Mango Airlines traps their passengers

Ties 20 November at 5pm I boarded my Mango Airlines flight JE352 home to Durban after 6 days in Cape Town. Husband and the boys were set to fetch me at King Shaka at 7.25pm. A storm was raging in Durban as we approached, the cabin was prepared and then the pilot explained that if they couldn’t land we may have to divert to Jhb. We circled Durban for 45 minutes, our pilot attempting to land 3 times. It felt like something was physically bumping the plane, it was moving around so much.

You know that part in the movies when the plane is rattling, climbing steeply, engines straining, seats squeaking, lights off and everyone is white knuckled trying to stay calm...? One minute we were climbing, the next descending, lightning was flashing, and then the cabin crew starts scurrying up the aisle, staggering, trying to hold on to anything as they make their way to the other end of the plane... and then the inevitable: “is there a doctor on board? Please. Anyone?” As predicted, after a 3rd attempt to land, our pilot turned and headed to Jhb. We landed at OR Tambo Airport around 8.30pm. A passenger had had a severe panic attack while we were attempting to land in Durban during the storm. (And thus a high speed flight to get to Jhb where the paramedics were waiting for us to land)

All I wanted was to contact my husband, but his battery was flat. I knew my sons would be anxious, as they’d been waiting for an hour and a half in the storm and my plane was nowhere to be seen.

Our pilot explained we were going to refuel and weather permitting return to Dbn. There were 3 other flights on the tarmac adjacent to us, all diverted from Dbn. Slowly they all refueled and took off and still we sat. The cabin crew were very patient. As the hours ticked by with little news from the pilot, some passengers decided to leave the plane(and stay in Jhb) so the ground crew were instructed to take all luggage off the plane, and it was picked through on the tarmac for these passengers to choose theirs, then left there for 3 hours with no security.

The toilets ran out of water and loo paper.

We asked the cabin crew for information, if we could walk outside, if we could have refreshments? All declined. We were stuck. After landing at OR Tambo at 8.30pm, we were told around 11.30pm that there was a problem with the wing of the plane, and it should never have been cleared to fly from Cape Town and that the plane was now grounded. The plane was unfit to fly.

The cabin crew asked ‘head office’ if they could give us food or water/drinks. The answer was no. Then they asked if they could SELL us refreshments. The answer was STILL no.

All the pilot could do was tell us ‘head office’ was dealing with the problem, the terminal was now closed, so we couldn’t go into the airport, we couldn’t leave the plane and stretch our legs/breathe fresh air out on the runway, and that he didn’t have anything further for us.

Finally we were told that another plane was going to be towed from a hanger on the OTHER SIDE of the airport, parked adjacent to ours, refueled, our luggage transferred, and we’d return to Durban in that flight.

And at 1.15am, after being trapped inside Mango Airlines flight JE352 for over 8 hours, we boarded ‘GLOBAL AIRWAYS FLIGHT #nothing’ to Durban. New flight crew, and an unbranded white plane.

Mango Airlines dropped the ball big time. We eventually landed in Durban at 2.30am, husband and my sons had to wake up to come fetch me. I was home around 3.30am, then we had to get our sons back to sleep to get a few hours before going to school.

I stood at the pick up point alone at an empty airport for 45mins with only the 3 pilots standing off to one side.

Wednesday 21 November I could not go to work. So I have lost a day’s wages.

I am posting this in the hope that it will find its way to Mango Airlines “HEAD OFFICE” It’s surprising that everyone stayed sane. The cabin crew were amazing. Some were tearful. Others very angry. At one point passengers were looting the food when the cabin crew were not standing there, and we later heard that the crew have to pay for every unaccounted item that was taken. People were sharing their laptops to charge cell phones and food was being passed around so that everyone could have something.

The pilot stated he would not fly or land a plane in weather or conditions that were even a little unstable. He did an amazing job. Seriously Mango Airlines AND OR.Tambo Aiport? Is this how we manage situations like these? At 00H43 after your passengers have been stuck inside your airplane for over8 hours.

I’d like Mango Airlines to explain to these passengers what they are going to do about this?

Mango did email me an apology. But they only apologized for the diversion and inclement weather. Not once have they said anything to apologize for the way we were treated when on the runway stuck inside their airplane with no water, food or toilet, for over 5 hours! They have issued a R400 voucher which incurs a R370 admin fed and isbonly valid for 3 months. Apologies with conditions are not apologies!