[Anonymous]

[bombayteddy]

As a frequent traveller through Singapore’s Changi airport en route to and from Bali, I am angered by the fact that SQ doesnt allow me access to their First Class lounge for SIN-DPS (Bali) even though I have paid for a First Class round-trip ticket BOM-SIN-DPS. Their reason is, the airline does not offer a First Class cabin on SIN-DPS and lounge access is based on the actual cabin flown on the outbound flight….so I’m forced to use the much-inferior Business Class lounge instead. How unfair….considering I have paid a First Class fare! The only benefit I get from this is a 40kg baggage allowance to Bali….and nothing else. In these days of cutting back on travel-spends, this seems to be a strange way of rewarding those who dont.
Yet, I suppose ANYTHING would be preferable to the hideous, uncomfortable spaces passing for premium-class lounges in Mumbai’s awful airport!

[drefanhk]

You could not have been charged anything more than the business class fare between SIN and DPS as there is no first class cabin in that aircraft. Accordingly, there is no published first class fare on the flight you took. So how can you demand access to the first class lounge on the strength that you travelled from BOM to SIN on first class?

[Travellator]

We flew BA first from HKG to LHR and were allowed access to the First lounge for our onward flight to Milan later that morning.

[bombayteddy]

There IS a First Class round-trip fare BOM-DPS-BOM via SIN. If I have paid that fare, why should I not be allowed access to the First Class lounge at Changi en route to DPS, regardless of whether the airline offers a First Class cabin or not?

[Gin&Tonic]

If there is a first class rountrip fare why are you not more concerned that you dont have a first class seat in the first class cabin?

[bombayteddy]

Because, Barnes, there is NO First Class cabin on the SIN-DPS-SIN sectors. No problem on BOM-SIN-BOM though!

[Gin&Tonic]

Exactly so you can’t have what you haven’t paid for!

[bombayteddy]

Dear Barnes, it may be a good idea if you took the trouble to actually READ a post and the ensuing discussion, before responding.

[Inquisitive]

Dear BombayTeddy – I believe other contrubuters are right. What you believe a first class ticket, it could be actually a combined first/business ticket. The detail in the ticket (including e-ticket) will state that (J or C for that sector). If not, and your ticket is truly first all the way, you could write directly to SQ for compensation – not only for refund for the Sin-Bali sector, also for your harrasment for not able to use first class. Just another info – I use Changi SQ First and Business lounge regularly in both T2 and T3 – there is not much difference in facilities between the two except more privacy and cooked food by chefs at some times of the day. You did not missed much.

[drefanhk]

It simply does not make sense if you had paid for a first class fare for a flight which did not have a first class cabin. You should have taken the matter up with your travel agent and/or SQ. Why just insisted on gaining access to the first class lounge? You should demand to be put on a flight with first class cabin. You obviously knew too well that you were on business class between SIN and DPS. You only wanted something for nothing. Shame on you indeed. You are just as bad as those passengers who paid for the lowest economy class fare and demanded to be upgraded to business or first class for no valid reason at all.

[bombayteddy]

My, my….such cyber-aggression!! I dont know whether to be amused or alarmed. When I raised this issue, I had no idea it would cause such a storm in a teacup. In any case, what I have said before is, in fact, the truth. And for the benefit of those with a limited understanding of English and/or an inclination to make high-handed, half-baked judgements, I shall repeat myself: I paid for a FIRST CLASS return-ticket (NOT a combo F/J fare, which is quite different) from Bombay to Denpasar via Singapore; but was not allowed to use the First Class lounge at Changi because my outbound flight to DPS was in the J class cabin (since there was no First Class on the plane) and I was asked to use the J class lounge instead. For the record, I intend to find out from SQ whether their policies re lounge-usage are still the same or have now changed….so until then, be patient and be nice!

[Gin&Tonic]

Dont give up on us now. I have checked the SQ web site and called its passenger reservations, they do not have a first class product on the route, so you have been ripped off by someone!!!

[VintageKrug]

Does seem like you should have been allowed access.

But lounge access rules can often be unclear or incnsistent.

Fly on a First Class ticket in the US, and unless you are connecting to an international flight with taht same carrier, you will often be denied access to the lounge (unless you have Club membership, or eleite status in the alliance’s frequent flyer scheme.

[CrazyCanuck]

Hi Bombayteddy,

it seems you have been ripped off. I flew this route a couple of months ago for the ADB annual meeting and there is no first class on SQ or Malaysian. Its purely a business class offering with business class lounge access.

Think you need to have a chat with your ticket provider.

[Author]

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