!!!

Angie 11/1/2006 3:36:04 PM
How many more governmentally owned "businesses" are going to pull the wool over your eyes? Catch a wake up mate.. you are in another world if you think there is not an alteria motive to Mango.

Daniel 11/1/2006 3:43:49 PM
The website is about as good as the service, slow and already falling over - no vision. If they can't even impliment a decent ticketing system, what makes you think they can fly a plane? 1Time, Kulula and Nationwide RULE!!!! and they are just as cheap and include airport tax.

Jenny 11/1/2006 3:51:19 PM
Get real Kim - your tax dollars are going to support this dead duck to try and get it off the ground. Government is going to use your tax dollars to support a business it should never have started, which could be better used to try and create employment - rather than trying to muscle other airlines out of business. I would rather pay the extra and support free enterprise. So should you!

thuli 11/1/2006 3:53:52 PM
I will most definitely fly Mango, i mean there's always competition out there, many people said Cell C would not last, but look at the company now, even better than Vodacom and MTN. KIM u have a good point and i support you 100%.

Mat 11/1/2006 3:56:55 PM
well hey Daniel, the fee i mentioned was also all inclusive, but i gave u some figures, show me yours, because after having done a thorough search whilst waiting for mango to load (yes a bloeps on their part), i checked them all and guess what, they were all more than double if not triple the price - let the masses fly, and u dont get stuff stolen if u take it into the cabin...and there is always an alteria motive to all business but whilst it works for me...

Martie van Jaarsveld 11/1/2006 4:00:42 PM
Eish! What about being positive for a change? So many "suurgat" South Africans together can make anything or anybody to be a failure. Well done Mango!! Hattie

Chris 11/1/2006 4:00:56 PM
Maybe SAA should lower their general fees to R428 a ticket - I think it will be more appropriate for the level of friendliness and service they provide - on second thought - it will still be too expensive..!

Jaco 11/1/2006 4:02:12 PM
I've just tried for an hour to get into the Mango website without any luck. SAA encourages people to do electronic bookings, but how is this possible if you can not get into the website. Did they not expect thousands of people to enter the website after promoting such a good price...?

Mandla 11/1/2006 4:09:02 PM
Well done Mango now i can also fly anytime i want to,of course along with my kids

selan 11/1/2006 4:12:04 PM
I purchased tickets on opening night and everything went off without incident. I paid R1300 JHB/CT Return for a family of 4.Tks Mango.

Go 1Time 11/1/2006 4:12:25 PM
for people like KIM why dont you wake up you pay tax right so why do you have to pay for a ticket on mango surley you should fly for nothing as you are making sure the CEO gets at least a minimun of R10 000 000 per year

verish 11/1/2006 4:16:44 PM
this mango has left nothing but a sour taste . I applaud those who even made it any stage of booking a ticket ,how one gets that lucky I have no idea .After an entire frustrating day of praying for the website to display ,calling any one the 3 numbers displayed (the call centre number on the website is incorrect and the one that was given to me by the yellow pages is always engaged, the CT number doesn't even exist ),I'm left wandering if this is all a rotten gimmick to juice up the public

Robert Browning 11/1/2006 4:22:30 PM
Hey my tjina. We remember SAA killing Sunair and the Safmarine airline, after which they just jumped the prices. No matter what political government, they are plain bullies. Maybe they could have called it Garlick or Beetroot? I suppose Sa Post office would do the same if it had competition? (Private my foot) If you want pleasent service at reasonable prices FLY NATIONWIDE. No I don't work for them

$$$$ 11/1/2006 4:27:20 PM
South Africa is not a service related industry, it's more about getting value for money, and thats exactly what Mango is doing, kulula was forced to drop there prices if they want to remain competive, especially in the holiday season, all those people saying kulula is better fly with them, there flight is a rand or so cheaper, so stop whining.Fly who you wanna fly with, or drive if u wanna complain.People are acting like they rich and have a choice, if they were this wouldn't be a debate.

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