Worst experience ever on a airline!

<p>My family and I booked our flights with Mango Airlines in advance to ensure that we have an early flight the morning, as I had a business meeting to attend to in Cape Town. Not only did we make the booking online for the specific time slot, but also pre-booked our seats to ensure that we as a family travelling group of 6, are not scattered around on the flight. Imagine how traumatizing it is for a pensioner as well as twin girls just over 2 years old, not being able to sit with the rest of the travelling group. I had to pay an additional levy for pre-booking the seats to and from Cape Town. The flight and seats which I have pre-booked were confirmed on the confirmation e-mail received from Mango.</p> <p> </p> <p>Our flight was JE129 and had to depart at 08H10 on Saturday 18 March 2017. We reported at the check-in counters already at 06H45. Upon arrival at the check-in counters, they informed us that the flight is already fully booked and that they cannot assist us. We showed them our seats that was pre-confirmed (6A-6F) 3 weeks ago already and which I had to pay an additional amount of R660 in total for making use of the pre-seat booking service, but they only responded that there was a flight that couldn’t depart the previous day and they had to rebook those passengers on this flight and that we have to again wait for another flight later during the day. This was truly mindboggling, as we were standing with our confirmations in our hand. They then directed us to the boarding gate, giving us false hope that there might be a few passengers not arriving for our flight which we should have been on. After going through the security checks etc. they confirmed at the boarding gate that there were only 4 seats available and that they cannot assist us. I then suggested that our two twin daughters that were just over 2 years of age, sit on our laps, therefore enabling us to be able to still depart on the flight that we have booked. They declined our suggestion as well.</p> <p> </p> <p>They requested us to return to the check-in counters again to recheck our baggage for the 11H30 flight (JE133). The security didn’t want us to proceed back into the check-in area with our luggage, and we had to wait, explain, wait some more, explain again, until they got hold of someone to redirect us back through a permit holders’ gate utilized by OR Tambo staff members. Needless to say that the security officers treated us as if it was our fault that we had to again go back to the check-in counters for another flight. At the check-in counters, they were quite rude with us (again as if it was our error). They then indicated that they can only give us seats In the back of the aircraft, and not sitting with each other. We then again complained after which they returned after 30 minutes and gave us seats in the front row seated next to each other. They have also tried to compensate us by giving us meal vouchers of R100 each, which they didn’t even explain to us where it could be redeemed at etc. No details are printed on those vouchers as well. After asking around at different vendors for quite some time, we were asssisted at Wimpy.</p> <p> </p> <p>In the aircraft, we were seated in the first row. An airhostess by the name of Pamela came to me and requested that both my 2 year old daughters should sit in the center seats on both sides and not on the isle seats. At that time I was still trying to settle us down in the seats and told her politely that I am busy trying to sort us out and what the reason was for them needing to sit in the middle. She gave a quick ‘for security purposes‘ reason and she then nastily said that I shouldn’t be rude to her. I was astounded by her reaction towards me. Our plane then took off an half an hour later than scheduled, please bear in mind that I also had arrangements with Avis on car-hire which was now influenced as well due to our initial flight at 08H00 not realizing. </p> <p> </p> <p>In short, my complaint are as follows:</p> <p>- I paid an additional amount of R660 to pre-book seats which wasn’t honored on the flight from OR Tambo to Cape Town<br />- I received confirmation from your airline that my family was booked on the 08H10 flight and we were just pushed through to another flight at 11H30<br />- I had an extremely important business meeting in Cape Town that I had to attend to which I wasn’t able to reschedule, which I have missed, due to your airline placing us on another flight and giving preference to other passengers that had a delay the previous day. It will therefore cost me another return airticket again to be able to conclude the business deal, needless to say the financial implications it has caused in terms of the delay on the business opportunity.<br />- My child has a chronic kidney condition and she needed her medication which was placed in our checked luggage as I had to pack syringes with needles etc. and couldn’t take it as hand luggage. Due to the delay, she missed her dosage she had to take at 10H00.<br />- My mother who travelled with us is also diabetic and she had medicine that she had to take which was also placed in her checked luggage<br />- The airhostess was publicly rude to me<br />- The flight (which we weren’t supposed to be on) also departed an half an hour later, therefore only departing after 12H00 whereas we should have departed at 8H10 already in the morning.<br /> </p> <p>Awaiting your urgent advices on all concerns at hand.</p> <p> </p> <p>Thank you.</p> <p> </p> <p>Regards,</p> <p>Elscke van Staden</p> <p>Head - Communication</p> <p>Forensic Services</p> <p> </p> <p>tel: +27 (12) ********** | fax: +27 (86) ********** | cell: +27 (82) ********** </p> ********** | www.eoh-fs.co.za</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p>