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Here's What Happened When Overbooking Occurs In Singapore

Here's What Happened When Overbooking Occurs In Singapore
Changi Airport | wikipedia

When passengers are bumped off overbooked flights, the practice in Singapore is to ply them with compensation. This includes travel vouchers, meals or hotel accommodation, on top of being placed on an alternative flight to the destination, airlines told The Straits Times.

There have been zero complaints against overbooking from January last year to date, said a spokesman for the Consumers Association of Singapore. Said Singapore Management University's transport specialist Terence Fan: "Customers who are bumped off are typically well- handled and well-compensated here. The staff might tell you they could upgrade your ticket to business or first class for your next flight, for example."

The issue of what airlines do when flights are overbooked is now a talking point, after a United Airlines passenger was dragged from an overbooked plane on Sunday. Aviation analyst Shukor Yusof of Endau Analytics said overbooking is not illegal, but United handled the situation poorly: "There are many other ways to persuade passengers to not fly, apart from using brute force."

Changi airport | Today Online
Changi airport | Today Online

 

A Jetstar spokesman said: "Airlines in this part of the world have a much more conservative approach to overbooking than airlines in the United States."

In Singapore, he said the passenger will be bumped off and placed on an alternative flight at the check-in counter, rather than be made to deplane after boarding. The management of these passengers is "carefully handled" by Singapore Airlines, said its spokesman. "We are generally able to accommodate or make alternative arrangements for our customers who have a confirmed booking."

It is an industry practice for airlines to overbook, as almost every flight has a small percentage of passengers who do not show up, said a spokesman for Scoot and Tigerair. Affected passengers can get a full cash refund if they prefer to make their own arrangements, he said.

The airlines did not respond to questions on how often they need to bump off customers, and how they decide who must give up their seats. Professor Fan said the practice is necessary as airline companies operate on razor-thin margins. "It allows airlines to compensate for no-shows from other passengers. These passengers might pay a cancellation fee, but it will not completely recover the cost of having empty seats on the flight," he said. -

This article was first published on The Straits Time on Apr 12, 2017. 

Asiaone.com

See more at: http://news.asiaone.com/news/singapore/spore-airlines-offer-travel-vouchers-upgrades-and-more#sthash.ofmXA2X3.dpuf

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See more at: http://news.asiaone.com/news/singapore/spore-airlines-offer-travel-vouchers-upgrades-and-more#sthash.ofmXA2X3.dpuf

 

- See more at: http://news.asiaone.com/news/singapore/spore-airlines-offer-travel-vouchers-upgrades-and-more#sthash.ofmXA2X3.dpuf

 

 

Akhyari Hananto

I began my career in the banking industry in 1997, and stayed approx 6 years in it. This industry boost his knowledge about the economic condition in Indonesia, both macro and micro, and how to More understand it. My banking career continued in Yogyakarta when I joined in a program funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB),as the coordinator for a program aimed to help improve the quality of learning and teaching process in private universities in Yogyakarta. When the earthquake stroke Yogyakarta, I chose to join an international NGO working in the area of ?disaster response and management, which allows me to help rebuild the city, as well as other disaster-stricken area in Indonesia. I went on to become the coordinator for emergency response in the Asia Pacific region. Then I was assigned for 1 year in Cambodia, as a country coordinator mostly to deliver developmental programs (water and sanitation, education, livelihood). In 2009, he continued his career as a protocol and HR officer at the U.S. Consulate General in Surabaya, and two years later I joined the Political and Economic Section until now, where i have to deal with extensive range of people and government officials, as well as private and government institution troughout eastern Indonesia. I am the founder and Editor-in-Chief in Good News From Indonesia (GNFI), a growing and influential social media movement, and was selected as one of The Most Influential Netizen 2011 by The Marketeers magazine. I also wrote a book on "Fundamentals of Disaster Management in 2007"?, "Good News From Indonesia : Beragam Prestasi Anak Bangsa di dunia"? which was luanched in August 2013, and "Indonesia Bersyukur"? which is launched in Sept 2013. In 2014, 3 books were released in which i was one of the writer; "Indonesia Pelangi Dunia"?, "Indonesia The Untold Stories"? and "Growing! Meretas Jalan Kejayaan" I give lectures to students in lectures nationwide, sharing on full range of issues, from economy, to diplomacy Less
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