There is something really odd about the conduct of the Singapore Airlines controlled low fare carrier Tiger Airways in Australia.
Singapore Airlines sells low fares too, but goes out of its way to reward its customers in terms of service.
Tiger Airways seems to have a culture of being evasive, tricky, unreliable and contemptuous of its customers. The antithesis of its major shareholder.
The latest addition to the genre of ‘Hell Trips with Tiger’ appeared in the Tips section of Crikey today.
We just flew home with Tiger Airlines last night from the Gold Coast (Coolangatta). We had booked an extra seat as we have a baby (he is six-months-old). On the website it states if you want a seat for an infant you have to pay for it — so we did as instructed (I was going to be breast feeding and just wanted a little privacy). We were told when arriving to check-in that we had to pay for each of his baby items as he is an adult and has an adult ticket. Whereas Tiger lists on its website:
Infant equipment, including but not limited to prams, buggies, cots and car seats can be carried in the hold of the aircraft. Tiger Airways is prepared to carry such items on a “Limited Release” (i.e. entirely “at your own risk” for damage or delay) basis for free. You may therefore wish to ensure that you have suitable private insurance cover in force for such item.
My son had a normal seat and is now considered an adult. So they do not need to take any items. I was then told at Coolangatta by the manager that it is only one infant item per child. But still then he charged me for each item as there was over 20 kilos as we had a porter cot, a car seat and a pram. They wanted to charge up $15 per kilo. He then decided he would “do us a favour” and log it as sporting items and only charge us $30 per item. By this stage I was furious and upset.
The manager then told us Head Office is in Melbourne and if we wanted to we could take it up with them. When we arrived in Melbourne we went to the main Tiger building and asked a girl where the customer service desk is. We were told they do not have one, but if we would wait around say 10 -20 minutes someone would be able to help us. We were then told at Melbourne airport we shouldn’t have been charged BUT she couldn’t refund us and to contact Tiger.
So this morning I’ve called and was told that Tiger couldn’t help me. I asked where I could speak or see someone face to face and was told there is no one I can talk to here in Australia. I was told a manger from Head Office Singapore will call me that was at 11:36am.
We will never fly with them again.
Tiger has been invited to comment in detail on this incident on ‘Plane Talking.
Vanessa Regan, Consumer Communications Manager, Tiger Airways replies:-
Tiger Airways has a unique operating model to enable it to offer consistently low fares across Australia.
Similar to airlines world-over, customers pay to occupy a seat and the terms and conditions of buying the seat apply.
Tiger Airways’ infant policy states that we do allow the option to purchase an infant ticket to sit on a caregiver’s lap for a standard charge of $27.27 (which covers taxes and charges) across all routes which includes allowance for a stroller or car seat for the baby to be carried on board, free of charge.
In this instance, the customer chose to purchase a ticket for the infant to occupy a seat (and not sit on her lap) and as such, the associated luggage policy applied.
When the advice was given to the customer at Melbourne Airport, it is possible that all the circumstances weren’t accurately conveyed or fully understood.
Tiger Airways apologises to this customer for the misunderstanding and recommends that all travelers check the terms and conditions and luggage allowances associated with the ticket before purchase.
12 Comments
Yeah, but they’re cheap!
They might be cheap it doesn’t mean they have the right to give poor customer service.. As for Vanessa Regan, Consumer Communications Manager- It’s amazing how fast she could reply on here.. Yet I am sure the member is still waiting for tiger airline to still get in contact.. I also fine it interesting that it is now only restricted to 1 item per child.. If the truth be known tiger has only recently changed all luggage allowances and policies.. The are other people who have flown with this airline and have had no issues having a seat for there child and also getting to bring in car seats and also a pram.. and they were not charged.. So in all fact this customer not only paid extra money for a seat for her child.. She also got charged more money for her baby items..
I had a bad experience with Tiger recently. Their online booking service wasn’t working & their phone line was always engaged. Finally, one day at work I got through and booked a flight for my daughter to fly back to Melbourne after visiting me in Canberra. I wrote the booking ref down but lost it. I wasn’t worried because I thought the emailed confirmation to my daughter would provide it. The day before the flight my daughter told me she’d never received the email. We tried to call Tiger (what a joke) at least 30-40 times before the flight. Then, several hours before the flight, the flught “dropped off” the website. My daughter didn’t know whether it had been cancelled and did not want to pay a $50 taxi fare to the airport to find it had been. Tiger’s phones are always engaged. I even sent them several faxes that morning asking them to contact my daughter or I urgently about the flight. They never did and so my daughter didn’t go to the airport and I booked her a later flight with Qantas instead. I sent Tiger Airways a letter asking them to refund the fare. No response. Surprise, surprise. An airline that you can’t contact is these circumstances is not worth travelling with
Odd indeed. I flew with Tiger from Perth to Singapore a couple of years ago. The flight was cancelled at the last moment when we were in the boarding lounge and we flew the next day. No help for non Perth residents who had checked out of their accommodation. Another passenger told me the secret of contacting Tiger – don’t even think of calling their Australian numbers. Use the Singapore numbers. I tries that and it worked but wouldn’t guarantee that it always will. As for the Tiger representative’s comment that the passenger who bought a seat for the baby should have checked the rules and conditions – how would you do that with an airline you can’t contact?
Well contrast this with Jetstar.
Family left an ipod on a flight in seat pocket.
Tried in vain to get some assistance to find it 15 minutes after plane took off.
The only point of contact is the call centre or Jetstart HQ in Melb.
Spend a considerable amount of time over the following 3 days trying to locate the ipod, the next port of call for the airplane and any central lost property register.
Wrote letter seeking assistance with the hunt.
Several weeks later
Received a letter back saying it would be up to 8 weeks before someone could answer my letter (pro forma).
Several weeks later received letter from customer service manager pointing out that they are not responsible for lost items.
Suggest I claim on travel or house insurance and have a good day.
Wrote back asking for assistance in locating the ipod (i still think given the choice most people would hand in the ipod ) after all they have the name of the person sitting in the seat , the chief purser on the flight , the aircrafts next point of call ….
That letter was posted in late December – to date no reply.
I suppose the ipod is snuggled up with it’s new “owner” however the question that I would like answered is – why does an organisation as big as jetstart not have a central lost property register easily accessable to staff so they can either log lost/found items.
I am of the belief that jetstar are in breach of several laws (in several states) regarding Lost/Found property.
So Jetstart what do you do with the lost and found items handed in – after all it is your staff who service the aircraft and get it ready for the next lot of customers and don’t tell us that they don’t find anything – we all lose things on aircraft when traveling.
Come on Jetstar fess up – you don’t have a Lost/Found policy do you.
Tas flyer
Ok they are cheap but If this is the best Singapore Airlines can do to get Domestic Access in Australia They should be ashamed
I’m to fly Tiger at the moment with an infant, very confusing. The above infant baggage quote is actually from the thai-english website. They look exactly the same and it is what you will get if you try to find tigers policy by googling. Almost tripped me up.
I waited 25min on phone, she said she was reading of the Aus web site (I was very specific in my questioning) That 1 item for infant ie pram, car seat, portacot for free. I didn’t beleive her as I had gone over Tigers web site with a fine toothe comb. But I took her word for it, hung up and checked. Guess what! She was making it up. There is nothing on infant equipment on the Australian web site.
So I rang back waited an hour. Next guy agreed with the first except that it is a new policy and not on the web. I stated I was worried about getting stuffed around at the front desk and wanted contact details so I could prove that there was indeed an infant item policy. He said to ring back and get a note on the booking from the call centre about free item.
Okay. happy now i went ahead and booked the tickets.
Rang back to get note put on. Only waited 16 minutes this time after 5 line busy tries. This girl said no. The only free item is a pram. Friggin hell, i specifically stated car seat to the first 2 assistants and they said it was ok.
Now i guess the car seat is checked luggage, hope i dont get told it bulky equipment or something stupid like that and have to pay extra.
60$ extra and what do you get? I’m only flying tiger (first time) because it seems Virgin have either sold out or stopped thier direct adelaide/hobart flights.
I havent even left the ground yet and already it has been frustrating.
I have had to listen to this atleat 200 times
“Tiger Airways Australia is based out of terminal 4 at melbourne airport, only a short walk from the main terminal building and operates a fleet of brand new of Airbus A320 aircraft. We offer consistently low fares for travel within Australia. Be sure to check out our flight combination journeys into various countries in Asi,a such as Singapore, Vietnam, China, Thailand, India and the philipines. Please note that our check in counter closes 45minutes before departure. Its important that you complete check in procedures before that. For more information on our flights and services and fore the latest promotions, please refer to our website at http://www.tigerairways.comThankyou for holding, our reservation agent will be with you shortly.”
Just what I want to hear for 1hour straight every 40sec while waiting on the phone.
I want to see all Low Cost Carriers banned in this country. I want to go back to the good old days of having the Qantas, Ansett duopoly with the dearest domestic airfares in the world. Then none of us will have any problems as we will not be able to afford to fly.
It just breaks my heart what these poor people have been thru on these low cost carriers. .
The article above paints an unfortunate story, however, she has only to blame herself. She clearly misunderstood the terms and conditions of the tickets and which ticket was applicable to her infant. Unfortunately, low cost airlines can only provide such cheap tickets with “no frills”. If the lady wanted better service, she should have chosen Quantas, where by you pay for the better quality service.
Have no illusions, flying with a low-cost airline doesn’t mean you’ll have the same benefits as someone flying with a more expensive carrier. There’s a reason why they are cheap. Although they charge extra fees (in which, so do carriers like Jet Star an Virgin Blue) Tiger Airways still remain the cheapest.
I’m sorry for the people who didn’t read the fine print, perhaps you’ll learn that your expectations don’t dictate what service you will receive. Wake up and realise the real world isn’t just your back yard.
Stop complaining and be happy that you have the privilege of “flying” to your destination. Our grandparents never had such a luxury and even today, most of the world’s population do not have access to a serviceable airport.
I’m quoting someone who said the following. Ask yourself this, did you not partake in the miracle of human flight? Did you not soar through the skies impossibly? Oh I’m sorry you had to pay for it. Maybe someone ought to go back in time and tell the Wright brothers not to have even bothered making their plane.