Hi Everyone,

I flew Singapore Air for the first time this past week and had a pretty terrible experience. Quick summary:

My wife had booked a trip many months ago from Nagoya<->Singapore using an American Express Card. That card subsequently expired (or was about to expire), as every credit card eventually does, so she brought a newer American Express Card.

When we went to check-in at the Nagoya airport, with our passports, paper copy of tickets, etc, they would not allow us to do so because my wife no longer had the original credit card used to book the reservation. We spoke to the manager who said there was nothing he could do, this was company policy. Our only option was to purchase NEW tickets at full cost.

I was furious and told him I would never fly Singapore Airlines again, and he responded with "Yes, that is fine."

Because we had to make this trip, we paid AGAIN for the tickets, but I have already lodged a complaint with American Express -- I am not going to pay this charge (50%+ higher than original cost). I'd like to complain to somebody at SingaporeAir.

Do they not understand that credit cards expire? I often have somebody else at my office book my travel, which with Singapore Airlines would be a non-starter, evidently.

It's also possible this was a rogue idiot in Nagoya. When I returned yesterday from Singapore, they did not require my credit card! I'm Star Alliance Gold, a very frequent traveler, etc and I will avoid Singapore Airlines at all cost going forward until they refund my money.

Alex

 

South African Airlines has the same policy. If you book through a online TA like Expedia.ca, you don't have to worry. It can be a hassle, but they do clearly state this in the booking process and the confirmation e-mail.

However, I think I had the same thing happen once, and was able to pull up an old online statement on my computer with the old number... Did you try calling AMEX on the spot so they could confirm to SQ that the AMEX you have replaced the old one?

 

Policy is there to prevent credit card fraud. The verification is only done at initial departure, not for subsequent check-ins.

If have book through a TA. It is TA's responsibility to verify your credit card, so the check-in agent won't care.

Many airlines have the same policy, for example, you may want to avoid CX as well.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/catha...ard-check.html

 

Let me get this straight. You are shifting the blame to SQ for enforcing policy when it was clearly your fault? It is stated very clearly that you MUST produce the original credit card used during the booking. It doesn't mean it has to be still valid for use. It's just for proof.

 

I agree with the passenger who had the problem in Nagoya. This is insane AND ridiculous. On top of that, SQ's 'policy' seems very inconsistently applied, as I ALWAYS book tickets online and have NEVER been asked for my credit card at check-in once in the last couple of years (in Singapore and other locations). I am a bad boy and don't even print my e-ticket, but never had any problem.

I go to the desk, pop my passport, say where I am going and I am usually done checking in in less than 3 minutes.

How can it be that the pax had such a crazy problem in Nagoya? In addition, I agree that SQ needs to reconsider this policy as credit card companies specifically ask customers to destroy expired cards to prevent identify theft.

Anyhow, I hope the money for the additional set of tickets can be recovered. Gambatte!

f

 

NickC: How is this my fault? I read the policy. American Express tells you to DESTROY your old card when they send you a new one. What I should have done was brought the shredded card with me? We had the NEW credit card, but it was different (shinier!) because the old one was no longer in use. SQ is too stupid to understand this. What if your card was stolen? Don't tell me you actually agree with their policy?

mikeyyz: Yes, I tried to do this. However, the idiot at Nagoya insisted on calling American Express himself (or maybe having somebody else call them) -- not sure why, to apparently prevent me from pulling a "Ferris Bueller" (if you remember that scene)? Obviously American Express would not tell them anything for privacy reasons, and I couldn't convince the Nagoya idiot to let me talk to American Express.

Right now, I have about $4000 of charges from Singapore Airlines and need about half of them to go away. I have no refund on the original charges and I paid for a new set of tickets at 50% more than the original price because SQ doesn't understand how credit cards work.

If anyone has any suggestions for an executive level contact at SQ, I'd really appreciate it!

Thanks,

Alex

 

Alex

What you needed to have done was to get a letter from AMEX stating that this new card number has replaced your old card number. That has happened to me twice before and both times, it has worked - when they asked to verify the old credit card at check-in, I simply show them the letter and my new card. It is a little bit cumbersome admittedly.

However ridiculous and insane we think the policy is (and however inconsistently it is applied), it IS the policy and it IS very clearly stated on the website when you book a ticket. Thus, we simply have to abide by it if we want to fly on that airline - it is as simple as that. People have tried writing in to the airline expressing their frustration at this policy but they have not reneged on it, a strong indication that they are not going to back-down simply because the cost of the liabilities on them in a credit card fraud case is much too substantial.

I do think you have a good case for getting a refund, however, and if I were you, I'd definitely push this harder. While I'm not sure they would budge on the difference in fare between the new and old tickets, you definitely have a case with the attitude of the staff at Nagoya.

 

What I don't understand:

1. Some carriers allow CC bookings up to 36 hours before departure and do not require the card to be produced at check-in. CC Companies check and approve a transaction these days almost instantly and, once approved, the merchant is guaranteed payment. Is SQ's technology so archaic that they are unable to process electronic transactions in a secure and expedient way?

2. Further to the above, I have been asked to produce the CC when I was still flying SQ even if the online booking had been made several months in advance. Such a long time after booking, surely the transaction would have been fully processed and SQ would already have the fare in their account. So doesn't it just become an ID issue, for which a Passport should suffice?

3. Yes the policy is there and is clearly noted at the time of booking so like good little sheeple we should simply follow along as instructed? I don't think so.

IMHO, this policy is an anachronism and needs to be changed in the interests of "Enhanced" customer service (I always use that word carefully wrt SQ policies). SQ, as usual, makes matters worse by being totally inscrutible and refusing to explain the reasons for the inconvenience.

 

This is a strange one, because CCs do expire and even when someone makes a booking, chances are they will destroy the old card once it's no longer valid and just carry around the new one.

Plus according to the OP the flights were paid for MONTHS AGO, so there's no way credit card fraud can possibly happen as you have like one week from receiving your last statement to make any claims for funny transactions.

 

You are probably a member of Krisflyer, and are using the same credit card that you have verified in the past- this is also disclosed on the website (doesn't anyone here read the terms and conditions?!)...

I agree the attitude of the ground staff in Narita is a problem. When this same problem happened to me at Changi, the ground staff connected me with the SQ billing center over the phone, who then processed payment for my flights with one of the credit cards that I was holding at the time. I then showed the credit card for verification to the ground staff, and headed off for my flight...

I would try regular sales support at SQ first for a refund for the difference before pushing it up the executive level. You may well find they accomodate your request, and might get a better response.

I agree it's a silly level of verification, given the credit card rules for fraud and chargeback, but it's clearly laid out with warning notices when you book your ticket...

Friendly

 

Its not only with SQ that this policy is rampant...

TG, SA, QR all require the cc to be shown at check in otherwise, nada to travel. That is stated at time of booking ... if you don't 'think' that it is a problem, then call the airlines to check up.

 

I always book my flights online and sometimes, but not always, I will be asked to present my card at the counter upon check-in. If the new card has the same number and name as the old expired card but only the expiry date changes, is it acceptable?

 

Never a problem. SQ checks credit card number only.

 

Two points:

1. Yes, SQ is inflexible to the point of stupidity. That's just what they are and so people can, and will, defend them by pointing out that they are following the rules (regardless of common sense). I think of the news stories you see where people follow their car GPS systems into ravines, closed roads, lakes, etc...those are exactly the type of employees SQ prefers to hire

2. Other airlines do also have this policy, but they also implement it with some common sense. CX, for example, simply takes a charge on another card at the original fare, and then after you fly, one of the charges gets credited back. It's not really that onerous, and they most definitely do not suddenly charge you the walkup price. I'm not sure whether the other airlines cited above also have this exception handling policy, but I've never seen the same complaint posted in other airline forums, whereas I've seen it at least 2-3 times in the SQ forum.

 

Mate, such bad luck!

I am trying to remember, but i am quite sure i was almost never asked for my CC at check-in at from BWN. Being a small airport, perhaps they could now recognise me.

Though i suffered some from crap service with European carrier (LH ) , i have to say you have been incredibly unlucky. My experience with SQ at check-ins is that they have been most accommodating, unless of course if they are using a third party check in agents. The Servisair check-in agents at MAN, which SQ uses, are probably the worst i have seen. Now we can include Nagoya and Narita.

May i suggest you to write to KF and perhaps see if you could come to a compromise.

Would be advisable to do some charity work/ donation to shed the bad luck mate.

DP