SAA has new charge

QUESTION: I was staggered when I heard that it would cost me an extra R200 to have my SAA air ticket issued at an SAA office or the airport. It seems an outrageous service fee for what is only a domestic ticket between Johannesburg and Durban. How can I avoid paying this? - Anne Bernard

ANSWER: Yes, the service fee was introduced in August this year. The charge at the airport is R200 for a domestic ticket and R500 for an international ticket. The fee at an SAA city office is R200 per ticket. While it may seem expensive, most travel agencies also charge a service fee these days. You can avoid paying this fee by booking online at the SAA website and paying with a credit card.