Cape Town – If you miss your first flight, airlines will cancel your return ticket.
One Kulula passenger found this out the hard way. Sooren Ramdenee booked a return flight from Cape Town to Durban, but had to miss the first flight due to a family emergency. He booked another one-way ticket to Durban, but when trying to check-in for his return flight, Kulula informed him that his return flight was cancelled upon missing his first flight.
He ended up having to buy a new, full-price ticket to get back to Cape Town, but a simple phone call could have saved him money.
Although this might seem like the airline is at fault, this is common practice among most airlines in the world. If you you book a return flight or multiple flights on one booking, missing one flight will automatically cancel the rest of your trips.
According to Luane Lavery, communication manager for British Airways and Kulula, this policy is communicated to passengers throughout their booking process, in the terms and conditions that have to be clicked when finalising the booking and when the airline sends them a reminder for their flight.
The policy is also available on their website.
“Our experience shows that very few customers who do not arrive for their first flight ever utilise their return flight. By cancelling the return flight, airlines are able to manage their inventory and revenue management more efficiently, and to assist in curtailing overselling and overbooking margins, thus resulting in a more cost effective and reliable service for customers,”says Lavery.
Like most airlines, Kulula has a re-booking policy, which states that passengers who will miss their flight need to contact the airline’s call centre ahead of their first flight to ensure their second flight isn’t cancelled. The passenger will be liable to pay re-booking fees (R399 plus R120 Call Centre fee) and any price differences between the old ticket and the new one.
South African Airways and Mango has a similar condition in their terms and conditions, with a R370 rebooking fee through a call centre.
Flysafair notes that if you miss your flight, you need to go to their sales counter immediately and will try to put you on the next available flight and will also only charge an admin fee (R300) and difference in fare price. If you only do this an hour after the flight has departed, then you will forfeit the re-booking option and lose the whole ticket.
So remember: always make sure you know your airline’s ‘missed flight’ policy, and that you always make contact with their call centre as soon as you know you’re going to miss your flight.
Overview of Public Universities in South Africa
Here's an overview of some public universities in South Africa, including general admissions requirements and estimated application periods. Keep in mind, specific program requirements and dates can vary significantly, so it's important to check each university's official website for the most current information.
University of Pretoria
- Admissions Requirements: National Senior Certificate with minimum scores in specific subjects related to the chosen program; for international students, equivalent qualifications.
- Application Period: Usually opens in March and closes at the end of July for most programs.
University of Cape Town
- Admissions Requirements: National Senior Certificate with pass levels required for degree study; subject-specific requirements depending on the program.
- Application Period: Application opens in April and closes at the end of July.
Stellenbosch University
- Admissions Requirements: National Senior Certificate with required marks; some programs have additional testing.
- Application Period: Opens in March and typically closes at the end of June.
University of the Witwatersrand
- Admissions Requirements: Matriculation certificate with university exemption; required scores vary by faculty.
- Application Period: Begins in March and ends on the 30th of September.
University of Johannesburg
- Admissions Requirements: Matric exemption with a minimum APS score; specific subject requirements based on the faculty.
- Application Period: Opens in April and generally closes by the 30th of September.
University of the Free State
- Admissions Requirements: National Senior Certificate with specific marks for the program applied to; additional requirements for certain courses.
- Application Period: Typically opens in April and closes at the end of August.
University of Venda
- Admissions Requirements: Completion of the National Senior Certificate with an endorsement for diploma or degree studies; specific APS scores needed.
- Application Period: Usually from May to September.
University of Fort Hare
- Admissions Requirements: National Senior Certificate with university exemption; certain programs may have specific requirements.
- Application Period: Opens around May and closes at the end of September.
University of the Western Cape
- Admissions Requirements: National Senior Certificate with specific performance levels; additional requirements for certain programs.
- Application Period: Generally from May to September.
North-West University
- Admissions Requirements: National Senior Certificate with university exemption; program-specific requirements may apply.
- Application Period: Opens in March and usually closes by the end of August.
Rhodes University
- Admissions Requirements: National Senior Certificate or equivalent; minimum academic performance in certain subjects.
- Application Period: Applications open in April and close at the end of September.
Nelson Mandela University
- Admissions Requirements: National Senior Certificate with required scores for chosen programs; portfolio or additional tests for some faculties.
- Application Period: Opens in April, with a deadline at the end of August for most programs.
Cape Peninsula University of Technology
- Admissions Requirements: National Senior Certificate with specific scores; additional requirements for certain courses.
- Application Period: Opens in May and typically closes by the end of September.
University of Limpopo
- Admissions Requirements: Senior Certificate with endorsement for diploma or degree courses; specific APS scores for different programs.
- Application Period: From April to September.
University of Zululand
- Admissions Requirements: National Senior Certificate with an endorsement for bachelor’s degree studies; specific score requirements for various programs.
- Application Period: Usually between April and November.
Central University of Technology
- Admissions Requirements: National Senior Certificate with specific scores for the chosen field of study; additional criteria for certain programs.
- Application Period: Application period generally starts in May and ends in October.
Vaal University of Technology
- Admissions Requirements: National Senior Certificate with a pass that qualifies for admission to bachelor’s degree, diploma, or higher certificate programs.
- Application Period: Typically from May to September.
Walter Sisulu University
- Admissions Requirements: National Senior Certificate with required scores for chosen programs; additional criteria for certain faculties.
- Application Period: From April to September.
This list provides a starting point for understanding the admissions landscape across South Africa's diverse higher education institutions. Given the variability in programs and requirements, it's crucial to consult each university's website for the most accurate and up-to-date information.