<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR>$720 air ticket costs $1,150 at airport
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->ON JAN 13, my maid's sister died. She wanted to be there for the funeral and decided to leave immediately. I called my travel agent and found the ticket price (Singapore to Kochi, India) was $720.
However, the agent was not authorised to issue a ticket for same-day travel. I was advised to try the ticketing counter at Changi Airport Terminal 2.
From Kochi, my maid had to travel by road for nine hours to reach her sister's place. She had to take the next available flight to be present during the funeral. The earliest flight was on SilkAir and was scheduled to leave at 8.45pm.
I reached the airport by 6.15pm and was shocked to learn at the SIA ticketing counter that the cost of the ticket was about $1,150. I explained that there must be some mistake and I had spoken to a travel agent who charged $720.
The officer said: 'We are from SIA and we have been advised by SilkAir to sell these tickets at this price.' As it was an emergency and we had no choice, we paid. Thankfully, my maid made her sister's funeral in time.
I find it strange that the same ticket can be priced at two different locations with a difference of more than $400.
I do not know if there is any way one can plan an 'emergency' trip in advance and buy tickets from a travel agent. Since only someone travelling because of an 'emergency' will buy tickets at the airport, the airline's policy is inconsistent here.
I am not familiar with how airlines price pickets but I understand there may be agency discounts.
Can SilkAir explain its policy, and how travellers can avoid being charged so much for emergency travel? Karl Vasu
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->ON JAN 13, my maid's sister died. She wanted to be there for the funeral and decided to leave immediately. I called my travel agent and found the ticket price (Singapore to Kochi, India) was $720.
However, the agent was not authorised to issue a ticket for same-day travel. I was advised to try the ticketing counter at Changi Airport Terminal 2.
From Kochi, my maid had to travel by road for nine hours to reach her sister's place. She had to take the next available flight to be present during the funeral. The earliest flight was on SilkAir and was scheduled to leave at 8.45pm.
I reached the airport by 6.15pm and was shocked to learn at the SIA ticketing counter that the cost of the ticket was about $1,150. I explained that there must be some mistake and I had spoken to a travel agent who charged $720.
The officer said: 'We are from SIA and we have been advised by SilkAir to sell these tickets at this price.' As it was an emergency and we had no choice, we paid. Thankfully, my maid made her sister's funeral in time.
I find it strange that the same ticket can be priced at two different locations with a difference of more than $400.
I do not know if there is any way one can plan an 'emergency' trip in advance and buy tickets from a travel agent. Since only someone travelling because of an 'emergency' will buy tickets at the airport, the airline's policy is inconsistent here.
I am not familiar with how airlines price pickets but I understand there may be agency discounts.
Can SilkAir explain its policy, and how travellers can avoid being charged so much for emergency travel? Karl Vasu
