South Africa’s low-cost Mango Airlines has hit a new low, after it grounded all flights scheduled for Tuesday.
Why did Mango Airlines cancel Tuesday’s flights?
You will remember that just three months ago, the SAA-owned carrier frustrated thousands of travellers when it was banned from ACSA airports for failure to meet a payment deadline.
Well, it seems that a similar situation has risen out of talks with the Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS). In a statement released at the start of the business day, Mango noted that “services and all flights are temporarily suspended from today, 27 July 2021, until further notice.”
“Senior management and our shareholders are locked-in in emergency discussions to find an amicable solution to this impasse,” the statement read.
What to do if your flight was cancelled
This new development has scuppered many travellers’ plans and will undoubtedly have a negative impact on business.
Customers with flights booked for Tuesday and any date thereafter have been advised to hold onto that ticket as it will be accepted as a voucher once the runway is cleared for the low-cost airline to resume operations.
This voucher, Mango explained, is valid for 24 months from the date of purchase. Unfortunately, customers are not able to receive a full cash refund at this time.
The low-cost airline explained that there is no guarantee that it will be able to provide a speedy service to customers who claim vouchers for future travel dates since the incident from April placed a strain on its e-communications system.
In other words, don’t expect Mango Airlines to service your voucher request anytime soon.
“We ask for calm and patience as we navigate through these challenges. We will update the public as soon as possible,” the airline pleaded.
At the time this article was published, no resolution had come out of ongoing talks between Mango and ATNS.