meester69

I am getting a little frustrated with trying to make a booking with SIA. I sent an email with the exact flights I wanted and my daughter's details, asking them to make the booking. They replied saying 'we will call you'. I checked the price again and it was showing as an adult fare of £756.71, based on a fare of £620 plus £75 UK tax (applicable for adults only), plus PSC etc, but with only one ticket left.

So I emailed them back 'please make this booking for me, there is only one ticket left'. They eventually called me but by now the flight is showing £796.71 for adult.

I asked for the price and they said £856 (or something, I don't recall). I said 'it's showing online adult price £796.71', they said 'that is promotional fare you cannot have that for UAM booking, it's different online'. I said 'what is your fare basis', he said 'it is economy lite outbound, economy standard in bound'. I said 'that's the same here'. Eventually he gives me a price of £721.71. I say 'that's the adult price minus APD, is it an adult fare because it's a UAM?' 'No sir, it's a minor fare, you cannot see the price online, this is from call centre only.' I say 'can you give me the fare breakdown', and he says 'there is a $200 fee for changes'.

I got a bit frustrated at this point and hung up.

Not long after they sent me a booking email with the itinerary, to be ticketed by 9th February (no idea why they couldn't have done that before), but no fare details at all. So I have no idea how much I have to pay. They called me back a few times but I can't really face talking to someone who doesn't know what he's talking about so didn't answer.

It seems that the fare basis is 100% of adult fare, so the only difference is the £75 APD, is this correct?

vbroucek

I don't understand why would you expect an unaccompanied minor to pay less than an adult... After all, (s)he will use the same seat as the adult and needs more care than the adult...

meester69

I expect the Singapore Airlines staff to know their pricing policies, to be able to respond to emails, and to be able to make a booking that matches the one I have given. No more than that.

Mlee888

wyvern

In my experience UM fares tend to price out at the same price an adult fare on a lot of airlines. Booking regularly on SQ a few years ago it was roughly the same as a regular adult fare.

Make sure that the kids are earning FF points, if it is a fare that earns 75% or 100% miles and you are booking a long journey with a connection at SIN it can be quite easy to hit elite levels, especially if earning in a programme with a lower threshold.

meester69

I made a UAM bookign with them before, two years ago, they provided me with an itinerary & provisional booking (ticketing within 72 hours) by return email (three hours). The emails I sent were identical apart from the dates.

meester69

I checked expertflyer, for LHR-SIN, the basic fares are:

K £340 + £61.91 fees + £75 UK APD = £476.91, Child £255 (75%) + £61.91 fees = £316.91, UAM - not allowed
V £490 + £61.91 fees + £75 UK APD = £626.91, Child £367 (75%) + £61.91 fees = £428.91, UAM - £490 (100%) + £61.91 fees = £551.91

So the basic UAM 'fee' works out at 25% of the fare, or at least £123. And it could be as much as £235 (where K class inventory is available but you are forced into V)

In the summer peak when adult fares before fees work out at around £900, the 'fee' will be over £200.

The fare rules for MH are the same, except that UAM are allowed on the cheapest fares, and as they levy a £270 non-discountable YQ, the UAM 'fee' will work out less. When I called them they told me there was a '£50' UAM fee, but I am not sure if this is true.

At any rate it is somewhat easy to compare the cost, as you can just compare the the adult fares (obviously they will be £75 less for the APD).

I would consider Garuda, but Jakarta airport has a terrible 2 hour MCT, and GA87 is stupidly scheduled to arrive at 18:55, leaving very few connecting flight options, so would need to stay overnight.