Poor service

Dear FlySafair,

I am a loyal client of yours and have raved about your service to my family, friends and colleagues and it is thus with deep regret that I must complain regarding the service rendered to my wife and I.

My wife and I were scheduled to fly on FlySafair Flight FA 215 departing Cape Town on 09/02/2020 at 20h20. Please note we had made this booking on 08/10/2019. This was the last flight out of Cape Town to Johannesburg. We did not bother to check in online as we did not envisage having any problems. We arrived at the airport at 19h15 and were told at the check-in counter that the flight had been overbooked and that we had to speak to the Manager regarding whether or not we could board the flight. I was dumbfounded, irritated and disappointed to say the least. We went over to the other counter only to be told that there is only 1 available seat and that we would have to wait for the check in counter to close before we could know if a second seat could be available. At this point my wife and I were livid. We had work the next day and I work in the healthcare environment where my service is required without excuses. I tried to obtain an explanation regarding how they could overbook a flight knowing full well how many passengers the plane can accomodate. I did not receive a satisfactory explanation as apparently due to FlySAA closing their domestic route FlySafair had to accommodate their passengers. With all due respect that had nothing to do with the fact that we had bought our tickets well in advance and were now stranded at the airport having to wait and beg for a seat on the flight that we had PAID for well in advance. We asked about the possibility of the extra seat not becoming available and were told that company policy dictates that they will only reimburse the cost of the flight. What about accommodation, our relationship with our employer, transport to and from the airport, emotional distress, uncer*****y and anxiety regarding the next flight out??? Thankfully, once the check in counter closed we were told that a second seat had become available but ofcourse we would not be able to sit together which is obviously what any married couple would like to do. Nonetheless we ate humble pie despite being PAYING customers and made our way to the boarding gates.

I am hugely disappointed with this extremely poor service and would like some answers regarding our terrible experience. I look forward to hearing from you.