Singapore Airline Cancellation Fee

[Gigglingpuff]

I've booked 2 plane tickets from Singapore Airline last Tuesday for $1532 each and I wanted to cancel it and book again as they've got a sale on, which would cost $1130 for the same ticket that I bought. (For $400 saving each its worth the trouble of cancelling it and book again, IMO)

The tickets I bought were Flexi Saver, $1532, economy class.

Now when I paid for my plane ticket I had a look at their website for terms & condition and fare type and initially I was going to pay for the ticket through their website, but because the website got timed-out at the last stage and I was unable to pay after selecting the seats, I had to start all over again but the seats I've selected has been occupied (by me)!

In summary I ended up calling them up and paid for the tickets over the phone instead of from their website.

Please note that at that stage, the price I paid over the phone was exactly the same as the one they were showing on their website, so the ticket I bought should be the same as the one showing on the website right??? Because on the website under Flexi Saver, Summary of fare conditions, it said:

Cancellation - Allowed
Before First Flight Departure : USD100 subject to currency fluctuation. After First Flight Departure : No Refund

But when I called up on Sunday for a cancellation request and I was told the cancellation fee is AUD$120 + AUD$25 merchant fee! I totally understand the AUD$25 merchant fee but the AUD$120? It said on the website USD$100!! I protested saying that the current conversion rate is at least 1 to 1.. how can it be $120??? and the customer representative keep insisting that the fee is AUD$120 even after they asked me to send them a screen shot..

To be honest, that AUD$20 is nothing compare to the AUD$300 you can save by cancelling the ticket and book again, BUT! to me that is not the point! (even tho saving money is the point of the cancellation but thats not the point here!!) I mean, my electronic receipts did not say how much the cancellation fee is, and I have no way of knowing this kind of information other then their official website OR call up the customer service, but whats the point of the website existence with that kind of information if they're wrong?? Or am I missing something here?? Did the fare type changed because I paid over the phone instead of the internet???

If the information they provide was wrong in the first place and I know that I would've just pick any other fare type they have instead of Flexi Saver... Its just that I bought my ticket because I know what I'm paying for and my charges are if I cancel/change dates, but now they turned around and said that the fees and charges are not what they appear on their website, I just feel cheated! Believe me if they stated the cancellation fee is AUD$120 I would be paying that happily and move on to buying another plane ticket! But now I'm just so angry and displease with them I don't even want to fly them anymore (Not just this but also because of all the previous call I made to SIA the customer service representative has been rude every single time)

Is there anyway I can make a complaint to Singapore Airline?? Or maybe some Australian government organisation?? Because seriously, I dont wanna sound like a child but wouldnt that be called false advertising?? We all know that they have issues with their new website but thats not an excuse for them to get the customer to bare their responsibility when they are the one whos in fault...(by putting wrong info on their website)

Sorry for the rant.. I'm just really upset by this as I've always thought SIA is one of the best airline in the world and that they have the best customer service in the airline industry... If I'm missing something please tell me, because I would be more than happy to let this one go if its my fault or if I misread something...

Thanks!!

 

[rechoboam]

It was subject to currency fluctuation and the USD has fluctuated.

 

[ric_melb]

Airlines use various conversion rates at times, so it could be that the AUD equivalent for the cancellation was set at an old rate.
If Singapore airlines are now quoting you AUD120, that may well be the fee, as you did not actually book on the web, but by telephone.
From what you are saying here the only issue you have is that you think you are being over charged AUD40 on two tickets being cancelled.
Why waste your time worrying about such a relatively small amount, just move on, and lose your indignation.

 

[Justchecking]

Well you can be outraged over $40 and instead pay $400 more for each ticket than you need to. But I know which horse I'd be backing in that race. And really, why isn't the potential saving of almost $800 the point? Is it worthwhile having any other point?

 

[Travel Guru]

Seriously, how much is your time worth?

I know my times more valuable than $40 and I certainly feel ripped off having invested 3 minutes reading a post which in all honesty shouldn't have been put up in the first place.

Get over it and move on, your life is worth more than worrying over $20.

TG

 

[Gigglingpuff]

My goal is to get that $40 AND that $600 saving, i dont care if I'm spending 'too much' time over it, its my right as a customer.

The point is not that $40, its just false information leading you on to go buy their product (or something like that). Its like seeing a woolies catalogue saying that everything they have in store is USD$1, and you go there only to be told that sorry, we made a mistake, its actually AUD$10 for everything they have. Hey, its still a saving of watever you saved, but I will definitely feel cheated because I will feel that they are lying to get customers to go to their stores.. or watever! IF anywhere on my electronic receipts and the terms & conditions said CLEARLY, that the cancellation fee is AUD$120, I would not even hesitate to pay that so I can move on to the cheaper ticket! But they did not and that USD$100 is still on their website! I've already informed them that and its still there on the website, its their incompetency to have 'errors' on their website and they should fix it.

I'm a customer, why the hell should I be paying for their mistake? To you it might just be $40, but to me its a matter of principals!! What? When USD was high they charge us but when USD dropped they can just decide to charge us AUD$?? How is that fair? In a way it is because they are a business but put them down black and white so everyone knows the terms & condition, not whenever you feel like taking the most out of your customers. Its called ETHIC!!

 

[dajop]

Interesting, I probably wouldn't bother for this small amount of money, but I can see your point. It's not the $40 - it's the principle, and I guess someone needs to vigilant and hold businesses to account.

BUT .. the fare rules for these fares bought in Australia through a travel agent I am sure would show $120AUD (they do on a site many people have membership here on which display fare rules), which is what you were charged. As you purchased over the phone did you at any stage ask about cancellation fees and conditions, or were you provided this at any time in follow up documentation? As you didn't purchase over the web, you aren't automatically entitled to the same terms and conditions that appear on the web, even though the fares are the same. So you may not have a leg to stand on, as different purchase mechanisms come with different rules.

If you do complain, focus on the inability to book over the web due to website issues (the topic of the year for SQ), and you had reasonably expected the phone purchase conditions to be the same as published on the web. Also keep it simple and to the point don't ramble on like you have in your original post. No-one cares to waste their time reading through paragraphs of emotional ranting.

 

[rechoboam]

Interesting, I probably wouldn't bother for this small amount of money, but I can see your point. It's not the $40 - it's the principle, and I guess someone needs to vigilant and hold businesses to account.

BUT .. the fare rules for these fares bought in Australia through a travel agent I am sure would show $120AUD (they do on a site many people have membership here on which display fare rules), which is what you were charged. As you purchased over the phone did you at any stage ask about cancellation fees and conditions, or were you provided this at any time in follow up documentation? As you didn't purchase over the web, you aren't automatically entitled to the same terms and conditions that appear on the web, even though the fares are the same. So you may not have a leg to stand on, as different purchase mechanisms come with different rules.

If you do complain, focus on the inability to book over the web due to website issues (the topic of the year for SQ), and you had reasonably expected the phone purchase conditions to be the same as published on the web. Also keep it simple and to the point don't ramble on like you have in your original post. No-one cares to waste their time reading through paragraphs of emotional ranting.

Lawyers love customers who care about "the principle". I'm sure you could engage a high priced barrister and take it to court. You might not win but at least you would have tried. You could always appeal.

Ps I'm joking..

 

[Justchecking]

My goal is to get that $40 AND that $600 saving, i dont care if I'm spending 'too much' time over it, its my right as a customer.

The point is not that $40, its just false information leading you on to go buy their product (or something like that). Its like seeing a woolies catalogue saying that everything they have in store is USD$1, and you go there only to be told that sorry, we made a mistake, its actually AUD$10 for everything they have.

[/B]

Actually, no it's not like that at all. Not unless you bought the ticket solely for the cancellation fee, which I highly doubt. Sure, as a customer it's your right to get outraged and whinge all over the Internet if you want to. Come back and brag to us all when you've won your $40, and do tell us how many hours of your life $40 buys. I'm curious.