The nightmare with Tigerair

I hope this post will serve as a cautionary tale before you book any flights with Tigerair.

On 4 Jul 2014 we booked a return trip with Tigerair, departing from Singapore to Haikou on 30Dec2014 & returning on 2Jan2015.

Subsequently on 3Sep2014, Tigerair sent an email notification below -

Thank you for choosing Tigerair.

We would like to inform you that your flight has been rescheduled due to a network review. We apologise for disrupting your travel plans and we've arranged a new flight for you.

To my horror, my return flight on 2Jan2015 has been rescheduled to 3Jan2015! There are NO flights being operated by Tigerair returning from Haikou to Singapore on 2Jan2015. My travel plans are in a complete mess thanks to Tigerair. Hence I wanted to cancel my hotel reservations with Hilton Sanya Yalong Bay Resort & Spa. But I had booked the hotel on a non-cancellable & non-refundable condition. The hotel has demanded to see an official proof from the airline before they can consider my cancellation request.

Below contains lengthy text to explain in detail the gross mistakes which Tigerair's customer support has committed.

Customer service agent Meg - called her up on 4Sep requesting for an official document/letter from Tigerair (signed off by authorised personnel + letter must bear the company rubber chop) which states the 4 passengers (myself inclusive) affected by the flight network review. Meg then promised that the letter will be sent to be within 24hrs.

On 5Sep evening this was the so-called official document issued by Tigerair -

Dear Ms. Kwek,

We refer to your request received on September 5, 2014 through our Call Centre.

From time to time, we do have to make changes to our flight schedule for various reasons.   As explained in article 10 of our Conditions of Carriage, in the event the changes cause the flight to depart more than four (4) hours before or after the scheduled departure time, the passenger may choose from among several options.  This includes remaining on the flight, a flight change, a flight credit or a refund.

We are sorry for the inconvenience caused.  Our records show that you did not complete your journey on the revised schedule.

Original Flight Details

Flight Number           Date                Route                                     STD                STA

TR2935                       02-Jan-14        Haikou – Singapore                1040hrs           1410hrs

Revised Flight Details

Flight Number           Date                Route                                     STD                STA

TR2935                       03-Jan-14        Haikou – Singapore                1040hrs           1410hrs

Please be advised that a refund of SGD 156.00.  Kindly allow up to 3-4 weeks for us to process the refund. 

We advise card holder to check their credit card statement or with the card issuing bank for an update of the refund status.

What just happened??? When did I put through a request for refund??? Fuming mad, on 5Sep evening I called up & demanded to speak to Meg only to be notified by another customer service agent, Robert, that she is no longer in service. Explained in detail yet again to Robert what happened & why I need an official letter from Tigerair in order to cancel my hotel reservations with no penalty. Robert informed that the misinformation and mistakes made by Meg will be investigated. Meantime, Robert assured that the refund request will be put on hold (I needed to cancel my hotel reservations before I could cancel my flight). In addition, the letter we requested for will be issued within 24hrs.

6Sep received yet another email from Tigerair.

Dear Ms. Kwek,

We refer to your request received on 06 September 2014 through our TigerCares Mailbox.

Tigerair operates a no refund policy as such, we are unable to refund any tickets (fares and charges) should passenger no longer have a requirement to fly or are unable to travel, as a result of any change in personal circumstances.  Individual or Personal Travel Insurance is recommended for passengers to cover such cancellations.

Please be informed that we have reviewed your request however, your request was denied.

Upon receiving this email you could imagine the huge question mark hanging over my head & this email only serves to add fuel to the raging fire. Tigerair has committed mistake after mistake. This is what happens when you hire incompetent staff for the job. There was no proper handover and the customer service agents simply do not understand what I needed! Customer service exist to aid your customers with their problems but Tiger is only creating more problems for me instead of solving them. I made a simple request for an official letter but yet Tigerair is incapable of fulfilling my request.

Fuming mad, I rang up Tigerair yet again & demanded to speak to Robert. Once again I couldn't get hold of the last agent whom I spoke to, the agent whom I spoke with this time round is Jeffrey, who then informed that Robert is no longer in service. In fact both Meg & Robert have been suspended from service due to their mistakes. Once again I repeated my predicament, Jeffrey then informs that Tigerair can only send a standard template for my request. Tigerair cannot and is unable to issue an official letter bearing a signature and/or company chop. WHAT??!! So why exactly have all the other customer service staff promised me that my request can be fulfilled???

After lengthy phone conversations, I finally resigned to fate that I am never getting that letter. Robert guided me to Tiger's customer support portal where I have to manually raise my request for a letter bearing a signature and/or company chop. I raised that manual request on 8Sep, as at today 16Sep, I have not heard from Tigerair with regards to my request.

When you book a flight with a budget airline, it is inevitable that there is a chance of the flight being rescheduled or even cancelled. When such things happen us customers naturally get agitated & fed-up with the airline. While the airline's T&Cs dictate that the airline does not have a policy of acceding to any request for any reimbursement/ compensation of additional cost incurred as a result of the change of schedule, it would really help if the customer service staff can get things done correctly on our very first phone call.

Next post I will talk about the complications with the hotel room cancellations.

Update - 16 Oct, been more than 4 weeks since my refund request was raised but I still have not received my refund. Rang up Tigerair & CSO tells me to wait & I should receive the cheque by next week. Round of applause for their tardiness please. 

Review of lash extensions at HLH Sanctuary Beauty

I have a confession to make, I am becoming an eyelash extension addict. Following the removal for the lousy cluster extensions on Sat, I have again "zhng-ed" my eyelashes. Of course this time round, back to good'ol trusty & comfortable lash by lash extensions.

Bought a JuzToday deal for lash extensions at $18 but the therapist recommended upgrading $48 to softer, thicker & longer lasting lashes which I gladly paid for because after the nightmare with cluster lashes I realise the importance of soft & comfortable extensions.

Arrived punctually for my appointment & I'm promptly whisked off to one of the rooms to have my extensions done. The stark contrast this time round versus the other times at Dreamlash as well as Lisa Beauty was the private individual rooms allocated to each customer, largely because HLH Sanctuary Beauty operates as a beauty saloon. As my natural lashes were sparse to begin with, the therapist could only attach that many extensions hence the end result, my lash extensions weren't as thick as the first time with Dreamlash.

To my horror, as I was cleansing my face that very evening, almost all of the extensions fell off. The extensions on my right eye have ALL fell off. Honestly, what lousy products does HLH use? I felt deceived by the therapist. All that crap about thicker & longer-lasting extensions, entirely bullshit. Let the pictures do the talking. 

Review for IAremyhair (60 min Customised Hair Treatment + Wash & Blow)

For curled hair like mine, any decent saloon would charge $30-40 for wash & blow. So when I saw this Groupon deal for hair treatment + wash & blow for only $18, I jumped the gun & bought the deal. Closer towards redemption date I googled the saloon. I felt silly when I discovered that IAremyhair specializes in hair loss treatments & hair replacement techniques.

I scheduled my hair appointment right before my casual photo-shoot so I could have my curls looking picture-perfect. Entered the saloon not knowing what to expect, would the hairdresser talk on & on about hair loss treatments? Would they be doing a scalp analysis for me? To my surprise, there wasn't any sales talk whatsoever, the hairdresser proceeded to shampoo my hair before applying the treatment solution & steaming my hair. After the wash & blow, my curls are restored to their awesome looking state, all ready for my photo-shoot!

In all honesty $18 for hair treatment + wash & blow is a real good deal!

Review of cluster lash extensions at Lisa Beauty, City Plaza (no, this is not MY shop)

There is a saying in Chinese which goes "一分钱，一分货" which simply translates into - you get what you pay for.

Since the last extension done at Dreamlash, I was very much in love with eyelash extensions but the package at Dreamlash is just too pricey. Hence I googled abit to see what are some cheaper alternatives. The very primitive form of eye lash extensions would be cluster lash extensions. As it turns out there are quite a couple of beauty saloons in City Plaza which offers cluster lash extensions.

Chanced upon a Groupon for lash extensions at Secret Beauty for $20. Called to enquire & since first-time walk-in customers also enjoy the same price, I immediately made an appointment. Travelled down to Secret Beauty located at City Plaza on Thur evening to have my lashes done in time for my casual photo-shoot on Fri.

Arrived on time at 7pm only to find the 2 therapists still working on their customers' lashes. Since I didn't want to waste time waiting & there were 2 other beauty saloons which offer lash extensions just near by, I decided to try my luck at the neighbouring saloons.

The saloon, Lisa Beauty, showed me the cluster lashes they used & quoted me $30 for the extensions. Price was reasonable & I decided to go ahead with this saloon. As the therapist was tugging at my lashes trying to remove the single lash extensions done previously at Dreamlash, she was causing me quite alot of pain & I feared for my natural lashes. Cluster lashes are glued onto your eyelids hence there is certainly discomfort, bearing that thought in mind, I had to manage my expectations. The glue she used caused this burning sensation to my eyes & immediately I regretted walking into this dodgy saloon.

Finally when the glue has dried up, the therapist handed me a mirror to inspect the end product. I like what I see & the effect is exactly what I wanted - dramatic lashes. The end effect simply resembles that of false eyelashes. However the discomfort arising from the extensions being glued onto my eyelids, was causing me quite a fair bit of pain. When I got home & had a closer look at where the extensions start, I finally understand why my eyes felt so irritated - the lash extensions start from the inner corners of my eyes. So each time I blink, the extensions rub against my eyelids.

Furthermore, these extensions are thick plastic strands, unlike the soft & natural-looking ones at Dreamlash. Not only does my eyelids feel heavy, each time I shut my eyes tightly my eyelids will hurt because the lashes are glued onto the lids. So when cleansing my face & showering, I was faced with yet another inconvenience - my eyelids hurt like hell when I shut my eyes tightly.

I was greatly annoyed by the extensions & determined to get them removed ASAP after the photo-shoot on Fri. When I got home on Fri evening after the shoot, I was pretty sure my eye makeup was not removed completely since the extensions were in the way. I couldn't stop my itchy fingers from touching the extensions, to my surprise, the extensions at the inner corner of my eyes could be easily removed.

Sat afternoon I arrived at the saloon for removal, the same therapist apply this white paste-like substance onto the eyelashes. I sat around for a good 15-20mins hoping that the removal will be minimally painful. I was WRONG. The removal process hurts like a bitch, it felt as though she was trying to rip off my natural lashes. Yes, OUCH! In case you are wondering, yes my natural lashes survived the massacre & are still alive on my eyelids, phew. But evidently my natural lashes have weakened, each time I rub my eyes, a couple of lashes will fall off :(

May this awful experience serve as a helpful aid when you are considering cluster extensions!

Review for SkinnyMint 28 Day Ultimate Teatox

You probably seen their ads on Facebook, but the problem is the girls featured are all already slim & skinny with no tummy bulge issues. So what goals are they trying to achieve with this product totally baffles me.

Contrary to popular belief, I do have a bulging tummy which I skillfully conceal underneath my clothes, so I decided to purchase the 28 Day Teatox which comprises of - 28 tea bags of Morning Boost blend to drink every morning + 14 tea bags of Night Cleanse blend to drink every alternate night, starting on the 1st night of the Teatox programme.

What this product promised - To deeply cleanse and detoxify your body and get the most out of a Teatox: boost your metabolism, reduce bloating, lose weight, burn fat and calories and get healthier with a 100% natural, effective product and guaranteed results.

I am a huge bubble tea drinker & I was delighted to find the taste of the Morning Boost tea very fruity & almost similar to bubble tea minus the calorie-laden sugar. The Night Cleanse on the other hand, tasted almost similar to Chamomile.

For the record, I am not one who moves my bowels on a daily basis, so when I started consumption of SkinnyMint Teatox, the immediate result was that I was taking a dump daily. Bravo! Also to add, the boyfriend who drank just one cup of Night Cleanse on one fine night, ended up having major diarrhoea  so I suppose this product is not suitable for all.

Regular bowel movement was the only noticeable result, while other users claimed of reduced bloating, reduced appetite etc, I had none of those! SO I guess now its affirmative that the bulge on my tummy are fats & not bloating lol ;P

Links : http://skinnymint.com/products/28-day-teatox

SaSa Beauty Fair, Singapore Expo Foyer Level 2

Great bargains at SaSa expo sale! 

L'Oreal White Perfect Anti-Spot Brightening Essence originally $39.90, now $27.93. 

SkinLite Nose Pore Cleansing Strips originally 1 for 1 $6.90, now 1 for 1 at $4.90 only!

Maybelline Impact Express Smooth Felt Liner originally $17.90, now only $12.53. 

SaSa Beauty Fair at Singapore Expo Foyer Level 2, now till 24 Aug 11am to 10pm :)

This is what an allergy looks like - part 2

I spend my National Day weekend in Batam, upon returning to Singapore I was down with diarrhoea (yes, again). Since charcoal pills didn't do the trick, I found myself at the company clinic once again. The diagnosis this time round was food poisoning since there was alot of activity & gas in my stomach. The prescriptions were to treat stomach discomfort.

The doctor did not specifically state any food which I should avoid hence 4 days after, when I was feeling much better, my mum  cooked vegetables stir-fried with prawns. After consuming a couple of prawns, my eyes started burning. In a couple of minutes, my eye area swelled so severely that I couldn't open my eyes at all. The pain was horrifying & tears started falling uncontrollably. At the same time I was experiencing breathing difficulty as my nose was blocked. The severe bout of coughing which accompanied this allergic attack made me felt out of breath.

I immediately rushed off to the GP & the doctor himself was shocked to see the state I'm in ("I have never seen such severe allergic attacks before"). After taking 2 jabs, the swelling didn't subside & I still couldn't open my eyes properly. But thankfully the cough has stopped & I could breathe normally again. The doctor advised that (1) should the swelling not subside within 8-10hrs OR (2) the swelling does not improve but worsens, I have to visit the ER.

After 24hrs I was still barely recognisable as my eyes were reduced to tiny slits all thanks to the swelling. Recovery took 3-4days & upon doing some reading online, it seems like such allergic reactions will only get more severe with each attack because the body is unable to cope/deal with the toxic reactions. Hence a very lesson for me to take away is whenever I am on medication, I must steer clear of seafood.

Edit 10 Oct 2014 -

After sharing this on Facebook, I received plenty of well wishes & messages from family & friends. Thank you for your heartfelt concern everyone! Also to add, I have been a seafood lover for my entire life, never ever have I experienced any allergic reactions.

For those who are interested to read further, the swelling of the eyes which happened to me is a condition known as Angioedema.