Cape Town - He bought the ring, booked the accommodation and ensured his girlfriend of five years booked some time off work.
He fancied popping the question on the white sandy beaches of Zanzibar in a surprise engagement he had planned.
But Jacques Prinsloo’s [not his real name] plans got grounded along with 1Time airline on Friday.
The Cape Town man had booked a holiday package that included return flights by 1Time through a travel agent, and he was due to go on a one-week holiday with his girlfriend later this month.
And, while passengers who booked tickets through credit cards are getting refunds from their banks, Prinsloo remains in the dark as the travel agent is also trying to recoup its money.
“I paid my money to a travel agent who now says they are not responsible. I am supposed to get engaged, but at the moment I’m stuck.
“The agent said I can get booked onto another flight, but I’m going to have to pay an extra R15 000. I’ve already paid over R23 000 for the holiday, and at this point, it’s gone. My whole holiday was taken from me and I don’t know how to pursue this,” Prinsloo said on Tuesday.
Acting National Consumer Commissioner Ebrahim Mohammed said on Tuesday “issues will become clearer” after a meeting he will have with 1Time on Wednesday.
Also affected are passengers who paid through their Diners Club cards. One woman said she was surprised when told the card was classified as a debit card, not a credit card.
1Time spokeswoman Refilwe Masemola said she would have clarity on the Diners card issue following a meeting on Tuesday morning.
The Star