CPA and flight tickets

w1z4rd

w1z4rd

Karmic Sangoma
Joined
Jan 17, 2005
Messages
52,146
Reaction score
8,340
Location
127.0.0.1
So I booked a flight for my wife in late April with 1time to write some exams in PTA. My wife can only write the exams in October (we dont have an exact date yet). We learnt this after my wife purchased the tickets. So I tried to contact 1time to get the tickets cancelled so we can save some money and use that money when my wife flies in October. They will not give any refunds at all.

I find this a little miff... its not like I am cancelling on the day, or on the week. The flights are normally booked full so its not like they wont get the customers to fill the seats. Is the CPA able to help me at all with this or should I just write off R2000?
 
They absolutely cannot insist on a no refund policy. They can however impose a cancellation charge that must be deemed 'reasonable'. This is covered in Section 17 of the CPA. The airlines (particularly low cost airlines) are particularly obtuse about this though and will make you fight them on this. You will win, but they will delay it for as long as humanly possible. They are currently arguing to be exempt from section 17 of the CPA, which of course, they will lose...
 
When my wife phoned they tuned her no refund no matter what. So I will be giving them a call.
 
So I phoned them, and the woman was rude to me, put me through to another woman who claimed that the "reasonable fee" that they are charging is 100% of the fking flight ticket. Ef them. Dont ever fly 1time. Seriously. Evil company.

Also, hellopeter.com is a waste of time. Theres no space to respond to a company thats given you a bad response.
 
Last edited:
ghoti said:
So I phoned them, and the woman was rude to me, put me through to another woman who claimed that the "reasonable fee" that they are charging is 100% of the fking flight ticket. Ef them. Dont ever fly 1time. Seriously. Evil company.

Also, hellopeter.com is a waste of time. Theres no space to respond to a company thats given you a bad response.
Click to expand...

WTF? don't leave this here 100% cancellation fee is most definitely not "reasonable"
 
ghoti said:
So I phoned them, and the woman was rude to me, put me through to another woman who claimed that the "reasonable fee" that they are charging is 100% of the fking flight ticket. Ef them. Dont ever fly 1time. Seriously. Evil company.

Also, hellopeter.com is a waste of time. Theres no space to respond to a company thats given you a bad response.
Click to expand...

ghoti, they will be taken to task by the Consumer Commission for behaviour like that. You need to report it to the NCC as soon as possible. Unfortunately this isn't likely to be resolved before your wife leaves, but it will be addressed, considering it affects all passengers, not just you.

Another reason why the NCC might take yours and similar cases forward a little quicker is precisely because the airlines are fighting for exemption of the very section of the act that they are now abusing. The NCC are opposed to the airlines' proposals so are happy to take cases like yours as evidence of past, current and indicative future indiscretions...
 
ghoti said:
So I phoned them, and the woman was rude to me, put me through to another woman who claimed that the "reasonable fee" that they are charging is 100% of the fking flight ticket. Ef them. Dont ever fly 1time. Seriously. Evil company.

Also, hellopeter.com is a waste of time. Theres no space to respond to a company thats given you a bad response.
Click to expand...


If you get nowhere donate the ticket to the largest and heaviest person you can find to fly on the day. :)
 
DJ... said:
ghoti, they will be taken to task by the Consumer Commission for behaviour like that. You need to report it to the NCC as soon as possible. Unfortunately this isn't likely to be resolved before your wife leaves, but it will be addressed, considering it affects all passengers, not just you.

Another reason why the NCC might take yours and similar cases forward a little quicker is precisely because the airlines are fighting for exemption of the very section of the act that they are now abusing. The NCC are opposed to the airlines' proposals so are happy to take cases like yours as evidence of past, current and indicative future indiscretions...
Click to expand...

Yes, its time Government and Companies like this realise, we are gatvol for being taken for a ride

You show up 1min late, and boom, sorry, you've missed your flight, but they can anyday make you wait 4-8 hours for 'delayed' flight, with just a 'sorry folks', seems a bit one-sided at the moment to me

and now a 100% cancellation fee?

Ghoti: ask them for a copy of your phonecall recording, as you will be using it for a case against them, i'm sure they have to give it to you, also report the rude lady.
 
I do hope you make an effort to report this with the names of the people you spoke to - they rely on the fact that most people can't be bothered, please take the next step and report them.
 
DJ... said:
ghoti, they will be taken to task by the Consumer Commission for behaviour like that. You need to report it to the NCC as soon as possible. Unfortunately this isn't likely to be resolved before your wife leaves, but it will be addressed, considering it affects all passengers, not just you.

Another reason why the NCC might take yours and similar cases forward a little quicker is precisely because the airlines are fighting for exemption of the very section of the act that they are now abusing. The NCC are opposed to the airlines' proposals so are happy to take cases like yours as evidence of past, current and indicative future indiscretions...
Click to expand...

Hey, do you know the process for this. Will do this right away. Is there a website I use or someone I contact?
 
Bizkit87 said:
Yes, its time Government and Companies like this realise, we are gatvol for being taken for a ride

You show up 1min late, and boom, sorry, you've missed your flight, but they can anyday make you wait 4-8 hours for 'delayed' flight, with just a 'sorry folks', seems a bit one-sided at the moment to me

and now a 100% cancellation fee?

Ghoti: ask them for a copy of your phonecall recording, as you will be using it for a case against them, i'm sure they have to give it to you, also report the rude lady.
Click to expand...

If an airline's delay or cancellation results in a financial loss to you, the CPA allows you to claim that compensation back. In fact IIRC the act allows you to claim interest compensation back too...

ghoti said:
Hey, do you know the process for this. Will do this right away. Is there a website I use or someone I contact?
Click to expand...

Here is the form you need to complete with the necessary details - http://www.nccsa.org.za/images/documents/NCC_Complaint_Form_2011.pdf

I'm not sure whether airlines fall under the umbrella of ASATA (the travel ombudsman) - they might. In which case lay a complaint with the ombudsman who in turn has jurisdiction in terms of the CPA. Not all complaints need to be laid directly with the NCC as the act extends its authority to the associated oversight bodies.

Try through ASATA first, then through the NCC if necessary. Going the legal route is simply not worth it in this case. You'll need to fight it alone unless the commission choose to use your situation as a precedent case against the airlines. In all likelihood you will be the 100,000th consumer to lay a similar charge against the airline, and I doubt they have promotions for milestones...:D
 
DJ... said:
If an airline's delay or cancellation results in a financial loss to you, the CPA allows you to claim that compensation back. In fact IIRC the act allows you to claim interest compensation back too...
Click to expand...

Cool, do you know where we can find more info on this? Weird that no airline has ever mentioned this to me?
 
Okay, well I filled in the forms and have emailed them to the NCC. Will keep you updated about what happens if anything.

They ask you on the forms how you would like to see this play out so I said, "I want my money back and for the term, "reasonable cancellation fee" to be defined. Dunno if thats right.
 
I notice that kulula.com & mango also don't do refunds. I don't think you are entitled to it as their Tc&Cs should have been updated to be in line with current laws, they'll probably offer you a voucher like system to book for a later date. I know Greyhound have the same policy.
 
R13... said:
I notice that kulula.com & mango also don't do refunds. I don't think you are entitled to it as their Tc&Cs should have been updated to be in line with current laws, they'll probably offer you a voucher like system to book for a later date. I know Greyhound have the same policy.
Click to expand...

They dont offer a voucher. They state that I can move my ticket to another date, (but I have a couple of days to do that), and at a cost of R320 per ticket.
 
How much does it cost to reshedule ?

I know that to do that on Kulula it costs R150 + difference in price of flight. Then its R300 to cancel.
 
ghoti said:
They dont offer a voucher. They state that I can move my ticket to another date, (but I have a couple of days to do that), and at a cost of R320 per ticket.
Click to expand...
They're being unreasonable. Hey maybe you'll be a test case that forces airlines to allow ticket cancellations & refunds:)
 
I have a case with the ncc regarding a last minute reschedule they made, and then refused to issue a refund.

They also said it was covered in their t&c's, but only cancellations and delays are.

The customer services person was also quite rude
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X