USD50 change fee per call/ticket, for all tickets

[eriond]

Does anyone have any first-hand experience with this charge when calling the KF 8188 number (in SG)?

[Audio]

I don't think that the any airlines would be so desperate to impose a call charge unless the situation is unmanageable.

Maybe it's the way Singaporeans think. If the roads got jammed with cars, they put up toll charge gantries and suddenly, the traffic eases. Likewise, when the phone lines got jammed up with calls, imposing the call charge will bring calls to manageable levels.

But the root cause of the problem is still the website. If it is as reliable as it supposes to be, then, who would be of the right mind to call reservation when booking and flight changes can be done instantly on the web.

I was calling reservation this morning and got to wait for about 15 minutes until I got the voice to answer. During that time, I was reminded over and over again by the automated voice that I will be charged US$50 for the call.....SERIOUSLY if I am to be charged US$50, why am I being kept in a hold because their officers are busy? At $50 a call, anyone would be able to get rid of the automated voice machine and answer every call instantly 24/7.

This is how awful it looks from the customer's prospective...I hope the airline sees it. You are doing damage by forcing your customer to use your useless website while it is still plagued with problems. Website is unreliable and you impose extra charge if customer wants to call, you give no avenue for your customers to do business with you. It also the reason I don’t fly Tiger Airways because they charge me HK$70 extra each time I use my credit card to pay them…it’s stupid because how else can I pay them??

(Audio)

[WBT]

Just made a date change to a booking of an F/J ticket using the Singapore call center (the 62238888 number), and there was no mention of any charge at any point. Completely standard call much like the countless ones I have made on previous occasions.

Also no recording informing me of the USD50 charge. Not that I'm complaining, but it does seem at odds with others' experiences. So to clarify: is it only the US call center that charges the USD50 change fee? Is it for US-issued tickets? Is there something else I am missing?

[Audio]

I called the SIA HK Ticketing yesterday. I just called again a minute ago to verify. They are out for lunch but the automated voice did mentioned the $50 charge.

(Audio)

[726]

I had no choice but to add my displeasure here. With the broken website and a phone call charge of $50, how we are supposed to change the booking? No other way but $50 paid to SQ's wallet. I am currently researching for alternative airlines. My eyes are on the following: Lufthansa, ANA, or Thai.... This charge is unbelievable. I often have to change my booking in short notice, not only mine but also my family's. That means sweet deals change will costs $70. Fortunately, a certain office call centre seems to recognise me and my family, and twice waived the charge, but it was all useless since they were no seats available on the flights that I wanted.

[ozdude]

Just tell them you won't pay as the website is not functioning. Don't accept it and keep asking to speak to their supervisor.

[WBT]

I just made some changes to SQ tickets originally issued in BKK by calling the Singapore call center. No charge levied. Perhaps you could try calling/Skyping them to see if that might be a way of circumventing the charge (the line is open 24 hours a day). It does seem to be location-dependent.

[KC*]

So far, I have not been charged even though they have the right to do so. Just request nicely for a waiver. Worked for me.

Don't complain from the word "go" as it'll put them on a defensive position. Appeal to their kindness instead. If the person handling your call refuses, ask him/her to appeal to a higher level for you. Eventually, it'd work.

Most of the people on the other side of the line seem to be nice folks who would love to make lots of "exceptions" (has to be reasonable, though) to keep the customer happy.

[726]

yes, I got the waiver at least three times now. My reason (and the truth): I manage not only my bookings, but also my family's (and all of them have more than one bookings). Some of them includes $20 for sweet deals changes.

[726]

just wondering if this charge has now been waived/abolished. I will be in SIN tomorrow, and I will attempt to change around 9 tickets (mine and my family's on several destinations)

[WBT]

If my interpretation is correct and my experience can be extrapolated to all Singapore-based changes, the US$50 change fee never applied here. Nonetheless I would be very interested to hear what your experience is!

[hybridace101]

I went to a service centre before. I didn't get levied a service fee to change it but a rebooking fee of SGD26. But this new thing to get a $50 service fee for every phone transaction on top of other fees is something I'd bang my head against the wall for. I mean it does not make sense to charge passengers to every time they call because their website is c**ped-up. Why pass on to passengers the cost of your mess? Fortunately when I called the SQ's ticketing hotline (in FRA) to revalidate my flight last January, they were able to do it FOC saying that it doesn't make sense to charge a service fee when the website is down (well I couldn't rebook on the website anyway since it was originally purchased at their MNL office).

My travel agent told me that for the H tickets, there are no reissuance/rebooking fees. But to be on the safe side, I will have to contact them rather than SQ directly.

[726]

If my interpretation is correct and my experience can be extrapolated to all Singapore-based changes, the US$50 change fee never applied here. Nonetheless I would be very interested to hear what your experience is!

sq employee that i met today and yesterday told me that the charge is indeed still applied, that is if the customer can't change it on the terrible website or on grounds that the person is loyal customer. I changed 6 bookings today (for me and my family) and no charge was levied. Seems the charge is only destined for people that do not know about it (newbies, etc)

[Desert Traveller]

I usually use the KF UK number to contact SQ regarding changes to tickets. Hold times are short, service is great, and so far, the 'contact fee' has never been mentioned. Keeping my fingers crossed.

[726]

sorry to bring back the topic from the dead. I am wondering if this still applies.
I tried to contact SQ customer service twice via website dated 6 April 2013 and 26 April 2013. No response after 7 working days. Yesterday I tried sq_social@singaporeair.com.sg (as suggested from twitter). I see no hope, therefore I am trying to get other's experience.

Basically I want to avoid this happening again. I have to deal with a change of booking belonging to members of my family soon.

This was my experience:
I called Jakarta office first (I always try to avoid Jakarta office due to their slowness). They said that I have to pay $20 for changing the ticket, $20 for singapore airport tax, $50 for reissue fee. And there are two in the bookings. Meaning $180.

I called Singapore office, who told me that they will forward it to the Jakarta office. I hated it when they do it. 3 working days have passed and nothing came. I called Singapore again, who then promised to call Jakarta office right away. Still no changes of the stance.

Then I tried to have a look at the ticket sent to me when making the booking. Apparently I tried to change a ticket which clearly states free stopover in singapore, one each way.
change of booking before departure: no charge
change of booking after departure: no charge

I called Jakarta office again, stating what it said in the ticket, and I was given only $20 charge per person for singapore airport tax.

Apparently now customer can haggle how much they pay. No consistency at all.

Now, I have to do it all over again. So please, if you have any suggestion, let me know of how should I deal with it. Thank you in advance.