Relax - Tiger to cancel Kinabalu-S'pore flights

Relax

News

Article

A HAPPY occasion has gone awry for Ms Magdalene Lee.

The 29-year-old corporate-communications manager believes that her wedding has been "ruined" by budget carrier Tiger Airways.

She booked 30 tickets in May on a Tiger Airways flight from Kota Kinabalu, the capital of Malaysia’s state of Sabah, to Singapore for her wedding in November.

Her friends bought another 11 tickets from the same airline "on her recommendation".

But she then received an e-mail last month from the airline, informing her that all its flights on the Kota Kinabalu-Singapore route would be suspended from Oct 24.

She has had to appease upset relatives, scramble to buy new tickets for them and shell out a total of $4,000 more in airfares.

The move to suspend the route, which was launched in March, was made as part of a review of Tiger Airways' flight networks, its spokesman said.

As part of the same review, the carrier added more flights to Penang, Langkawi and Krabi.

The Kota Kinabalu-Singapore route is being suspended indefinitely, but it may be revived in the future if demand picks up, the spokesman said.

The carrier "regrets any inconvenience caused and will refund affected passengers on the Kota Kinabalu-Singapore flights", he added.

The airline has already started contacting those affected.

It declined to reveal the number of passengers affected by the cessation of the route, as well as the total amount of money that would be refunded.

But its offer of a refund is not enough to pacify Ms Lee, who now has to pay up to $105 more for each new ticket she bought.

She had purchased each ticket from Tiger Airways at a promotional price of $75. But, now, she has to fork out about $180 for each return ticket from two other budget carriers, AirAsia and Jetstar.

She hopes that Tiger Airways will compensate her loss.

"Some of my relatives and friends have told me that they are no longer keen to attend the wedding because rebooking their tickets would be a hassle. This is a disappointment to my family as well as my fiance’s," she said.

Tiger Airways maintains that passengers have agreed at the point of purchase that it is not liable to "compensate, reimburse or provide tickets for travel on other airlines".

AirAsia flies from Kota Kinabalu to Singapore once daily, and demand for the route has been good, said its spokesman, Ms Foo Yan Yan.

Jetstar flies four times a week between Singapore and Kota Kinabalu. It is "currently satisfied with demand and there are plans to continue promoting this service", said its spokesman, Ms Simone Pregellio.

For more my paper stories, click here.

Tiger to cancel Kinabalu-S'pore flights

By Cheryl Lim, my paper | Mon, Aug 17 2009

The carrier, however, adds more flights to Penang, Langkawi and Krabi.

Tiger to cancel Kinabalu-S'pore flights

Keywords

A HAPPY occasion has gone awry for Ms Magdalene Lee.

The 29-year-old corporate-communications manager believes that her wedding has been "ruined" by budget carrier Tiger Airways.

She booked 30 tickets in May on a Tiger Airways flight from Kota Kinabalu, the capital of Malaysia’s state of Sabah, to Singapore for her wedding in November.

Her friends bought another 11 tickets from the same airline "on her recommendation".

But she then received an e-mail last month from the airline, informing her that all its flights on the Kota Kinabalu-Singapore route would be suspended from Oct 24.

She has had to appease upset relatives, scramble to buy new tickets for them and shell out a total of $4,000 more in airfares.

The move to suspend the route, which was launched in March, was made as part of a review of Tiger Airways' flight networks, its spokesman said.

As part of the same review, the carrier added more flights to Penang, Langkawi and Krabi.

The Kota Kinabalu-Singapore route is being suspended indefinitely, but it may be revived in the future if demand picks up, the spokesman said.

The carrier "regrets any inconvenience caused and will refund affected passengers on the Kota Kinabalu-Singapore flights", he added.

The airline has already started contacting those affected.

It declined to reveal the number of passengers affected by the cessation of the route, as well as the total amount of money that would be refunded.

But its offer of a refund is not enough to pacify Ms Lee, who now has to pay up to $105 more for each new ticket she bought.

She had purchased each ticket from Tiger Airways at a promotional price of $75. But, now, she has to fork out about $180 for each return ticket from two other budget carriers, AirAsia and Jetstar.

She hopes that Tiger Airways will compensate her loss.

"Some of my relatives and friends have told me that they are no longer keen to attend the wedding because rebooking their tickets would be a hassle. This is a disappointment to my family as well as my fiance’s," she said.

Tiger Airways maintains that passengers have agreed at the point of purchase that it is not liable to "compensate, reimburse or provide tickets for travel on other airlines".

AirAsia flies from Kota Kinabalu to Singapore once daily, and demand for the route has been good, said its spokesman, Ms Foo Yan Yan.

Jetstar flies four times a week between Singapore and Kota Kinabalu. It is "currently satisfied with demand and there are plans to continue promoting this service", said its spokesman, Ms Simone Pregellio.

For more my paper stories, click here.

Related Photos & Videos

Love-hate relationship with budget airlines

Viet woman goes berserk on flight

Viet woman in spat with two men on jet

Scoot's cabin crew uniform

Readers' Comments

Only today than i know tiger air stop flying to/from Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. That is because this morning when my parent happily went to check-in and the airport staff told them the Fxxking service has been cancel, i have not received any email or sms or call from them at all above the cancellation, my parent end up have to rush to another terminal to get silkair and paid RM 1,800 for their "1" way ticket to Singapore for Chinese New Year. I hope tiger air will give me a Fxxking good reason for not sending me any cancellation notice for that, i can't imagine how if my parent can't get any flight at that point of time and we miss our reunion dinner. Singapore airline should just shut this stupid airline down for not continuing destroy their brand image.

Nic

by nicholaschung, posted on 12 02 2010, 16:42

Only today than i know tiger air stop flying to/from Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. That is because this morning when my parent happily went to check-in and the airport staff told them the Fxxking service has been cancel, i have not received any email or sms or call from them at all above the cancellation, my parent end up have to rush to another terminal to get silkair and paid RM 1,800 for their "1" way ticket to Singapore for Chinese New Year. I hope tiger air will give me a good reason for not sending me any cancellation notice for that, i can't imagine how if my parent can't get any flight at that point of time and we miss our reunion dinner. Singapore airline should just shut this stupid airline down for not continuing destroy their brand image.

Nic

by nicholaschung, posted on 12 02 2010, 16:41

Its very unfair for U pple 2 complain abt their timings, mind u... other airlines have delays and change of timing too!I still think Tiger Airways is good n hope tat it will continue their Singapore-Kota Kinabalu route once again.

by babycat28, posted on 29 10 2009, 21:54

What do you all expect??��Pay peanuts and you get monkeys.

by Robinsonpoint, posted on 18 08 2009, 09:23

Kill the tiger...change it to Cat.. i have several experience on the delay..
change of pilot... brake change... some pcbA board error...etc...
full of excuse with no complimentary drink...and all wait inside the plane from 1hr to 4hrs...!!! Beat it Cat..!!

by saggicool, posted on 17 08 2009, 21:22

Feedback

Write Your Comment

Previous

Previous

1 2 3

Next

Next

Interests

Adventure (133)
Airlines & Airports (1892)
Art & Culture (322)
Beaches (106)
Budget (47)
Family (210)
General (969)
Getaways (176)
Luxury (69)
Nature (95)
Road, rail, sea (224)
Romance (14)
Shop (86)
Stay (302)
Wine and Dine (88)
airportscan (7)

» Anything to ask about your next travel plan? Any tips to share with us? Click here to send your tips and to ask your questions!

Related Stories

I am going with my family to Nagoya, Japan, in December to...

Search Relax

the best hotel deals

into

Arrivals: Airline | Origin | Time Departures: Airline | Destination | Time

Click here for Singapore and Asia weather information. Update today.

Related Tips

"Does Jetstar provide wheelchair assistance to elderly passengers? I intend to bring my mum who is...

Copyright © 2012 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd . Co. Regn. No. 198402868E. All rights reserved.