Regional 773 instead of A380

[WBT]

I know this topic has been discussed in its various forms in the past, so I'll want to tread carefully...

A few days ago I was on SQ212 flying SYD-SIN and was hit be an aircraft substitution, putting me in an old regional J seat instead of the A380. As it happens, this came after a very busy week and I was hoping to sleep much of the way, which was a lot harder in the recliner than the lie-flat seat.

So, what are my options?

1) Just chalk it up in the "s**t happens" column and forget about it.

2) Complain to SQ and hope for some compensation. If so, what is reasonable?
2b) As this was a paid J ticket, and SQ does not normally use the old regional config 773's on this route, would I be eligible for a partial refund?

If it had been a SpaceBed at least I wouldn't even be asking this, but the difference between A380 and old regional J is pretty substantial. I wonder how the Suites passengers felt going to the old regional F...

Anyway, any advice would be appreciated. On the one hand I am a bit lazy to pursue this, on the other it does bother me a bit...

[ozdude]

Is that the business that is 2-3-2 and it's just a normal cloth seat?

[WBT]

Is that the business that is 2-3-2 and it's just a normal cloth seat?

Yup, and F was 2-2-2.

[ozdude]

Yeah that's annoying.

[Kyo]

Call up SQ and discuss your options as to what you would get. I've gotten a very satisfactory result before, although it took a longgg time.

[SINFJ]

Anyway, any advice would be appreciated. On the one hand I am a bit lazy to pursue this, on the other it does bother me a bit...

If you believe that you do not want to follow the sh*t happens mindset, call up SQ and argue your way through...such are very personal and the options is not what you are after. It doesn't matter if you tell SQ you have heard "x" number of people get compnesation from an involuntary "downgrade". What matters is if you are able to hold your guns and argue right to the end.

[SMK77]

I know this topic has been discussed in its various forms in the past, so I'll want to tread carefully...

A few days ago I was on SQ212 flying SYD-SIN and was hit be an aircraft substitution, putting me in an old regional J seat instead of the A380. As it happens, this came after a very busy week and I was hoping to sleep much of the way, which was a lot harder in the recliner than the lie-flat seat.

So, what are my options?

1) Just chalk it up in the "s**t happens" column and forget about it.

2) Complain to SQ and hope for some compensation. If so, what is reasonable?
2b) As this was a paid J ticket, and SQ does not normally use the old regional config 773's on this route, would I be eligible for a partial refund?

If it had been a SpaceBed at least I wouldn't even be asking this, but the difference between A380 and old regional J is pretty substantial. I wonder how the Suites passengers felt going to the old regional F...

Anyway, any advice would be appreciated. On the one hand I am a bit lazy to pursue this, on the other it does bother me a bit...

You will only get a satisfactory result if you write in. The new CEO of Singapore Airlines is Goh Choon Phong. Address you complaint to Mr Goh and explain why you are disappointed and what kind of compensation you prefer.

Ask for a credit for one of your next flights and state that you would like to give them another chance.

[SINFJ]

You will only get a satisfactory result if you write in. The new CEO of Singapore Airlines is Goh Choon Phong. Address you complaint to Mr Goh and explain why you are disappointed and what kind of compensation you prefer.

Ask for a credit for one of your next flights and state that you would like to give them another chance.

Can I ask for a Lobster Thermidor to be served in Y?

While I cannot question how many times you managed to pull this through (more likely only once if they are afraid of of bad PR image). not sure if your scare tactic letter will make it into the CEO Suite.

... I once had a staff who told me how he loved to come back to work for my team after he previously left for a better paying job elsewhere. He left again last Jan and tried to pull the same trick just two weeks ago when we were hiring again....

Get the drift?

[SMK77]

Can I ask for a Lobster Thermidor to be served in Y?

What kind of rant is this? Pretty poor, IMHO... You didn't help the OP and you are only insulting me. Pretty amazing that people are coming back to you...

The OP has booked J and was expecting a new product and got the old Regional product. SQ is pretty bad at compensating, so you need to kick it upstairs.

What you don't understand is that no CEO ever will look at the complaint but the department that is handling CEO complaints has usually more authority to settle issues so that the customer is happy.

The OP can take my advice or leave it. If you have any meaningful to add, please to so.

[flying.monkeyz]

I suppose with problems such as aircraft substitution and the subsequent inability to promise specific product types, SQ has done away with indicating aircraft types to be used in their new website when you make internet bookings.

[demue]

I can understand the OP's disappointment and think it is definitely worth an effort. Whether via a letter to CEO (office) or email/ feedback via the website is a different story and will also depend a bit on what you have in mind for a compensation. The larger the request the higher up it will have to go.

While I'm sympathetic for the issue of a/c substitutions and acknowledge that the OP still flew Biz class, the (hard) product does matter in choice of carrier in particular if the seat differs from one of the oldest in the fleet to the newest. If it would have been a refurbished 73A with the new regional lie flat (angled) seat then I may argue to let it go, but this is a bad replacement for this route.

SQ need to understand the expectations of the customer and that maybe in such cases a proactive attitude towards the issue could allow getting away with a smaller compensation and create additional goodwill with a premium customer. Not the worst investment ever one may be able to argue.

[Concorde]

WBT - that seems to me to be a worst-case aircraft substitution. I have often wondered how I would react if presented with such a situation.

As demue has noted, it is disappointing that SQ did not take the initiative and make some kind of compensatory gesture to all its J and F pax on that flight. One could argue that an in-flight shopping voucher (or some such thing) may not be adequate compensation, but at least it would have shown some concern for their customers' satisfaction.

One gets the impression that they are losing the plot. The new website debacle says it all really. Perhaps they are spending too much management time planning "no-frills" airlines.

[WBT]

Call up SQ and discuss your options as to what you would get. I've gotten a very satisfactory result before, although it took a longgg time.

It is encouraging to hear that you've been successful, though the "longgg time" worries me a bit.

What matters is if you are able to hold your guns and argue right to the end.

I am beginning to detect a pattern here... it seems SQ will be reluctant to offer any compensation and I am not sure it'll worth the time and hassle. On the other hand, if they are intransigent it'll soon become a matter of principle to get something, and then all bets are off. I might become persistent.

You will only get a satisfactory result if you write in. The new CEO of Singapore Airlines is Goh Choon Phong. Address you complaint to Mr Goh and explain why you are disappointed and what kind of compensation you prefer.

Ask for a credit for one of your next flights and state that you would like to give them another chance.

I hadn't really thought of what to ask for, or even ask for anything, and rather leave it up to SQ to come up with an offer for redress. But a credit for future flights is not a bad idea, although I suspect they'll then also deduct the credit form the PPS Value I accrued for this flight. I think they'll also know I will be giving them another chance as I've been flying SQ a lot of late so perhaps I could threaten to withhold my business. SIN-SYD has become an important route for me, and the QF A380's are pretty comfortable too.

SQ need to understand the expectations of the customer and that maybe in such cases a proactive attitude towards the issue could allow getting away with a smaller compensation and create additional goodwill with a premium customer. Not the worst investment ever one may be able to argue.

WBT - that seems to me to be a worst-case aircraft substitution. I have often wondered how I would react if presented with such a situation.

As demue has noted, it is disappointing that SQ did not take the initiative and make some kind of compensatory gesture to all its J and F pax on that flight. One could argue that an in-flight shopping voucher (or some such thing) may not be adequate compensation, but at least it would have shown some concern for their customers' satisfaction.

One gets the impression that they are losing the plot. The new website debacle says it all really. Perhaps they are spending too much management time planning "no-frills" airlines.

I was once on a delayed AMS-EWR flight in Raffles. Although the total delay was only a few hours, I remember getting (on the flight itself) a nice SQ pen as compensation. The monetary value was probably pretty low, but it was a nice gesture and I remember it to this day.

I was somewhat expecting SQ to step forward and offer something on the flight here too, but all we got was an announcement to the effect that they're really sorry, but that we'll still be able to enjoy the excellent SQ service on board. That disappointed me too... new times, I guess. And if they'd given me something like an in-flight shopping voucher I would have been far less inclined to pursue this.

Anyway, thank you all for your comments... I'll try the web feedback first and see how they respond.

[Kyo]

It is encouraging to hear that you've been successful, though the "longgg time" worries me a bit.

Let's just say I got one of the tougher cookies in the beginning. Can never know for sure until you try.

I am beginning to detect a pattern here... it seems SQ will be reluctant to offer any compensation and I am not sure it'll worth the time and hassle. On the other hand, if they are intransigent it'll soon become a matter of principle to get something, and then all bets are off. I might become persistent.

Exactly the attitude I adopted going into this...

[MAN Flyer]

You definitely need to write in to them via the website advising what you booked (and expected) and what you got, telling them that this is not what you paid for and is therefore unacceptable. No need to write to the CEO, it won't get anywhere near him and he's got more important things on his plate at the moment.

You'll get boiler plate reply number 6, 7 or 8 initially, acknowledging your message and a tacit apology. They won't offer anything at first, going off the fact that after a response 80% or so will leave it there. You then need to go back to them again and push the matter further, explaining how annoyed you are etc (save some of this from the initial complaint) and how you would not have booked with them if you had known what aircraft and seat you'd get. It may also be worth chucking in the current website problems as I am sure they'll know about them.

If you push it you should get some miles from them, probably 5000 maybe 10000, presuming you have a KF account. If not, open one before you write in.