STAR LETTER – STELLAR SERVICE

I read the “Star letter” about a passenger who unfortunately suffered a slipped disc and wrote to Singapore Airlines to see if he could change a date on a non-refundable ticket. Whilst I feel for the passenger over his medical condition, I think BT is very wrong to use this situation to highlight how Singapore Airlines became flexible and decided to change the date of a non-refundable ticket. Surely this is the reason we all buy travel insurance, to cover losses caused by medical and other situations that would otherwise cause financial loss. BT highlighting Mr Tan’s situation, is giving a message that says, forget about travel insurance, chance your luck by pleading to the airline. Maybe I am being hard, but the reality is, I pay for travel insurance to cover perils and financial consequences of illness and I do not see why airlines should make exceptions... and more importantly, why a serious travel publication highlights this…

If anyone uses the article to say to themselves, “I can save a couple of quid by not having insurance,” then they are a fool.

I used to be in the Malaysia Airlines sales and marketing offices in the US. We would receive change requests along with “stories” on a daily basis! Knowing who to believe was truly challenging. There is a reason why trip insurance is available to be purchased!

I fear you are being a bit hard Martyn. BT published what is a feel-good story highlighting a compassionate response from an airline, which is all too rare these days and makes a change from all the moans and groans we usually read about. Here is an airline that has helped a passenger at a time of need and on receiving proof did the decent thing. We don’t know all the facts and I think it was very decent of SIA to move the flight, something that likely cost them nothing but garnered a great amount of goodwill from the passenger – insurance or not.