23 June 2011, Johannesburg. South African Airways (SAA) has, once again, won the Best Airline Africa award and the Service Excellence Africa award. The Skytrax awards were presented in Paris on 22 June 2011.
For the ninth consecutive year, SAA outperformed other airlines by winning two awards: Best Airline Africa, and Service Excellence Africa. The lucrative title Best Airline Africa, is awarded to the airline rated the best in the region for all the different items of airline front-line product and service. The Service Excellence Africa award was given to SAA for the second consecutive year. A quality, unrivalled product as well as unwavering service standards and consistency experienced at the airport and onboard the aircraft were judging criteria for this award.
CEO of SAA, Siza Mzimela says: "Excellent service is a key differentiator in the mind of discerning customers. We take service extremely seriously and are proud that our effort to focus on this key area of our business has been acknowledged. It only motivates us to do more for our valued customers so that SAA is their first and only airline choice."
Internally, amongst each of its employees, SAA constantly works at refreshing its focus on providing good service as well as keeping abreast of global trends in product innovation. Mzimela re-iterates: “Improving on SAA’s customer service and the consistency of quality-delivery is one of SAA’s key strategic initiatives. SAA’s intense focus on customer service will ultimately ensure consistency and efficiency in striving to offer service in a personalised and professional manner.”
The Skytrax awards are based on customer responses to an online survey, which is run over a 10 month period on the Skytrax website. The study analyses customer satisfaction for the Airline Passenger Experience across the airport and onboard environments – from check-in to boarding, onboard seat comfort, cabin cleanliness, food and beverages, In Flight Entertainment (IFE) and staff service (behaviour, attitudes and consistency). This year, 18.8 million airline customers from over 100 different nationalities participated in the survey. The survey includes over 200 airlines, from the largest international airlines to the smallest domestic airlines, and measured standards across more than 38 different items of airline front-line products and service.
About SAA
South African Airways (SAA) is the leading carrier in Africa, serving 20 destinations across the continent, as well as major destinations within South Africa, from its hub, Johannesburg. It is a member of the largest international airline network, Star Alliance. SAA’s core business is the provision of passenger airline and cargo transport services together with related services, which are provided through SAA and its four wholly owned subsidiaries: SAA Technical; Mango itslow cost carrier; Airchefs,the catering arm of SAA and South African Travel Centre (SATC). SAA CEO Siza Mzimela is the first woman to be appointed into the IATA Board of Directors in its 67 year history. SAA has been the winner of the 'Best Airline in Africa’ Award in the regional category for 8 consecutive years and the winner of ‘Service Excellence Africa’ in 2010 when this category was introduced. Mango and SAA hold the number one and number two consecutive spots for South Africa’s most on time airlines.
About SKYTRAX
Skytrax is a global airline research company based in London. The Skytrax customer survey is respected and recognised around the world as the only truly global independent airline passenger survey. More than 50 airlines from around the world will gather for the 2011 World Airline Awards at the Paris Airshow – this is the first time the awards Ceremony is being held at the Airshow.
Issued by: SAA Corporate Affairs
Contacts: Dileseng Koetle, Acting Head: Group Corporate Affairs
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