Kulula Holidays Disgraceful Covid 19 Values

Absolutely disgraceful treatment from Kulula Holidays with their handling of my holiday booking to Vic Falls of 21 March 2020 pre Covid-19 lockdown. Fearing the risk of either contracting the virus while at Vic Falls, or my family being stuck there because of the cancellation of flights back to South Africa, I contacted Kulula on numerous occasions prior to departure to see if it was still safe to fly to Vic Falls. I was assured by them in writing and verbally on different occasions, that it was a totally safe from a Covid-19 perspective. Kulula then proceeded to cancel their flights to Vic Falls on 19 March, without any notice to passengers and then immediately reinstated them the following day. When I voiced my concerns about being stranded in Vic Falls if the flights were again cancelled, I was assured that it would not happen and that SAA were also flying there so I would have an alternative to return. On the night of 20 March, SAA grounded all their flights to Vic Falls. I tried to see if our flights were cancelled or not on the internet and call centre but could not reach anybody to confirm. Because I had booked in on-line the previous evening, I then went to OR Tambo on the morning of the flight (21 March) and the helpdesk showed that our flight (and other BA flights to Zimbabwe) had been cancelled. I asked the assistant if this was accurate and she confirmed that it was. I took a photo of the information board reflecting the cancellation & returned home. As it turned out, the flight was not cancelled and flew to VIc Falls(only to be cancelled a few days later). I was advised that I would forfeit 100% of the cost of my flights and hotel accommodation because we were a “No Show”. Given the circumstances around us not flying to Vic Falls as scheduled, I made various written requests to Kulula management for a refund or to reschedule my vacation which they refused out of hand notwithstanding the following: 1. Even though I approached Kulula representatives on many occasions to enquire about the safety at Vic Falls, they insisted that it was totally safe, while ( I only discovered after my scheduled vacation)the tour operator had already received notice of a Covid 19 infection at one of their resorts and instructed all employees to sanitize and have themselves tested. Furthermore, two days before my flight and after my consultations with the Kulula agent, a second person at Vic Falls had been diagnosed positive and there were press reports about staff at the Falls all fearing for their safety. The Kulula representatives either deliberately or negligently hid this fact from me so that I would not cancel my holiday. 2. They totally ignored the fact that I had evidence of being advised that my flight was cancelled, after I had done everything possible to establish whether it was flying or not & SAA had cancelled their fights the previous night and I had voiced my concerns of being stranded at the Falls if the flights were cancelled. 3. Many South Africans are currently stranded in ****et, Maldives & Seychelles as a result of travel agents(I wonder if also Kukula) incorrectly assuring them that it was safe to travel. Some of these people are facing financial ruin as a result thereof. I have been a loyal Kulula customer since it's inception but the absolutely disgraceful way that they have dealt with this matter, particularly during the Covid-19 crisis, is a clear demonstration of their ethics and values will result in me never flying with them again.