Kulula.com will now give affected passengers the option to choose either a refund or a Travel Bank credit to their full ticket value after outraged customers took on the airline on social media because it didn’t offer a refund option following the recent five-day grounding.
READ: kulula.com under fire for no-refund policy after Comair suspension
‘While the cancellations were unavoidable, we recognise the inconvenience and wish to extend both offers to affected passengers,’ kulula.com said.
British Airways ticket holders were given the option of either rebooking their flights or requesting a refund. Asked to comment, a Comair spokesperson said that ‘Comair operates the British Airways brand under a franchise agreement. Hence British Airways’ Booking With Confidence policy applies. Kulula.com is a separate brand.’
Following the SA Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) review of Lufthansa Technik that led to the airline’s suspension, Comair has now appointed SAA Technical (SAAT) to take over the line maintenance of its aircraft. Comair previously used both SAAT and Lufthansa Technik to maintain its aircraft.
‘Although Lufthansa Technik passed a routine SACAA audit in February of this year, the unscheduled review made a number of findings which need to be addressed within 24 hours or the Approved Maintenance Organisation (AMO) licence is suspended,’ the airline said.
‘Our priority at the moment is to restore a full, reliable flight schedule for our customers to ensure they can book and fly with confidence, which is why, in these extraordinary circumstances, we acted as soon as we were informed that the suspension was a possibility,’ said Comair CEO Glenn Orsmond.
‘While Comair respects and fully supports the SACAA in fulfilling its mandate and in so doing, ensuring that flight safety standards prevail in South Africa, Lufthansa and its technical maintenance facility rank globally as one of the world’s most respected airlines and maintenance organisations. Lufthansa Technik is certified by more than 40 of the world’s foremost airworthiness authorities, has over 800 customers, 22 000 employees and more than 4 500 exclusive contracts globally,’ the statement continued.
Picture: kulula.com
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