SQ's ops at MEL need a serious overhaul!

[shmoozy1]

Their baggage service (now conducted via Swissport, till October by Menzies Aviation) is complete garbage once you leave the customs hall. No way to get through to a human being and if by some chance you do the level of helpfulness is 0. As of yesterday at Gregorys luggage repair in Melbourne (one of two authorised centres) they are now no longer disposing of destroyed luggage taken in for assessment/repair. Gregorys are not prepared to pay the tip fees associated without being reimbursed by the airline and the airline is no longer willing to reimburse so hapless customers may get a replacement bag but have to cart away and dispose of their damaged bag as part of the price of SQ's lousy ground handling.

Please don’t misunderstand Gregory’s are great and do their best to see you leave happy with a replacement bag.
Airline policy for years was to see unrepairable luggage destroyed and they paid Gregory’s and the others to do the disposal. They now refuse to pay and hence Gregory’s insistence that you take home and dispose of the broken bags.

 

[Stealthflyer]

If waiting in the check in queues at MEL isn’t your jam, you could always fly to HBA to start your journey. Imagine walking up to the VA premium check in counter, no queue, checking in for your SQ flights through to LHR, and then straight through the queueless HBA security screening. Granted, you have to fly an extra hour and sit around the dull as dust HBA terminal for 45 mins, but hey, you don’t have to queue.

 

[Sprucegoose]

If waiting in the check in queues at MEL isn’t your jam, you could always fly to HBA to start your journey. Imagine walking up to the VA premium check in counter, no queue, checking in for your SQ flights through to LHR, and then straight through the queueless HBA security screening. Granted, you have to fly an extra hour and sit around the dull as dust HBA terminal for 45 mins, but hey, you don’t have to queue.

Love the left-field thinking here Stealthflyer!

 

[LadyC]

Update on our check-in at MEL on SQ218 overnight. Terrible layout for SQ at MEL with lines snaking all around. Had a 35 minute wait for J check-in due to one of the check-in desk computers being down.

 

[serfty]

I rarely check luggage - has OLCI recommenced for SQ flights ex Oz to Singapore?

Hoping to bypass the schemozzle ...

 

[AIRwin]

Just heard from my friend that it took her 2 hours from check-in to the boarding gate for her flight tonight...

 

[lovestotravel]

Their baggage service (now conducted via Swissport, till October by Menzies Aviation) is complete garbage once you leave the customs hall. No way to get through to a human being and if by some chance you do the level of helpfulness is 0. As of yesterday at Gregorys luggage repair in Melbourne (one of two authorised centres) they are now no longer disposing of destroyed luggage taken in for assessment/repair. Gregorys are not prepared to pay the tip fees associated without being reimbursed by the airline and the airline is no longer willing to reimburse so hapless customers may get a replacement bag but have to cart away and dispose of their damaged bag as part of the price of SQ's lousy ground handling.

Swissport is a joke

I have one piece of luggage missing from a recent trip where MEL was the final destination/coming home....

So off the plane, 4 bags came out first but the 5th bag no-where to be seen

There were about 5 announcements for people on our flight to go see the baggage counter, while we waited for luggage, which we knew wasn't a good sign.

After 1 hour, we went to the baggage counter and there was bags everywhere, at least 80 bags just sitting around, this is in addition to the other 100 or so bags that were scattered around the baggage claim area with various notes on them, some up to 2 weeks old...

A lovely lady took my baggage receipt and said "oh, we already have you on this list, your bags were not loaded in Singapore"

I asked why our name wasn't called when some others were and she just shrugged her shoulders. She said about 30 bags were not loaded in Singapore, gave us the report and said they should turn up in a few days.

I attempted to get more information from her about IF my bag was in Singapore or still in Zurich and she assured me it was in Singapore.

Called the mobile number the next day and the lady was quite helpful, but said they had no idea where my bag was and said another office will call me back later that day, of course that didn't happen.

A week later, any call attempt to the mobile number just rings and rings and then goes to a full voicemail.

So next steps ? I have seen quite a few videos where people have visited the Swissport admin office at MEL airport, so I'm thinking I'll head there next week for some actual information.

But apart from that my luggage is gone, and no Air Tag in this one.

Question:

I can claim compensation from SQ which I have no idea how much it will be AND I can also claim from my travel insurance ? Is that correct ?

 

[Sprucegoose]

Just heard from my friend that it took her 2 hours from check-in to the boarding gate for her flight tonight...

When that happens to me, there is usually a bar involved; I presume your friend was not drinking but exercising due diligence to get to her seat!

Seriously, something is rotten in the SIA operations in Melbourne and the other agencies that make up the travel experience, i.e. ABF and APAM,

 

[dajop]

Maybe something to do with specific flights where ground handler is dealing with multiple flights from different airlines?

I was on SQ 208 three weeks ago and waited just a minute or so at the J class check in , and literally nobody at security. Maybe 10 people at economy queue / bagdrop. Took 10mins from arriving to reaching lounge - most of that walking. I think I arrived at airport about 90 mins before departure. Flight was was full.

Also arriving on SQ 217 in December just had a five minute wait before luggage started coming from carousel.

 

[Peasant]

Maybe something to do with specific flights where ground handler is dealing with multiple flights from different airlines?

I was on SQ 208 three weeks ago and waited just a minute or so at the J class check in , and literally nobody at security. Maybe 10 people at economy queue / bagdrop. Took 10mins from arriving to reaching lounge - most of that walking. I think I arrived at airport about 90 mins before departure. Flight was was full.

Also arriving on SQ 217 in December just had a five minute wait before luggage started coming from carousel.

You were quite lucky, Dajop. Things have been far from good in the last few months. 40 minute departure delay on SQ 208 due to check-in issues, spent another 55 minutes in the queue for an SQ 238 and I stood next to a J queue that had at least 60 people in it for SQ 228. On the positive, MEL airport itself seems to have security and immigration screening working much better than it was.

SQ is well aware of the issues with MEL and they're working to fix them, but I suspect it'll be another few months before things are operating as smoothly as they should. To say the switch to Swissport has been painful would be an understatement.

 

[MathNerd]

It's insane to read that SQ is still having issues processing check-in at MEL from the above comments.

Do they still use that kiosk area or have they switched to agent check-in and handling? The kiosks were a massive bottleneck due to the increased complexities involved with international travel due to TIMATIC checks and the like, which kiosks just aren't designed for.

 

[Peasant]

It's insane to read that SQ is still having issues processing check-in at MEL from the above comments.

Do they still use that kiosk area or have they switched to agent check-in and handling? The kiosks were a massive bottleneck due to the increased complexities involved with international travel due to TIMATIC checks and the like, which kiosks just aren't designed for.

Agree that the kiosks are doing more harm than good. I believe they have recently removed them for SQ 238 due to low uptake. Matters aren't helped by MEL's airport layout, but obviously SQ needs to find a solution that works within these inescapable confines.

 

[Sprucegoose]

Please don’t misunderstand Gregory’s are great and do their best to see you leave happy with a replacement bag.
Airline policy for years was to see unrepairable luggage destroyed and they paid Gregory’s and the others to do the disposal. They now refuse to pay and hence Gregory’s insistence that you take home and dispose of the broken bags.

More bags in the Yarra !

 

[dajop]

You were quite lucky, Dajop. Things have been far from good in the last few months. 40 minute departure delay on SQ 208 due to check-in issues,

Don't worry, landside went smoothly, but flight didn't take off until 1 hr after it was supposed to (i.e. 70 minutes after scheduled departure). Inbound delayed 20 mins. Then had to wait 20 mins for a tug once the doors were closed. Then an inbound aircraft dropped some fluid on the runway, so it was closed for 20 mins whilst they inspected and/or cleaned up the spill.

 

[MathNerd]

Agree that the kiosks are doing more harm than good. I believe they have recently removed them for SQ 238 due to low uptake. Matters aren't helped by MEL's airport layout, but obviously SQ needs to find a solution that works within these inescapable confines.

That's right - I wonder what happend with MEL management that caused this shift from counter to kiosk check-in.
Did they in their infinite wisdom wake up one morning, then shuffle around some check-in areas, and SQ just happened to land up at the dreaded kiosk area? Or was it more a case of "It'll cost you $15,000 per flight for a counter area and $10,000 per flight for the kiosk area" and the $5,000 saving was taken (you know, bean counters can be like that)?

 

[serfty]

You were quite lucky, Dajop. Things have been far from good in the last few months. .. spent another 55 minutes in the queue for an SQ 238 and I stood next to a J queue that had at least 60 people in it for SQ 228. On the positive, MEL airport itself seems to have security and immigration screening working much better than it was.

Ugg ... on SQ238 early next month. Hand luggage only ... I wonder if OLCI will be useful.

Other than that, getting to the airport as reasonably early as possible may be the go.

 

[drron]

That's right - I wonder what happend with MEL management that caused this shift from counter to kiosk check-in.
Did they in their infinite wisdom wake up one morning, then shuffle around some check-in areas, and SQ just happened to land up at the dreaded kiosk area? Or was it more a case of "It'll cost you $15,000 per flight for a counter area and $10,000 per flight for the kiosk area" and the $5,000 saving was taken (you know, bean counters can be like that)?

I think it is SQ itself as we have the same schemozzle with kiosks in BNE. Goes with the downgrade of catering etc. They are trying the QF simpler and fairer and getting the same result. Pax are not feeling the love as much.

 

[Peasant]

I think it is SQ itself as we have the same schemozzle with kiosks in BNE. Goes with the downgrade of catering etc. They are trying the QF simpler and fairer and getting the same result. Pax are not feeling the love as much.

From what I understand, the push to self-service kiosks has come from SQ's internal transformation program, which has been in play since 2017. So yes, parallels with what AJ kicked off in 2014.

In Australia, they started with Perth and have then extended onwards to other stations. As many above have noted, it's a stretch when there are so many complicated itineraries. And cultural sensitivities too.

On the subject of catering...I don't disagree with you, but SQ has always had a relentless focus on costs, so I suppose we could never have expected they would absorb the record inflationary pressures without some impact on product.

I am aware that they are reluctant to invest more into the in-flight experience as they are predicting leaner times (ie a recession) later this year.

 

[Quickstatus]

I suspect it's the airports trying to increase throughout through their asset.

Afterall they are generally run by nominees on behalf of super funds. If you are in an industry super fund then you have a stake in the airports. My super fund has a stake directly and indirectly in the airports below:

MEL
BNE
SYD
ADL
PER

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

That's right - I wonder what happend with MEL management that caused this shift from counter to kiosk check-in.
Did they in their infinite wisdom wake up one morning, then shuffle around some check-in areas, and SQ just happened to land up at the dreaded kiosk area? Or was it more a case of "It'll cost you $15,000 per flight for a counter area and $10,000 per flight for the kiosk area" and the $5,000 saving was taken (you know, bean counters can be like that)?

Point (1). On the one hand, MEL T2 has changed a lot, in the last few years, *((they call it modernising/modernizing, we call it cost savings/cost cutting))*, so maybe partly, its too MEL APAC that has dictated certain constrains as to what SQ can do, and to save cost, SQ has also agreed to it, with their hands tied.
Point (2). On the other hand, this one is purely from inside SQ, for eg, to bear the $$$ cost, and averted the baggage handling problems, they could have kept baggage handling inhouse, and things would not wrong as bad as has been disclosed on here, but they decided to outsource.
There are 2 sides to it.