Dishonesty and lack of professionalism by Flight Centre Greenstone staff

Incensed with Flight Centre Greenstone! The return tickets for the five of us (BA - UK to SA), were bought for us by my parents (in their mid-seventies). Yesterday morning, we happened to notice that our return flight to the UK, had been cancelled and that we should contact our travel agent.

As we are in the UK and didn't purchase the tickets, we alerted my parents who promptly called Flight Centre at approx. 2pm SA time. They called me back a few mins later saying that the agent told them that it was too late to contact BA now and that they would sort it out on Monday. Keep in mind that it was still 12pm in the UK, BA is open until 8pm in South Africa. We then called the central British Airways number and we were put through to BA in South Africa, the BA agent was shocked to hear that Flight Centre had told my parents that it was too late to call them and that Flight Centre would be well aware of their operating times. British Airways told us that there was only one flight left on that day and tickets were going to go fast and that they could not make any changes to the booking as it had been booked through a travel agent, which is understandable. I told my parents this and once again discussed the urgency of the situation as my wife has to be back at work on the Monday, and with the timing of the 2 day PCR, the return flight could not be any later than 14 Jan.

They contacted Flight Centre again and were told that the first lady they spoke to had now gone home and she would help. By that time there were only Premium Economy seats left on the flight and that they would have to pay in R18 000. I appreciate that only BA can 'bump you up', but Flight Centre made no attempt to assist my parents in an alternative. Instead, they made to feel that they were on their own, that a refund was going to be a massive headache etc. I immediately got online and found very reasonable tickets across multiple airlines for approx. R5500. I begged my parents to just ask for the refund and that we rather purchase return tickets at another airline, but they are too exhausted and not up for any further confrontation, that they confirmed that they would take the ticket.

My Dad does not give his bank details over the phone and said that he would go into the branch in the morning to make payment. My parents have booked numerous flights with Flight Centre over many years, and this branch had been dealing with these particular tickets since May 2020. They assured him that they would hold the ticket for him, but when he arrived this morning (18 Dec), they had sold the ticket. My dad was distraught and desperate, and he was offered a ticket for a day later, also Premium Economy but he now needed to pay in R23 000, with no suggestions or any assistance by looking at alternatives. I have tried over three phone calls to convince them (prior to this morning) to get the refund or voucher, but they are very emotional and not able to argue on any of these things.

Flight Centre were supposed to take the headache out of travel arrangements, which is why my parents go through an agent. In this case, Flight Centre ****, ******ed money, betrayed trust and took advantage of my parents.

I am disgusted with the dishonesty and total lack of professionalism by Flight Centre.