1time passengers and staff left in the dark

Imogen Vollenhoven

3 November 2012

 Furious passengers and about a thousand shocked staff members have been left to deal with the sudden termination of budget airline 1time.

This airline filed for liquidation on Friday afternoon and its last flight took off just before 3pm.

There were long queues, angry passengers, tearful flight attendants and outright confusion at airports across South Africa yesterday after low-cost airline 1time went bust.

There were questions around the company’s finances for several months, with the carrier operating under business rescue.

Passengers were turned away and told to buy tickets with a different airline.

1time’s ticket offices were shut and the check-in counters were empty.

Scores of frustrated passengers said they do not know what to do next or where to turn.

Some passengers had already checked in their luggage and were about to board their flights when the news broke.

 1time CEO Blacky Komani said flights were grounded and they were talking to other airlines to assist stranded passengers.

Company officials are also working to assist passengers with refunds.