Help! Am I out of luck?

[Big Mac]

So as everyone already knows by now the A380 has been removed from the LAX-NRT route (SQ11/SQ12).
Well, I booked a Business Class ticket (paid not an award) on this flight (early/mid May) specifically to fly on the A380 (never been on the A380) after receiving the email about the A380 on this route.
Now that the A380 has been removed from this route Singapore Airlines wants to charge me US$100 for cancelling.
Am I out of luck in regards to cancelling without being charged the US$100?
Or should I just suck it up and pay the US$100 penalty?
Additionally, how long does a refund take?
Thanks.

[wktan81]

I think you should fight for a full refund. SQ has advertise widely its change into A380 and this A380 fleet has attracted some pax like us who eventually purchased the ticket. Now that the plan has been cancelled by SQ, I think you should be able to get full refund. Actually SQ can still fly A380 for the route, it is purely because of the business reason they change to smaller aircraft.

[Nick C]

Singapore Airlines will waive administrative fees for refund, re-booking or re-routing for customers holding confirmed tickets issued on or before 11 March 2011, for travel to and from all cities in Japan from 11 March to 10 April 2011, both dates inclusive. This also applies to KrisFlyer redemption tickets.

Just suck it up or postpone your trip. The J on the 77W is just as good.

[FlyBoy]

Just suck it up or postpone your trip. The J on the 77W is just as good.

Noise levels ?
Pressure ?
Humidity ?
Toilet size ?

[FlyBoy]

I think you should fight for a full refund. SQ has advertise widely its change into A380 and this A380 fleet has attracted some pax like us who eventually purchased the ticket. Now that the plan has been cancelled by SQ, I think you should be able to get full refund. Actually SQ can still fly A380 for the route, it is purely because of the business reason they change to smaller aircraft.

Agreed!

Fight for a FULL refund!!!!

SQ advertise http://www.singaporeair.com/saa/en_U...A380/index.jsp as being a different experience therefore it's not the same as the flight you have been changed to.

[9V-SMI]

You must stand firm and fight for a full refund. I am sure there are many others like yourself out there wanting to travel on the 380 and have purchased this ticket based on this consideration.

They announced that they will operate with a 744 until further notice. However if one checks the system post 15th April, it has been loaded with the 77W.

What if they operate with a 744 post 15th April? You'll be on a spacebed and be further short changed. They could just have loaded the system with 77W to appease passengers and sell seats but come out with some smart statement later that they decide to continue with a 744.

If enough members and passengers make their views and intention known, they may still launch the 380.

[a340-313x]

Guys,

I think we're getting ahead of ourselves here with the emotion. SQ is just doing what any responsible business would do - cutting capacity when the demand is predicted to fall.

Having said that, I think the OP should get a refund less the admin fee and I'd suggest he speak (very nicely) to the people at SQ reservations, explain to them why he'd bought the tickets and escalate to a supervisor if necessary (without being nasty). I have been caught in a similar situation before and SQ have been more than accommodating so I don't see why the OP's situation should be any different.

Where I think SQ's planning has fallen short is the fiasco with the seat certification and the delivery (or non) of their new A380s. Given that it's been more than a year since they've found out about this problem, one would think they'd already have a plan B in place to ensure they CAN get new aircraft delivered while having to proceed with the draw-down plan of their older ones. But that's a different story for a different thread...

[SINFJ]

If enough members and passengers make their views and intention known, they may still launch the 380.

The decision to pull out the 388 must have been weighted pros against cons to warrant such a decision. No one, not speaking with SQ's PR image will want a PR boo-boo because a plane type at whim and fancy. This ain't about crysing for your cookies.

As to TS's question, wouldn't it be a question of whether one needs to be there at a particular date than wanting to take a particular aircraft tyoe?

[Big Mac]

I want to give an update on my situation...
Like most of you suggested I did ask for a full refund (no penalties/fees) and I didn't have to stand firm or let alone push the issue.
I called and told the agent that my flight was changed from an A380 to something else and asked if they could put me on a flight with an A380. The only flights available were in October which didn't work out for me. I then asked for a full refund and without having to push was granted the full refund. I did have to wait quite some time for the agent to do the refund but other than that there weren't any problems.

To answer some of the questions...
I did book this flight specifically because it would be my first time on an A380. I knew about this flight because of the email I received from Singapore Airlines.

Thanks everyone!!!

[Singapore_Air]

Good for you Big Mac. Like others, I would have suggested you push for the full refund.

[cscs1956]

Sometime is not emotion, Is a matter of a product you purchase vs what is been given to you.