Marina Bay Sands system outage causes check-in delays of up to 8 hours, tourists demand compensation

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Tourists seek compensation after MBS outage causes hours-long check-in delays

A major system outage at Marina Bay Sands (MBS) on Monday (3 Nov) left more than 100 guests unable to check in for several hours, with some reportedly waiting over eight hours to receive their room keys.

The disruption sparked frustration among foreign visitors, some of whom have called for compensation.

Guests face long queues & hours of waiting during MBS outage

According to a tip-off received by Shin Min Daily News, MBS’s computer system malfunctioned on Monday morning, causing significant delays in the hotel’s check-in process.

When reporters arrived at about 5pm, they observed long queues of roughly 100 guests at six counters near Tower 1.

The lobby’s benches were also filled with travellers waiting to be attended to, while hotel staff tried to assist guests, calm frustrations, and address their concerns.

Source: Shin Min Daily News

Ms He, a guest from Melbourne in her 30s, said she arrived at around 3pm to check in, only to be told that the system had failed.

“We didn’t receive any email or text notification beforehand,” she said. “We only found out about the issue when we arrived, and no one could say how long the wait would be.”

Her room cost about S$1,300, and by 6pm, she had still not been able to check in.

“It’s too late to change hotels now,” she said, adding that she met another couple who had been waiting since noon and still had not received their keys.

Another guest from the United Kingdom shared that his stay at MBS had been a surprise planned by his girlfriend.

“I was really looking forward to it, but the system failure was very disappointing. The hotel didn’t inform us at all. I hope they’ll refund part of the room fee or offer compensation,” he said.

While the hotel was reportedly still able to process some check-ins manually during the outage, the process was noticeably slower than usual.

Source: Shin Min Daily News

Casino operations briefly affected

Shin Min Daily News also reported that the network issue slightly affected casino operations.

Source: Wikimedia Commons, for illustration purposes only

Customers were unable to cash out winnings through automated machines and had to do so at the counters instead.

A casino staff member said slot machines and table games were operating normally, but the casino’s self-service payout and membership points redemption machines in both the mall and casino displayed temporary error messages.

Network issue affected several systems

In response to queries from MS News, an MBS spokesperson confirmed that a network issue occurred on the morning of 3 Nov, affecting several systems including hotel check-ins and loyalty redemptions.

“Over the course of the day, different applications had progressively been restored. However, due to the volume of check-ins, guests had to wait longer than usual for their rooms,” the spokesperson said.

All key systems were fully restored by 8pm that same day.

The hotel apologised for the inconvenience caused and thanked guests for their patience and understanding.

Some guests receive S$200 dining credits

While waiting for their rooms, affected guests were directed to the SkyPark and infinity pool on level 57, where refreshments, snacks, and a seating area were provided.

Source: Marina Bay Sands, for illustration purposes only

However, most were reportedly not in the mood to enjoy the facilities and were mainly eager to receive their room keys.

Later, some were invited to dine at the hotel’s restaurant, with each room receiving S$200 in dining credits charged to their account.

One guest said she only obtained her room key at about 9.30pm, after which her stay proceeded smoothly.

Shin Min Daily News added that when guests enquired about a late checkout the next morning (4 Nov), the front desk only allowed extensions until around noon.