The change and cancellation fees vary depending on the type of ticket purchased as detailed in the fare note.
For any further enquiries please contact your local SAA Sales Office.
South African Airways will only refund applicable Government and/or Airport Taxes on non-refundable fares - excluding the Carrier Imposed Fee (YR / YQ tax). Please always check penalty note and fare rules. For most SAA non-refundable fares – YR / YQ tax will be non-refundable.
South African Airways is auditing sales, exchanges and refunds. When an error is found an ADM will be issued to cover the difference. In addition, the ADM fee in the amount of EUR 20,- / CHF 22,- will be collected.
South African Airways offers a wide network through its own services and in co-operation with its codeshare partners.
Flights operated by South African Airways usually have two and three digit flight numbers whereas codeshare flights can be identified by a four digit flight number:
1000 flight number range: SA Express Airways.
SAA´s sister airline offering both domestic and regional services (e.g. to Pilanesberg / Sun City and Kruger NP)
2000 flight number range: Mango.
SAA´s low cost subsidiary, offering selected domestic sectors under the SAA designator
7000 flight number range: International partners.
E.g. SA7572 codeshare from Frankfurt to Johannesburg on Lufthansa or SA7210 from JNB to SEZ on Air Seychelles
8000 flight number range: Airlink.
SAA´s local partner airline offering both domestic and regional services (e.g. to Botswana and Madagascar)
Please note, that in general the rules of the operating carrier apply (e.g. Golf equipment is limited to 15 kg on Airlink and SA Express Airways due to smaller aircraft deployed)
If a customer has a complaint or a compliment regarding a South African Airways flight our customer care team can be contacted via email to euhelp@flysaa.com or get in contact with your local SAA Sales Office. We will do our best to answer your request as soon as possible.
EMD can only be issued for seating and excess baggage, if flights are operated by South African Airways and if a South African Airways (083) ticket is issued. EMDs are not interlineable. EMD codes to be used by travel agents can be found here.
The South African Airways booking policy requires connecting flight segments to be booked from a single availability display from point of Origin to point of Destination. Flight segments sold together are designated as “married segments” and must not be separated. Rebooking or cancellation of any one of the married segments must, at the same time, be applied to the connecting flight segment. Married segment logic provides South African Airways the capability to control changes made to the initial sale. Should a partial cancellation be required, South African Airways may allow the cancellation depending on availability. South African Airways married segment procedure:
Miles&More. Missing mileage credits must be submitted to South African Airways within 90 days from the date of travel at the SAA Service Center any South African Airways Office. Therefore passengers should keep the boarding pass and the copies of the ticket.
A EUR 60,- / CHF 65,- service fee will be charged on all refunds processed by SAA in Frankfurt via BSPLink.
If a ticket is non-refundable or has been partially used and there are no monies due back from the fare, we will refund the unused taxes less the EUR 60,- / CHF 65,- service fee.
When a refund has been authorised on compassionate grounds due to death or ill health, the EUR 60,- / CHF 65,- service fee will still be levied via BSPLink.
Names changes are not permitted as tickets cannot be transfered to another passenger.
South African Airways cannot accept tickets issued with names incorrectly spelt under any circumstances (even if by one letter only or if a shortened version of a name is used e.g Tim instead of Timothy).
Affected passengers will be denied boarding.
Please contact your local SAA office in case of name changes. They will assist you with further procedures.
Ticket reissues due to name incorrectly spelt are not permitted. Name changes are not permitted, as tickets are non-transferable.
Failure to adhere to the above will result in an ADM being raised for the value of a new ticket.
Rebook to new SA flight. If same booking class is not available you may book any other class within the same cabin. Always keep in mind that only the flights directly affected by the schedule change can be rebooked and reissued. This applies for SAA, SA Airlink and SA Express operated schedule changes. For any other airline (including Mango) only SAA or its GSA offices may reissue the invol. scenario.
Use FXI (in Amadeus only, this might be another entry in another CRS) whenever possible. Always keep all details of the original ticket but change the FE to read “INVOL REBOOKED DUE SAxxx / Date CXLD/ CHANGED”
Involuntary changes on SAA/ Airlink/ SA Express Airways may be reissued by the travel agent. A waiver code is not necessary. However the new ticket has to reflect all original details, with NOADC and the endorsement of “INVOL REBOOKED DUE SAxxx / Date CXLD/ CHANGED”. If the invol. change is on another carrier (including Mango) but on SAA ticket stock (083), SAA or the GSA office has to reissue the ticket for the agent.
If the options listed under point number 1 are not acceptable to the passenger, a full refund can be granted; exceptions below:
No full refund if the travel time does not change.
No full refund in case the travel time does only change by 3 hours or less.
In case a schedule change is not handled within 14 days after the schedule change occured: No full refund will be granted even the travel time does change by more than 3 hours.
Not adhering to the guidelines might lead to an ADM.
The service fees applicable in Germany are:
EUR 60,- / CHF 65,- to process a refund
The service fees applicable in South Africa are:
Travellers have to ensure they have the correct documentation with them ready for check-in, security clearance and the boarding gates. For international travel, government regulations require all travellers to be in possession of a valid (return) air ticket, a passport and visa and health documentation (if required). Travellers without the necessary documents will be not be allowed to board to avoid flouting immigration rules.
Passport & visas – South Africa
Passport, visa and health requirements can vary according to the country of citizenship and the destination. It is the responsibility as a traveller to ensure to have the correct documents. Travellers have to check the requirements with the consulate or embassy of all countries on the itinerary. Failure to comply with visa and/or passport requirements may result in denied boarding. SAA is not responsible for any losses or inconvenience incurred as a result.
Visitors who wish to travel to South Africa must have a passport that is valid for at least 30 days after their intended return date from South Africa.
Non-machine-readable / handwritten and extended passports are not accepted for entry into the Republic of South Africa.
It’s important to note that non-South African passport holders must have at least 2 completely unused visa pages for entry or departure endorsements by the South African Immigration Service in their passport. Government regulations prohibit airlines from boarding travellers without the required blank visa pages, even if they hold a valid ticket and a valid passport. That requirement for blank pages does not include the page reserved for observations, amendments or endorsements.
This rule is not applicable to alien residents of South Africa.
South African transit visa requirements
A transit visa is required for all non-visa exempt foreigners who are travelling through South Africa en route to any of the following countries: Lesotho, Swaziland, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Mozambique. Customers may not be accepted for travel unless they are in possession of a transit visa.
More information on the Department of Home Affairs website
Click here for the Home Affairs official website
Travel requirements for minors travelling to and from South Africa
New requirements, introduced by the South African Department of Home Affairs from 1 June 2015, specify that all minors (children under 18 years) are required to produce, in addition to their passport, an Unabridged Birth Certificate which shows the details of both parents for all international travel to and from South Africa.
In cases where the certificate is in a language other than English, it must be accompanied by a sworn translation issued by a competent authority in the country concerned.
Further documentation is required for minors travelling not with both parents.
For full details please visit the Department of Home Affairs website.
Travellers will be asked to produce the required documentation at check-in for each flight.
Important contact information:
1. The South African Department of Home Affairs, tel. 0800 60 11 90 (toll free from South Africa)
2. Your local South African Embassy
School group exemption:
Special dispensation has been made regarding documentation required for children travelling via South Africa for minors accompanying school tours. Visit the Department of Home Affairs website for further details.
Note:
SAA's role is to ensure the new Immigration Regulations are communicated and adhered to by its customers, however, SAA is in no way responsible for the Act and the new Immigration Regulations. SAA will ensure it communicates any new amendments to the regulations in a timely manner, however, SAA accepts no liability for any inaccuracies in the content.
South African embassies, consulates and high commissions
Click here to view the official website list of South African embassies, consulates and high commissions.
This list only represents those organizations with their own websites. For a complete listing of embassies and consulates representing South Africa abroad, click here.
Please let us know if you feel there is something missing from anywhere on the site.
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