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Chaos follows Nationwide shock
30/11/2007 21:07 - (SA)
Johannesburg - Nationwide staff on Friday scrambled to deal with irate passengers left stranded after the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) grounded all Nationwide flights.
The CAA suspended Nationwide's Aviation Maintenance Organisation licence late on Thursday, effectively grounding all the airline's aircraft.
Nationwide had hoped to deal with the matter before Friday and had not informed passengers of the problem.
It had to direct passengers to other airlines in hopes of getting them to their destinations with minimal delay.
Nationwide had organised that passengers could use their Nationwide tickets to book flights on kulula.com and British Airways.
No vouchers
Nationwide chief executive officer Vernon Bricknell said in a letter to customers that they could re-book their flights or have their tickets refunded.
Passengers were angry about the unexpected delay. Many who could not afford a delay booked flights on other airlines. They complained about this extra cost.
A red-eyed and weary-looking Nationwide staff member, only having time to identify herself as Marissa, had been dealing with passengers since early Friday morning.
She was still there at 17:00 on Friday.
She said the international terminal offices had been closed so that passengers could be phoned and informed of the problem. These offices were open again by 16:00.
Carlos Fernandez said that he had been phoned in Worcester and had come through to change his flight.
Many passengers had come early after learning about the problem and seemed reasonably satisfied despite having to wait a few extra hours.
Independent Democrats politician Hein van Huyssteen said that he was disappointed that Nationwide had not given out food vouchers or refreshments to passengers.
- SAPA
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