SQ Economy class sees complains in The Straits Times forums recently

[Singapore_Air]

SIA's service not the best any more - the magic's missing

My bolding



ST Forum - Online Story
SIA's service not the best any more - the magic's missing
739 words
29 June 2009
Straits Times
STIMES
English
(c) 2009 Singapore Press Holdings Limited



FOR as long as I have flown, Singapore Airlines has been my preferred airline. Whether I was headed to Asia or Europe or North America or Down Under, rarely did I choose another airline over SIA.

In a world that offers several carriers to any destination, my choice of airline has been dictated by three factors: safety, cost and service.
On the first, there is no fear - SIA has one of the world's best safety records and a reassuringly young fleet. An SIA officer put it best in a humble Asian city when my colleague looked around the half-empty cabin and asked why they used such a large aircraft: 'Well, madam, we do not have anything smaller or older.'

On the second factor, one is entitled to misgivings when SIA business class to London costs more than first class on a slightly lower-rated airline. However, all is well where I am - in economy class. Factor in the safety record and SIA's pricing comfortably fits my wallet.

On the third factor, any level of unhappiness would have been inconceivable a few years ago. Today, I would hesitate to argue for SIA if the debate is on customer service. Its service is not terrible - at least not yet - but it surely is not the best any longer, and it simply is not anywhere near the level it once was when every passenger walked off an SIA flight with an appreciative smile on his face.

Over the years, a languid complacency has set in.

The entry-to-exit graciousness that lit up tedious journeys, the eager attention to comfort and detail, the in-flight smiles that held genuine warmth - these and many other intangibles made SIA the industry's benchmark. The service star shone bright everywhere, as it did in Amsterdam when SIA ground staff shepherded us through one of the biggest airport jams I have ever been in.

In recent times, I have seen flies in the cabin (and bees), pillows with gaping covers, dandruff on the headrest, used tissues in the seat-pocket, inoperable entertainment systems and greasy toilets. I have also sat through endless reruns of SIA's outdated safety video. It is at least six years old.

Earlier this year, a few of us flew to Los Angeles and back on SIA. Two of us made a terrible mistake - we ordered special meals. We were severely punished by being forced to eat the same meal over and over on one of the world's longest flights. The strangest thing was that, except for the tiny identifying tags, his Muslim meal and my Hindu meal were exactly the same.

Stung, my family and I chose regular meals when we flew SIA's Singapore-Tokyo route, only to be confronted with a dilemma: The light meal before Bangkok and the later supper were pork dishes - at a time when Influenza A (H1N1) was raging. The option was Japanese food for which we have no liking. We chose to stay hungry.

Another dilemma awaited us on the return flight on the giant A380. This time, the meat was beef - and we do not eat beef. I fail to grasp how pork and beef can be termed 'international' when Hindus and Muslims - two large groups - do not eat them. Again, as the option was unfamiliar Japanese food, we went hungry.

What topped this was the flight attendant's refusal to serve us coffee. 'Can I get you some Oolong tea?' she asked. 'No,' my wife said, 'I don't even know what that is.'

'Then you have to wait,' she announced.

And wait we did until everything had been cleared and forgotten. It was only when I alerted a senior crew member just before the descent to Changi that the coffee appeared. It came on a business class tray as if that would make amends for the callously poor service.

The seats at the rear of the A-380 are not for the faint of heart. The rudder hydraulics are incredibly loud and grating - and a heavy whine accompanies you all the way to cruising altitude. When asked about it, a flight attendant nonchalantly replied that it was normal. Well, I am not sure it is, and these are reasons the magic of Singapore Airlines has faded for me.

Bobby Nair Chandrasekhar

[Kiwi]

I don't think the current safety video is more than 6 years old. I recall the old version with the echo ending. Given I only started flying SQ extensively in 2004 that makes the current version 5 years old at most.

[flymeroundthemoon]

Unfair to SQ

I have very many problems with SQ but most of them are with SQ Management and SQ services on the ground. In fairness to SQ, the basis for some of these complaints seems to be frivolous and without any real merit. For instance, in this latest complaint the writer implies that H1N1 may be contracted from eating pork, which is simply not true. Also, from the thousands of flights I have taken with SQ over the years, I know that when a pork dish is served, there is always at least one alternative even in Y as a result of a good understanding of cultural and religious sensitivities. Additionally, there is a huge range of special meals to pre-select, even in Y. Even Marie Antoinette would be impressed!
On the few recent occasions when I have had no other choice but to fly SQ, (The only time I ever now fly SQ) I have found the inflight service in general to remain world class and up there with only a small group of quality carriers. I simply cannot understand how any rational and fair-minded observer could conclude otherwise.

[trekkie]

deleted

[KC*]

I think his meal complains are rather out of line. How can he deny others pork and beef in standard fare when he has a choice of religious meals (Of course, it was not appropriate for SQ to serve the same dish more than once)!

If we can't have beef and pork (and Japanese food, too - mind you), then what are we left with? Fish and chicken all the time? Sigh...

SQ has real issues but a badly penned complaint like this makes things worse.

[flymeroundthemoon]

No Problem

i'll be taking sq business again end of the month on the big boy. i'll check if the rudder is really that noisy. I really don't recall that being the case in Y. I'll check.

You won't have any problem, that was another complete fabrication. Anyone who knows anything about aircraft knows that the rudder is never used in cruise, even by mistake as the rudder controls don't even make very comfortable foot rests!! After the manouvering out of the airport to get on course and up to cruise, the rudder would seldom, if ever, be employed. Even then, the rudder movements should be silent and the noise the poster was refering to was probably the flaps and/or gear during takeoff and/or landing.

[Kyo]

SQ dining 'un-magical'

This post is only about the food aspect.

J tends to be where the magic is.

F tends to be where the magic generally happens. But as some have noted, not always. On my last BKK-SIN in SQ F maybe two-three months back, the 'magic' was rather lacking.

Y has been rather un-'magical' for me, of late, and in that sense, yes, I agree with the writer. I also find (I've posted about this last week) the possibility of getting a pork option seems too consistent on certain routes nowadays (then again, I do eat beef). I think a white meat/seafood (if not fish) option in Y as one of the choices should be the norm, with the other option whatever they want to serve, whether pork or beef.

[Rant mode: On]
I still maintain the seafood meals are not bad and generally will pre-book that so as not to be too disappointed, e.g. BKK-SIN last night was catered by Thai, and wasn't that fantastic, but the fish/prawns were edible. The dessert was the regular egg-jelly combo which you either love or hate, but they only served little tubs of Dreyers (sp?) ice-cream for regular meals.

I remember when mini Magnums and Haagen-Dazs was the norm. I'm sure I'm not the only one that remembers that. Nowadays its Dreyers or Magnolia chunks. What's 'magical' about that? The sparkle's just not quite the same.

If it's disappearing acts you enjoy, you'll be thrilled in SQ Y.

Objectively, one could surmise that it is within their capability to provide a better experience food-wise but this seems not to be a concern quite just yet. On most short-haul routes, even the menu is not given out anymore. This is part of the SQ dining experience. How could one appreciate the gourmet dining promised on their website if you can't even refer to the menu / don't even know if it's created by their illustrious culinary panel?

Presentation also is another area that's suffered as noted by quite a few others now. I find it less thrilling now to find catering that makes me want to 'photo-log' it, and generally unexcited when it comes time to consume. And I'll say that I used to love opening all the little compartments of airline food. Now I only expect that on flights to/from Japan.

[Super Rant mode: Engaged]
Don't even start me on 227's SIN-MEL in Business Class... breakfast was a blood orange... are we expected to be overwhelmed? There's a whole other thread in there somewhere. And only fruit for an F dessert sometimes... what's with that?

To give credit where it's due: SGN still seems to get fairly good catering. Will find out about the BNE dining options in a matter of hours, too.

Too many misses, not enough hits lately. In comparison to let's say, another Japanese carrier, who seems to be getting so many hits and almost no misses.

[SQDoubter]

with all your hits Kyo, i have been moved.... i am booking with them on July 1st (to take advantage of zero fuel surcharge) SIN-NRT and avoiding SQ on a route that would usually only be SQ for me. Hope they live up to your praises!! haha.

[9V-SIA]

I was disappointed with the catering out of EWR earlier this month.

My wife wasn't impressed either.

Warm Nuts

I got the drink and warm nuts after take off.

She slept. When she woke up and asked for her nuts, they'd run out. Good grief!

Menu

Menu choices were pretty bleah!

I should qualify that it's ex EWR that I find the catering wanting.

[wsssaero]

I have always had good experiences on my SQ flights. Or perhaps it's because I hardly fly and my standards are lower?

[trekkie]

deleted

[dhstyle]

A very recent issue with SQ

Hi. Still new to this board and to living in Singapore. I have been a long-time fan of SQ however experience this week has caused me to seriously question using them in the future where I have a choice. I have pasted a link from flyertalk where I initially posted this. it is similiar in nature to other complaints in this thread.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/singa...ilability.html

[Guy Betsy]

if you don't mind i'd like to add my complaint which happened to me a year or so ago with SQ.

My wife and i flew Y SIN-NRT for our honeymoon. At the check in counter, we put our bags up on the scale and before i knew it, one was GONE! The check in guy had gone straight ahead and sent it down without checking us in. This meant no tags on the bag! I demanded that he bring it back up and tag them in front of me as i was going to Tokyo in winter and i did not want any chance of losing my bags.

He asked me to wait. So i waited 30-45 mins and then he came back to me and said that if he brought the bag up it would not get on the flight. I took this as a threat that he was too lazy to bring them up and if i made him, he would make sure it didnt get on the flight. I had checked in 2.5 hours prior to departure and he was telling me that 1.5-2 hours wasnt enough for him to get the bags up and tagged infront of me? I was kind of unhappy but he guranteed that my bags would be on board. I left uncertain and uneasy at the thought of not having my winter clothes for the winter conditions.

Of course when we arrived, the bag was not there. They gave my wife and i US$100. I was like "are you serious?" we had no winter jackets and they gave us 100 bucks. All of our personal stuff and toiletries were in there as well. could you imagine my wife without make up in a place like Tokyo!
So we got to the hotel early in the morning and of course could not check in as the hotels there are quite strict on check-in times. After check in i wrote a very strongly worded email to SQ and got the standard replies that they would look into the matter.
Bags arrived to us the next evening.

On the return leg, all i got was a not so tasty "honeymoon cake", champagne and 1 seat blocked for my wife and myself, which did not even last both legs of my flight which was NRT-BKK-SIN.
Back in SIngapore, i got a simple sorry we will do better next time. With the bitter taste in my mouth, this didn't really help as i had started off my honeymoon in such a mess.

The key issue is here that as usual, the ground staff spoil the SQ experience once again.
I expected a lot more in compensation given the fact that there was such an easy prevention measure that i had requested but had been denied.

One of your biggest problem here was that you asked that staff to do something that he clearly didn't know what to do. You should have asked for the Duty Manager right away.

[sudsoz]

I have to get into this discussion about meal choices.

I (and some 20%) of the caucasian population are alergic to crustaceans (crustaceans being seafood that carries their shell around rather than those that grow in a shell). At one stage I got sick of being offered shrimps (although the SQ staff were often good at finding something else) and not having other viable choices that a SQ reservations clerk in Saigon offered that I should come behind her desk to see. So I typed in 'No Crustaceans'.

Didn't that let the horses loose - for the next few months I was offered all varieties of vegetarian, muslim, jewish and other fare. And when I enquired of another SQ staffer (at Paragon in Singapore) the nice girl said 'we do not understand crustaceans'. So I gave up and had that note deleted and put up with what I get.

The other beef I have is with the reservation system. If I book on the website I can choose seats but for multileg I am only offered cheap inflexible flights. If I book through a travel agent to get more flexibility I can not choose seats until advance check-in. But with the website If I want to change dates etc after travel commences I can not do it online - I have to call or see reservations. My travel agent can still make changes but if he is not available and I go to SQ then SQ hijack the booking and he can not get back in. All very frustrating.

[jjpb3]

So I typed in 'No Crustaceans'.

Didn't that let the horses loose - for the next few months I was offered all varieties of vegetarian, muslim, jewish and other fare. And when I enquired of another SQ staffer (at Paragon in Singapore) the nice girl said 'we do not understand crustaceans'. So I gave up and had that note deleted and put up with what I get.

Try 'No shellfish' -- not exactly coincident with the set of crustaceans, but I don't think you'll miss out much on not seeing molluscs and sea urchin onboard SQ.