AIRLINE: Skywise has been grounded indefinitely
Travel plans up in the air as airline is grounded indefinitely over service fee arrears
THOUSANDS of South Africans’ holiday plans were thrown into disarray yesterday when nine-month-old budget airline Skywise’s flights were grounded indefinitely.
As was the case with previous Skywise groundings by the Airports Company of SA, passengers who turned up for yesterday’s flights had not been told of the cancellation – and were left to make their own alternative arrangements.
A “Dear Passenger” notice informed them of the indefinite cancellation of Skywise flights, offered “sincere apologies for the inconvenience caused” and advised them to seek refunds by contacting the airline’s insurance company.
The airline was grounded for its failure to pay service fees.
For the 8 000 people who have paid for Skywise flights over the peak festive season, it is a massive blow.
“We have no idea what to do or expect,” one posted online. “Will we be fully refunded? If so, when will that happen?”
Calls to the airline’s Johannesburg corporate office went unanswered for much of the day.
Passengers who took Skywise’s R25 travel insurance should also be refunded their accommodation and car hire costs in terms of that policy.
Those who paid by credit card can apply to their banks for flight refunds via a process called chargeback.
The airline chose to state its case in the form of an “open letter” to President Jacob Zuma and Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, pleading with them to “intervene” or arrange for ticket-holding Skywise passengers to be accommodated on South African Airways flights.
Many of those commenting on the issue on social media yesterday made mention of the government’s repeated bailouts of the financially mismanaged national carrier.
“Skywise shut down for a few million while SAA needs a R5billion bailout but is still flying,” tweeted Megan Furniss.
There had been an agreement to pay its arrears to Acsa in three instalments, Skywise said in that open letter, and with two already paid, the third was due on December 1.
The airline’s request for a 48-hour extension was rejected.
Skywise argued that it was close to breaking even, and that its 200 employees now stood to lose their jobs, “not only in the month of Christmas but God knows until when, in a country with choking unemployment levels at above 20%”.
If Skywise failed, it would be the 12th budget South African airline to do so, the company said, and “no entrepreneur will be brave enough to take the challenge to launch in this brutal industry!”
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