SAA daylight *******

Yesterday I booked a flight from CPT to JHB The flight was booked and purchased (R2400) but when I arrived at the check in I was told my luggage wasn't per specification and I wouldn't make it to the gates, this was 40min prior to the airplane scheduled departure. When I tried to move my ticket to a later time given this circumstance I was told I'd have to pay the same fee equivalent to purchasing a brand new ticket (R2300). The airline was contacted about this and advised that I could contact the travel agency to request a refund request to be sent to the airline and the reimbur*****t for the ticket would be processed. When I called the travel agency, it was the most obstructive process, during which they informed me the ticket was non refundable. I eventually had to succumb to double the costs for a trip due to the poor customer management and consideration of the airline. The distressing part was that I was able to book the next flight 45 min before its apparent scheduled departure and get my luggage checked in within that time - which was refused with the initial flight I had booked.

As someone who once had faith in SAA as a leading airline, I was left to wonder how much of that is a front for a non-customer centered money making scheme. Pure daylight *******, and they ought to reconsider their approach to ticket sales.