Family says small typo stopped them boarding business-class flight from OR Tambo
A Pretoria family has instituted legal proceedings against Qatar Airways in the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg after being refused boarding on a business-class trip to Tokyo on 14 December 2025, according to court papers reported this week. The family say the airline rejected their attempt to board because of a typographical error on the father’s Japanese electronic visa.
The travellers — Barend Minnaar Hefer van der Merwe, his wife Johanna Martha van der Merwe, and their adult daughter Michelle van der Merwe, who is disabled — were due to fly from OR Tambo International Airport to Tokyo via Doha. They hold business-class tickets, the court documents state, and say their travel documents otherwise complied with requirements.
What the family alleges happened
- The father’s electronic visa reportedly contained a typographical error: his middle name appears as “Miinnaar” on the visa while his correct middle name is “Minnaar”.
- According to the court papers, the family informed Qatar Airways staff that the error was minor and that identity could be confirmed using the visa photograph together with the father’s South African passport, identity document and driver’s licence.
- Despite the family’s explanations, the airline allegedly refused to allow all three passengers to board after their luggage had already been checked in; they were told to correct the visa and rebook their flights.
- The family claim they had to wait about eight hours before their baggage was returned to them.
“Trivial discrepancy” is how the family describe the spelling error and its effect on their travel plans, according to the court papers.
The plaintiffs argue that, even if the father had been lawfully refused boarding because of the visa issue, there was no justification for preventing the mother and daughter from travelling as their documentation reportedly complied with all requirements. They are seeking damages, with the reporting indicating they seek more than R2 million.
Local implications for travellers and airlines
This case touches on everyday concerns for Pretoria travellers: how strictly airlines and border authorities must treat minor mismatches between travel documents, and where responsibility lies when an error prevents passengers boarding an international flight. The matter highlights tensions between strict document-checking protocols and passenger rights when identity can otherwise be verified.
For passengers, the incident reinforces the value of checking every detail on electronic visas and boarding documents well ahead of travel. For families with dependants or special-needs travellers, delays and denial of boarding can carry wider costs and hardships, both financial and logistical.
Timeline from the court papers
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 14 December 2025 | Attempted boarding at OR Tambo for flight to Tokyo via Doha; luggage checked in; family refused boarding |
| Same day | Family instructed to correct visa and rebook; waited approximately eight hours to have baggage returned |
| Reported recently | Family filed lawsuit in the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg seeking damages |
The papers were lodged in Johannesburg, which is where the High Court sits for the litigation. Qatar Airways has not been quoted in the reporting and the airline’s response to the court papers has not been published in the available material.
Legal action of this kind can take months to resolve and may test how courts balance strict compliance with travel-document rules against the practicalities of identity verification, particularly where an obvious clerical error is alleged. For Pretoria residents who travel internationally, the case is a reminder to verify visa details as soon as they are issued and to keep multiple forms of identity to hand at check-in and boarding.
Further reporting may follow as the matter progresses through the courts and, if the airline files a formal response, that position will be reported as it becomes available.
