RDUDEVIL

SQ did not meet our high expectations on a first go while in Asia on a trip from US. I'll start with the main downside since it mostly eclipsed the positives.

We were flying HKG-SIN-DPS on one of the Mt. Araung-affected days in mid-July. SQ doesn't control volcanoes (see separate discussion of travel insurance on this issue on CX forum) but they do control decision making and communications. SQ had all my contact info and never reached out to us the morning of the flight or said anything at counter check in. We're smiling our way onto our first SQ flight and are stopped at the top of the jet way for an "urgent message" (not what you want to hear). There is volcanic ash in Indonesia, your connecting flight and all others to DPS canceled. We can't rebook you today, it's day to day. SQ is advising DPS pax not to continue to SIN. Best to exit immigration (that took a while!), stay in Hong Kong, don't worry about it for now (!). OK, flight is fully boarded now and door is closing so we need you stressed out people to say you're staying here. (Almost like they wanted the decision to be "ours" on the record but did everything possible to push us not to get on the flight.) HKIA ground staff for SQ were very officious and not sympathetic in dealing with us in the face of a classic stressful travel event.

Long story short, we get to DPS through SIN next day after hours of phone work with SQ from my expensive additional hotel room in HKG. Here's the rub: our originally booked flights HKG-SIN-DPS all departed and arrived on time that day! We were told not to board flights that weren't affected.

This creates a problem for collecting on my fairly pricy travel insurance policy which covers delays and cancelations (including for volcanic ash). When we went back to HKIA to fly the next day, the SQ ground supervisor was awful. Tried to preempt me with an aggressive "no need for you to worry you're all rebooked on today's flight so everything is taken care of." (I knew that--I was the one who did the rebooking with hours on the phone, she was the one who wouldn't rebook me the day before.) She denied that we were strongly encouraged not to board for SIN the day before (said we had "option" and "chose" to stay) and she wouldn't produce anything in writing for my insurance company. Gave me a boilerplate customer service envelope to post something about this to corporate. I harangued her into a lounge pass for the morning at least but she begrudged me that and wouldn't even discuss an op-up (J went out with plenty of space on both legs that day).

Still working on this three weeks later, including after a stop in SQ's big downtown office at Orchard when we had a couple of days coming back through SIN. That staff also refused to produce anything in writing for my insurance company and I'm still waiting for a reply from SQ "corporate." And they don't even have to pay here--I just want this documentation for my insurance company, which will say I'm trying to collect for on time flights.

Now the plus: as a US flyer it is impossible not to be impressed by how SQ operates in the air (and by Changi). It disgraces our miserable aviation industry, simply put. We were in Y so I won't compare to CX (which brought us to/from Asia in J) but an American is kind of dumbfounded at being relaxed, fed, entertained and treated civilly in Y on all of a set of mid-length flights (4 for us). The consistency is excellent. One nit: SQ are more intrusive than CX with bossing pax and making little announcements all during flight and at beginning and end; a lighter touch would be appreciated.

Now, if SQ will admit what their HKG ground staff said to us so I can file an insurance claim, I will hope to try the vaunted J while on business!