While traveling from Gabarone, Botswana to the United States in August the ticket agent for South African Airways Express in Gabarone told us that it was Company policy on that date, because of the threat of terrorism, that passengers check all electronic goods in their baggage. Upon completion of our flight we discovered that it, in fact, there was no such Company policy, and that my computer had been stolen.
When contacted, SAA Express said that it was company policy to NOT reimburse passengers for stolen electronic goods if they were stolen in checked in baggage, and because their web site warns passengers not to check in electronic goods they had no liability. When informed that we were directed by their employees to check our electronic goods in our baggage, and therefore, believed we had no choice, the response of Customer Serices was "too bad."
All of my appeals went for not. We were informed that they conducted an investigation, but neither I nor any of my witnesses were ever interviewed. They now say the case is closed.
Clearly, we have an airline that implicitly condones the criminal behavior that they apparently can't control of its employees. At the very least, they refuse to take responsibility for their employees.
My advise to the public is, do not use South African Airways Express in your travels unless you absolutely have to, and even then don't take anything more than a toothbrush with you.
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