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Last minute plane downgrade due to engineering - Compensation?

Last minute plane downgrade due to engineering - Compensation?

Old Jan 9, 2015, 2:12 am
  #16  
 
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Originally Posted by Singapore_Air
I disagree and would encourage the OP to definitely write-in and complain. They shoudn't be flying that product anymore.
^ That's the Point ! If them promote a specific product on the Website, them should deliver it. If I buy a " Granny Smith " and them give me a " Boscop " ( both are apples ) , but it's still different.
Them also could have sent another aircraft with the same seatproduct, but may be for some economic reason them did not ! But this is in responsibility of the Airline, so them should pay a compensation.
By the way, my experience with SQ was different. Last March we were on a trip HKT-BKK-SIN-MLE, was an USair Award in Business class. SQ Airplane in BKK delayed due to tech. Problem more than 90 minutes. Pilote managed to park the aircraft next to the one flying to MLE. @ the aircraft door someone waited, piked us and said " we have to run them only wait 5 minutes for us " , but our luggage will not make it on that flight.
I agreed, and when we landed in MLE, already someone stand there with a paper with our names. Them sorry about our luggage and promised them will organize to bring it next day to the Island " CONRAD " we stayed. And then he handed over an envelope with 600 $ cash ( for the inconinience , we should buy some clothes.. ). I even not asked one word, and better them not could take care.

Last edited by bertheike; Jan 9, 2015 at 2:23 am
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Old Jan 9, 2015, 2:59 am
  #17  
 
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Originally Posted by vbroucek
Yes, as you say, they told you to "log a complaint". They did not tell you to log a compensation request.

I think you would be surprised how many people do not have a clue about hardware at all... I don't want to guess numbers, but I would be saying that perhaps more than 50% of people who book J class do not know anything about seats, service etc before they actually board.

And, IMHO, no it is not fair to get restitution. Just look at it differently. On the day of your flight. What would you prefer more: 1) to fly in old J, or 2) not to fly at all?
Depending on the circumstances, the price(s) paid, and anything affecting other reservations as part of a trip, the question you asked is actually a valid one...particularly if SQ is effectively charging a premium for flights with new J vs. old J. Yes, it is entirely possible that traveling was the preferred option...but especially on a relatively long itinerary like the one listed (13:25 in scheduled trip time) this sort of thing has room to matter. That itinerary is also not a super-cheap one as far as I can tell.

Another way that I would put it is this: Assume that I have booked First on Virgin America. For whatever reason VX is not flying today (assume technical issues), but they can put me on DL's (regular domestic) First. Do I consider the two First products to be reasonable substitutes? Absolutely not. Granted, this is an unfair comparison in some respects (VX's First is, IMHO, "actually" first while DL's is a fancy-label Business Class product) but the point stands that the aircraft matters. In such a case, depending on my circumstances I'd want either a partial refund or the right to rebook on a later flight (assuming availability). Depending on the circumstances, I might even eat a night in a hotel for that reason.
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Old Jan 9, 2015, 7:26 pm
  #18  
 
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Originally Posted by bertheike
^ That's the Point ! If them promote a specific product on the Website, them should deliver it. If I buy a " Granny Smith " and them give me a " Boscop " ( both are apples ) , but it's still different.
Them also could have sent another aircraft with the same seatproduct, but may be for some economic reason them did not ! But this is in responsibility of the Airline, so them should pay a compensation.
By the way, my experience with SQ was different. Last March we were on a trip HKT-BKK-SIN-MLE, was an USair Award in Business class. SQ Airplane in BKK delayed due to tech. Problem more than 90 minutes. Pilote managed to park the aircraft next to the one flying to MLE. @ the aircraft door someone waited, piked us and said " we have to run them only wait 5 minutes for us " , but our luggage will not make it on that flight.
I agreed, and when we landed in MLE, already someone stand there with a paper with our names. Them sorry about our luggage and promised them will organize to bring it next day to the Island " CONRAD " we stayed. And then he handed over an envelope with 600 $ cash ( for the inconinience , we should buy some clothes.. ). I even not asked one word, and better them not could take care.
Originally Posted by GrayAnderson
Depending on the circumstances, the price(s) paid, and anything affecting other reservations as part of a trip, the question you asked is actually a valid one...particularly if SQ is effectively charging a premium for flights with new J vs. old J. Yes, it is entirely possible that traveling was the preferred option...but especially on a relatively long itinerary like the one listed (13:25 in scheduled trip time) this sort of thing has room to matter. That itinerary is also not a super-cheap one as far as I can tell.

Another way that I would put it is this: Assume that I have booked First on Virgin America. For whatever reason VX is not flying today (assume technical issues), but they can put me on DL's (regular domestic) First. Do I consider the two First products to be reasonable substitutes? Absolutely not. Granted, this is an unfair comparison in some respects (VX's First is, IMHO, "actually" first while DL's is a fancy-label Business Class product) but the point stands that the aircraft matters. In such a case, depending on my circumstances I'd want either a partial refund or the right to rebook on a later flight (assuming availability). Depending on the circumstances, I might even eat a night in a hotel for that reason.
You both are missing the fact that legally, the ticket you buy from airline is your contract with the airline to fly you from place A to place B in class that you selected and paid for. There is nowhere written in that contract that it will be on any particular type of the plane and airlines are completely free to change the hardware whenever they wish. There are airlines being known to do this often - just read TG area for example, and there are airlines that do that rarely - SQ IMHO one of them, but .... happens...

Yes, I agree that it is disappointing when the change of hardware happens and someone has to fly in older seat, but most of us usually have to fly on the selected flight and cannot afford to "eat a night in a hotel" due to commitments at the destination.
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Old Jan 10, 2015, 10:09 am
  #19  
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Originally Posted by lingua101
Did you ask to fly on the next day flight once you know there was aircraft substitution?
I was at the check-in counter when they informed me and handed me the letter. So no I didn't but it sounded like their normal hardware wasn't guaranteed to fly the next day either so just wanted to get back to SQ.

I'm still waiting a response from my note to see what they say.
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Old Jan 10, 2015, 8:42 pm
  #20  
 
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Originally Posted by Singapore_Air
They shoudn't be flying that product anymore.
Why?
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Old Jan 11, 2015, 2:06 am
  #21  
 
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Originally Posted by SQ325
Why?
Because the seat and IFE is terrible and incredibly dated for this day and age. It was good back in the day but times have moved on and that B77E is an outlier (a B77J has the New Business Class on a retrofitted B777-200ER)
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Old Jan 11, 2015, 3:04 am
  #22  
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You got to your destination. That's the no 1 point in my eyes. Doesn't matter what seat your travelled on. Yeah it's a bummer getting an inferior product than you thought you were getting but end of story. Sorry.
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Old Jan 11, 2015, 4:31 am
  #23  
 
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Thumbs down

Originally Posted by Annalisa12
You got to your destination. That's the no 1 point in my eyes. Doesn't matter what seat your travelled on. Yeah it's a bummer getting an inferior product than you thought you were getting but end of story. Sorry.
I disagree. For example if I wanted to fly from LON to SIN and just wanted to take Business Class with the view of just getting to my destination then why wouldn't I just take the cheapest non-stop which is probably BA.

One wouldn't because British Airways business class is a crap experience. The OP clearly chose Singapore Airlines partly because of the hardware and the excellent seat that it is and he didn't get it.

I do not understand the clinging to Terms and Conditions and lack of sympathy with the OP.
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Old Jan 11, 2015, 4:50 am
  #24  
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Originally Posted by Annalisa12
You got to your destination. That's the no 1 point in my eyes. Doesn't matter what seat your travelled on. Yeah it's a bummer getting an inferior product than you thought you were getting but end of story. Sorry.
Your logic is off. Then I would have purchased the crappiest economy ticket. I paid for a premium product, that is what I expected to get. Not to be baited and switched.
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Old Jan 11, 2015, 4:52 am
  #25  
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Originally Posted by Singapore_Air
I disagree. For example if I wanted to fly from LON to SIN and just wanted to take Business Class with the view of just getting to my destination then why wouldn't I just take the cheapest non-stop which is probably BA.

One wouldn't because British Airways business class is a crap experience. The OP clearly chose Singapore Airlines partly because of the hardware and the excellent seat that it is and he didn't get it.

I do not understand the clinging to Terms and Conditions and lack of sympathy with the OP.
Thanks...I thought I was going mad here for even ASKING for some form of restitution...Simply "sucking it up" which seems to be the collective thread message here is not acceptable to me.
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Old Jan 11, 2015, 7:57 am
  #26  
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Originally Posted by TheAsiaTomBrady
Thanks...I thought I was going mad here for even ASKING for some form of restitution...Simply "sucking it up" which seems to be the collective thread message here is not acceptable to me.
No one is denying you can ask for compensation. However people are pointing out that SQ is not obliged to compensate you for the aircraft substitution. Sorry this is not the response you wanted to get, but that doesn't make it wrong.
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Old Jan 11, 2015, 4:16 pm
  #27  
 
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Originally Posted by TheAsiaTomBrady
Thanks...I thought I was going mad here for even ASKING for some form of restitution...Simply "sucking it up" which seems to be the collective thread message here is not acceptable to me.
Originally Posted by Kiwi Flyer
No one is denying you can ask for compensation. However people are pointing out that SQ is not obliged to compensate you for the aircraft substitution. Sorry this is not the response you wanted to get, but that doesn't make it wrong.
I just checked my latest SQ eTicket. It does not even mention aircraft type, it just states flight number and class of service. So yet again - OP's contract with SQ was to fly from A to B in certain class. Nothing else. No compensation, full stop.
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Old Jan 11, 2015, 5:07 pm
  #28  
 
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Guess the point of contention is whether a particular type of business class service (with flat beds, leather seats, etc.) forms part of the carriage contract. Undeniably these do not appear in the conditions of carriage and airlines protect themselves well by ensuring they contain the small print to "reserve the right to substitute aircraft for operational reasons".

But if the airline publicizes widely a particular type of service on a particular route, and it's the main swaying factor for someone to choose that airline over its competition, then arguably it should be a condition precedent and that carries some legal ground.

Only way to find out is for someone to take the airline to court to provide a precedent judgement.
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Old Jan 11, 2015, 5:30 pm
  #29  
 
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Originally Posted by carrotjuice
Only way to find out is for someone to take the airline to court to provide a precedent judgement.
Not every jurisdiction is using precedential system...
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Old Jan 12, 2015, 10:02 am
  #30  
 
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Originally Posted by vbroucek
Compensation for what? You purchased J and flew in J. There is no guarantee of specific hardware anywhere in your contract (ticket) with SQ...
Only technically.

You purchased a decent J product and got ripped off and cheated by getting an absolutely substandard, ridiculous excuse for a J product instead.

It's not a question of legal issues or contracts. If you purchased the product offered and got crap in return then as a customer you will never deal with Singapore Airlines again. Even if you don't take them to court - like most people cheated by the Singaporean carrier probably wouldn't - those people will always treat Singapore Airlines like thieves and never fly with them again.
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