FlySafair / Safair Operations review: Poor service after check in 1

Formal Complaint Regarding Poor Service on Friday 13 September 2024 Flight 603
Dear FlySAfair Customer Service Department
I am writing to formally lodge a complaint and express my deep dissatisfaction with the extremely poor service I received at the Cape Town International airport from Cape Town to Johannesburg on Friday 13 September 2024.
Specifically, I encountered the following issues:
We approached the check in area 3 minutes late and the lady there completely refused to assist us and just said check-in is closed. She then referred us to the ticket sales area to assist us further.
At the ticket sales counter the lady there informed us that they cannot assist us and that our seats were replaced within 3 minutes. How can our seats be replaced in 3 minutes then that means that people then checked in after 20h00?
This was my first time using FlySafair and it was very alarming to receive such poor service.
Your staff were not even attempting to assist and resolve the matter. Your staff blatantly refused. Is this the service standard you are comfortable with? Is this what sets you apart from other airlines?
This entire experience was unprofessional and very, very poor customer service. We were treated poorly, and the attitude of your “trained” staff was so rude and nonchalant. The desk clerk made it very clear that she would not assist us with this matter and did not even tried to resolve this. She rather referred us to another airline. Do you just turn away customers? Are they not trained to troubleshoot and work through customer issues to ensure satisfaction? Do you not have escalation processes? What is your chain of command? Surely you cannot leave the running of your booking operations in the hands of individuals who have no regards for paying customers.
Our flights were booked as a return. I requested a full refund to book alternative tickets with a different airline seeing that your staff refused to let us board a flight we paid for in full. The desk clerk simply responded by saying she can’t process a refund and that we have to rebook, pay the booking fee upfront as refunds are processed by issuing a voucher. Why would I accept a voucher from an airline that has zero regard for their customers’ experience? An airline I wouldn’t use or recommend? This led to a argument lasting more than 40minutes.
What ensued during this argument left a very bitter taste in my mouth.
These issues significantly impacted on my overall experience with your airline, and I am absolutely gutted with the lack of service your staff provided. I kindly request an investigation into the matter and would appreciate a response outlining how this will be addressed. Please feel free to check your CCTV to authenticate my time stamps with regards to check in.
Additionally, I would appreciate information regarding any compensation or corrective action that may be available in this situation. Please let me know if you require any further information or documentation to process this complaint. I look forward to your prompt response.