SAA has said it is 'not obligated to provide services for compensation that is erroneously published and commercially unfeasible'.
SAA said on Monday that it would not honour mistakenly discounted fares for its route to Abu Dhabi.
During a sale last week, SAA accidentally advertised Johannesburg to Abu Dhabi business class fares for R858.72 on its website and customers were quick to snap up the cheap flights.
But SAA said yesterday that it was “not obligated to provide services for compensation that is erroneously published and commercially unfeasible”.
“As a result, because the fare you booked was invalid, we have cancelled your reservation and ticket,” SAA said.
Celo Buthelezi, a retail co-ordinator in Johannesburg, expects SAA to honour the tickets she purchased.
“I purchased my tickets on the 27th of February, assuming it was part of the sale,” she said.
“The tickets are purchased and paid for. I expect SAA to honour the purchase. They advertised a 72-hour sale from February 25 to 27.”
SAA customers took to Twitter on Tuesday to voice their complaints and some vowed to lay a complaint against the state-owned airline with the public protector’s office.
Irate customers who contacted the airline to complain about the fares were told that their complaints would be addressed “within 21 working days”.
In 2013, the struggling airline received R5-billion in loan guarantees from the South African government and last year requested further financial support from government.