Refund on SAA flight to Vic Falls?
 

Hi all. We're getting ready to leave for our first safari in 6 weeks and are very excited. Everyone on Fodor's has been a huge help in planning our trip. We have one major loose end that I was looking for some advice on...

Our initial itinery took us to Vic Falls for a stay at Matetsi in Vic Falls. After the March elections made things worse in Zim we decided to change this portion of the trip. CC Africa was outstanding in helping us re-book into Phinda Forest.

My problem is that I currently have 4 plane tickets on SAA from JNB to Vic Falls and back at $575 each ($2300 total!!). Despite the fact that the South African Airways website talks about flight cancellations, political violence, and fuel shortages in Zim, they will not give us a refund or even vouchers for a future flight.

Any good ideas on how to press for a possible refund? I should mention that CC Africa booked everything EXCEPT our US - JNB and JNB - Vic falls flights, so this is not their problem. I've resigned myself to the notion that my family's safety is far more important than $2300.00, but if there's a way to get a refund......

This probably won't help you, but, you do mention vouchers for a future flight. Perhaps you could pay a change fee and book different flights to be used in the future, rather than open-ended vouchers.

What does 'CCAfrica' say? If they made reservations for you, should they have told you the SAA tickets were non-refundable? ((*))

I agree with Dana -- for that much money, you may be able to secure a credit (less a fee), and for that amount, you would have a "free" (ie, already-paid-for) ticket to South Africa (from wherever you're starting).

Or (and maybe better) can they switch the flight perhaps to Livingstone, Zambia , from where you could visit the Falls and also stay at a nice lodge. If the primary purpose of that trip was wildlife, you could make it from Livingstone to Chobe in Botswana (I think w/o going through Zimbabwe).

I just saw that "this is not their problem." of CCAfrica.

But if "they will not give us a refund or even vouchers for a future flight", then a 'change fee' would not be available.

It seems strange that they would not give you a credit. ((*))

did you get travel insurance? some policies cover changes in itineraries that may fall under the political environment / safety - perhaps worth a check.

kak113 - I do have travel insurance, but this one falls under the "civil unrest" exclusion in the policy. Evidently, terrorism is covered, but this doesn't fall in that category.

jed, dana_m - SAA has been very inflexible. Their claim is that the Vic Falls tickets are tied to our international tickets as one continuous itinerary and that's why no changes or credits....

At this point I'm going to keep calling until I hopefully get someone that is sympathic to my situation. A lesson learned...why you book tickets on the phone be sure to ask what the restrictions/ change polies are!

As I understand it SAA are still flying to VFA.
It is you that has decided not to go there, why do you suppose that SAA should refund your money. Did you purchase fully flexible flights or "offers"?
I suggest you check your tickets thoroughly and make sure you can use your return flight from Joburg if you have not used the intervening flights, there are often limitations on this.

sniktawk is right. Have you gotten the tickets reissued so that the JNB-VFA-JNB segments are no longer part of the ticket? If this is all one ticket and you skip segments, you may find the rest of your itinerary canceled.

sniktawk - first, you are absolutely correct in saying that it's our choice not to go to Vic Falls. And you are probably correct in the idea that SAA does not "owe" me a refund.

However, a credit of some sort for future travel, or allowing me to change the itineary (with a fee), does not seem to be out of line to me considering the downward spiral in Zim since we purchased our tickets.

Our ticket purchase made over the phone and the ticket restrictions were never discussed (nobody's fault but my own for allowing that to happen).

Thanks for the heads up on the need to address re-issuance or the tickets excluding the vic falls segment. My inexperience with international travel is starting to show!!!!

Since your international itinerary is writen as a round trip to VFA, when you call to change (drop VFA) you might try to have the whole ticket reissued say to Livingston. Maybe it will just be a change fee after all.

My VFA segement is linked to the international part on our SAA tickets. It will cost me $125 a ticket(change fee) to change or drop VFA. If I have to cancel VFA, we will go to Livingston instead.

At least that is my plan if things continue to go down hill. But we really want to go the ZIM side so... will just wait and see.

Use the current tickets. Schedule a small aircraft transfer and fly directly to Livingstone from the VF airport. Any risk is absolutely minimal and if cancelled, you get your refund. Plenty of good accommodations in Livingstone so wait till a week or so prior to confirm those

That last bit of advise is brilliant and you may find it to be your best option at this point. Of course, people on this site have been concerned about the political situation in Zim for years, and I've yet to hear of anyone who has felt in the least bit "in harm's way" when they've visited Victoria Falls.

Good luck! (and ENJOY your trip!)

We had to cancel our trip to VF due to illness last December. We received small refunds from FAA in April. Many calls, emails, fax..but finally we did get some back.

While you are flying from the VF airport to Livingstone, make sure they give you a get a flight over the falls!!! :-)

we are flying vicfalls-joburg in mid nov.
hopefully they are going to resume the flights...

oops - didn't read all of the op. so it was the op who cancelled.
therefore there is nothing to worry about....unless the situation changes to the worse in zim....
but plenty time till nov....hope we get it going especially as we want to support the people of zim.