INCOMPETENCE COST ME MY FLIGHT

Item: SAA
Rating: 1

I was booked in on SAA Express, flight SA1701 from O.R. Tambo to Walvis Bay today (2016-01-31) which departed at 11:55. I was going to make the flight. I paid for excess baggage at the counter and was helped by Sidwell Sithole. I specifically asked him where I should board (I had a friend with me who received the same message - who also asked : are you sure?) and he directed me to terminal B, only to find that I should have boarded at terminal A. So, I walked to the other end of the airport and was too late to make my flight. My friend returned to his station (due to my back problems I did not go back myself) but found that his shift has been ended and he was replaced by someone else - reason being, we wanted to hear from him WHY he directed us to terminal B and not A... His incompetence not only cost me time (I had to re-book for tomorrow 2017-02-01), but money as well as I had to pay R2940.23 for another flight. I did not have the money to book another flight (need to get to my destination ASAP due to personal circumstances) and had to borrow money... After several e-mails with SAA, they just apologized about Sidwell and said refunds are against their polocy. If an SAA employee tells you twice that you must be at termonal B and your iticket says terminal A, would you not do as the employee directs you. After going back to rebook my flight, the lovely lady that helped me said that this is how they make their money on SAA. That I am in fact, by buying a new ticket, paying her salary. Lovely isn't it. I not only had to borrow money but I had a personal emergency and had to arrive a day later for my flight. I am most certainly not in an position to pay SAA employees their salary or bonuses. Carly Wilson Tel + ********** 1 1812 **********

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