Help : Denied check-in by Scoot in Gold Coast
Jan 29, 2013, 3:29 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 88
Help : Denied check-in by Scoot in Gold Coast
Dear members,
My brother-in-law was denied check-in at Scoot counter for Gold Coast-Singapore flight today. He is an Australian with a valid passport and return travel ticket for the flight.
The check-in agent first asked him what is he doing in Asia for 2 weeks, he replied apart from Singapore (where his wife was awaiting and is a permanent resident of Singapore), he is going to Hanoi for holiday two days later on a non-connecting Tiger Airway flight. The agent then asked for his Hanoi travel itinerary which he could not produce. At this point he was denied check in and was asked to produce the print out of Hanoi flight ticket (by three check-in agents no less, even the supervisor). After some arguing, he had no choice but go home to get the print out of his Hanoi travel ticket on Tiger. Upon return to GC airport, he was too late for check-in and missed his flight, thus bought another ticket for travel tomorrow on Scoot again!
I heard that many flights were grounded in GC airport the past 2 days due to bad weather. Was his flight overbooked by stranded passengers, thus he was offloaded?
My sister tried to contact the call centre staff (based in Philippines, she was told by them) to no avail. The answer given was they will 'find out and email' her.
Any comments and suggestions welcomed
Ken
My brother-in-law was denied check-in at Scoot counter for Gold Coast-Singapore flight today. He is an Australian with a valid passport and return travel ticket for the flight.
The check-in agent first asked him what is he doing in Asia for 2 weeks, he replied apart from Singapore (where his wife was awaiting and is a permanent resident of Singapore), he is going to Hanoi for holiday two days later on a non-connecting Tiger Airway flight. The agent then asked for his Hanoi travel itinerary which he could not produce. At this point he was denied check in and was asked to produce the print out of Hanoi flight ticket (by three check-in agents no less, even the supervisor). After some arguing, he had no choice but go home to get the print out of his Hanoi travel ticket on Tiger. Upon return to GC airport, he was too late for check-in and missed his flight, thus bought another ticket for travel tomorrow on Scoot again!
I heard that many flights were grounded in GC airport the past 2 days due to bad weather. Was his flight overbooked by stranded passengers, thus he was offloaded?
My sister tried to contact the call centre staff (based in Philippines, she was told by them) to no avail. The answer given was they will 'find out and email' her.
Any comments and suggestions welcomed
Ken
Jan 29, 2013, 3:46 am
#2
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: London, England
Programs: OW Emerald (BA), UA*G, Marriott Plat, IC RA, Various others
Posts: 1,009
Dear members,
My brother-in-law was denied check-in at Scoot counter for Gold Coast-Singapore flight today. He is an Australian with a valid passport and return travel ticket for the flight.
The check-in agent first asked him what is he doing in Asia for 2 weeks, he replied apart from Singapore (where his wife was awaiting and is a permanent resident of Singapore), he is going to Hanoi for holiday two days later on a non-connecting Tiger Airway flight. The agent then asked for his Hanoi travel itinerary which he could not produce. At this point he was denied check in and was asked to produce the print out of Hanoi flight ticket (by three check-in agents no less, even the supervisor). After some arguing, he had no choice but go home to get the print out of his Hanoi travel ticket on Tiger. Upon return to GC airport, he was too late for check-in and missed his flight, thus bought another ticket for travel tomorrow on Scoot again!
I heard that many flights were grounded in GC airport the past 2 days due to bad weather. Was his flight overbooked by stranded passengers, thus he was offloaded?
My sister tried to contact the call centre staff (based in Philippines, she was told by them) to no avail. The answer given was they will 'find out and email' her.
Any comments and suggestions welcomed
Ken
My brother-in-law was denied check-in at Scoot counter for Gold Coast-Singapore flight today. He is an Australian with a valid passport and return travel ticket for the flight.
The check-in agent first asked him what is he doing in Asia for 2 weeks, he replied apart from Singapore (where his wife was awaiting and is a permanent resident of Singapore), he is going to Hanoi for holiday two days later on a non-connecting Tiger Airway flight. The agent then asked for his Hanoi travel itinerary which he could not produce. At this point he was denied check in and was asked to produce the print out of Hanoi flight ticket (by three check-in agents no less, even the supervisor). After some arguing, he had no choice but go home to get the print out of his Hanoi travel ticket on Tiger. Upon return to GC airport, he was too late for check-in and missed his flight, thus bought another ticket for travel tomorrow on Scoot again!
I heard that many flights were grounded in GC airport the past 2 days due to bad weather. Was his flight overbooked by stranded passengers, thus he was offloaded?
My sister tried to contact the call centre staff (based in Philippines, she was told by them) to no avail. The answer given was they will 'find out and email' her.
Any comments and suggestions welcomed
Ken
Jan 29, 2013, 8:37 am
#4
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: CGN
Programs: ALL MAJOR FFP AND FSP
Posts: 321
The less you tell the airlines the better, provided you have all travel documents officially required by the destination country's immigration authority.
Just say you are visiting family and decline to offer any further information.
If they deny check in based on your unwillingness to offer unrelated information (but staff was really trying to find an excuse to offload overbooked flights), then something is seriously fishy there, and regulators should get involved, possibly media attention drawn to the airline!
take them down!
Just say you are visiting family and decline to offer any further information.
If they deny check in based on your unwillingness to offer unrelated information (but staff was really trying to find an excuse to offload overbooked flights), then something is seriously fishy there, and regulators should get involved, possibly media attention drawn to the airline!
take them down!
Jan 29, 2013, 8:53 am
#6
Ambassador, Hong Kong and Macau
Join Date: May 2009
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I thought it was border control officer's job to ask these questions, not ground agents. Most Ground agents simply check you have passport, visa or eligibility to get VOA on arrival to the destination you have been issued boarding passes to.
However there's at least one exception - El Al http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Al#A...urity_measures . And Scoot can claim it is entitled to similar.
But this is of course very heavy handed. Esp for Scoot - Singpaore the next Jerusalem?
However there's at least one exception - El Al http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Al#A...urity_measures . And Scoot can claim it is entitled to similar.
But this is of course very heavy handed. Esp for Scoot - Singpaore the next Jerusalem?
Jan 29, 2013, 11:00 am
#7
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It is not Scoot's responsibility to find out where he is going, nor is it their business as he is not flying on Scoot to Hanoi. Scoots responsibility is to fly him to Singapore and to make sure that he has proper documentations for Singapore and a return tickt and that's it.
I would write a strongly worded letter to the CEO of the company and demand payback, $ or else go to the newspapers with this story.
I would write a strongly worded letter to the CEO of the company and demand payback, $ or else go to the newspapers with this story.
Jan 29, 2013, 9:16 pm
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 88
Thanks for the suggestions.
Bro-in-law now on route to SIN. Apparently this morning he had an argument again, involving the said supervisor/manageress who insisted she had the right to check on his connecting flight itinerary despite it being non connecting on a different airline.
Bro-in-law now on route to SIN. Apparently this morning he had an argument again, involving the said supervisor/manageress who insisted she had the right to check on his connecting flight itinerary despite it being non connecting on a different airline.
Jan 29, 2013, 9:41 pm
#9
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Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_1_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9B206 Safari/7534.48.3)
Goodness. Your bro in law's destination is Singapore as far as Scoot is concerned. And he plans to camp out at his sister's for the entire stay so there is no itinerary, booking or even cash required (he's being picked up and returned to the airport by her). Supply a fake address and phone number if asked. I don't see there is anything wrong legal or moral in telling a complete fib to a nosy busybody (and an overbearing one at that) who has no right to know ("...as far as Scoot is concerned").
Goodness. Your bro in law's destination is Singapore as far as Scoot is concerned. And he plans to camp out at his sister's for the entire stay so there is no itinerary, booking or even cash required (he's being picked up and returned to the airport by her). Supply a fake address and phone number if asked. I don't see there is anything wrong legal or moral in telling a complete fib to a nosy busybody (and an overbearing one at that) who has no right to know ("...as far as Scoot is concerned").
Jan 29, 2013, 10:24 pm
#10
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Thanks for the suggestions.
Bro-in-law now on route to SIN. Apparently this morning he had an argument again, involving the said supervisor/manageress who insisted she had the right to check on his connecting flight itinerary despite it being non connecting on a different airline.
Bro-in-law now on route to SIN. Apparently this morning he had an argument again, involving the said supervisor/manageress who insisted she had the right to check on his connecting flight itinerary despite it being non connecting on a different airline.
Imagine what she'll say if your BIL is oing to Iraq or Iran !!
Your relative better demand a letter of explanation from Scoot.
Jan 29, 2013, 10:57 pm
#11
Join Date: Jul 2006
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A lot of times passengers are at the mercy of the check-in staff who hold the tickets to your trip.
I think this is undoubtedly abused of power/authority by the agent.
However, having said that, when is the date of the return trip? Could it be that the return ticket date exceed the number of days an Australian can remain in Singapore Visa-free (if there is such a rule)?
Hence, the need to show proof that there is a trip in between, thus, making him remain in Singapore within the Visa-free days.
Didn't your BIL asked exactly what was the issue for wanting to see the itinerary??
This is just bizzare if you ask me.
I think this is undoubtedly abused of power/authority by the agent.
However, having said that, when is the date of the return trip? Could it be that the return ticket date exceed the number of days an Australian can remain in Singapore Visa-free (if there is such a rule)?
Hence, the need to show proof that there is a trip in between, thus, making him remain in Singapore within the Visa-free days.
Didn't your BIL asked exactly what was the issue for wanting to see the itinerary??
This is just bizzare if you ask me.
Jan 29, 2013, 11:47 pm
#12
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[KVS Availability Tool 7.1.2/Diamond - TIMATIC: Visa/Entry Requirements]
Code:
National Australia (AU) /Embarkation Australia (AU) Destination Singapore (SG) [Visa Information - Destination] Singapore (SG) [Information For Normal Passports] Passport required. - Passport and/or passport replacing documents must be valid for at least 6 months on arrival. Passport Exemptions: - Holders of temporary or emergency passports. Visa required, except for A max. stay of 30 days for nationals of Australia ....
Jan 30, 2013, 12:46 am
#13
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sounds like the OP Brother purchased a one-way then had no proof of visa or onward journey from SIN and as such denied boarding by the carrier to avoid him being deported at their cost?
Jan 30, 2013, 1:22 am
#14
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OP did mention it was a return ticket, so no problems there. Wonder what is Scoot's main objective of asking all these questions when a person has a return ticket? Too bad airlines have no social media specialists on this forum.
Jan 30, 2013, 1:44 am
#15
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 88
Bizarre is the right word. He did have a print out of return OOL-SIN ticket yesterday at check-in, and will only stay for 2 weeks in Singapore.
BIL has done a few vacation trips (not a frequent flyer) to SIN from OOL/BNE, then travel around different countries in Asia without encountering such requirement at check in.
He is aware of visa and stay restrictions in Asia. However this is his maiden Scoot trip.
BIL has done a few vacation trips (not a frequent flyer) to SIN from OOL/BNE, then travel around different countries in Asia without encountering such requirement at check in.
He is aware of visa and stay restrictions in Asia. However this is his maiden Scoot trip.