Singapore Airlines website - krisflyer both MASSIVE FAIL

[the lynx]

I dealt with this last year when I booked tickets by silk air for my wife and mom-in law.

This actually varies case to case basis and it would be mentioned on your ticket. In my case I didnt have to do anything, but otherwise, you will have to go to their counter and get your credit card verified( you can do this several days in advance before the journey) and after that your dad can board on his own, without any issues. Contact the airline. Google wont help

Actually what I meant was that I Googled every airline I know or frequently use. So far:

1. SIA: Yes
2. MAS: Not mentioned
3. Thai Airways: Yes
4. Cebu Pacific Airways: Yes but not enforced (from my experience)
5. Jetstar: Yes (starting from November bookings)
6. Air Asia: Not mentioned

(the daddy bit is a joke but I'm sure that it is common for non-travelling cardholders book tickets on behalf of passengers)

[Callput]

In case of silkair although it is mentioned in their website that if card holder not travelling then need to get it verified, it didnt apply in my case, dont know why, thats why I said case to case basis.

[nakatago]

In case of silkair although it is mentioned in their website that if card holder not travelling then need to get it verified, it didnt apply in my case, dont know why, thats why I said case to case basis.

Oh wow. That just negates the point of asking for a one-time password when transacting with the credit card then! Or if needed to go to the ticket office, also the point of giving the convenience of booking online!

[zzm9980]

Speaking of that, is it true that you must present the credit card used to purchase your tickets at check-in? Or else you will be denied boarding and you have to purchase new tickets?

I kept Googling about it but there is nothing solid. This thing is making me nervous, what if I don't have a credit card and my daddy buys my tickets for me?

/jest

If you book online with a CC, and it presents the second factor bank verfication (the Verified by Visa or Mastercard Securecode page), then you're not supposed to need it. About five or six times I haven't. But one time I did, even though I wasn't supposed to. If you book by phone, you will definitely need it. The only other option is to go to their office (Orchard iON, or the closest Airport if not in Singapore) and fill out a form indemnifying them.

Or, use Tiger or Air Asia (depending where you're going). They don't request the card for sure.

edit: and woah, new non-Daria avatar threw me off!

[carteki]

The verification of the credit card holder if not the travelling passenger has been around for a long time. Never seen it enforced, apart from my last flight on Emirates.
What you will need is a picture of the card - front and back and a letter from the card holder stating that they have booked that ticket for you (at a minimum) the individual airline websites will give you more info.

About the SQ booking problems - there seems to be a problem with the mastercard/visa secure code verification. As I use another card I don't experience this problem. Have you tried another browser - chrome or firefox?

[the lynx]

edit: and woah, new non-Daria avatar threw me off!

I've decided on brandishing an oversized mallet over sardonic sarcasm as weapon of choice

[zzm9980]

edit: and woah, new non-Daria avatar threw me off!

I've decided on brandishing an oversized mallet over sardonic sarcasm as weapon of choice

As long as you don't go with Knives Chau and being obnoxious as your weapon. Plenty of her in SG already!

[Shellie_h]

I had issues before Christmas with online bookings. I booked my flight, but when I got to the final page, an error message came up saying something along the lines of the booking had failed. Tried again and same thing happened. Called them instead, and found I had two flights booked.

So, if you are booking flights online with them and you get that message come up it's best to call them

[Mi Amigo]

The interesting thing is how they are so used to people calling and telling them that the website went t!ts up when trying to make a booking, etc. The last two occasions when I've tried to make redemption bookings online the system failed (no surprise there). After calling the reservations centre they automatically gave me the 'online booking discount' without me having to ask for it.

The SQ website is truly a triumph of (albeit not very good) style over functionality.

[Steve1960]

All this and some! I travel very frequently with Singapore Airlines on business and have experienced everything that has been mentioned here at some point. It really is poor and has been hugely frustrating at times.

Prior to relocating here I predominantly travelled with Virgin Atlantic out of the UK. Great web site, in fact great everything in my experience.

[movingtospore]

What browser are you using? If it is IE, make sure you have the latest, i.e. IE 8, it may not work well with the older versions.

The issue is much bigger than that!! For a year and a half since SQ implemented its new website there have been serious issues with regards booking and paying. Recently, since an enhancement, it got even worse.

I try to do the very basics on the website, but even then in the last month I have had to spend probably an hour or more on the phone trying to resolve very basic issues.......ones that AirAsia, Tiger, Jet* and all other CHEAP airlines do in their sleep.

SQ now can't even get their button graphics to line up straight anymore.

Has anybody been held accountantable? In typical Singapore style, not bloody likely!

Since I don't appreciate snorting out an arm and a leg to fly with these muppets more than I have to, the bulk of my flights have been on Swiss, Thai and Asiana where service is all exemplory. I even fly Garuda to Indonesia now, which I didn't before, because the price difference is unjustifiable.

My guess is they've been running around trying to figure out who to blame instead of trying to solve the problem.

[aster]

How can a world class airline have such an abortion of a website? It's not getting better - it's getting worse! I don't want animantions and fancying spinning arrows - I want the old one back!

Well, we're all SOL on this one.

[ScoobyDoes]

My guess is they've been running around trying to figure out who to blame instead of trying to solve the problem.

Don't think anybody's been fired over it certainly, but that is quite typical here, yet we're rolling up to the second anniversary of when the headaches began.

I don't do FB but is it true they still say 'Please send us details of the error and we'll try to rectify it?' or some such thing, like they still are in amazement that something went wrong?

I made a booking last week, payment still failed. Fingers crossed for another I need to make this week but I don't hold out hope. If SQ wasn't the only *A carrier flying to HK I think I would be with somebody else (and before anybody else says it, I don't regard getting up at 3am to catch a UA flight as any sort of option).

I already switched to take Asiana to Korea, Thai to Bangkok and Swiss/Turkish/Thai to Europe so in reality SQ only gets HK from me. I even sacrifice miles etc. flying Garuda to Jakarta because booking is easier ( ) and prices are so much better.

[offshoreoildude]

My guess is they've been running around trying to figure out who to blame instead of trying to solve the problem.

Don't think anybody's been fired over it certainly, but that is quite typical here, yet we're rolling up to the second anniversary of when the headaches began.

I don't do FB but is it true they still say 'Please send us details of the error and we'll try to rectify it?' or some such thing, like they still are in amazement that something went wrong?

I made a booking last week, payment still failed. Fingers crossed for another I need to make this week but I don't hold out hope. If SQ wasn't the only *A carrier flying to HK I think I would be with somebody else (and before anybody else says it, I don't regard getting up at 3am to catch a UA flight as any sort of option).

I already switched to take Asiana to Korea, Thai to Bangkok and Swiss/Turkish/Thai to Europe so in reality SQ only gets HK from me. I even sacrifice miles etc. flying Garuda to Jakarta because booking is easier ( ) and prices are so much better.

I've switched to Jetstar for Singapore to Bkk and QF for my Australian flights to specifically avoid booking online with SQ. When I have to use SQ I now use an old fashioned travel agent - for $30 on my expenses I avoid that abortion of a dick sucking website.

[offshoreoildude]

How can a world class airline have such an abortion of a website? It's not getting better - it's getting worse! I don't want animantions and fancying spinning arrows - I want the old one back!

Well, we're all SOL on this one. I went from being KrisFlyer Gold down to Silver down to basic blue level due to this as I've stopped purchasing tickets with them.

Of course you are fully aware that nobody would ever admit that the website decisions and changes were a shambles and a huge mistake. All you will see is the attitude of pretending that nothing bad ever happened and that all changes are coming along nicely...

Yes I don't think I'll make Gold this year for the same reason.