URGENT TRAVEL DISPUTE - RWANDAIR

✈️ URGENT HONEYMOON TRAVEL DISPUTE – RWANDAIR / ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES

My wife and I are first-time international travellers, and what should have been an exciting honeymoon has turned into an extremely stressful and frustrating experience due to the way RwandAir has handled our booking.

Here is the full situation:

We have a domestic flight from Port Elizabeth to Johannesburg on 26 March, departing at 19:00 and landing at 21:00. Our original international booking then had us departing Johannesburg at 03:10 AM on 27 March to Kigali, and from there to Zanzibar, landing at 13:10 PM. Our return flight was booked for 3 April at 18:40 PM, following the same route back, landing in Johannesburg at 02:20 AM.

👉 This original itinerary was perfect and exactly what we paid for.

❌ What went wrong

On our wedding day (7 March), we received an email from RwandAir stating that our flights were cancelled and rescheduled to 25 March.

We only saw this a few days later and immediately contacted them to decline, as it did not align with our non-refundable hotel booking in Zanzibar (27 March – 3 April). We were then told that the only available option that would still allow us to travel on the correct dates was a rerouted itinerary via Ethiopian Airlines. 👉 This was not a choice — it was the only option given to us.

🔁 The forced reroute

We were moved onto an Ethiopian Airlines-operated route:

Depart Johannesburg at 08:20 AM on 27 March Arrive Addis Ababa at 14:45 PM Depart Addis Ababa at 15:40 PM Arrive Zanzibar at 18:15 PM This caused:

❗ A 5+ hour delay in arrival (lost honeymoon time) ❗ Extra admin and stress ❗ Forced overnight accommodation in Johannesburg at our own cost, which was never part of our original plan ❗ The name issue (caused by this change)

After this, I noticed my wife’s ticket was issued under “Janelle de Vos”, which does not match her passport (****en surname).

I immediately researched and saw that a name correction is possible We went to Home Affairs and obtained a marriage certificate RwandAir initially advised a $350 name change fee + reissue fee 👉 Already frustrating considering everything we’ve been put through.

BUT THEN:

We were told that a name change is now NOT POSSIBLE at all because the itinerary involves two airlines.

🚨 The real issue

Both airlines allow name changes when flights are operated within their own systems only.

👉 Our original booking was fully RwandAir-operated, meaning this would have been: ✔ Simple ✔ Straightforward ✔ Resolvable

Instead:

👉 RwandAir changed our flights, and in doing so:

Removed the ability to fix a legitimate issue Created a situation where no solution is now being provided ⚠️ Current situation

We have:

Sent all required documents (passport + marriage certificate) Followed up multiple times Received no urgency or meaningful feedback We have:

Been sent in circles Been given invalid phone numbers and non-working contacts Been told to chase solutions ourselves Meanwhile:

Our domestic flight is in 2 days Our international flight is in less than 72 hours 💸 Financial risk

We are now at risk of losing:

💰 R25,000 honeymoon accommodation (non-refundable) 💰 Flight costs 💰 Additional Johannesburg accommodation ALL due to issues caused by RwandAir.

📢 What we are demanding

We are asking RwandAir to take responsibility and provide:

👉 1. A confirmed solution that allows us to travel, OR 👉 2. A FULL 100% REFUND (NOT subject to fare rules)

Because: 👉 If RwandAir had upheld the original service we paid for, none of this would be an issue.

⚖️ If not resolved immediately

We will proceed with:

Escalation to senior management Formal complaints to: South African Civil Aviation Authority National Consumer Commission Public reviews across all platforms Full legal action to recover: Accommodation losses Flight costs Additional expenses 🔑 Final point

We have responded quickly, provided all documents, and acted in good faith.

👉 The same cannot be said from RwandAir.

This has been:

Poorly handled Poorly communicated And completely unacceptable We are simply asking for the service we paid for — or the ability to recover our losses.

RwandAir, the responsibility to resolve this lies with you.