Singapore Air backing out of refunds?

[danielc]

Original Ticket PER-SIN-SFO Y Return + 2 Seat Selections Apr15-30

April 9th - requested refund via online form and received auto-confirmation.

May 28th - Received 3 emails (one for ticket and two for seat selections) along with attached Refund Notice PDFs issued by Singapore Airlines Sydney Ticket Office. As others have already stated, email indicates refund within 4 to 6 weeks.

 

[onlycopunk]

Finally received refund notification email with PDF. I forgot how cheap these tickets actually were. Glad I don’t have pay any fare difference for a future flights.

 

[Melburnian1]

Glad I don’t have pay any fare difference for a future flights.

That's the problem with 'travel credits' that so many airlines like Qantas want travellers to have, rather than refunds that mean a hit to an airline's cashflow.

There's no guarantee that fares won't be 20 or30 per cent more, or even above that, should you want in time to undertake a similar trip.

Well done for obtaining a refund.

 

[Melburnian1]

I don't understand the 'laughing', but I'm happy with my success in getting my cash back, without going through the card issuer. As I've posted on other threads, I HAVE had adverse consequences from an overseas airline after a charge-back (instigated in error by the card issuer).

RooFlyer, as these blogs are hard to search, can you either quickly summarise which airline and what occurred that was adverse, or alternatively if you can find it, provide a link to one of your posts that previously went into greater detail?

I know others who've used chargebacks and been successful, and then used the same airline without trouble at a later time.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Emails received on two award bookings today stated that :

	Dear Sir/Madam, Attached in this email is the Refund Notice for your ticket / voucher / EMD. You will receive the refund within 4 to 6 weeks, to allow time for the banks to carry out the necessary processes for payment.

The notice has the flight details and states the amount refunded: ie 166.03 AUD

Points for bot Awards were back in my account today.


Departures were to be on 2 April and 9th April 2020.


Note when I cancelled I received an email confirming that my booking was cancelled and that frees would be funded.



However my wife's booking made at the same time and on the same date as my 2nd April Booking has yet to receive the payment email and points back.

Update: Money now refunded too.

Email and points receive on Monday 25th May.

Refund on credit card showing as Thursday 28th May.

 

[RooFlyer]

RooFlyer, as these blogs are hard to search, can you either quickly summarise which airline and what occurred that was adverse, or alternatively if you can find it, provide a link to one of your posts that previously went into greater detail?

I know others who've used chargebacks and been successful, and then used the same airline without trouble at a later time.

OK: Avianca LifeMiles. I did an Award booking, which incurred some taxes etc. Avianca did a $1 charge, I don't know why, but CitiBank thought it looked like a fraud taster, so blocked it. I told them it was OK, and they reversed it same day, and then the regular charge went through.

Avianca then 'suspended' or 'cancelled' my ticket, for doing the charge back, depending on who I talked with. Even when I supplied a letter from Citibank saying what THEY did, and that there was no problem going forward, LifeMiles kept the ticket 'suspended' "pending investigation". This went on for months. With no resolution in sight, I booked the route using other points and essentially wrote off the LifeMiles ticket. They eventually 'de-suspended it' (maybe 8 months later) and I managed to get the points back.

LifeMiles quite explicitly said that the action was taken because I did a charge-back and they ignored the fact that the bank took responsibility for it.

I'm not saying that this will happen often, and I wouldn't expect SQ to do it (and if they did, they would be more reasonable), but it was a scary experience and I'm very selective now on when I do a charge-back.

 

[danielc]

Original Ticket PER-SIN-SFO Y Return + 2 Seat Selections Apr15-30

April 9th - requested refund via online form and received auto-confirmation.

May 28th - Received 3 emails (one for ticket and two for seat selections) along with attached Refund Notice PDFs issued by Singapore Airlines Sydney Ticket Office. As others have already stated, email indicates refund within 4 to 6 weeks.

May 31st - Money received in bank account.

Total time to receive refund: 7+ weeks. Considering the situation, I believe this to be a reasonable timeframe.

 

[onlycopunk]

I realised to through add another layer of complexity, I’ve since received a new card to that of the one the original purchase was made. Hopefully the bank can link this somehow?

 

[Melburnian1]

I realised to through add another layer of complexity, I’ve since received a new card to that of the one the original purchase was made. Hopefully the bank can link this somehow?

My experience with NAB is that this is never a problem, as its software will link the new and previous card.

 

[Melburnian1]

This article from 'The Weekend Australian' of 13-14 June 2020 may help those angling for a refund or requesting that their bank initiate a chargeback:


'The ban on Australians travelling overseas has been quietly extended for a further three months, to September 17, but exemptions will be made should nations be deemed safe.
Australia’s ban on international departures was due to run for three months from March 18 to June 17, but was extended without fanfare on May 15 for a further three months.

This means Australians cannot travel overseas before September 17, although a Health Department spokesman said this would not prevent proposed travel “bubbles” with New Zealand or other nations that have COVID-19 under control.

“The human biosecurity emergency is currently in force until September 17, 2020 — it was extended on May 15, 2020, for a further three months to ensure the Australian government continues to have an appropriate range of powers available to manage the ongoing pandemic response,” the spokesman said.

“The outgoing travel restriction on Australian citizens and permanent residents is currently in effect for the duration of the emergency period.

“Amending these restrictions, for example to enable travel to NZ, is a decision for both governments that will be made in due course, when the public health risk is assessed as being sufficiently safe. The Australian and New Zealand governments continue to work together on this matter.”

Confirmation of the extended travel ban is bad news for those keen to chance an overseas break. However, it is good news for those wanting to cancel holidays abroad booked between June 17, when the ban was due to end, and September 17, when it now expires...'