Ethiopian airlines shocking service from Randburg

I am exceptionally angry , we booked tickets to fly to Kazakhstan in August , unfortunately during the birth of my son , my wife developed septicemia in hospital , she was in ICU for 3 months.My father in law who bought the tickets for us flew to JHB as he was not sure his daughter would live. During this time he went to the airlines offices in Randburg , gave all the doc letters to them and asked if the flights could be moved to late Dec.My first issue is that they do not answer their calls , so you have no choice but to go to the offices. My wife went on Friday to the offices , we were told that the tickets would not be moved , not only that my wife was admitted back into hospital that evening due to the stress and the stressful visit to the offices.I am fuming now , this woman was in ICU for 3 months , all letters sent directly to a woman called Ratanang , who has been rude and not helpful at all.Please see all emails and correspondence below.I expect a response very soon , this is unacceptable. Fwd: Booking reference WJYPTY: PLEASE HELP!!! Inbox x

Inge da Paixao Attachments 08:07 (34 minutes ago) to me

---------- Forwarded message --------- From: tjaart.willemse ********** Date: Tue, 23 Oct 2018, 2:23 PM Subject: Booking reference WJYPTY: PLEASE HELP!!! To: ********** ********** Cc: Tjaart Willemse (KAZ) **********

Dear Ethiopian Airlines Customer Relations

My many personal engagements and email communications with Ratanang Molale of Ethiopian Airlines office in Johannesburg, South Africa, as well as my telephone call today with Mr. Henok of your Public Relations department (tel +251 11 ********** ), have reference.

My wife and I are from South Africa but we now live in Kazakhstan. We bought return tickets for our children in March 2018 to come visit us in beginning of August to show our new grandson, who was due to be born in May. We bought separate tickets for Johannesburg to Delhi with Ethiopian Airlines and Delhi to Almaty with Air Astana. We booked the Ethiopian Airlines through an agency, Tripsta, online. There were complications during birth in May and our daughter's condition got critical. She stayed in Olivedale Hospital Intensive Care Unit for 18 days, was discharged for 5 days and re-admitted in a critical condition to the same hospital on 12 June, where she remained for another 67 days in a very critical condition until she was eventually discharged to recover at home on 17 August. I went to see her the week of 17 June and got a medical report from her doctor on 20 June, I sent this with both admission certificates to Ratanang in my email of 23 July, after I met with her at the Johannesburg office of Ethiopian Airlines on 20 June. The doctors said at the time it will take her at least 6 months to recover when she comes out of hospital, in the end they could not travel to Kazakhstan in August. When I met with Ratanang in Johannesburg, she said that although she supported my request for either a refund or postponement of the flights to a later date, it could only be processed through Tripsta. I tried many times to get hold of Tripsta via their telephone number on the website, but they never answered. I eventually found out on their website that I can apply for a cancellation and refund by completing some online forms. This I did, but I got the response in their email below dated 14 July basically stating that if one needs to do any changes, cancellations, or if you have any questions regarding your booking, you should contact the respective airline directly. I again spoke to Rae and mentioned Tripsta just refers me back to the Airline and that I do not know what to do, we’ve paid a lot of money and wanted to make use of your airlines but it seems that Tripsta just cannot help or are not interested to help us. Thereafter many communications but no success, other than that Ratanang confirmed three tickets remain valid until March 2019 and that I should work through Tripsta. A search later on their website confirmed they closed down, I again communicated this to Ratanang but with the same result, “sorry we cannot do any changes as you e booked through an agent” - which now clearly do not exist anymore!

In the meanwhile I booked new dates via your online call center, just to make sure thy still get seats before it’s sold out, which was confirmed as follows:

Booking reference WJYPTY

Passengers

1.1MORGAN/JONATHANGRANT MR

2.1MORGAN/INGE MRS

3.1DAPAIXAO/ZOE MRS

4.1MORGAN/JOSHUAGRANT MR

5.I/1MORGAN/LOGANJONATHAN

Flights

1 ET 808V 30NOV F JNBADD*HK4 1410 2025 /E

2 ET 686V 30NOV F ADDDEL*HK4 2305 0805 01DEC J /E

3 ET 689H 18DEC T DELADD HK4 0950 1400 /E

4 ET 849H 18DEC T ADDJNB HK4 1530 1955 /E

Problem is these flights are confirmed but not paid for yet, although it was confirmed with the Airlines that the original August tickets have been fully paid.

I appeal to you to show compassion and help us finalize this long and painful process. I ask that you kindly consider using the monies already paid to pay for the new tickets. I also appeal to you to not charge us penalties for the changes as that was completely out of our control. You will understand that we cannot do the changes through the agent, as they do not exist anymore.

Thank you

Tjaart Willemse (father who booked and paid the tickets)

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Ratanang Molale" ********** Date: 15 October 2018 at 13:13:08 GMT+6 To: tjaart.willemse ********** Subject: RE: RE Re: Cancellation / Refund - Booking - F ********** 0 - sk19632

Good day

Hope this email finds you well.

The flights have been rebooked as per below however the tickets have not be reissued.

WJYPTY

PNR MODIFIED - CHECK ITINERARY

1.1MORGAN/JONATHANGRANT MR 2.1MORGAN/INGE MRS

3.1DAPAIXAO/ZOE MRS 4.1MORGAN/JOSHUAGRANT MR

5.I/1MORGAN/LOGANJONATHAN

1 ET 808V 30NOV F JNBADD*HK4 1410 2025 /E

2 ET 686V 30NOV F ADDDEL*HK4 2305 0805 01DEC J /E

3 ET 689H 18DEC T DELADD HK4 0950 1400 /E

4 ET 849H 18DEC T ADDJNB HK4 1530 1955 /E

TKT/TIME LIMIT

1.T-07OCT

Regards

Rae

From: tjaart.willemse ********** Sent: 13 October 2018 10:13 AM To: Ratanang Molale ********** Subject: RE: RE Re: Cancellation / Refund - Booking - F ********** 0 - sk19632

Dear Rae

I hope this mail finds you well. I need your help urgently please.

Our past communications and your last email to me below has reference. Our daughter is better now and she and her family would like to visit us in December. I managed to change the flights to the dates they want and flights were confirmed by Ethiopian Airlines, see email attached with Reservation Code WJYPTY. The gentleman that helped me over the phone said I must contact the agents I booked through (TRIPSTA) to get information on the fares etc. I tried to call them but no answer, when I accessed their website https://www.tripsta.com/ it says they’ve closed down, see screen print below.

I’ve called your Johannesburg office number ********** 190 so many times over the last 2 weeks but it just keep ringing until the phone cuts out, no-one answers. Can you please help me, I just want to make sure their flights are confirmed and paid for.

Thank you

Tjaart Willemse

From: Ratanang Molale ********** Sent: 07 August 2018 08:45 PM To: tjaart.willemse ********** Subject: RE Re: Cancellation / Refund - Booking - F ********** 0 - sk19632

Good day Mr Willemse

Hope this email finds you well.

As per our telephonic conversation, the ticket you have purchased is non-refundable and it is valid for a year from date of issue.

All travel should be done no later than 13 March 19.

Regards

Rae

From: tjaart.willemse ********** Sent: 27 July 2018 01:17 PM To: Ratanang Molale ********** Subject: RE: Cancellation / Refund - Booking - F ********** 0 - sk19632

Dear Rae

I have in the meanwhile secured a further note from the doctor confirming that my daughter is still in hospital, see attached. I would appreciate your kind assistance in considering my request for either saving the tickets for April next year or if not possible then a refund.

Best regards

Tjaart Willemse

From: tjaart.willemse Sent: 23 July 2018 07:01 PM To: ********** ********** Cc: tjaart.willemse ********** Subject: FW: Cancellation / Refund - Booking - F ********** 0 - sk19632 Importance: High

Dear Rae

My visit to your offices in June and our telecom of today re. above have reference.

My wife and live in Ust Kamenogorsk, Kazakhstan. We bought return tickets for our children in March to come visit us to show our new grandson in August. We bought separate tickets for Johannesburg to Delhi with Ethiopian Airlines and Delhi to Ust Kamenogorsk with Air Astana, I attach the Ethiopian Airlines receipt for the tickets I bought through Tripsta online. There were complications during birth in May and our daughter's condition got critical. She stayed in Olivedale Hospital Intensive Care Unit for 18 days, was discharged for 5 days and re-admitted in a critical condition on 12 June, it has now been 41 days since and she is still in a critical but thankfully stable condition in the Olivedale Hospital Intensive Care Unit. I went to see her the week of 17 June and got a medical report from her doctor on 20 June, I attach this and both admission certificates. The doctors say it will take her at least 6 months to recover when she comes out of hospital, you will understand that they cannot travel to Kazakhstan in August. I humbly request for a refund, or alternatively to keep the tickets live until April 2019 as that will be the next time we hope they can visit. I went to Ethiopian Airlines office in Johannesburg and you said that although you support this request it can only be processed through Tripsta. I tried many times to get hold of Tripsta via their telephone number on the website, but without fail. I eventually found out that I can apply for a cancellation and refund by completing some online forms. This I did, but I got the response below from them. I do not know what to do, we’ve paid a lot of money and wanted to make use of your airlines but it seems that Tripsta just cannot help or are not interested to help us.

I appeal to you for your kind consideration in this matter. We do not wish to be refunded, if the tickets can only be kept open until April that will be first prize.

Kind regards

Tjaart Willemse

SA Mobile +27 (83) **********

Kazakhstan Mobile +7 (701) **********

From: Tripsta Passenger Service Center ********** Sent: 14 July 2018 10:26 PM To: tjaart.willemse ********** Subject: Re: Cancellation / Refund - Booking - F ********** 0 - sk19632

Dear Customer,

Thank you for your message. To immediately address your question, please note that this is an automated message which contains generic information regarding the changes to our customer service structure.

If you have an existing booking with us your tickets remain valid. If you need to make any changes, cancellations, or if you have any questions regarding your booking, please contact the respective airline directly.

Please note when speaking with the airline that you must provide your reference number provided by the airline (which can be found on your e-ticket) and not the tripsta reference number.

We are sorry for any inconvenience caused and we thank you for your understanding.

Best regards,

The tripsta team