Just bad service

I had a highly disappointing experience with LIFT Airlines on my recent trip from Johannesburg to Cape Town. My flight was scheduled for 8:00 AM, and due to an accident on the highway I arrived at the airport at 7:15 AM — still with sufficient time to board.

When I attempted to check in my luggage, the staff informed me that I had just missed the cut-off. Instead of offering practical solutions, they sent me back and forth between different security checkpoints, insisting that I “try” to take my bag through security as hand luggage. Security rejected it twice, and each time I returned to the LIFT counter, only to be told to try something else equally unhelpful.

Because of this poor guidance and lack of initiative, I lost valuable time that I could have used to simply repack my belongings in the car and take only hand luggage. Instead, by the time their staff finally told me to buy a new ticket, all later flights were already sold out.

What made the situation worse was the dismissive and unhelpful attitude of the staff throughout the entire interaction. At no point did anyone seem interested in actually assisting or offering a realistic solution.

In the end, I was unable to take my flight, and the experience was so poor that I have requested a full refund — not a credit — as I do not intend to fly with LIFT again. (Booking ***)

I sent Lift an email explaining my situation, and they responded that a refund is not possible. I had to book a flight with a different airline to make it to Cape Town, hence the credit that they offered is of no help to me.