Seat Change without Consent/Notification

[726]

I was yesterday extremely disappointed with SQ (after several disappointment with website and meals)

Does SQ now change its customer seats without any notification - and no change of equipment? Anybody experiencing this?

I was so angry yesterday when I found out and call SQ asap. I told them:
*I bought the ticket really in advance (with higher price compared to now) because of christmas and to secure my favourite seat.
*No notification (at least they should ask my approval/concern via telephone). I do not mind if the change is due to aircraft change, or if I was seated in bassinet-seat or the seat at the back (normally for children), but I chose a seat which did not meet any of those qualification. I was notified once about change of equipment and I did not mind, but this case is different. At first they attempt to answer my question: because of change of aircraft. I am not that stupid since I have the SQ booking on my computer, and still said "Airbus 380" with upper deck economy seat. Then they admit it was changed.
*I said I am a loyal customer, and been KF member since approx 2000 (and using sq back in 1990s). Is this how they treat a loyal customer?
*I told them I don't care and I want my seat back, or else upgrade me.
*They said no, until I ask to speak to the manager. They hold the phone for several mins, and said they give my former seat back to me, and said it was "blocked".
*I tried to ask them if a customer asked for a certain occupied seat, will they move other customer? They said occasionally, but we prefer not to, but kept saying that the seat was blocked.
*I sent a complaint e-mail afterwards
*I checked again on the website. The seat beside me is empty, meaning a couple must have requested the move, and with me back in my original seat, that couple is probably displaced somewhere in the aircraft. Shame on them and the SQ staff who put them there.

Totally not happy with this experience, but fortunately I checked the seat every week to minimise the chance of something like that happening. I am awaiting SQ response on this matter. Now, I do not feel secure at all on all of my seats on SQ flights. Since the flight is departing in 1 month, I will keep monitoring the seat everyday now, after that incident.

[TerryK]

......said they give my former seat back to me, and said it was "blocked"....

What's the big deal if you have gotten the seat you want?

[qantas_flyer]

After giving the lovely folks at SQ a spray, outlining your precious dot points, did it make you feel good, like you achieved something, "I told them". Get over yourself, you are not that important. Another tantrum thread!

[mr_botak]

Happened to me couple of weeks back - got bumped/moved out of an emex row seat. On my way through T3 on an occasion before that particular flight I asked the ticket counter in T3 to sort it out. Took them about an hour, but it was done. The three very kind ladies there indicated it was a very unusual situation, and given the number of calls they made to try and resolve it was clearly not something they dealt with often. I suspect it was tied into the website 'upgrades' that went on about two months ago.

It is a pain when it happens, but in reality not an issue unique to SQ. I was impressed with how my issue was dealt with - they took it seriously even though frankly it wasn't something they had to do. OTOH wouldn't have wanted to attempt it via the call centre!

[726]

Happened to me couple of weeks back - got bumped/moved out of an emex row seat. On my way through T3 on an occasion before that particular flight I asked the ticket counter in T3 to sort it out. Took them about an hour, but it was done. The three very kind ladies there indicated it was a very unusual situation, and given the number of calls they made to try and resolve it was clearly not something they dealt with often. I suspect it was tied into the website 'upgrades' that went on about two months ago.

It is a pain when it happens, but in reality not an issue unique to SQ. I was impressed with how my issue was dealt with - they took it seriously even though frankly it wasn't something they had to do. OTOH wouldn't have wanted to attempt it via the call centre!

I see your point, but it was all sorted, but since then i am feeling insecure on all the seats i've secured for my flights. Last time I was bumped from my seat, somebody called me notifying me. I was rather hot-headed yesterday, can't think clearly. Now I think it's not the end of the world, what was yesterday about? Lol.
Thanks for giving me a calm answer. I know i was not calm myself yesterday. I think it is time for the mod to close/delete this thread.

[ozdude]

After giving the lovely folks at SQ a spray, outlining your precious dot points, did it make you feel good, like you achieved something, "I told them". Get over yourself, you are not that important. Another tantrum thread!

While I agree with your commentary on birthday cakes for PPS members, I disagree with your sentiment here. If you check out the SQ facebook page it is littered with comments on people who have selected seats, or paid for exit row seats, only for SQ to change them without notification. It's managable if there is only one person, but for groups or families it's more complicated to get seating back to what was actually booked.

This is fairly lame on SQ's part, what's the point of selecting seats at booking when they change them later? And why does their system split travelling parties up when they booked seats together in the first place?

SQ sells theself as a premium airline, not changing your seat should be fairly simple.

[qantas_flyer]

While I agree with your commentary on birthday cakes for PPS members, I disagree with your sentiment here. If you check out the SQ facebook page it is littered with comments on people who have selected seats, or paid for exit row seats, only for SQ to change them without notification. It's managable if there is only one person, but for groups or families it's more complicated to get seating back to what was actually booked.

This is fairly lame on SQ's part, what's the point of selecting seats at booking when they change them later? And why does their system split travelling parties up when they booked seats together in the first place?

SQ sells theself as a premium airline, not changing your seat should be fairly simple.

Ozdude, mate, are you one of those facebook posters?

[scooby5]

This is fairly lame on SQ's part, what's the point of selecting seats at booking when they change them later? And why does their system split travelling parties up when they booked seats together in the first place?

I've had that same issue, three of us being split into two different areas of the aircraft as a 2+1. Nothing was resolved until we were on board and the person sitting next to the '2' was kind enough to swap with me eventhough it meant tripping back 20rows or so backwards.

If it wasn't for that kind lady, we would have been split the entire trip with SQ 'not able to do anything' so on thw whole, I'm with you on this one as it's something they need to handle better.

[chairmanmeow]

The same thing happened to me twice. Once after the system upgrade and once at the airport when I couldn't check-in online 48hrs before flight time.

Both I politely asked to be given my chosen seat and they did try to do so. Both tickets were purchased before the system upgrade.

I was told by an SQ agent that sometimes they have to give a seat to high-valued passengers (ie PPS) if they requested it. Another SQ-source also told me that certain popular seats (bulkhead, exit rows etc) are reserved for such high-value passengers and are blocked till checkin time anyway. Hence buying a ticket early gives no advantage.

I hope they will add an auto-email alert for such changes as they do for flight time changes. I remember once I got 3 emails and 3 voicemails from SQ just to make sure I'm aware that my flight arrival time has been delayed by 5 minutes. If they can do that, why not seat changes?

[ozdude]

Ozdude, mate, are you one of those facebook posters?

I wish, I rarely get to fly that often, my work keeps me put and I don't get much annual leave. But I empathise with the people that experience that, and I've been in Singapore long enough to know that the national airline is resting on its laurels.

Qantas is in the news every other day for a variety of reasons, some of which are trivial compared to what SQ customers have been experiencing.

[qantas_flyer]

I wish, I rarely get to fly that often, my work keeps me put and I don't get much annual leave. But I empathise with the people that experience that, and I've been in Singapore long enough to know that the national airline is resting on its laurels.

Qantas is in the news every other day for a variety of reasons, some of which are trivial compared to what SQ customers have been experiencing.

I must say, I haven't really experienced anything like what has been described here. I have flown Singapore about 12 return trips from Australia this year and have always got my reserved seat. Now that I have said it, it might just happen.

[travelbizpro]

Just booked a flight to Hong Kong. When trying to select a (available) seat, a message pops up 'We are unable to process your request. Please try again later or contact your local Singapore Airlines office.'
That's a first.

[mr_botak]

That would be one of the websites many bugs. First you have to get past that bug to experience the random re-assignment bug. You could try the mobile site which seems more stable.

[CarbonMan]

Just booked a flight to Hong Kong. When trying to select a (available) seat, a message pops up 'We are unable to process your request. Please try again later or contact your local Singapore Airlines office.'
That's a first.

When's your flight Travelbizpro? I have found that sometimes they close the seating system about 12-18 hours prior to flight. The airport staff seems to take over the seating management to do some manual "adjustments" at that time. I could be wrong but that was the reason given to me by the check-in desk when I told her that I couldn't change my seat the night before.

[KC*]

I just found out that MI had my reserved seats changed and even removed without notification! Never happened to me before.

To make matters worse - they separated up the people in my group!

So this is not just with SQ - or has some habits rubbed off?