Singapore Air denied us boarding.

Singapore Air denied us boarding.

Bought tickets from Flight Centre. Brisbane - Singapore - Manila. Checked in online, printed boarding passes. Got to Brisbane Intl and checked our luggage in. Told that our eticket numbers don't come up in their system so staff referred the matter to the manager. Singapore Air manager approached us and told us that he got a call an hour ago that we are not to be let on the flight to Singapore which was supposed to leave in the next 2 hrs. He said that there was no reason given, that he is just conveying the message.

We asked AFP personnel if there was an issue with our passports or immigration. They went and spoke to Singapore Air Manager and came back as puzzled as we are. We have no issues. Singapore Air just didn't want us in their plane.

We left back for home taking a cab.

Went to see Flight Centre in the morning. After a long wait, we were told that we can get a refund - taking up to 12 weeks to process. If we wanted to fly still, we will have to buy new tickets. We did, paying $600 above the original cost that we paid for Singapore Air as Flight Centre will not do anything more for us stating that none of it was their fault.

We had to answer the reps questions about us maybe being the ones at fault for being denied boarding.

Are we within our rights to ask for compensation from Singapore Air for the extra ticket costs and cab charge even if the tickets were bought from Flight Centre?  Is there any redress for us?

This is PERFECT example why I avoid travel agents as plague. Basically you stuffed – no one will tell you who is faulty and no one will care. You can complain to tribunal (ombudsman does not exists for travel agents), but they will not stand on your side. Been here, done that. Next time book directly with airline and in worst case scenario as very least you will have full refund and not in 12 weeks, but just on second day. And do not check-in over Internet if you still need to drop baggage – IMHO totally senseless.

I would have insisted from that Manager at the Airport who had taken the call a hour before to have been told who's instructions he was acting on, and what the reasons for prevention of boarding were. I hope you have his name rank and serial number. This sounds appauling treatment considering you had online checked in and printed boarding passes in your possession.

Sounds like it could be a situation somewhat similar to the article "When Arline E-Tickets Break: How to avoid being denied boarding"  (pop that sentence into Google and you will find the article immediately). 

It doesn't sound like your travel agent has been of much assistance to you. It's part of their job to help rectify this sort of situation if it occurs. Particularly a large travel agent such as Flight Centre which has contracts with the major airlines that gives them the ability to fix things in the Global Distribution System directly with waiver codes.  A call to Flight Centre at the airport may have helped you.  (In fact, I think Flight Centre have a retail outlet in the departure hall at Brisbane International adjacent to the check-in desks) 

Benefit of hindsight of course ....

First thing first is to find out what the reason. Without knowing that, you can't make any progress. It could be so many things and so many points where something could have gone wrong.

Curious. Did you rebook with Singapore Air, and did they let you fly the second time?

Did you contact Singapore airlines directly? They have a 24hr sorry service. Make sure you still have the e tickets or itinerary which were denied at Brisbane 

* 24 hour support service

I take a scatter gun approach to these sorts of things, no matter what the goods or services, go hard and aim wide.

A. Make sure you advise any parties in writing you are processing the matter further regarding financial compensation. Let them know you have incurred additional expense as a result of their error and have an exact figure of losses you have incurred.

B. Hunt down the relevant govt authority that can give you advice, copy them in on any correspondence you receive from any party.

C. Involve your financial institution, they love bashing other businesses around for you, did you pay for it via credit card?  What about interest on your purchase waiting the 12 weeks for a refund.

D. Stay focused on only your claim and the circumstance around this claim only.

I have had many wins from very large companies as an individual over the years, in many cases thousands of dollars so you have nothing to lose.

A – they give you a flick.

B – Such things  (i.e. ombudsman) does not exists for travel agent

C – you credit provider will ask you if you paid this sum. If you did (obviously so) they will not be involved.

D - It works with some and does not works win others.

I pushed my dispute between Qantas, travel agent and myself (Qantas cancel my flight and could not offer me anything that suit me and agent kept her commission) to tribunal and I lost. No agents for me anymore.

You're obviously not doing it right, there is a process to these things, as someone who has worked on tenders and performance guarantees for many years you get an understanding of what makes a person decide that a conclusion to the process via way of payment is the best course of action. In every case a person within the orginisation has to decide to pay up, in most cases the business can stand by its own operational procedures and deny you a claim, so someone has to decide to pay the claim, in many of my cases payment I received  was disproportionately excessive to the costs I had incurred. 

Mate, trust me, I can be very annoying and indeed I did pursue that particular matter right – through the customer right board and right to tribunal court. I even wrote to current affair. Basically I done all steps that you mentioned above and even more – i.e. put matter to the court. But sad reality that you unprotected against travel agent and I bet that you will find significantly better protection in case you dealing directly with airline. In this scenario they will continuously point finger at each other. Airline will say that you bought ticket from agent and you have to deal directly with them while agent will say that they have no influence on airline and you have to sort it out by yourself.

To OP – if you paid by descent credit card try their protection or insurance.

I would:

Contact your financial institution and have them call back the payment to flight centre given the goods weren't recieved. Then book the flights you need and claim the cost through travel insurance. 

As per Dave's above, you need to understand why, first and foremost.  Then you can decide your path of action.  There are various parties here that could be the cause (travel agent, payment processing, airline, authorities,) and I'm making no assesrtion here over which one,  but just giving you the full picture.   Therefore contact SQ and ask what the issue was and with  whom should you follow up? Dont contact their call centre, as they are unlikely to be able to get to the bottom of it.  Go visit the SQ office in BNE or call the local administration number.  Based on that it will clear the path forward for your next action. SQ wouldnt pick and choose who they "want"  on the flight. It comes down to "have you or have you not a paid ticket showing in their system, or a security or immigration concern" such as having your name on a watchlist.   Keep us updated!