FLY AFRICA ZIMBABWE – CLEARLY NOT BACK TO NORMAL
(Posted 07th November 2015)
Is the revolution eating its children? The tragi-comedy called Fly Africa continues to unfold, tragic in nature for all the unsuspecting and trusting wannabe passengers who continued to book, pay and eventually did not fly and comedy for the wagging tongues and the ‘Schadenfreude’ induced laughter in aviation circles, whose combined ‘We told you so’ echoes across Zimbabwe and for now Namibia too.
Remember the full mouthed statements made by the airline and its CEO Adrian Hamilton-Manns about the resumption of services, always the next day or the day after since the airline was grounded by the Zimbabwe CAA but as time went by, today we are clocking 07th of November, there is still no end in sight when the ban will be lifted, if the ban will be lifted and all the airline does is project hope into the market, until today bare of facts.
Threats to sue and talk of the media making accusations have given way to the belated recognition that they should perhaps have gotten ahead of their problems in Zimbabwe, and in Namibia, and issued public statements which stand the scrutiny and test of time and not, literally from day to day, shifting the goal posts.
No wonder are passengers seething with anger, expressed on the airline’s website, and choice words are used there by those affected by the charade of stringing them along, while here the more diplomatic version speaks of misleading statements, perhaps made innocently believing in their own hope but overtaken by reality no sooner than they were put into the public domain.
It will be interesting to see, if ever the full truth comes out, what the airline and its CEO Adrian Hamilton-Manns knew and when they knew it and if their respective statements match what is happening on the ground, or perhaps not.
Fact, again, is that in their latest utterance – it can no longer really be called a statement – Fly Africa now says:
Start quote:
·
flyafrica Zimbabwe has made the difficult decision today to cancel all flights up to and including Wednesday 11 November.
flyafrica Zimbabwe is still waiting for a court ruling regarding the fraudulently and illegal actions taken by our local partner that resulted in the surrendering of our Aircraft Operating Certificate (AOC). flyafrica Zimbabwe is working hard with the CAAZ and the justice system in Zimbabwe to resolve this matter as speedily as possible. This suspension impacts the airline’s flights between Harare and Johannesburg, Bulawayo and Johannesburg and Victoria Falls and Johannesburg.
flyafrica.com CEO Adrian Hamilton-Manns: “flyafrica.com’s operations have revolutionised air travel in Southern Africa and our affordable low fares have opened up the skies to passengers who otherwise would not have been able to fly. We are committed to our loyal customers and will do everything in our power to resume operations and provide the level of service our customers have come to expect. We are waiting on the ruling from the Zimbabwe High Court, which may take several more days. We have taken the very difficult decision to defer flights for another 5 days. We will refund all passengers who are affected and apologise again for the disruption caused by the illegal actions of our Zimbabwean partner – it is affecting everybody. We are committed to our loyal customers and will do everything in our power to resume operations and provide the level of service our customers have come to expect.”
“We have been encouraged by the messages of support and will continue to fight for fair prices and more passenger choice, helping families to connect to more destinations affordably, and changing the way people do business in Southern Africa. We are devoted to this revolution and will continue to work around the clock to achieve full operations for our valued passengers.”
flyafrica.com thanks loyal passengers for their support and well-wishes, and will continue to work tirelessly to achieve fully operational services.
End quote
Speaking of being encouraged by messages of support is also turning things upside down as evidently most of the messages posted on the Facebook page of the airline are negative while few speak up in support of an airline which has strung passengers along for 10 days now with no end in sight.
Rudo Nyangoni I’m stranded at OR Tambo as we speak?I confirmed my flight 2 days before travelling but this clearly did not help.who is going to be refunding people coz there is no one taking responsibility at the Fly africa office at OR.
Dammika Carr I have bought a ticket Harare-Johannesburg departure on the 12th of November at 8.20am. Will it be resumed by then?. if not please re-reimburse my money. Let me know ASAP as I have to buy another ticket with more reliable airline
Stella Chabata That is bad news
Like · Reply · Yesterday at 4:55pm
Bryan Johnson boycott ths airline waste of time
Zvenyika Kamwana Flyafrica you are the first to take me to the sky and am happy about that.I really love you guys but now am disappointed with the way you are handling your passengers.Why are you taking long to refund.Yes your zim partner messed up but why let your valued client suffer.Don’t decampaign yourself.When you get your licence you might find yourself flying your crew only.Forewarned is to be armed
Francis Chirasikwa That is the problem of associating with politicians.. You wanted immunity, then you have got it
Lola Malawusi The least you can do is answer our questions. Communicate with us of you still want us as your customers.
Lola Malawusi How long will it take to get our money back please? I need to travel by next week and need that money to book another flight
Like · Reply · 1 · Yesterday at 4:49pm
Dominic Elvis tingoringo businesss partnership
Junior Magwenzi im outta words ryt nw so disappointed…,,u’re bad news fly africa u’ve ruined my day
Jordan Butler People if you have paid via credit card, have your bank reverse the charges. Simple.
Simanga Madhlabuta Utter rubbish!!! You got me stranded at OR Tambo and I had to purchase a more expensive last minute ticket. I got to your harare office for refund as you claim and got nothing! I was just told we will call you. I am still waiting!!! I’ll never fly FlyAfrica again, even for free…
Like · Reply · 1 · 8 hrs · Edited
Marianna Strauss Seegers Called the number given above. The agent is absolutely useless.
Like · Reply · Yesterday at 4:49pm
Veloin Annely I want to enjoy my holiday with an open heart I was thought of using this flight 4 my dec vacation from the 21th dec an on the 29th dec .but every day people complain about loosing their money ill use SA airline.
Batsi Crystal Kashora I am livid with this pathetic business.I got the email that my flight was cancelled as per your suggestions I called the number provided only to be told that my funds will only reflect back into my account after 30-40 working days.why on God’s earth does it take you 2 seconds to debit my credit when I am stupid enough to put my faith in your business and yet it takes you 30-40 days to refund the same amount.I am not asking for a donation from flyafrica,I am simply asking for my money which I should rightfully get in a timely manner because you have violated the contract I entered into when you fail to take me to my destination.I do not want to wait 8 freaking weeks for a refund because my travel crisis is immediate!!! Furthermore the consultant goes on to tell me that if the money does not reflect I must call again.So even though I am informed I will likely only get my refund in 2016, it is not a certainty.you are paying each other fat cheques and distributing Christmas bonuses on my dime and I am told to wait.your operational costs are not my concern when there has been no service rendered to me.I need my refund immediately.
Like · Reply · 5 · Yesterday at 4:55pm
Vince Licata Speak to your credit card company and initiate a refund as contract not honoured!! You should be covered if you used a credit card
Silas Gwengwe Shame bad news always with this fly Africa. I will never recommend any1 even will I use their service for even for free
Why does flyafrica.com CEO Adrian Hamilton-Manns not give us who are waiting anxiously, wondering if we should cancel bookings made for the middle of December from Harare to Johannesburg, proper clarity on what to do. Some of us have booked connecting flights. If Flyafrica lets us down who is going to suffer the loss of the other flights then missed? Do not charge me a cancellation fee if I decide to cancel and book on another airline. I do not want to cancel, but am also not prepared to miss any flights due to your bad management.
Top of Form
Bottom of Form
·
Hi we bought a ticket yesterday and took insurance to comeback in case u not flying what must we do if u not flying Monday from Capetown to Windhoek?
Top of Form
Bottom of Form
·
Let us all concede that it is now time for Fly Africa to file for bankruptcy! This charade that is being played out on face book is disconnected to the on the ground experiences people who are affected are facing as well as business media reportings. As usual this is an example of lack of business savvy as it is obvious that the owner’s expenditure of this now clearly defunct airline exceeded the income and failed to cultivate investment opportunities..?#?flyafricamustreimburse
The situation in Namibia is equally uncertain as, inspite of the airline’s statement of November 05th, that flights to and from Windhoek would resume as of 06th of November, passenger feedback tells a different story:
flyafrica Namibia is pleased to announce it will operate on Friday 06 November.
flyafrica Namibia is scheduled to operate as normal on Friday 06 November on flights between Windhoek and Johannesburg together with Windhoek and Cape Town.
Top of Form
Johan Pretorius So you say you are operational from today………..what a lot of bull……….your flight from Jhb/ Lanseria due to land in Windhoek 10:25 never departed. Please close your offices in Namibia.
Like · Reply · 2 · Yesterday at 2:05pm · Edited
Irma van Rooyen Flights operate as normal: i.e they don’t operate… Once again I need to rebook with another airline. I really feel for you as I don’t think it’s all your fault but your handling of the situation is not very good.
Like · Reply · Yesterday at 2:35pm
Johann Potgieter and yet again you ignored the refund request, instead you sent me another cancellation email for this flight from WHK to HLA b****g more people……BE HONEST!!!!
Like · Reply · Yesterday at 1:04pm
Janine Knoetze Sent two messages yesterday, explaining that I need to know about the flight today as nobody at the office picks up the phone. Whilst on the road to windhoek, receive the cancellation notification from our travel agent who really tried everything possible to get us answers ASAP!! No one at fly africa was reachable today to clarify. A different route had to be taken to get answers… The worst service as we wanted to book alternative flights yesterday already, but fly africa made it very clear, no refund "should" they fly today!! A whole day and whole paid weekend lost!! All affordable flights today are fully booked. It’s not so much that they couldn’t fly, but rather how all got handelt. Or lets rather say, didnt get handled. On top of it to not give people a chance to make alternative arrangements early enough, with the statement. "no refund, should there be a chance we can fly". Lesson learned!!!
Like · Reply · Yesterday at 3:57pm
Kudzai Tavavanhu Y did u cancel Bulawayo Johannesburg route
Like · Reply · November 5 at 7:38pm
Emile Van Zyl Please do not overpromise again
Like · Reply · 5 · November 5 at 6:40pm
Jacqueline Hansen Is the flights to Lanseria still in order for today
Like · Reply · Yesterday at 11:28am
Johan Pretorius Double check because the flight from Lanseria never departed.
Like · Reply · 1 · Yesterday at 2:03pm
Jacqueline Hansen Was cancelled thx booked at air namibia
Like · Reply · Yesterday at 2:06pm
Wessel Matthysen Can you please refund me for last Friday’s problem on the Lanseria/Windhoek route? And no, I don’t want vouchers. I paid with cash.
Like · Reply · November 5 at 11:17pm
Tinashe Maviya LIEAFRICA.COM they only fly on facebook
Like · Reply · 1 · Yesterday at 1:10pm
Rose Blair Please can someone tell me whether I can book Jhb. to Byo. flights on 25th November??
Like · Reply · Yesterday at 1:47pm
Metthy Matthaei And once again this is not true!!!
Like · Reply · Yesterday at 2:21pm
Carine Brown What a bunch of bull c€>€£ …… Cancellation email a hour before departure and no one in any of offices answer phones. Just pay my tickets back!!! No vouchers for me either….
Like · Reply · Yesterday at 3:39pm
Stella Chabata wat about Harare -Jorburg?
Like · Reply · November 5 at 11:18pm
Bernard Dzikiti Never again do the same mistake u a bunch of fraudsters
Like · Reply · Yesterday at 1:30pm
Arthur Stevens Using DC-9 Srs 32 ZS-PAK?
Like · Reply · 1 · Yesterday at 12:19pm
Jeffrey Leong According to Planespotters, that aircraft with that registration code belongs to Congo Airlines .(https://www.planespotters.net/…/ZS-PAK-Phoebus-Apollo…)
ZS-PAK Phoebus Apollo Aviation McDonnell Douglas DC-9-32 – cn…
Like · Reply · Yesterday at 2:33pm
Arthur Stevens Thanks Jeffrey. Actually it belongs to Phoebus Apollo Aviation and they had leased her to Congo Airlines such lease being concluded in December 2010. She is current with Phoebus Apollo and my information has it that she operated your Lanseria-Windhoek-Cape Town-Windhoek-Lanseria service on Monday this week 2 November. The service didn’t operate on Wednesday – due I believe to queries on the aircraft paperwork. My query today was if you are using ZS-PAK again and if not which aircraft are you using – bearing in mind that Z-FAA and FAB are still stuck in Harare and ZS-TFJ is still on pre-delivery checks?
Like · Reply · Yesterday at 2:46pm
Vince Licata Is this airplane 46 years old?
Bottom of Form
It may well be that the airline can pull itself out of these problems and resume the sort of services it operated before this crisis blew up in their faces. Another open question is about the allegations made against Fly Africa by the Zimbabwean partners which have not been answered, other than by counter action, leaving many to wonder who is in the right and who is in the wrong in this sordid saga.
The big question though is how the market will then react, especially in Zimbabwe, where in the meantime Fastjet has commenced flights between Harare and Victoria Falls and is reportedly keenly eyeing the route to Johannesburg too. Fastjet’s sterling reputation from its Tanzania operation precedes the airline and it will be a game of snakes and ladders where one might well find itself relegated to the sub-basement to start over against growing odds while the competition climbs higher and higher.
Going by passenger comments has the pricing of tickets now made way to the issue of reliability and refunds, besides not having phones answered, not getting timely answers and being offered vouchers when some passengers claim they paid cash. Therefore it is anyone’s guess right now how all of that plays out but as usual, only time will tell.
Watch this space as the 12th of November approaches and what the situation then will be, of course promptly reported here.
