SAFAIR ruined my 77yr old mum’s (Mrs TA) planned holiday to Durban!!!

SAFAIR ruined my 77yr old mum’s (Mrs TA) planned holiday to Durban!!!

We booked tickets for my mum’s holiday early in December already (booking reference ROJQ11 R3000 booked by my aunt) FA474 leaving from Lanseria at 9:40am on the 23rd Dec 2024.

I (son MZA) drove my mum to the airport (45min drive) and we arrived at 8:30am and went straight to the check-in counters. After a few minutes we get told by a lady there that ‘she is sorry’ but the flight is fully booked, and my mum should wait and see if there is place on the next few flights on the schedule!!!! Shocking customer service and ZERO empathy for my elderly mum!!! The shift supervisor at Lanseria (KC or Casey) was totally useless and unapologetic.

Since my mum is elderly and traveling alone to meet up with family in Durban, I had made all the transport and hotel arrangements way in advance (at a huge expense/cost).

After waiting at Lanseria for another 30min, we get the message ‘sorry but we can’t help you - this is our 10% overbooking policy’.

Seeing that my mum was distressed, I grabbed her bag and immediately booked another SafAir return ticket for my mum from OR Tambo (flight reference VLJRWI - at an additional cost of R4500!!!),

We had to rush to ORT because my mum and her family had pre-booked plans in Durban at 1:30pm.

My mum was TOTALLY exhausted with the whole experience - and indicated that she never wants to fly with SAFAIR/LANSERIA ever again!!

When I went to the SAFAIR counter at ORT requesting a refund on the R3000 spent on the original return flight ROJQ11, I was told that ‘sorry’ but no refunds are allowed on changed flights and that there would be a R300 penalty on the return flight as well!!! Worst ever travel experience in my life!! Zero empathy or care about CONSUMER RIGHTS!! Zero communication !!

I have decided to lodge a complaint with Consumer Ombudsman (in terms of the Consumer Protection Act), and I will approach DEVI SANKAREE, to lodge my complaint, together with other consumers/customers/ citizens who have also been cheated and abused by SAFAIR