Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer - Almost refused boarding

At check-in in Sydney I was aked to present the credit card with which I had bought my ticket. However, in the four months between purchase and boarding I had been promoted to the next higher level at LH's Miles & More programme and had received a new Gold credit card (with a slightly different number) in exchange for the Silver one. The check-in agent insisted I would not be let on board unless I produced the card with which my ticket was bought. After an hour of negotiating with different people I was let on board eventually, having signed some legal document in a rush. Had I not arrived at the airport with plenty of time to spare (and argue with SQ staff) I would have missed the flight.

I wonder:
1. Does SQ expect people to carry a stash of expired credit cards with them?
2. What was the point of this exercise anyway? SQ had received payment out of my credit card account four months ago, hence there was no need to check against fraud. And my passport surely proved my identity.


What do you tink?

Thanks,

ps

At check-in in Sydney I was aked to present the credit card with which I had bought my ticket. However, in the four months between purchase and boarding I had been promoted to the next higher level at LH's Miles & More programme and had received a new Gold credit card (with a slightly different number) in exchange for the Silver one. The check-in agent insisted I would not be let on board unless I produced the card with which my ticket was bought. After an hour of negotiating with different people I was let on board eventually, having signed some legal document in a rush. Had I not arrived at the airport with plenty of time to spare (and argue with SQ staff) I would have missed the flight.

I wonder:
1. Does SQ expect people to carry a stash of expired credit cards with them?
2. What was the point of this exercise anyway? SQ had received payment out of my credit card account four months ago, hence there was no need to check against fraud. And my passport surely proved my identity.


What do you tink?

Thanks,

ps

what kind of a nonsense is this anyways?? Are you serious? This is really strange. What if you paid with cash?

:p

what kind of a nonsense is this anyways?? Are you serious? This is really strange. What if you paid with cash?

:p

If you pay for an airfare with a credit card, you will/can be asked for proof of payment. This is especially the case, if you pay for a fare to be picked up from an airport in your travels. If you hand over $3000 cash the airlines are not interested in you, someone else is, and you are automatically tagged, it's all fun, the secret is not to get paranoid, :D, regards bkkrop

SQ always ask to see the credit card used to purchase the fare....I always make a mental note to have that card on me at checkin; once it's sighted at the beginning of th trip, it is never asked for again. Interestingly, they never ask for the card that's used to pay the taxes etc if you are redeeming an award. Nevertheless, I always bring that card with me in case. I agree, it's a ridiculous policy! QF don't have a similar policy.

SQ isn't only the only airline that requires this policy... so does QR. See http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/qatar-airways-privilege-club/997139-qatar-airways-online-booking-big-problem-what-can-i-do-3.html


Even though the airlines have received payment from the cc, payments can always be disputed in the case of possible fraud... ie the person buying ticket doesn't have the card he says he has, hence the necessary requirement to show card at check in.

If you changed card, well, yes, always carry your expired card with you. If you lost it, then you must show some sort of documented proof that you had the old card's number but now have the new one.

In all my many years of flying SQ and paying by cc I have never once been asked to show the card. However in the past year I have had 4 new visa cards issued, most recently FRiday the day of an SQ flight. This time my bank replaced with no notice every card used in Europe in the last 6 months. The others have been all in UK in six months and all in Japan. Yes I need a new and less paranoid bank who has some idea of the hassles this sort of paranoia causes when I have to go and change every card number used for hotels, avis, sq Cathay, etc etc! and yes you can damn well bet I am working in it right now!

Even though the airlines have received payment from the cc, payments can always be disputed in the case of possible fraud... ie the person buying ticket doesn't have the card he says he has, hence the necessary requirement to show card at check in.

If you changed card, well, yes, always carry your expired card with you. If you lost it, then you must show some sort of documented proof that you had the old card's number but now have the new one.

I've been told the policy is intended as another defense against identity theft. And my experience the last two years or so has been that I'm always asked to show the purchase card at the airport check-in for the first flight on the ticket -- but not necessarily at subsequent check-ins for later flights on the same ticket.

And when a card has been replaced, and I've used the old, now invalid one for a prior SQ ticket purchase, I've kept it to show SQ -- and, sho' nuff, as you say, and as OP discovered, that's exactly what you have to do. It's the old one they need to see, if that's the one that was used to make the purchase.

Now, I suspect that some of this has to do with exactly how you use your card to buy the ticket. In my case, the SQ ticket office doesn't actually see the card, or make a machine imprint -- I authorize the payment by e-message or over the phone, and the SQ ticket office also knows me personally. Still, that means when I show up at that initial check-in, it's the first time anyone at SQ has actually seen the person and the card together at the same time.

So, that might explain why some of us get asked to show our cards while other FTers report not being asked at all, or only sometimes.

I think it has to do with the verification.
Before i Got my KF Amex card I used to pay for all my SQ flights with my Citi VISA Credit card and I never had to show the check in staff my VISA CC But since I got my AMEX KF Credit Card each time I have used it to pay for my SQ flights I have had to show it at check in.

I think it has something to do with the verification. When I paid using my VISA credit card it hops of the SQ website and is verified by VISA (Goes to the "Verification by VISA" site) then it pops back after its done that.

But for some reason they dont have it for AMEX cards.
Its kind of ironic they have to check all them Amex cards, Espcially when their In-house KFcredit Cards are from Amex

Yikes. I think I'm toast. Flying next weekend on a ticket booked months ago. Tangled with Verified by Visa twice and finally paid by phone after I pursueded my bank to let the transaction go through. Thought I was done, but last month got a new number following massive fraud and destroyed the old card. Should be fun!

.. Thought I was done, but last month got a new number following massive fraud and destroyed the old card. Should be fun!

Get a letter from the bank stating that card xxxx has replaced card xxxx. That might (or might not) help.

Yikes. I think I'm toast. Flying next weekend on a ticket booked months ago. Tangled with Verified by Visa twice and finally paid by phone after I pursueded my bank to let the transaction go through. Thought I was done, but last month got a new number following massive fraud and destroyed the old card. Should be fun!

Oh oh.... you'd better do something before going to the airport!

I've never been asked for a credit card. I don't understand this policy, especially since you're already verifying your id prior to flying. What if the tickets were a gift from someone else?

I think it has to do with the verification.
Before i Got my KF Amex card I used to pay for all my SQ flights with my Citi VISA Credit card and I never had to show the check in staff my VISA CC But since I got my AMEX KF Credit Card each time I have used it to pay for my SQ flights I have had to show it at check in.

I think it has something to do with the verification. When I paid using my VISA credit card it hops of the SQ website and is verified by VISA (Goes to the "Verification by VISA" site) then it pops back after its done that.

But for some reason they dont have it for AMEX cards.
Its kind of ironic they have to check all them Amex cards, Espcially when their In-house KFcredit Cards are from Amex

Very good point: I, too, have the Citi Premiermiles Visa card and NEVER get asked to show it at check-in (and I fly on average once a week with SQ). I book all of my flights online through the SQ website, so nobody ever physically sees me either together with my card.

Not complaining, of course, as it makes my life less complicated...

This is a strange policy, yet common among departures for carriers ex asia.

I tried to make an online SQ booking with a soon to be expired CC, and received a warning message (in addition to the warning about having the CC at airport) to contact KF services if I wished to proceed.

IMHO, the policy is Bullcrap. Especially considering airlines have your PASSPORT details. They already have the money paid for the fare.
IF you commited fraud, they can pursue it through the appropriate legal channels. Should you travel on a fake passport (not endorsing this at all) then this blows up in the airlines face but that is their problem.

:td::td::td:

This policy has made it impossible to buy a ticket for someone else using cc, as seen in other previous posts.

I've never been asked to see the CC myself either, so i think if i hadn't seen this thread, I would have gone absolutely paranoid.

I don't understand why the airline ask for the CC especially if they already got the money. Someone mentioned identity theft and fraud, but they don't ask just for the CC #, they asked for the name on the CArd, are you the owner of the card, the expiry date, and the 3 numbers at the back of your card etc. And so if they sell you the ticket, that should mean they have done their due diligence.

But thanks to this thread, I will bring my card with me next time...!!

I have been asked to show my card every time I start on SQ, flying out of IAH or EWR. It was only requested for the first leg of the journey. For all my previous flights I used AMEX - for my February trip I used VISA, so it will be interesting to see if they ask for it.

One of my friends became concerned about the potential of losing the card, so went down to the SQ ticket office in NYC and had them verify it there, and note it in the computers.

Whew. I found a copy of my old card. I had blocked part of the saga out of my mind.

Last summer I received a new copy of my visa card - same number but a new expiration date. It was this card I used for the Singapore purchase.

By just shear dumb luck, the security code on my new card was 000, and it started getting rejected by all kinds of sites, including Singapore. Apparently, programs are set to reject 000. After getting the purchase forced through, I called the bank and after much discussion they decided that they'd just request a new card and I'd get a different security code. At this exact same time the fraud occurred - in person purchases around the world, indicating that someone had actually cloned my card, really ugly. The short version is that the bank replaced the card completely before the first set of replacements with the old number had even arrived, and this set was still in a stack of unopened mail.

So, now I have a card with the old number on it. It isn't valid, but at least I HAVE it!!

I've never been asked for a credit card. I don't understand this policy, especially since you're already verifying your id prior to flying. What if the tickets were a gift from someone else?

This policy has made it impossible to buy a ticket for someone else using cc, as seen in other previous posts.

Not impossible. SQ has a form for these circumstances.

As I have posted on the QR thread before, this is an example of cry-baby airlines who have soured on travel agents and run to the panacea of the web-site booking method to cut GDS costs now crying about potential c/c fraud, and, rather than building up their security systems, inconveniencing customers. They built the dragon that is the direct-sale, on-line credit card purchase, so, live with the consequences.

I have been carrying a cancelled AMEX card with me for months now (I had to get a new number due to fraud on my account), as dozens of tickets were purchased with it.
It is quite a nuisance !

I take it if you check in on line, this is a non-issue!

Can't you just carry an old bill or statement?

If you changed card, well, yes, always carry your expired card with you. If you lost it, then you must show some sort of documented proof that you had the old card's number but now have the new one.

When I change credit cards, my bank advises that I destroy the old card, not carry it around with me.

SQ's expectations, IMO, are unreasonable. If the name on the credit card matches the name on the ticket matches the name on the passport of the passenger that checks-in, it would seem like the possibility of fraud is greatly diminished. If SQ has issues with their own system that prevent these things from being verified, that is something that they should address.

Here are the answer to all of these questions from SQ's website FAQ:
http://www.singaporeair.com/saa/en_UK/content/general/help/booking/payment.jsp?v=-2082115011&

(What to do if your credit card lost, replaced, etc.)

These answers from SQ - my quotes do not mean I agree.

Here is about third party booking:

http://www.singaporeair.com/saa/en_UK/content/general/help/booking/ThirdPartyFAQ.jsp?v=732999102&

For on-line bookings according MY experiences:

If you are not KrisFlyer member, than there is a warning: "You are required to present the credit card used for this booking at check-in." on the second page of the booking confirmation.

If you are KrisFlyer member, and book from your account, you will get an e-ticket with a "You are not required to present the credit card used for this booking at chek-in", on the second page of the booking confirmation.

(The GAs might use diffrent rules.)

Here are the answer to all of these questions from SQ's website FAQ:
http://www.singaporeair.com/saa/en_UK/content/general/help/booking/payment.jsp?v=-2082115011&

(What to do if your credit card lost, replaced, etc.)


Right. So, if your bank changed your card you need to rebook the whole thing - and presumably pay a higher current price? Even though your charge has long since been billed and payed? Yeah, that makes sense. In what universe??

If you are KrisFlyer member, and book from your account, you will get an e-ticket with a "You are not required to present the credit card used for this booking at chek-in", on the second page of the booking confirmation.

Its been the total opposite for me. Since I have been a Krisflyer Member and Used my KF AMex Card to book all my flights (from my account) i have had to show my AMEX CC each and every time.

Never had to do it with my VISA when I wasn't a KF member

Here are the answer to all of these questions from SQ's website FAQ:
http://www.singaporeair.com/saa/en_UK/content/general/help/booking/payment.jsp?v=-2082115011&

(What to do if your credit card lost, replaced, etc.)

Here is about third party booking:

http://www.singaporeair.com/saa/en_UK/content/general/help/booking/ThirdPartyFAQ.jsp?v=732999102&

For on-line bookings according my experiences:

If you are not KrishFlyer member, than there is a warning: "You are required to present the credit card used for this booking at check-in." on the second page of the booking confirmation.

If you are KrisFlyer member, and book from your account, you will get an e-ticket with a "You are not required to present the credit card used for this booking at chek-in", on the second page of the booking confirmation.
Not correct. I am a KrisFlyer member and was asked for to show the CC used for the taxes on an award ticket

Not correct. I am a KrisFlyer member and was asked for to show the CC used for the taxes on an award ticket

Hmmm. I used DL miles for awards couple times before but first leg was always on DL metal. Never been asked for the CC. This Dec I'll be flying JFK-FRA-SIN, and now it gets me worried. Taxes were charged to spouse's CC, and he'll be flying on different date ahead of me.

I sure hope they don't refuse my boarding. This is such a stupid policy. Esp about carrying an expired cc to prove it's not fraud.

Hmmm.

I just pulled out my confirmation e-mail and at the top it say "You are NOT required to present the Credi/Debit card used for this booking for verification at Check-In." (Emphasis mine.)

Hmmm.

I just pulled out my confirmation e-mail and at the top it say "You are NOT required to present the Credi/Debit card used for this booking for verification at Check-In." (Emphasis mine.)

Exactly. I simply quoted my (our) confirmation e-mails. I (KF member) and my KF member travel companions always get the "not" version, my not KF member travel companions get the "required" version.
It does not mean that the GAs read these same messages :-)

Even though the airlines have received payment from the cc, payments can always be disputed in the case of possible fraud... ie the person buying ticket doesn't have the card he says he has, hence the necessary requirement to show card at check in.

How does this make sense if the cardholder is flying? It makes sense in that it provides the airline a chance to charge the passenger twice for the same trip.

Of all of the possible ways to fraudulently use a credit card, using your own card to buy a ticket, then using the ticket (which generally requires proving that you are who you say you are), and then disputing the charge has got to be one of the most moronic and least likely to succeed.

Sure, if the cardholder is not flying, I could certainly see the potential for fraud (realistically it would be moronic to try this if the ticket-holder is aware of the scam). In such cases verifying the CC might make sense.

I wonder how often someone fraudulently, and successfully, tries to dispute a CC charge for a ticket issued in the CC holder's name.

I can think of situations such as if a ticket is not used (e.g. attempting to get a refund for an unused non-refundable ticket, a case where showing the card at checkin is irrelevant), or with some dispute about service (which requires an admission of using the card), but I cannot think of a case the airline's seeing the card actually accomplish anything. Given the ID checks (especially for an international-only airline like SQ), I doubt that a CC company would buy the "I didn't fly" story.

Hmmm.

I just pulled out my confirmation e-mail and at the top it say "You are NOT required to present the Credi/Debit card used for this booking for verification at Check-In." (Emphasis mine.)

My DL award confirmation didn't have this statement. Now what? Should I print out my DH's cc statement? Photocopy his card? And, our lastnames are different. So, bring my mairrage license too?

Crazy.

Not correct. I am a KrisFlyer member and was asked for to show the CC used for the taxes on an award ticket

Now this is ridiculous... I think SQ is just nuts

Ok. I see the paranoia settling in ....

Award tickets bought through Krisflyer, which is ultimately singaporeair.com has the same policy as revenue tickets bought through the site. You need to produce the same cc as the time you bought the ticket. If you lost the card, you need to show documented and official proof that you lost/changed cards etc.

Award tickets through other airlines do not need to produce your cc's used for taxes etc. eg, DL, BD, LH etc

Award tickets through other airlines do not need to produce your cc's used for taxes etc. eg, DL, BD, LH etc

I heard that too but I do not want to take any chances so I will pop by SQ office at Orchard Ion tonight to get a Letter of Indemnity signed for my GFs CGK-SIN flight. Outstation staff may not know or follow the rules exactly and if she has to buy a one-way F fare on the spot I'm chopped meat :D

I have been asked for my LH SEN CC twice before when on a LH M&M award flying SQ, but then 4-5 times in teh same situation I haven't been aksed. Go figure.

Thanks, guys, for your opinions. Since most of us agree that this policy is either useless or shifts the anti-fraud burden completely and unfairly onto the customer I will write to SQ to complain. I'll keep you posted on their reply.

Thanks, guys, for your opinions. Since most of us agree that this policy is either useless or shifts the anti-fraud burden completely and unfairly onto the customer I will write to SQ to complain. I'll keep you posted on their reply.

policy has been around for YEARS already. your email to SQ will result in no result, there is no point! Read the booking conditions when you book online, it is clear as a bell that you are required to present CC at check-in.

If you don't like it , book through an agent, as far as I am aware the CC sighting requirement then becomes the agents problem.

Now this is ridiculous... I think SQ is just nuts

They are. Send them a truck load of peanuts. :)

Lots of airlines have similar policies. I travel via UA in USA quite frequently. At the time of purchase, they clearly indicate the need to carray / present the credit card, and mostly I get asked to present the card at check-in.

Lots of airlines have similar policies. I travel via UA in USA quite frequently. At the time of purchase, they clearly indicate the need to carray / present the credit card, and mostly I get asked to present the card at check-in.

Agreed. But the issue is, if I have a new card / lost card / card cancellation, I will not have a card with the same number that was used to purchase. Esp lots of people buy international tickets months ahead. And to get boarding denied when the new card's name = name on passport = name on boarding pass, to me, it's borderline illegal. I have already paid for the product, and SQ refuses to honor the transaction because of some stupid policy they set.

Make a complaint as well to your bank. What they are doing to pax who have lost/stolen/replaced cards is sure to be of interest to the issuing banks as well. Decline any additional charges incurred and turn it back to your bank to chase after SQ. Where's SQ Chief Apologist James Boyd to pooh-pooh this matter?

I've always been asked to show the credit card I used to make the booking with on paid flights. I haven't been asked to on award flights.

I've also had this with Philippine Airlines and BA.

A friend had gifted me a *A RTW ticket issued in Vancouver trhouh a TA there, on SQ document using her creditcard. At no where along the route was I asked to present the cc (which would have been impossible since my friend was not travelling with me). The original ticketed routing was: CGK-x/SIN-(TG)-BKK-ICN-YVR-YYZ-YUL-LHR-HAM-FRA-CPT-SIN-CGK. Nothing dramatic anywhere enroute, including SIN-BKK which was on TG. No demand from checkin staff to see cc.

When I was in CPT, I rerouted the ticket had had it reissued through SQ and used my own cc to pay for the fees and additional taxes. The new routing included SAA, TG in addition to SQ.

Upon check in at CPT with SAA, the check in agent demanded to see the cc used to pay for the ticket. THE ORIGINAL cc that was used. Not the one that I used to pay at CPT. Their systems would not allow me check in without showing the original cc. Even though the ticket was issued through a TA, SAA requires that the TA (no matter where they are) to fax them a copy of the cc used. Which was impossible since I was in CPT and well, my friend was in Vancouver at the time. But after a few humming and ha'ing, the supervisor had to override the system to allow me to board manually. They insisted that 'my travel agent' should have known better. Yes but only such policy existed in South Africa and not anywhere else in the world.

I get to JNB, and went to the TG counter where its staffed by SA staff. Guess what? Yep. They wanted to see the original card again. This was despite the fact that SQ had reissued the ticket and put in the new cc # on the reissued ticket. But no, SAA insists that they want the original card.

After arguing with them again, that the ticket has already been 75% used and previous flights on TG were fine, TG Supervisor, aka SAA staff allowed me to board, only to grumble what a *#@% passenger I was .. yes , in full hearing range from me too. I didn't want to get denied boarding so I just kept quiet and said thank you all the way.

At BKK, connecting to TG was a breeze. But upon arrival in SIN, my baggage tagged from CPT to JNB to BKK to SIN didn't make it.

Sigh.

(Got bags back after 4 days though)

I think this policy is fair if the purchase was made less than abt 90 days before the flight. this is b/c the credit card holder can dispute the charge within this time frame.

When I bought a flight for my son, I was worried about this issue because I forgot to tick the "is the person paying flying" box. When I called BA they said that they would put a note on the booking, but it may be useful for him to travel with a photocopy of my cc.

Since then I have photocopied all of my cards and travel with JPEGS of them on my computer. I have never had to use them yet, but bearing in mind some of the experiences described here this may be a prudent thing to do.

Thanks, guys, for your opinions. Since most of us agree that this policy is either useless or shifts the anti-fraud burden completely and unfairly onto the customer I will write to SQ to complain. I'll keep you posted on their reply.

Good luck getting SQ to do anything about your complaint. One thing I think most of us can agree on is SQ is severely handicapped when it comes to customer service.

I REFER to Ms Neoh Sue Lynn's Forum Online letter on Thursday, 'Airline still required payment guarantee when credit card bill was settled'.

'Third-party transaction' refers to payment made by a customer with his credit card, for travel by another party. In this case, Ms Neoh paid for her maid's air tickets with her credit card. Singapore Airlines requires that an indemnity of payment form be signed to guarantee that the cardholder is aware of such a transaction taking place.

Although Ms Neoh noted that her credit card bill had been settled, we seek her understanding that this is still a necessary security procedure to protect both the cardholder and the airline. We have encountered previous cases where alleged fraudulent transactions for airfare payments came to light only some time after the credit card bill was settled. With this procedure, we hope to reduce the possibility of such unfortunate experiences for our customers.

Customers are advised to present themselves at either the Singapore Airlines Service Centre at Ion Orchard, our ticket offices at Changi Airport Terminal 2 and Terminal 3, or any nearest SIA ticket office to sign the form in person.

Nevertheless, we welcome Ms Neoh's feedback that the form should additionally mention that it is also for security purposes, and we will review this accordingly.

David Lim
Vice-President, Sales & Distribution
Singapore Airlines

Source: Straits Times Online forum (article deleted) (Article can be retrieved via Dow Jones Factiva by searching STIMES0020091106e5b70002q

Add BR and CI to the list of airlines wanting to see CC at check-in IF the ticket was purchased online through THEIR own websites.

Lots of airlines have similar policies. I travel via UA in USA quite frequently. At the time of purchase, they clearly indicate the need to carray / present the credit card, and mostly I get asked to present the card at check-in.

I have NEVER been asked for my CC for UA tickets, or any other US carriers, whether booked through the their website or through AMEX travel services.

I think this policy is fair if the purchase was made less than abt 90 days before the flight. this is b/c the credit card holder can dispute the charge within this time frame.

+1

Add BR and CI to the list of airlines wanting to see CC at check-in IF the ticket was purchased online through THEIR own websites.



I have NEVER been asked for my CC for UA tickets, or any other US carriers, whether booked through the their website or through AMEX travel services.



+1

US websites use your billing address to verify authencity of card. But addresses outside US cannot be verified. Instead some airlines use a secure cc system called Verisecure by Visa and Mastercard. Once you make a purchase using one of these sites, you will be taken to a secured window where you will answer some security questions that only you will know. Once you are authorized, your purchase will go through and you are not usually asked to produce the cc in question when you check in.

But currently most carriers do not have this feature.

I checked in for my SQ flight and didn't ever need the credit card.

I did, however have a bit of a scare when I tried to checkin online, and the system spit out a "you're checked in, but we can't print your BP" message. The part that frightened me was the field that said "VISA REQUIRED" "YES". I think what they meant to say was that they were going to need to see my passport before issuing the BP.

At BNE earlier this year the check-in agent simply asked me for the last 4 digits on my credit card rather than seeing it in full.

BA also needs to see credit cards that were used to book online. And so does Deutsche Bundesbahn (German Railways). I have booked tix with QV and PG - both of them say to travel with the credit card. Alas, I have since been issued with a new one as the old one expired. The long number is the same but the expiry date and number on the back are new. Hopefully this will be OK.

.. Alas, I have since been issued with a new one as the old one expired. The long number is the same but the expiry date and number on the back are new. Hopefully this will be OK.

As long as the main number remains the same, you'll be fine.

As long as the main number remains the same, you'll be fine.
That's a relief. It was fine showing the new card on the Deutsche Bundesbahn but you never know with airlines. Arguing with anyone connected with aviation is slightly more pointless than arguing with a traffic warden.

Source: Straits Times Online forum (article deleted) (Article can be retrieved via Dow Jones Factiva by searching STIMES0020091106e5b70002q

I can see why they asked me to sign an indemnity form. But why did they not just say to me "As you are unable to present your expired credit card, would you please sign this form for us?" Instead, they insisted there was no way in hell that I could get on this flight and only after an hour of pleading they generously let me sign the form and get on board. Not my idea of customer service.