A moments silence

Yesterday I spent the day flying to Johannesburg and back again. An exploratory meeting for a big project. I used to fly plenty, about four times a week for almost four years. Now SAA has reduced my Voyager status to their lowest tier. I cannot say I am disappointed. Then again I generally avoid flying our National carrier due to my last experience where they left me behind. Sometimes it cannot be avoided...

The pilot told all on board that we were to expect a 30 minute delay due to there not being enough landing slots at O R Tambo airport in Johannesburg. Fair enough, but then he went on to say that it was not SAA’s, fault. Hearing those words, I had a flashback to my children. Anything that goes wrong is never their fault either. A more juvenile and blame avoiding statement is yet to be invented. Obviously the pilot went on the ‘we are not here for you’ customer service training course. Accepting responsibility and apologising profusely is one way to turn a bad customer experience into a better one. But only if you are not SAA!

There was a particularly poignant moment on takeoff. Perhaps all passengers were stunned into personal reveries as a result of the delay announcement. It was absolutely silent aboard the aircraft, unusual in the extreme. The plane took off in that silence, supposedly everyone lost in their own thoughts of the day. The mood was shattered by the noisy sniffing of the lady in the seat to my right. Big juicy thick phlem type sniffing! She got out her tissue, wiped her nose, and gave the remaining obnoxious goo an almighty snort. Chunky!

Perhaps the silence was to mourn the death of customer service. Regardless it was fascinating to be a part of an unoganised silence in a crowded place. Please give me more of it!