Is there a customer service department at SAFAIR or do you just ignore complaints? Is there no regard for consumer rights??

I have attempted several times to contact SAFAIR with my complaint. Held over 20minutes on the helpline, sent emails, attempted to contact them via Whatsapp and responded to the "rate our service" e-mail that was sent to me after I lodged my complaint. I have not yet been responded to or contacted.

To summarise, my flight was delayed by 2+ hours. FLYSAFAIR failed to inform me of the delay, despite having informed, I assume, all other passengers. The duty manager first insisted it was my fault and I had submitted the wrong contact number. When I grew upset, she backtracked and acknowledged the system displayed an error. My primary issue was having to make new arrangements for transportation once I arrived in JHB. The solution proposed was to book me for the next day as, according to SAFAIR, this was all they could do as this was not their fault as they informed their customers of the delay and they do not arrange any form of shuttle from the airport even when they are completely in the wrong. It should be noted again that the system produced an error and failed to inform me.

Over and above this, I was provided with a meal voucher for R80 as compensation for the delays and losses I would incur. I was told it was valid all restaurants at the airport. However, this was not true and I was forced to pay for my complimentary meal at SPUR. Why not simply list the restaurants your voucher is valid for??

The main problem and my motivation to write this review on hellopeter is simply this - SAFAIR seems to have no customer service or complaints department. I have been trying to lodge this complaint for 2 days now with no luck. I am beyond frustrated. This is a violation of my consumer rights and I shudder to think how many consumers are suffering the same treatment at the hands of SAFAIR.

Regards, Kyle D

Original complaint e-mail follows.

May 12, 20:09 SAST

Dear SAFAIR Management/Complaints department.

I was scheduled to fly DBN to JHB tonight at 7:25pm on FA277.

Unfortunately, the flight was delayed – by 2+ hours.

I was not notified of this delay in any way. On the contrary, at 17:25, I received an SMS asking if I was ready for my flight etc. I am told by other passengers that they received the delay notification sms before this.

This is completely unacceptable. As much as I appreciate the R80 food voucher provided, it does not assist me in any way. If I had been informed, I would have been able to avoid the inconvenience of sitting and waiting for a delayed flight and I would have been able to make alternate pickup arrangements on the JHB side. Instead I am forced, by your failed notification system, to take an UBER for over 50% the cost of this flight – money I do not have spare. If I was willing to spend R1500 and 5 hours to go to JHB I would have flown SAA or just driven there !! What type of customer service is this? A delayed Kulula flight was corrected with a drop off from the airport – why not the same of SAFAIR? Do you care about the safety and well being of your customers at all? I will arrive in JHB at 10:30pm with a dead battery and no way to get to my hotel. Will SAFAIR accept liability if something happens to me en-route?

I would accept this if I had been informed. I spoke with your Duty officer, Silindile. She was rude and unaccommodating. She refused to assist in any way other than to re-book me for tomorrow morning. It is the indifference and “so what” attitude of your staff that has infuriated me! Silindile admits that the system failed to inform me but is unwilling to do anything to assist me? Is this the way your staff are trained? How will getting on a plane tomorrow morning assist me when I have a 7am meeting? How will it stop me from losing what I’ve paid for my hotel and for what I will now have to repay for my transportation?

I expect to hear from your complaints department first thing tomorrow morning.

Regards,