Mango Airlines Refunds Are Finally Coming But Passengers Will Only Get a Fraction

For thousands of South Africans who watched their Mango Airlines flights evaporate during the pandemic, the word “refund” has felt more like a myth than a promise. After years of silence, paperwork and uncertainty, there is finally movement.

Passengers holding unused Mango tickets or COVID-era travel vouchers will now receive a payout. The catch is that it is only a fraction of what they originally paid.

Under a newly approved business rescue plan, Mango has officially shifted into a structured wind-down process. This decision, agreed to by creditors and Business Rescue Practitioner Sipho Sono, avoids full liquidation but delivers limited relief to customers who have been waiting patiently since the airline grounded its planes.

How Much Will Mango Passengers Actually Get Back

The headline figure is sobering. Passengers will receive just 12.66 cents for every rand owed to them.

Mango’s total liability for unflown tickets once stood at R169 million. However, only R29.5 million in claims were verified by the 1 September deadline. According to Sono, the shortfall is largely due to unsubmitted COVID-19 vouchers, estimated at around R100 million, which were never formally lodged during the claims process.

The payout structure looks like this:

• 40% of the refund amount will be paid within 30 days of the plan’s adoption on 24 November 2025

• The remaining 60% will be paid once SARS and the Auditor-General finalise tax assessments for the 2023 to 2025 period

For many travellers, it is less about the amount and more about closure after a long and frustrating wait.

Why So Many Claims Fell Through The Cracks

During the chaos of lockdown travel cancellations, Mango issued COVID-19 vouchers instead of refunds. Years later, many passengers either missed the verification deadline, did not understand the claims process, or assumed their vouchers would be honoured once the airline returned.

Consumer groups say this highlights a broader problem in South Africa’s aviation sector, where passengers often lack clear guidance during airline collapses.

Social media reaction has been mixed. Some customers are relieved to finally receive something, while others have expressed anger and disbelief at the small payout. Comments on travel forums describe the refund as “better than nothing” but “nowhere near fair.”

Is There Any Chance Of More Money?

There is still a small possibility of additional funds. Mango is attempting to unlock money from its Passenger Protection Plan guarantee, which is held by Standard Bank but controlled by the Air Services Licensing Council and the International Air Services Council.

If released, these funds would be ring-fenced specifically for passenger refunds. The size of the guarantee has not been disclosed, and there is no certainty it will be made available.

For now, affected passengers are left weighing a modest refund against years of waiting. Mango’s story serves as a cautionary tale for South African travellers, especially in an industry still recovering from the shockwaves of the pandemic.

{Source:The South African}

Follow Joburg ETC on Facebook, Twitter , TikTok and Instagram

For more News in Johannesburg, visit joburgetc.com