vitality travel the worst

I urge people to be very cautious of discovery travel and Tourvest Travel Services (who do all the travel bookings for discovery travel). Earlier in the year of 2023 British Airways cancelled one of their connecting flights scheduled in December 2023 due to a terminal change and passengers were meant to be moved to an earlier flight. Vitality never notified me of this change. A few weeks before I was due to fly, I found out from my personal travel agent that the terminal had changed for this flight, and we are supposed to be moved up to an earlier flight. When I contacted Vitaly they stated that they have a queuing service and that I would have been notified beforehand and further that I must pay R17000 to change my family’s flights. Not sure when they intended to notify me as this change in Terminal took place a few months before my flight. Due to the fact that I was of the view that it is unreasonable to expect me to pay an additional R17 000 for a change in terminal that was not my fault. I accordingly contacted British Airways to discuss what had transpired. They stated that they had contacted vitality months prior to the cancellation/Terminal change and that the flight change for my family will be free and will not cost me anything, as this was a change from the airline.

Thereafter, I again reached out to vitality where I am again told that I must pay R17000 if I want our flights to be changed else, we will miss our connecting flights and we will all have to purchase new tickets.

So, I contacted British Airways again in order to obtain clarity. I am again told that there is no cost involved for the change and further that the travel agent I am dealing with seems to provide very poor services. I was also advised that should the matter not be resolved, I should consider taking the necessary legal action..

Once again, I contact Vitaly and still I am l told that I must pay R17000.

After all this back and forth I finally get hold of a manager who eventually resolves the matter. Despite the matter being resolved, I am still irritated – it was up to me to enquire, call and clarify and argue with vitality to correct this. What if I paid the R17000 to secure my family’s change in flight!? Or if my travel agent didn’t pick this up and we all missed our flight home. Since last year, I have been trying to get hold of someone else in the management team to express my disappointing experience and I have also been trying to obtain the legal department’s contact details but to no avail. No one bothers to respond and assist. Kim Meyer at discovery refuses to offer any assistance. This is unimpressive and disappointing all round.

Please can someone in the higher management team contact me on an urgent basis to discuss my experience as in my point of view attempt theft.