Discovery Bank will immediately refund Vitality clients affected by Comair shutdown

Johannesburg | We are saddened by the news released earlier today advising that Comair, one of our longest standing Vitality partners, has stopped operations.

To assist our clients, for any Vitality member who is a Discovery Bank client and booked a discounted flight departing from 1 June 2022 onwards that has been cancelled due to this issue, Discovery Bank will automatically refund the amount spent on that flight into the Vitality member’s Discovery Bank account by close of business on Friday, 10 June 2022. This refund process is automatic, so no action is required from members.

Note that international flight, car hire and accommodation bookings made on the kulula.com website remain unaffected.

To make alternative travel arrangements and new discounted travel bookings with any of our travel partners; including local flights with FlySafair, Airlink and Lift, international flights, accommodation and car hire; Discovery Bank clients can access the Vitality Travel platform through the Discovery Bank website on their desktop.

While we are working on alternative solutions for Vitality members who are not Discovery Bank clients, affected Vitality members who booked a discounted flight can open a Discovery Bank account before 30 June 2022 in order to facilitate an immediate refund and make bookings on the Vitality Travel platform.

Discovery Vitality CEO Dinesh Govender says: “Comair has been one of Vitality’s longest standing partners, and we are saddened by the news. It is devastating for Comair’s passengers, staff and partners, as well as for the travel sector”.

“We understand how traumatic it can be when flight plans are disrupted, and we are doing our utmost to assist those affected. For any affected Vitality member who booked a discounted flight that has been cancelled, Discovery Bank will automatically refund them into their Discovery Bank account by close of business tomorrow.”

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I don’t have a Discovery Bank account?

A Discovery Bank account is a pre-requisite for the refund to be made. Affected Vitality members who are not Discovery Bank clients, can open any Discovery Bank account by downloading the Discovery Bank app before 30 June 2022 in order to facilitate the refund. You can select from a range of products – from a free savings account, transaction accounts and credit cards, to a full suite that maximises benefits and rewards. You can explore the Discovery Bank product range here: https://www.discovery.co.za/bank/accounts

Do I get the refund if I didn’t book as a Vitality member on kulula.com or Vitality Travel?

Unfortunately not – this solution is for members who used our flight rewards benefit.

Can I still book flights, car hire and accommodation?

You can use the Vitality Travel platform through Discovery Bank on your desktop to book all your discounted travel requirements, including local flights on our other partners (FlySafair, Airlink and Lift), international flights, accommodation and car hire.

What about servicing on my existing bookings?

Until further notice, you can contact kulula.com on 0861 585 852 or MNContactCentre@comair.co.za; and British Airways on 011 921 0222 or BAContactCentre@comair.co.za.

Which Discovery Bank account will the refund be made into?

The funds will be deposited into your Discovery Bank transaction account. If you do not have one, it will be deposited into your Discovery Bank credit card account, or your Discovery Bank savings account.

What if I have been reaccommodated onto another flight through arrangements made by Comair or British Airways?

We will reverse your Discovery Bank travel refund.

What if I don’t want the cash refund?

Call Discovery Bank at 0800 07 96 97 to reverse the refund and get Comair to put you back into their credit and refund process.

I’m still waiting for a refund from the March 2022 cancellation. Can you help?

Cancellations due to the safety-related grounding in March are being handled by Comair and unfortunately follow a different process. We will do our best to find a solution if possible.

My Vitality discounted flight allowance for the year is exhausted and I need to rebook a flight. What do I do?

We will automatically credit your Vitality flight discount allowance.