Tweet
Okay.. everyone knows about this... and in SQ's eyes (and mind).. that if you can only afford to fly economy, you're a no body and people laugh at you.
Why is it so hard for SQ management (old cronies) to accept that there are some affluent people that do fly economy?
Let me share a story with you...
About 15 years ago, when I was working in a TA in Canada, our of my corporate clients had extensive travel between YVR/YYZ and PER via SIN. There would be at least 2-3 people travelling between the two cities every week. YVR-PER, SYD, MEL.. but their travel budget only permitted economy class travel. We're not even talking 'special fares' - we just issued Y class tickets and those were easily something like C$3K round trip.
Then the President of the company had to go to Dubai on a whim while he was in Perth. The only flights only had F class available, so I booked him as such. SQ made errors to the booking, cancelled his hotel and blamed me for it. Anyway, it was resolved.. and he was on his way back to Singapore when I asked the sales rep in the to send a telex to Singapore to have someone at SQ meet this guy and take him to the lounge for a shower before his flight home. He is travelling in F to SIN but he is in coach to YVR.
Guess what they said?
Absolutely not. He must travel in Business or First before he can use the lounge. They will not listen to the fact that he is in F class arriving into Singapore.
So I explained to the secretary who then explained to the company president about SQ's decisions. SQ in Singapore, had the cheek to tell me , in hindsight , that if he was any sort of President in any firm, surely he can afford to fly Business Class?
==============================
One month later, this same guy was to make another trip to Singapore. He just said that he didn't want to take SQ. So I put him on CX. But I called the Sales Dept at CX to explain what had happened to this guy just a month before so that nothing weird would surprise him.
Guess what CX did? They gave the Company corporate Marco Polo Club passes (Green).. which gave them Lounge Access (ok, it was KaiTak days..but hey, a lounge is a lounge). And when the President flew out on his first trip, CX upgraded him to J all the way through and back.
After Mr Pres returned to Canada, he sent out a directive. And cc'd a copy to me, CX and SQ. I actually didn't know how large his company was until I read the memo.
He gave instructions that whenever it is business or paid vacation travel, under no circumstance is travel to be on Singapore Airlines. Preferred travel from YYZ and YVR office is to be on CX.
The memo went out to 4500 office locations worldwide emcompassing over 25000 employees with a combined monthly travel budget of over $5 million a month ! Turns out they sell hospital equipment and train technicians worldwide.
You should have seen the SQ sales team trying to kiss and make up then.. but it was too late.
I guess SQ still has not learnt that lesson.
PS- please accpt all forms of grammatical errors , typos and what have you's... it's 730 am and I haven't slept a wink all night - the effects of drinking 2 cups of strong KOPI-O in the afternoon !!
Why is it so hard for SQ management (old cronies) to accept that there are some affluent people that do fly economy?
Let me share a story with you...
About 15 years ago, when I was working in a TA in Canada, our of my corporate clients had extensive travel between YVR/YYZ and PER via SIN. There would be at least 2-3 people travelling between the two cities every week. YVR-PER, SYD, MEL.. but their travel budget only permitted economy class travel. We're not even talking 'special fares' - we just issued Y class tickets and those were easily something like C$3K round trip.
Then the President of the company had to go to Dubai on a whim while he was in Perth. The only flights only had F class available, so I booked him as such. SQ made errors to the booking, cancelled his hotel and blamed me for it. Anyway, it was resolved.. and he was on his way back to Singapore when I asked the sales rep in the to send a telex to Singapore to have someone at SQ meet this guy and take him to the lounge for a shower before his flight home. He is travelling in F to SIN but he is in coach to YVR.
Guess what they said?
Absolutely not. He must travel in Business or First before he can use the lounge. They will not listen to the fact that he is in F class arriving into Singapore.
So I explained to the secretary who then explained to the company president about SQ's decisions. SQ in Singapore, had the cheek to tell me , in hindsight , that if he was any sort of President in any firm, surely he can afford to fly Business Class?
==============================
One month later, this same guy was to make another trip to Singapore. He just said that he didn't want to take SQ. So I put him on CX. But I called the Sales Dept at CX to explain what had happened to this guy just a month before so that nothing weird would surprise him.
Guess what CX did? They gave the Company corporate Marco Polo Club passes (Green).. which gave them Lounge Access (ok, it was KaiTak days..but hey, a lounge is a lounge). And when the President flew out on his first trip, CX upgraded him to J all the way through and back.
After Mr Pres returned to Canada, he sent out a directive. And cc'd a copy to me, CX and SQ. I actually didn't know how large his company was until I read the memo.
He gave instructions that whenever it is business or paid vacation travel, under no circumstance is travel to be on Singapore Airlines. Preferred travel from YYZ and YVR office is to be on CX.
The memo went out to 4500 office locations worldwide emcompassing over 25000 employees with a combined monthly travel budget of over $5 million a month ! Turns out they sell hospital equipment and train technicians worldwide.
You should have seen the SQ sales team trying to kiss and make up then.. but it was too late.
I guess SQ still has not learnt that lesson.
PS- please accpt all forms of grammatical errors , typos and what have you's... it's 730 am and I haven't slept a wink all night - the effects of drinking 2 cups of strong KOPI-O in the afternoon !!
Comment