‘Our two-day travel nightmare’

What was meant to be a quick two-hour flight from Johannesburg to Gqeberha turned into a two-day travel ordeal for dozens of FlySafair passengers.

Though passengers arrived in the Friendly City on Monday morning, it came after three flights, a night sleeping on an airport floor and nothing more than a bottle of water for the inconvenience.

Among them were three South African Deaf Rugby Association players from the Eastern Cape who were on the flight to Gqeberha that was rerouted.

They had to sleep on the floor of the OR Tambo International airport and say they were left in the dark as to what was going on.

The three men are all members of SA Deaf Rugby’s national side and flew up to Johannesburg on Friday to participate in a training camp in Pretoria in preparation for the World Deaf Rugby World Cup in Japan in 2026.

Gqeberha-born SA Deaf Rugby vice-president and World Deaf Rugby vice-chair Lauren Terras said on Monday the association was angry and upset about the situation.

“Laszlo Maya, 38, from Graaff-Reinet, Glentin Huisamen, 41, and Akhanani Pasha, 18, from Gqeberha, are all members of the national squad,” Terras said.

“They’d been through a tough training camp, and then they were subjected to this.

“Them being deaf was clearly printed on their tickets so the airline knew their status.

“But at no point did any of the stewards or stewardesses take the time to explain to them what was happening.

“Instead, after seven hours they landed back in Johannesburg, where they had departed at 5.20pm.

“It was after midnight and, eventually, they went to sleep on the floor.

“There were no security guards around so they took turns staying awake guarding their bags.

“It’s beyond shocking.”

Maya is president of Eastern Cape Deaf Rugby and Huisamen is vice-president of the provincial association.

Terras said the problems started as flight FA238 descended towards Gqeberha, shortly before 7pm.

“They suddenly stopped their descent, circled for a while and then set off for Cape Town.

“They landed there and the passengers were kept in the plane for about an hour-and-a-half while it refuelled.”

She said the players could see the other passengers were distressed and they eventually managed to understand from one of them that they were due to head back to Johannesburg.

“Among the other passengers were two children, travelling unaccompanied to join their mom in PE.

“Our guys were able to comfort them a little but the mom was absolutely distraught.

“The lack of communication and the lack of any food and accommodation being offered at Johannesburg are the biggest problems for me.

“We have still heard nothing from Safair.”

Eastern Cape Deaf Rugby Association co-ordinator Catherine Huisamen, who is Glentin’s wife, said it had been an ugly experience for both the players and their families.

“It was horrendous.

“When they departed from PE on Friday it was so efficient and supportive.

“The players were allowed to board first and they were escorted to the plane.

“But on the way back, right from when they boarded in Johannesburg, things were not being done right.

“No one escorted them, and no one came to make sure they were fine with the safety precautions.”

She said they had circled above PE for at least 25 minutes but none of the stewards had taken the trouble to explain to them what was going on.

“There was stuff being said on the intercom but even Laszlo, who has a cochlear implant, could not hear clearly enough.”

Huisamen said they were given a single small bottle of water but no other drinks or food.

“They were seven hours on the plane before they were finally allowed to disembark at 12.05am at OR Tambo in Johannesburg.

“They were given no information about any connecting flight but they didn’t want to miss one if it happened so they stuck close to where they thought they wouldn’t be forgotten, and slept there.”

She said it was not just the rugby players who were affected.

“Where I was in PE, besides the mom waiting for her small children, there was a woman waiting for her brother and his wife, who were flying in for a fertility treatment appointment on Monday morning.

“Even this morning they were supposed to leave Johannesburg at 6am and they ended up only leaving at 7.05am, so the couple missed their appointment.”

She said Glentin, who worked for security firm Dark Water Ops as a diver, had been left frustrated and anxious by the whole episode.

“S**t happens. One understands that. But just communicate, and take care of your passengers.”

FlySafair spokesperson Kirby Gordon said FA238 was unable to land in Gqeberha due to a technical outage affecting the airport’s instrument landing system.

“The fault, caused by moisture damage to the antenna array as reported by Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS), meant that low-visibility operations could not safely continue.

“It is important to note that these systems are maintained by ATNS and not by the airlines themselves.”

He said in line with standard operating procedures, the flight diverted to Cape Town International Airport, where it landed safely.

“Because the instrument landing system fault was not expected to clear overnight, and with crew duty limits approaching, the aircraft subsequently returned to Johannesburg later that evening.

“Passengers were re-accommodated on the earliest available services to Gqeberha on Monday morning.”

Gordon said Safair’s primary channel of communication during irregular operations was SMS, using the number supplied in the booking.

“Three messages were sent to all passengers on this flight, advising of the diversion, cancellation and re-accommodation details.”

He said Safair, “as an all-inclusive service airline” did not provide overnight accommodation or meals in cases of weather or air-traffic-infrastructure disruptions.

“We extend our sincere apologies to the three Deaf Rugby SA players and to all other passengers affected.

“While the situation arose from factors outside the airline’s control, we are deeply sorry for the distress and fatigue it caused.

“We always strive to communicate as clearly and effectively as possible with all passengers during disruptions.”

Huisamen said SMS made no sense as a standard operating procedure in a case like this.

“Our guys did not have their phones on but they were right there in the plane and the flight team knew they were deaf. We had noted as much when we booked.

“It’s an accepted category of passenger that requires special acceptance.

“That they just ignored that is really horrible.”

The Herald