A Word from Comair CEO, Wrenelle Stander
We are being confronted by one of the most devastating global pandemics in modern times, COVID-19. Globally as well as locally, our industry is severely affected by this disaster and it certainly has put a huge strain on our operations and how we serve our customers.
On Monday evening, our President announced a nation-wide lockdown for 21-days with effect from midnight on Thursday, 26 March 2020.
The far-reaching measures designed to curb the spread of this disease in South Africa requires all of us to change the way we do business, serve our customers and interact with each other socially and in the workplace.
We remain in close contact with various industry partners, relevant regulators and health authorities to ensure we abide by all regulations and remain responsible and proactive in preventing the virus from spreading.
Our Commitment to our Employees
Effective, 27 March 2020 until 17 April 2020, all Comair employees will be staying at home. Where possible, employees will work from home. Our operations will be shut down. We do encourage all our employees to adhere to the regulations, as stipulated by our President and to be responsible during the nation-wide lockdown period.
Our Commitment to our Customers
In line with the directive from our President, Comair is suspending all its British Airways (operated by Comair) and kulula.com flights, effective 26 March 2020. We will resume with our scheduled flights, Sunday, 19 April 2020.
Comair will try and accommodate customers wanting to travel over the next two days, subject to availability and fare differences. We will not operate any flights on 26 March 2020.
We do however encourage customers, who will not be using their flight tickets or would like to change their flight booking to a later date, to email us their booking details, with the new dates or a request for a credit. Customers who wish to change their travel date can do so for free; no change of Booking fee will be charged; only a fare difference may apply. Customers who do not wish to travel can cancel their flight and will receive a credit to the value of their flight, valid for 12 months from date of issue. A credit or rebooking/re-routing without a change of booking fee, will only apply to tickets issued on or before 23 March 2020, for travel until 17 May 2020.
For more information on our commercial policy, as well as information required in the email, please visit our websites, www.kulula.com or www.comair.co.za.
I would like to assure you of our employees’ commitment to continue serving our customers, the best they can, under extremely difficult circumstances, for us as a business, as well as for our employees in their personal capacities.
All our agents, as well as colleagues from the rest of the business, will continue to work through the high volumes of emails we have been and will continue to receive. We do ask for our travel partners and customers to assist us by only sending one e-mail and by not requesting updates via social media. All requests received prior to flight departure will be eligible for rebooking or cancellation. This will help us manage the e-mail volumes. Customers’ request will be recorded and will be processed in due course. All our customers who were meant to travel during the lockdown period will be assisted. We do apologise for the frustration caused by the delay in our response.
Who to Contact should you be Affected by a Country’s Travel Restrictions?
All South African citizens that are affected by a travel restriction, should contact the South African Mission/Consulate in the respective visited country, to inform them of their presence. All non-South African citizens affected by a travel restriction, should contact their respective Mission/Consulate with which they are a citizen, to inform them of their presence, in the visited country.
I would like to thank you for your continued support and understanding during these unprecedented times for our industry, our country and the world.
