Transit thru Changi

[ozstamps]

Last time I heard, SQ sells fully refundable airline tickets. Expensive yes, but if cancelled same day, no cost.

Change your mind on the day and you get a full refund. Even a few hours before a flight. That is why they are called 'fully refundable tickets'.

I bought a First Class MEL-SIN ticket once to guest in my very good Flyertalk friend Rudi into the SIN First Class lounge for his flight to Zurich.

All very pleasant drinking Moet or Krug etc. He left to board his flight. Then I went to the desk and said I was now planning to fly another day that I'd decide on later. No issue at all. Ticket was cancelled and fully refunded.

Very annoyed Customs guy tho, who needed to find my departure card in the box with 1000 others for that hour or two, and tear it up.

But yes, it is possible.

 

[JohnK]

So why do people want to go through Singapore when they treat foreigners like cough?
Unfortunately just about every flight out of Australia goes through Singapore, which makes it hard to avoid when travelling.

Singapore treats me just fine. I like having a break on the way to Thailand. I really don't like the 9+ hour direct flight.

P.S. When I'm airside in any international terminal I am travelling somewhere. I don't want to bend the rules by pretending to travel somewhere. That's a silly game that can have very bad consequences.

 

[ozstamps]

Unfortunately just about every flight out of Australia goes through Singapore, which makes it hard to avoid when travelling.

I have no exact figure, but my GUESS would be about 5% of all flights out of Australia go via Singapore, so this is an absurd statement.

 

[super5]

Last time I heard, SQ sells fully refundable airline tickets. Expensive yes, but if cancelled same day no cost.

Change your mind on the day and you get a full refund. Even a few hours before a flight. that is why they are called 'fully refundable tickets'.

I bought a First Class MEL-SIN ticket once to guest in my very good Flyertalk friend Rudi into the SIN First Class lounge for his flight to Zurich.

All very pleasant drinking Moet etc. Then I went to the desk and said I was now planning to fly another day that I'd decide on later. No issue. Ticket was cancelled and fully refunded.

Very annoyed Customs guy tho, who needed to find my departure card in the box with 1000 others for that hour or two, and tear it up.

But yes, it is possible.

Singapore Airlines do not have fully refundable tickets anymore, I think.
What other airline do you recommend for this?

 

[ozstamps]

Unfortunately just about every flight out of Australia goes through Singapore, which makes it hard to avoid when travelling.

I have no exact figure, but my GUESS would be about 5% of all of all flights out of Australia go via Singapore.

Post automatically merged: Jan 22, 2024

WHAT ??? Has April 1 come early?

Cancellations and refunds​

You may cancel your Singapore Airlines ticket online for a refund if you’ve purchased a ticket directly from Singapore Airlines, on a refundable fare.

If you cancel a non-refundable ticket, only the refundable taxes will be refunded. The refund will be credited to the credit/debit card used to purchase the ticket. In some instances, a cancellation/refund fee may apply. To qualify for a refund, you must cancel your ticket within the deadline stated on your booking.

If you’ve purchased a ticket for a flight to or from the USA, you may cancel your ticket without penalty within 24 hours of your booking – as long as that reservation is made one week or more before your flight departs. Contact Singapore Airlines to cancel your ticket to ensure that you get a full refund.

 

[AIRwin]

Very annoyed Customs guy tho, who needed to find my departure card in the box with 1000 others for that hour or two, and tear it up.

At least it's now electronic

 

[dajop]

So why do people want to go through Singapore when they treat foreigners like cough?

Yeh, so cough that they let you wander around freely in the transit area of the airport for some time without a boarding pass. Many countries require you to have an onward BP to pass through security from (international) arrivals to departures. At some airports (eg Delhi) reports of people stuck in holding pens for several hours waiting for an airline to issue a BP.

 

[dajop]

Last time I heard, SQ sells fully refundable airline tickets. Expensive yes, but if cancelled same day, no cost.

Actually they do now charge a cancellation fees for tickets ex-SG even on fully refundable tickets. Nevermind, Emirates don't.

 

[oz_mark]

That may happen if someone has something shady to gain by staying airside without an onward ticket. But if one has nothing to gain by doing that, and is chilling waiting for a good price to appear on an onward ticket, within the allowed 96 hours for transit, how can that lead to deportation?

Out of interest, do you have a reference for this 96 hour thing. I've taken a look and come up with other answers, all less than 96.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Can you show me where the law says having an onward ticket is required to be a transit passenger? Because from what I can see, an intention to travel to another country is enough to be a transit passenger.

TIMATIC, which is used by all checkin staff, states visitors not holding and onward or return ticket may be refused entry to Singapore.

What this means is that airlines will refuse you boarding if you don’t have an onward or return ticket, simply because they will get fined if you don’t meet those requirements.

You may say you are going to be in transit, but the checkin agent has no way to verify that. You could be attempting a one way and going to enter Singapore illegally.

Under just about every airline’s Conditions of Carriage they have the right to refuse you boarding if, in their opinion, you don’t have the right entry documents. Note that it is generally phrased ‘in their opinion’ - or words similar - meaning they don’t need to prove your intention. Not having an onward or return ticket is all the evidence they need to deny you boarding.