Lift Airlines - Paid Emergency Exit Seat Not Delivered (Repeated Issue)

I’m posting this not because of the amount involved, but because this is not the first time it has happened.

On my recent CPT–JHB flight (booking reference 3858CD8B), I paid extra for an emergency exit seat (12A), sold as having additional legroom and emergency exit characteristics. Due to an aircraft change, seat 12A on the operating aircraft was not an emergency exit seat, had no additional legroom, and no emergency exit window.

When I queried this:

WhatsApp support insisted it was still an emergency seat

Cabin crew onboard confirmed it was not an emergency exit seat

This contradiction is unacceptable. A seat number is not a seat product — the features are what were paid for, and they were not provided.

I was told the issue would be referred to email support, but after four days there has been no response.

What makes this more concerning is that this has happened before. Previously, after significant effort and back-and-forth, the refund was eventually paid — not proactively, not easily, but only after a fight. The amount is small, but the inconvenience, misrepresentation, and lack of support are not.

This feels less like a mistake and more like a pattern where customers are worn down until they give up. That’s not customer service, and it’s not acceptable.

LIFT markets itself as modern and customer-focused, but experiences like this seriously undermine trust. I’m sharing this so other travelers are aware and so the airline addresses the root issue rather than quietly refunding small amounts to keep complaints contained.