Durban - British Airways had to book some passengers on alternative flights for Friday and provide refunds to others after one of its flights from King Shaka International Airport was cancelled on Thursday.
Dozens of frustrated passengers were left stranded for more than three hours at the airport after they were instructed to disembark from the BA flight that was bound for Cape Town.
British Airways spokesperson Stephen Forbes said a technical problem with the fuel system had been detected during pre-flight checks.
“We apologise for the inconvenience experienced by customers on this morning’s cancelled flight from Durban to Cape Town,” said Forbes.
“As a result of the technical issue, we have had to cancel some flights, but have been able to accommodate the customers on other services.”
The Boeing 737-400 was supposed to have taken off at 6.25am but passengers said they were instead told to get off the plane after having boarded.
“We already had our seatbelts fastened and the doors were closed when they told us that there was a fuel leak and the plane couldn’t leave,” said Rose Mahaye from Durban.
Fed-up
The aircraft was supposed to land in Cape Town at 8.35am but by 10am, fed-up passengers were still sitting at King Shaka airport.
“I’ve missed a really important moment that I can never get back. I was meant to be at a hospital for the (planned) delivery of my first great grandson at 9.30am and they’ve just sent me pictures of him,” said a Durban pensioner, who wished to remain anonymous.
More than three hours later, the airline’s staff told the passengers that the only alternative flight they could find for them was due to leave Durban at 7am on Friday morning. The 24-hour delay did not sit well with the group, most of whom said they wanted a refund.
“What’s the point of flying to Cape Town tomorrow? I was going there for a meeting, not for leisure and that’s not something you can postpone at the drop of a hat. British Airways should have had a stand-by at every airport in case of such mechanical problems,” said Mahaye.
A visibly upset Omne Mtselu was going to Cape Town for her cousin’s funeral. She said a family meeting had been planned for Thursday morning to finalise the funeral and Friday night’s vigil preparations.
Labour relations specialist Sebenzile Maqegeni said the airline had caused the people he was meeting “a great inconvenience”. He had a case at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration offices.
“These things are not planned overnight and there are other people who have set time aside so that we could meet today, now we have to make other arrangements. They can never refund us the hours wasted,” he said.
Capetonian Bheki Ngcongo was flying home to see his wife, who had been admitted to Mitchell’s Plain Hospital on Wednesday. He said he had booked the earliest flight he could: “Booking us into a hotel does not make things better. We did not come here so that we could sleep in hotels. I left Hammarsdale at 4am because I didn’t want to miss my flight but the urgency of my situation is obviously not their priority,” he said.
Forbes said that the safety of their customers and crew would not be compromised.
The Mercury