Why to avoid SQ
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: SJU, LAX
Programs: UA MM
Posts: 134
After my last experience on SQ, I have decided to avoid them when possible. Yes, the entertainment, food, & seat comfort is the best, but it just isn't worth the other pains.
I spent the $200+ extra to book in B to get miles, but discovered on the return from ICN that my UA M+ isn't on the ticket. I have been fighting w/ UA for 6 months to get the credit, but w/o success. It was an e-ticket, so I have no receipt. I sent copies of my boarding stubs with the tix #. but now I'm told SQ will only issue credit if the ticket receipt is supplied. They are just playing games, as they know I flew it, they have the ticket #, etc.
My other complaints w/ SQ: the flights are always full, mostly of non-FT types. This flight I had the last open seats next to me until the last moment when 2 men come. The one next to me has a death grip on my arm rest, squishing me. Once in the air, he has 10 whiskeys & passes out on me. The main steward tried to limit his drinks, but the other girls kept supplying them. On the return, the check-in agent tells me the flight is completely full, so I don't change from the 1st row of coach. (I was 1st to check in, which is essential on SQ as they don't pre-assign seats). Most rows have empty middle seats except mine, which turns out to be the baby row. Fun for 10 hours!
The bottom line: SQ treats UA elite like dirt, even after charging much more for the mileage credit.
Added: OK, SQ Y is too crowded for my taste; I can't put up the cash for C. Perhaps if UA miles can buy upgrades... UA tells me SQ won't accept the docs I have, that they want a ticket copy showing fare codes & fees, which I didn't know existed for e-tix. I sent my agent's internal doc & am waiting for the outcome.
I spent the $200+ extra to book in B to get miles, but discovered on the return from ICN that my UA M+ isn't on the ticket. I have been fighting w/ UA for 6 months to get the credit, but w/o success. It was an e-ticket, so I have no receipt. I sent copies of my boarding stubs with the tix #. but now I'm told SQ will only issue credit if the ticket receipt is supplied. They are just playing games, as they know I flew it, they have the ticket #, etc.
My other complaints w/ SQ: the flights are always full, mostly of non-FT types. This flight I had the last open seats next to me until the last moment when 2 men come. The one next to me has a death grip on my arm rest, squishing me. Once in the air, he has 10 whiskeys & passes out on me. The main steward tried to limit his drinks, but the other girls kept supplying them. On the return, the check-in agent tells me the flight is completely full, so I don't change from the 1st row of coach. (I was 1st to check in, which is essential on SQ as they don't pre-assign seats). Most rows have empty middle seats except mine, which turns out to be the baby row. Fun for 10 hours!
The bottom line: SQ treats UA elite like dirt, even after charging much more for the mileage credit.
Added: OK, SQ Y is too crowded for my taste; I can't put up the cash for C. Perhaps if UA miles can buy upgrades... UA tells me SQ won't accept the docs I have, that they want a ticket copy showing fare codes & fees, which I didn't know existed for e-tix. I sent my agent's internal doc & am waiting for the outcome.
Last edited by foothill; Jul 30, 2006 at 8:28 am Reason: remove reference to ethnic dress (sorry)
#2
Moderator, Hilton Honors



Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: on a short leash
Programs: some
Posts: 71,446
Sorry you didnt have a good experience.
Even e-tickets do generate a receipt for your travel. You should have been emailed this when the booking was ticketed. It is common for FFPs to ask for receipt when pax makes a missing mileage request for travel on another airline.
FWIW the bassinet row is marked as such on SQ's seat maps, and I think when you select the seat (at OLCI in this case) it even brings up a warning that you may need to be moved. On most airlines the first economy row is for bassinets.
Even e-tickets do generate a receipt for your travel. You should have been emailed this when the booking was ticketed. It is common for FFPs to ask for receipt when pax makes a missing mileage request for travel on another airline.
FWIW the bassinet row is marked as such on SQ's seat maps, and I think when you select the seat (at OLCI in this case) it even brings up a warning that you may need to be moved. On most airlines the first economy row is for bassinets.
#3
formerly Fly-Swiss
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: SIN
Programs: SQ
Posts: 878
Is it the SQ's fault if a man next to you has a turban (?) and drink whisky ? I think you just had a bad flight but believe me, it could happen on every airline. most of the time, the quality of your Y flight is down to your neighbours and the way they behave...
#4


Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Stockholm, Sweden
Programs: SK*G, PC Plat Amb, Hertz #1 Gold
Posts: 1,874
I've flown e-ticket with SQ and could pick my seat on their homepage at least a day before travelling. I actually changed my seat to a empty row before going to Changi and got three seats next to eachother on SIN-MEL and back. ^
#5




Join Date: Jul 2002
Programs: StarAlliance Gold
Posts: 7,422
Originally Posted by foothill
My other complaints w/ SQ: the flights are always full, mostly of non-FT types. This flight I had the last open seats next to me until the last moment when 2 men w/ turbans come. .
Please define ...
#6
Used to be mmsteidl


Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: LUX
Programs: AA PLAT for life, AF Platinum, LH Senator, Bonvoy Plat for Life
Posts: 407
Originally Posted by foothill
Yes, the entertainment, food, & seat comfort is the best, but it just isn't worth the other pains. (...) The bottom line: SQ treats UA elite like dirt, even after charging much more for the mileage credit.
Because you have been treated like ....? I think the two facts are that 1) you have forgotten to keep your receipt of the E-ticket; 2) the guy besides you got 10 whiskeys. Is that a reason to be so harsh about an airline, even if etertainment, food and seat comfort is the best?
#7
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend




Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: GVA (Greater Vancouver Area)
Programs: D.R.E.A.D. Gold card holder
Posts: 53,214
Originally Posted by Fly-Swiss
Is it the SQ's fault if a man next to you ... drink whisky ?
#8

Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: SYD
Posts: 3,045
Originally Posted by foothill
Yes, the entertainment, food, & seat comfort is the best, but it just isn't worth the other pains.
Originally Posted by foothill
My other complaints w/ SQ: the flights are always full...
Originally Posted by foothill
This flight I had the last open seats next to me until the last moment when 2 men w/ turbans come.
Last edited by Keith009; Jul 25, 2006 at 9:40 pm
#9
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Europe
Posts: 2,341
Originally Posted by foothill
I spent the $200+ extra to book in B to get miles, but discovered on the return from ICN that my UA M+ isn't on the ticket. I have been fighting w/ UA for 6 months to get the credit, but w/o success. It was an e-ticket, so I have no receipt. I sent copies of my boarding stubs with the tix #. but now I'm told SQ will only issue credit if the ticket receipt is supplied. They are just playing games, as they know I flew it, they have the ticket #, etc.
My other complaints w/ SQ: the flights are always full, mostly of non-FT types...
My other complaints w/ SQ: the flights are always full, mostly of non-FT types...
#10


Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Sydney,Australia
Posts: 1,155
Think everyone else has nicely covered most of this, but this is what gets me....
Why do people think (mainly UA elites) that airlines single them out for bad treatment based on where status came from!?
Other airlines dont care where your status came from all they care about is *S or *G, even if you are UGS all you are to other airlines is *G! Same as UA would only see a Lifetime Solitaire as a *G!
Originally Posted by foothill
The bottom line: SQ treats UA elite like dirt, even after charging much more for the mileage credit.
Other airlines dont care where your status came from all they care about is *S or *G, even if you are UGS all you are to other airlines is *G! Same as UA would only see a Lifetime Solitaire as a *G!
#12




Join Date: Mar 2003
Programs: Triple LT Gold (AA, DL, BA).
Posts: 3,854
Originally Posted by Al B
I avoid them in Y because of the cramped seating and the garish colour scheme. Gives me a headache ! 

#13
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Programs: AC, AA, SPG, Hilton
Posts: 1,788
If your UA MP# was not on the ticket, then why didn't you supply the number during check in? You could have also done so at the lounge or at the gate area. I thought as a "FT-member", checking the BP for your FF# would be second nature.
It's too bad you had a bad experience on that flight.
It's too bad you had a bad experience on that flight.
#14
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: London, UK.
Programs: SQ LPPS, A3 *G, BA Silver aiming for Bronze
Posts: 1,506
Don't worry, SQ will not mind about your decision not will they miss you from their services - be happy flying with someone else if they really are better
#15
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: OOL
Programs: VA Plat, QF LTS, UA MM, Hilton Diamond, Rydges Black, ,Le-Club Gold
Posts: 3,659
Turbans vs overweight
Turbanned or not, I would prefer the typical svelte diminutive neighbour typical of SQ to the montrously overweight neighbour spilling over the armrests such as one encounters occasionally on UA.
If you are *G you can call SQ to allocate you a window or aisle seat, though they won't tell you the seat-number till check-in This can be a problem, once they gave me a window seat with only one armrest, squeezed in at the narrow end of the plane where other airlines don't put 3 seats in the row.
If you are *G you can call SQ to allocate you a window or aisle seat, though they won't tell you the seat-number till check-in This can be a problem, once they gave me a window seat with only one armrest, squeezed in at the narrow end of the plane where other airlines don't put 3 seats in the row.

