We all deserve a little humanity and empathy

I booked flights through a travel site to depart on the 5th of August, returning on the 8th of August. I booked two sets of travel tickets: 1. Myself and my minor daughter Jaimie(4); and 2. My husband and my minor son, Matthew (3). On the morning of the 8th of August I called into FlySafair' service enter for assistance with my check in. The agent advised me that the reason I could not check in is that the flight was on the same day. Now, this was a clear error on my side. I had mistakenly believed that the return date was on Monday, at 14h20 on the 9th of August. Pure error in assuming the 8th was the Monday and not the Sunday. I accepted responsibility. My first mistake of many thereafter, The agent advised me that I could still make changes to the tickets and that the next available flight was on Tuesday morning, the 10th at 08h20. It would cost me R5554 and R4048 respectively to change the respective tickets. This 4 times the original ticket price, however I accepted the cost as I knew it was my error. She confirmed to me telephonically that she had changed both sets of tickets for the 08h20 flight for our family of 4. What happened next: We were dropped at the airport at 7.15am. We went to the check in counter to check in. The agent was clearly in a bad mood for several reasons. But as one is at the mercy of 1 of 3 airlines flying in SA at this time, I decided to to accept the abuse and clear disdain for me, my babies and husband. I was vulnerable and at the mercy of the airline to get home. Couple of things transpired next: 1. The agent said that she would not accept the affidavit for my daughter’s return – our unabridged was at home with no access to it (we had flown from CT to JHB with affidavit) 2. We had to check in and pay for 4 pieces of luggage, despite having paid for all our luggage with our original booked tickets. She walked me over to the ticket counter, the supervisor on duty met me with the same anger and disdain. I was an inconvenience, clearly at their mercy and could be treated with as much abuse as possible as they could see I would do anything for a smooth and non-eventful travel with 2 toddlers (under the age of 5). She advised the affidavit would be accepted. I was frog marched bagged to the check in counter with same agent, R750 in luggage costs later. The agent checked all 4 of us in together an made a note on my ticket that the gate was C12 . She repeated I was on flight FA101. In all my travels I have never been charged additional for car chairs for my babies, but as mentioned, we were not in a position to argue as we were at the mercy of the employees that were unsympathetic and eager to be rid of us. We went directly to the boarding gates. My husband and the 3 year old were scanned in. On scanning my ticket at the boarding gate the boarding agent advised my flight only departed at 14h20. My baby boy who was with my husband and already now on the plane. I begged them to let myself and my daughter on as I could hear my baby screaming. I was met with derisive laughter. they ignored me whilst my child was screaming on the plane. This caused so much distress for my daughter that she started screaming and crying as well. Not understanding why the family was being split. They had to offload my husband and baby eventually due to my baby boy's hysteria. We went back to the ticket office to question what happened, the manager Anneline was called at this stage. She called the agent that assisted us at check in and questioned the agent why she did not pick this up on check in us and our luggage. She argued with her manager for 10 minutes the flight was at 8.20 for all of us and after much debate admitted she made an error. I then gathered courage and said that in fact the first error was made on Sunday when we called in. They pulled the call and confirmed that 2 agents had erred in this process, the online ticket agent and the counter agent. No apology. Annaline then advised that there was 17 people on standby for the day and that there were no flights available with me and my minor children and husband. I could not split from my children at this stage there anxiety and hysteria were out of control. She said that I needed to walk over to Airlink and purchase 4 new tickets if I wanted to leave. I asked about refunding me and she said this would be sorted out and that it had been escalated. Despite the error being admitted to. By this time my children of 3 and 4 were hysterical. They could not understand what was going on and were terrified that they were going to be separated from us. Annaline then said I should buy new tickets from air link, they would fetch my luggage downstairs and then arrange for my refund. I bought 4 new tickets for R11,000. Flight departing at 10.30. with airlink. At 9.30 when we had to check in, our luggage had not been returned to us The agent whom in fact had gone to collect it was sitting back at her desk ignoring us (same agent that had checked us in). At this stage I called Annaline and she advised me that she would try and find the luggage. She returned at 09h45 and said that she had arranged for the luggage to be transferred to my airlink flight downstairs and that it would arrive with us in CT. We arrived in CT at 12h45. Our luggage had not arrive. I went to Swissport and they contacted Annaline whom advised that they still had the luggage and would send it later. I insisted on completing a lost luggage form. FlySafair refused for me to complete the form and said that the luggage was not lost "They knew where it was" it was irrelevant that I did not know. I had no ticket stumps as they had been taken back and no luggage tags, I refused to leave and said they left me no alternative but to file a ****** luggage report. At this point, after this terrible useless threat they said I could file a report that my luggage was missing. Which it was. How else could I prove that I had luggage and it was missing? I had no tickets and no checked in luggage tags at this stage. I called the online service for FlySafair whom logged the call and traced my luggage. My luggage has now been delivered. Never in my life have I have been treated with so much disdain and in such dehumanizing manner. Is this what has happened to the low cost carrier that boasted itself on the airline for the people. Not that it has the monopoly and power it can treat its customers in any manner it pleases. No competition and no overruling body to ensure fair business practices. I was far from home, vulnerable with 2 babies that were in distress and had to tolerate all manner of abuse and disdain that the agents chose to meet me with. We suffered a huge financial loss today, our luggage although delivered was pilfered and ******. But none of this even compares with the fact that today I was reminded that where-ever there is power there is abuse. In a system where those deem themselves more powerful than others, you will find yourself on receiving end. I was dehumanized before my kids. My little girl of 4 asked me tonight why was the lady so angry at you today, she kept shouting at you and why would she not let us go home. We all accept that HUMAN error occurs in service delivery. I was not angry about the error however, in reverse in an attempt to deflect responsibility I was forced to ***er and apologize for mistakes and inconveniences not even caused by me in an effort to protect my kids from the distress. In a time where companies need to put an emphases on humanity and empathy, I ask you FlySafair, are we, whom you are transporting not deserving of these values. Or does our dependence on your service in this country mean that we should accept any manner of treatment. Not long ago I remember there was a national carrier with much the same values as you exhibit now. I think its important to learn from the mistakes of our competitors and predecessors