Dismal, appalling customer service from Airlink

I was utterly appalled by the disappointing and essentially non-existent customer care from the Airlink management and staff at the Bloemfontein (Bram Fischer International Airport). As a loyal customer who has booked all our work trips with Airlink as our preferred airline of choice, this manner of disregard and non-chalant behaviour leaves a bad taste. In short, a staff member and myself took a flight from OR Tambo to Bloemfontein on an airlink morning flight this past Friday (14 November) for a teacher graduation ceremony, scheduled at 18h00 that same evening. We were shocked to hear that the 2 pieces of luggage we checked in did not accompany us on the flight (although several others did manage to get their luggage). After reporting this at the Airlink luggage/ticket counter and explaining that the graduation gowns and certificates were delayed, we were rudely informed that it is not Airlink's problem but ACSA in OR Tambo International. Despite us explaining the predicament and kindly requesting some assistance with us possibly moving our return flight (15th November) to accommodate the luggage mix-up, we were rudely dismissed. Irrespective of whoever is to blame for the mix-up with the luggage, this type of staff (yet alone management behaviour is totally unacceptable). After trying to appeal to a manager on duty (Kgotso), who was very unhelpful and somewhat condescending, we proceeded to wait four hours later for the luggage to arrive on the next flight to Bloemfontein Airport.

To add insult to injury the staff who were supposed to assist with retrieving our luggage took a further 45/50 minutes to get our luggage from the baggage counter (which resulted in a dismal graduation ceremony delay and inconvenience to sixteen graduates). No help provided from Airlink staff to help with a flight change or to show customer care of any sort.