Total lack of service and disrespect

<p>I am so dissapointed in SAFAIR OR tambo. My mother visited me for 3 days in Johannesburg. Apparently her flight from Durban to Johannesburg was okay but the airport shuffle wait was 30 minutes to exit the plane. I know because I was waiting for a person with only hand luggage for 40 minutes.<br />I checked her in last night and booked her for 3F in order for her to be able to get on and off the flight easily. Today the 1/10/2016, I arrived at the airport before 15:45. Got her boarding pass by 16:00 from checkin and as she only had hand luggage (thank goodness) checked that the boarding time was 16:35. We went and sat at Spur to wait for the plane to board because previously I have sent her in at the boarding time and she has had a 4 hour delay and had to wait alone. At 16:35 the TVs that show the planes and their status had the SAFAIR flight but nothing under status. We walked up to Safair and asked them if the plan was delayed and they responded they didn't know but I should send her through the gates. Which I did. By now it was 16:45. <br />She asked the lady who scanned her ticket where E2 was and was told to turn right and walk to the end of the passage (total incompetence of OR Tambo staff) which she did. When she left me she was emotional and fragile because she suffers from narcolepsy. With trauma it is activated. When she got to the end of the passage which I know from experience is extremely far for someone who's legs give in she asked where E was to a fellow flyer who said it was back where she started and down the stairs. <br />From someone who knows the extent of tardiness and hates it she ran to E2. When she got there the bus was still there and so was the crew. They closed the gates infront of her and said "you are late, you missed the flight, your problem". Not knowing where to turn she freaked out and had an attack. She called me in tears asking me what to do. Thankfully because the flight had no boarding status and was not updated as closed I was waiting at spur. This was at 16:55. I ran up to the attendants of Safair who said nothing helpful. She exited the gates in tears.<br />I went to the bookings office and spoke to Ntombi who was as rude as hell and wouldn't let me even explain the situation. All she said was that if she didn't know where to go I should have booked her on as "assisted passanger". Thereby implying that my mum was disabled. God damn rude. She then gave me attitude and was mumbling off in her home language to check flights. She said there were no more flights out tonight and that we should come back in the morning and see if they had space for her. I asked her how much a ticket was and she said R799. My mum only paid R499 for her ticket. I told them we didn't have R800 to cough up and that she needed to go tonight. No other airline had any seats open. <br />She then said we could be on standby for tomorrow's flight at 06:45 for R200. She also told me that if we left the airport we couldn't have this option again. We paid reluctantly. I spoke to the lady in charge who kept rolling her eyes and interrupting me. I had a frantic mother who was totally disgusted with the lack of humanness of the staff and here the manager was no better. She then said we needed to be back tomorrow at 05:15 and wait to hopefully get a seat. Pathetic. <br />I paid almost R50 in parking after trying to sort this **** out, petrol there and back which will now be double and am another R200 out of pocket. All of this isn't why I am venting. I am disgusted in how the staff talks to their passengers, disgusted at the lack of respect and unwillingness to even point my mum in the right direction. Nothing can make up for the amount of hours I've tried to calm her down in order to stop the narcolepsy attacks. I honestly am beyond words. Her car is in Durban at the airport so that will also we another days parking too. It never ends. Sick of the lack of service from South African companies. The plane hadn't left. She had 15 mins to still board and there was a bus. Unacceptable. Never using your services again. Infact ill cancel the flight I've bought for 2 to Cape Town return in November because of ethical reasons. Sick and tired.</p>