A Wakkerstroom woman who missed her flight was set to spend the night at OR Tambo International Airport, but a kind man took pity on her and paid for her overnight accommodation.

Wendy Paviour, 64, missed her flight from Johannesburg to Cape Town on the evening of Sunday, December 22, after apparently being directed to the wrong boarding gate.

“They gave me and a few other people the wrong gate number. I was notified that the departing gate would be C10, but on arrival at C10 we were told it had changed to C13,” Paviour said.

“We waited there for a long time and eventually another passenger and I decided to ask. We were told it had changed back to C10 and that they called for us and sent an SMS, which I did not receive.”Paviour’s only option was to pay an additional R400 to be put on the next flight, which was scheduled for 06:00 the next morning, leaving her stuck at the airport for the entire night.

“I was really freaked out because I didn’t have anywhere to go, I’m 64 years old, I’ve had a lot of operations – I couldn’t sit at the airport all night.”

Comforted by strangers

Paviour was comforted by two women sitting nearby. “I was visibly upset and they wanted to know what the matter was. When I explained that I would have to spend the night at the airport, their dad, who was in a wheelchair, said he would pay for me to stay in a hotel.”

According to Paviour, the Good Samaritan was assisted by an airport employee, known only as Elvis, who was “awesome”.

“Elvis’ job is to assist people in wheelchairs. He phoned my niece in Cape Town, he organised a place for me to stay, and arranged for me to be dropped off and picked up the next day.” Paviour has since attempted to contact Elvis, with no luck.

“Elvis saved his number on my phone, but I’ve tried to phone that number several times and it doesn’t work. He may have punched in a wrong digit or something.”

She wants to express her gratitude to Elvis, as well as the man who paid for her overnight stay.

“The man gave Elvis his card, and I would like to make contact with both of them to thank them.”