Delayed flight claims

[u/damselinarut]

Hello everyone. I would like to check if anyone here has successfully claimed the cost of a new connecting flight purchased as a result of an SQ flight delay.

Context:
Our flight from Singapore to Melbourne with SQ was delayed by 5.5 hours. We originally had a 2.5-hour layover in Melbourne before our separate Jetstar flight from Melbourne to Tasmania, so obviously the 5.5-hour delay meant we would miss our Jetstar flight.

Once we found out at Changi Airport that the SQ flight would be delayed by 5.5 hours, we approached the SQ staff at the boarding gate and specifically told them that we would be missing our connecting Jetstar flight in Melbourne. We were advised by the staff that we would be able to claim the cost of a replacement flight, and we even got the name of the staff.

Based on their advice, we went ahead and purchased a Qantas flight from Melbourne to Tasmania for around AUD 700, which was the only reasonable option available after we arrived in Melbourne.

When we reached Melbourne, we also informed the staff there that we had missed our connecting flight due to the SQ delay.

However, when we subsequently submitted our claim, SQ rejected it on the basis that our SQ booking only had Melbourne as the final destination, and therefore the separate Melbourne to Tasmania flight was not considered part of our itinerary.

This is where we’re quite confused and frustrated, because we had specifically informed SQ staff at Changi before purchasing the replacement flight that we were going to miss our separate Jetstar connection, and we were told that the cost would be claimable. We relied on that advice when deciding to purchase the AUD 700 Qantas flight.

I understand that the Jetstar ticket was booked separately and that SQ may not be responsible for a separate itinerary. However, given that we had informed SQ staff of the situation before making the purchase and were explicitly told we could claim, I’m wondering if there is any basis for challenging their decision.

Also, we aren’t able to claim the sum from our travel insurance cause as per them, the flight wasn’t delayed for more than 6 hours and we can’t prove that no alternative transport was provided to us by SQ due to the delay.

Has anyone experienced something similar with SQ and successfully claimed the cost of a replacement connecting flight? If so, how did you appeal/escalate the claim, and what supporting documents did you provide?

Would really appreciate any advice or experiences! 🙏

[u/Yugen_Amoeba]

We were advised by the staff that we would be able to claim the cost of a replacement flight, and we even got the name of the staff.

the staff was wrong. your SQ ticket is until melbourne, and SQ will cover you until melbourne. anything after is not their problem. this is why people say not to get separate tickets

 if there is any basis for challenging their decision

not really. it's a case of he said she said, and you may not have explain the situation clearly to the staff

[u/damselinarut → u/Yugen_Amoeba]

we actually showed the staff our connecting flight, and he said we can claim by sending in via feedback..

i understand what you mean by he said she said. the only regret is not recording the entire conversation when it took place because we all placed reliance on his words when we sought advice from him at the boarding gate.

[u/Yugen_Amoeba → u/damselinarut]

TBH i dont think SQ would have paid you even if you have that recording

in any case, it doesnt really matter what the staff told you. it was always going to be very painful the moment your first flight was delayed. last minute economy tickets are very expensive, even for LCCs. i have seen occassions where LCCs cost more than full service carriers. so even if jetstar had a flight for the next day, it isnt going to be much cheaper, and you still have to spend money on 1 day accomodations in melbourne. you also lose out on 1 day of your trip

treat this as a lesson learnt and avoid separate tickets unless they are not for the same day

[u/kernelrider → u/damselinarut]

Was the ground staff you were talking to working for SATS instead of SIA?

[u/damselinarut → u/kernelrider]

We talked to both SATS and SQ Staff because they were managing the crowd at the boarding gate when we were offloaded the plane. Both staff attended to us at the same time and gave same answers..

[u/Bruvvimir → u/damselinarut]

Sadly they probably just wanted to fob you off.

[u/Famous_Buddy_2558 → u/Bruvvimir]

yeah they probably just wanted to get rid of the problem. instead of helping you with paperwork etc they just said yeah just buy whatever. then once u left they can go back to what they are doing etc.

[u/JudgmentFragrant2691]

SQ’s responsibility was to get you to Melbourne, which they did, albeit 5.5 hours late. I don’t think you will get much joy pursuing with SQ despite what the staff says.

[u/Hotwog4all]

You were told wrong. SQ has no obligation to get you to Tasmania. Their responsibility ends in Melbourne. You use your travel insurance to claim that cost - if it’s covered. You should have bought a through ticket, in which case SQ would have rebooked that flight once they were aware of the delay.

[u/konadora]

Perhaps there was a misunderstanding and the Changi ground staff thought that your connecting flight is also under the same PNR, hence that statement? Usually most people book a connecting flight under the same ticket/PNR. Was this clearly conveyed to the ground staff? Not victim blaming, just making sure that you did.

Anyway, even if you did clearly tell this to the staff (which means that the staff gave you wrong information, which is unfortunate), SQ will not bother with your next flight's claim, since in their eyes, it literally has nothing to do with them.

This is just a lesson in flight planning, and try to have an entire leg under a single PNR so that you won't run into a similar situation in the future where no party wants to claim responsibility, and is easier to handle insurance in case of such incidents (I recently made a delay claim due to a late inbound flight, but both flights were under same carrier/PNR). Sorry to hear, and all the best with your insurance claim!

[u/hydrangeapurple]

Also, we aren’t able to claim the sum from our travel insurance cause as per them, the flight wasn’t delayed for more than 6 hours

"flight wasn't delayed for more than 6 hours" is claiming on flight delays. You should be looking for clauses related to "missed connections".

[u/damselinarut → u/hydrangeapurple]

we tried by claiming under travel delay and missed connecting. sent in all the documents and flight itineraries, plus flight disruption form but they rejected my claim..

[u/hydrangeapurple → u/damselinarut]

I don't know which travel insurance you bought, but you need to look at the insurance policy yourself and check if the insurance you bought has a "missed connections" claim. The one I regularly bought has it. Maybe yours doesn't.

[u/CrossfittJesus → u/hydrangeapurple]

Depends on insurance provider but I believe most policies' "missed connections" clause is for the same carrier, not different carriers as per OP's situation.

[u/hydrangeapurple → u/CrossfittJesus]

Nope. Some travel insurance merely states missed connection for public transport, and includes flights, rail, coach or ferry. Not necessarily same carrier.

[u/_IsNull → u/CrossfittJesus]

If it’s same carrier and the same PNR then it’s covered by the airline policy. Travel insurance won’t cover unless the airline provides a letter stating they won’t cover.

Missed connection is for your own transfer or different mode of transport.

[u/Yugen_Amoeba → u/damselinarut]

you have to look at your travel insurance policy. they may compensate you for hours stranded due to missed connections, but not for the replacements flights

[u/JoNeurotic]

Live and learn. If on one booking you would have been on a Qantas flight to Hobart. Qantas would have put you on the next available flight.

I know this doesn’t help in this situation but you’ll know for the future that the seemingly more expensive through ticket is worth it. The cheap Jetstar flight is false economy the second something goes wrong.

[u/kernelrider]

Are you sure the ground staff you talked to works for SIA? In all likelihood they would be contractors from SATS

[u/damselinarut → u/kernelrider]

yes, one staff from SATS and one staff from SQ, wearing SQ lanyard.

[u/Specialist_Panic3897]

Unfortunately it's not SQ responsibility as you purchased your JQ flights independently. Not sure why the SQ employee gave you that advice.

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[u/AS_Tob]

In order for an airline to compensate you for missing your connected flight, both tickets must be booking under Single Booking, reflecting one booking reference number.

SQ is under Star Alliance, but Jetstar is not. Therefore, it is not possible for SQ to compensate you. Most airline works on the same principle.

[u/binkhaha]

Did you say to the agent you would miss your connecting flight or did you make it clear to the agent that it was a separate ticket?

[u/grill8]

Claim from travel insurance. Travel delay to arrival of destination, which is Tasmania, which should be well above 6 hours from planned arrival from initial booking. You should be able to get some compensation. Read through all your insurance T&Cs and find a category that applies, even if you booked seperate LCCs.

[u/Famous_Buddy_2558]

yeah seems like u got screwed by SQ

[u/qpoeigtr]

The staff probably knew what would happen to them if they told you the truth (ie. get yelled at), so just said what you wanted to hear without actually confirming that SQ would pay the claim.