FlySafair / Safair Operations
Reviews and Complaints

I was on the morning flight from Johannesburg to East London. I had a cable tie on my bag and it was cut open. A collegue I was traveling also had her cable tie cut and her watch was stolen out of her bag . Only noticed this when I got home.
This is not the first time this is happening and it is very frustrating. something should be done about the theft that is taking place

This is the query I made via e-mail to Safair on 28 January. I have received no response despite a few reminders.

"Good day

I booked flights for my mom and myself from East London to Johannesburg for 21 December 2018. As we were unable to use them at the time we presented ourselves at the airport and advised them that we could not use those tickets that day. We were advised that the tickets could be used within 6 months but that we needed to advise them then and there of an alternative date to use the tickets and we would also need to pay an additional R400.00 to change the ticket dates. We were unable to advise of an alternative date at the time.

Does this mean that we now have to forfeit our tickets even though they were now able to sell them to someone else as they were aware that we would not be using them that day without us being refunded in any way? The total cost of the tickets was R1698.00. The ticket references were NYBCDI and XAIKKZ.

Please advise if the information we received is correct.

Regards

T J Dowling

24/02/2019 - Flight F141 from East London to Cape Town, Booking no: LADNWW. As I have booked the return flight online, I could do the check-in myself as I had a computer available and could print the ticket for the flight to East London. On Sunday, as I had no computer to check myself in, as a second option I went to the airport in time, to have myself checked - in by Flysafair staff or their assistance. As I got to the counter, they checked my ID and I was then asked if I did the booking online to which I applied yes. I was then told that the flight is closed and I need to book a ticket for the next day 25/02/2019. I still told the lady that I am early enough to board the flight and she didn't want to know anything about it, just that I was supposed to have checked myself in online. so, I missed my flight. At a cost of R616 I had to book another flight. I also had to cancel my pick-up in Cape Town, another cost of R280 for transport, all this was not budgeted for. If I was assisted I would have not missed my flight and all costs would have been saved. The sms that was send to me states "avoid the airport queues, check-in online for your Safair flight and download a mobile boarding pass". This is an option. I would appreciate it if I could be refunded to the total of R896. thanks. Leon Mare

This is the second time in a row flying from Cape Town (flight FA 114) that something got stolen from my luggage. To make it even worse is that when I lodged the complaint to the telephone operator she had the nerve of putting the phone down in my ear.

I would like to sy that I have never experienced any such incompitence with any other flights I took. To add this only happened from Cape Town.

After contacting Flysafair to cancel a booking and request a refund due to illness and an up-coming operation ( I am still waiting the hospital to give the date for the op) I supplied both the hospital form and the medical form filled in by the doctor, which the travel insurance company required to process the claim on cancelling the 1 months holiday in SA. I doubt very much that the staff at Flysafair can actually be bothered to read the documents supplied to A. January (who I assume works in Customer Service Dept) I have requested a contact name and email for a manager in authority, 2 times and get no reply ! I would never, ever again book with this shoddy airline, in fact if I had taken the time to read all the bad reviews on Flysafair would have avoided them.

As a frequent flyer I unfortunately flew back to CT from Lanseria on 26/1/2019. Flight number A303.
Air hostess occupied toilet for at least 15 minutes and when I raised my concern to her colleague I was told that she was "doing her make up"
PLEASE can SOMEONE teach them to do that before the flight starts. As far as I know her salary is paid as from the time the plane takes off and should not be doing make up during working hours.

The rest of the service also shocking as in house service also only started about 45 minutes into the air. Take off was a bit shaky due to bad service for the first 10 minutes. My advice to flyers: Pay a little extra and get better service.

Good day.

I booked a flight on 3 Desember 2018 frm Port Elizabeth to OR Tambo (FA237) for 8:40. I booked a seat and pay extra to sit at the window. All of the seats wherr mest up. Someone else took my seat. Why did I pay then for a pre-booked seat. When I complained nothing was done. Im really dissapointed in the way things wherebl handled. For the firts time using FlySafair it was really disappointing.

I Charne Xintolo ID number [protected] flu to East London from cape town on the 24TH 12:15 with my 2 year and 2 month old daughter with safair.

With the landing my daughter got scared and kept on getting out of her seat to sit on my lap. The air hostess told me to please put baby back on her seat. After trying a couple of times i asked her if i could rather keep her on my lap and if that wont be a safer option.
She gave me attitude and told me we will not land until this baby is seated, and i dont have no other choice all with a real bad attitude.
I told her i understand that but is there an other option in this situation
She razed her voice and told me that if anything should happen then its my responsibility and they wont take no responsibility for my actions.
I felt so embarrassed by the way she handled the situation
All is said was i understand.

I didn't take her name but she was the only colored air hostess on that flight.

Myself and my husband is regular users of safair but never was i treated like this before
Im disgusted

Regards
Charne Xintolo

I would like to make a formal complaint to fly safair cape town airport for being unhelpful and most important not communicating about boarding.
We as a team arrived at cape town airport well before 6:00am for our flight to lanseria airport. The online booking ticket machine was faulty and we had to go to the check out area to do it manually.
Apparently there was a lady who called out about the boarding of out flight FA314 departing at 6:40. We were at the manual checkout at 5:58. While in the line did a fellow colleague did his book in and went through. We were still in the queue and NOBODY at that time called out that we should be boarding. 6:02 i got to the counter and was told that im late. What. We were here in time and the lady never called out the boarding. Unacceptable. I will also do a formal complaint to the ombud.

Why is safair employing thieves who have the odesity to open people's luggage and take whatever they deemed fit and worst of all and not close the zip for you to see it that they have raped your bag.

South Africans still have a long way to go, learning to respect other people. My bags were oppened twice on flight from Johannesburg on 12th November to east London in the morning and again in the last flight of safair from East London on 27th November 2018. Airline must do something otherwise you are going to lose customer's.

Regards

Pumeza

When I found my bag at the pickup point where the fragile baggage were placed, my hair equipment bag was left in half, all of my belongings / hair equipment that was in there are gone, I have filed a breakage form in cape town! I thought that the fragile marked bags were handeld with care but it wasn't, and I am very upset about that! The photo wil show how it should look like and how I found it!

Dear sir/madam
Hope this email finds you well. I flew on 14 November 2018 from Durban to Port Elizabeth on FA421 and landed 14:55. The next day I checked my bags only to discover some items was stolen from my bag. I phoned the next day on 15 November and I am still awaiting a claim form.

My details
[protected]@gmail.com

Please assist
RJ Gallant

My flight to Durban was for 10:40 and I was advised to check in 40 minutes before departure. I got to Cape Town International airport at 09:40 due to long ques I got to the check point at 10:00 and the lady td me I'm late they've closed the flight and I need to go to ticket sales to change my flight times.

I get there they tell me to pay R300 for the next flight which is not even guaranteed I'll get for this even. Advising that if I pay at least R1000 I'll get a guaranteed sit.

This is absolutely [censored], on top of the R2088 I paid for my return I have to add R1000 due to your slow consultants who caused long ques. No refund I could possibly lose R2388.

It's the 1st time I'm using your services but I'm not happy at all. With your consultants who just tell there's nothing they can do.really?

Good evening, I trust you are well. I traveled safair yesterday afternoon from Port Elizabeth to Durban I have to admit the service was VERY POOR. The flight attendant was utterly rude and not helpful. It was my first time flying safair and unfortunately my last time due to the way I was treated. I struggled to maneuver myself trying to put hand luggage away, she just asked me to hurry up without even assisting. I had a small hand bag as well which she rudely asked me to put away but the lady in front had a huge handbag and she was fine with that been out at take off. I asked why was she allowed she brushed me off. Disgusting behavior for a flight attendant.

I would like to lay a complaint about my flight. I checked in on line and got stack in traffic and called your help line to make changes for another later flight. This was 40 min before departure. I was told that at tgat point, i can only make changes once i got to the Airport.I got to the airport, went through the boarding gates, however got to departure entrance and was not allowed, flight had already closed. I proceeded to the help dest to make arrangements for another flight. The lady at the help desk adviced me to look at my options with other airlines as I really wanted to get home to Capetown, then come back to her and she would be able to make the changes for me after an hour. I got back to her 10 minutes after an hour and she then told me a different story, saying that she said within an hour and my ticket was forfeited.

Siyasanga Yolani Situate
[protected]

I had to fly last night from cpt to lanseria. The flight was delayed I am okay with that. What pissed me off is the boarding part. I checked in the night before, went for a seat I would be happy with, print my boarding pass, got to the airport checked in my luggage and all, until having to board the plane only to be told my seat has changed. I can't sit at 5f but 9E because someone has paid for my seat.

Did I not pay for that seat also? Checked in 24 hours early

Did I not buy the ticket?

Sad my return flight is already booked with you but I will never ever fly with you guys ever again

Sad your staff don't even know how to explain why that happens

I feel discriminated to be told someone paid for my seat as if I did not pay for it

The pilot and cabin crew big ups to them

I flew flight sa115 to CT yesterday, on take off and landing most passengers around me were using their tablets, cell phones, e-readers and WiFi headphones. On other airlines they are told to only use once airborne and the seatbelt light is activated.
Has this rule been changed for Safair? And why...or were the attendants not performing? Your prompt response will be appreciated.

Greetings

Please find herewith my feedback which is going to express my utter disappointment and frustration with the treatment I experienced with FlySaFair on 07.10.2018 from George to Johannesburg.

The reason why myself Roseline Caroline Vaughan, ID [protected] and my daughter Vivica Vaughan, 08.12.2018 ended up on flight FA 221 was because I admittedly did not check in "on line" before the boarding time on 07.10.2018. our flight was scheduled to depart at 18h30 and I arrived at 17h58 without having checked in.
I explained to the attendant, Ms Pelo that it had completely slipped my mind that I had to check in because I had attended a funeral. My reason for going all the way to Plettenbergbay was to attend a funeral. We missed the check in by 8 minutes only. Ms Pellos face and body language was literally telling me that that was my problem not hers.
I completely understand that there are rules but this was really very cold and unsympathetic. I further tried to explain that I could not go back to Plett. I requested for names of superiors that I could phone and instead of giving me a name she insisted that there was no one else to speak to. Wasting away time so that it could be claimed that I was late for the flight. The plane had not even flown in to get ready for the Jhb flight.
I was prepared to leave my bags behind and just get myself and my daughter on the plane. The more I begged the more I was responded to with an icecold face (your problem not mine)

Realising that we would not convince her of the seriousness of me having to be at work on the 8th, I opted to sleep with my daughter at the airport because there was just no way I could go back to Plett and struggle again to get back to George. I was not shown any sympathy. My daughter had not eaten. My heart broke cause I was no stuck with no food for her and no blanket but honestly that did not move someones attitude. No assistance when I asked where the nearest place could be that I could sleep with the child. I was told- none

1. My complaint is I had to pay an additional R2 100.00 to get us onto the first available flight out of George because I was told either that or you loose all your money. Was the R2 100.00 with more than the 8minutes that I missed to check in? was it really necessary ?
2. I had to find my way and get to a B&B close to the airport and ended up paying R750.00 additional cost that I forced myself to pay cause it was out of desperation and considering the safety of my daughter
3. Finding my way to and from the B&B cost me an additional R600.00
Questions
1. What if I did not have the additional funds available. In fact I didn't. I happened to have asked to use someone else's money and now I have to pay back
2. Is making money more of a priority than the urgency of a plight of a parent to get back home with her child - I missed 8minutes for check in. Not I arrived 8 minutes before the plane took off
3. Are staff members like Pelo trained to treat passengers with such coldness if they have erred.
4. When flights are delayed, passengers are forced to understand. But when passengers miss check in by 8 minutes they are treated like they are beggars. Is this what they are trained to make us feel?/
5. Is there really no system that can assist passengers with reminders to check in.

I am so disappointed that my email will sound like a long drawn out story. But honestly the treatment I received as a first time Flysafair passenger was the most unpleasant ever.

My wish is that no other passenger should ever experience what I have experienced on 07.10.2018 in front of and with my daughter.

Trust is expressed that future attitudes and service will improve at Flysafair George

I am really disappointed with flysafair.. Somebody opened my suitcase and took out some items... Why would some one do such cruelty... I found my suticase opened and they didn't even close the zip they left it open... I need you to get back to me and explain why you employ thieves who open our suitcases... Im not alone there's another guy who experienced the same thing... This is totally unacceptable.. Miss B Gcwabe.. [protected]@gmail.com

I travelled FA210 on Saturday 6 October. I was one of the very last to board and was told my cabin luggage had to go in the hold. It was a soft bag, a hold-all, inside which was clothing, toiletries and a small rucksack with my laptop and some other things.

Upon getting home, I found that several things had been taken from my bag. As it was to be cabin luggage, it was not very secure. However, I was not advised to secure it nor to take out any sensitive items.

The things stolen include keys, cell-phone charger, prescription medicines besides standard toiletries and at least one item of clothing.