Singapore Airlines business class seats sold at economy rates due to computer error

SINGAPORE — Hundreds of travellers thought they had snapped up the deal of a lifetime when they purchased business class seats on Singapore Airlines (SIA) at economy rates. But SIA had said that the price was due to a computer error and the travellers will only be eligible to fly on economy class with their existing tickets.

News Corp Australia Network reported today (Dec 4) that around 900 business class airfares on SIA were sold at economy prices between last Saturday and Monday. A report from the Sydney Morning Herald said that tickets originally costing S$6,615 were sold for as little as S$3,860.

A SIA spokesperson told News Corp Australia Network that the error had occurred after the airline recently reassigned a booking subclass originally designated to economy class bookings to be used for business class bookings from Dec 8.

A small number of Australian travel agents then sold the tickets against this reassigned business class subclass, at an economy class fare level, said the spokesperson.

“The airfare conditions for the fare clearly stated that it was only valid for economy class travel,” the spokesperson added.

The error was eventually noticed by Australian travel agent Flight Centre. A Flight Centre spokesman told News Corp Australia Network that the company immediately notified SIA and the problem was rectified on Monday.

“The fare showed up in the booking system that online and bricks and mortar travel agents use as a business class fare, although it was also listed as economy in the fare rules — hence our messages to the airline over the weekend,” he said.

“We have a good relationship with Singapore Airlines and will continue to talk to its management team in Australia to hopefully ensure a good outcome for our customers who have been affected.”

SIA said it will not be absorbing the price difference. “We have advised our travel agents of various options available to customers, including paying the difference to our lowest Business Class fare, travelling in Economy Class on the booked ticket, refunding the difference between the fare charged and our lead in Economy Class fares, or offering a full refund,” a spokesperson was quoted as saying.

Sources: News Corp Australia Network, Sydney Morning Herald