Recently, a Singaporean man temporarily lost his luggage when he accidentally switched it with someone else’s at Hong Kong International Airport.
He sought help from Singapore Airlines (SIA) through an “SQ Baggage” channel on WhatsApp and the mobile app, but was dissatisfied with the response.
He was eventually able to call the SIA office in Hong Kong, but after being given the other party’s contact details, they were allegedly left to settle the issue among themselves.
Speaking to MS News, JT, the owner of an impact communication agency, said the incident happened on 2 July, after his flight from Singapore to Hong Kong.
The 45-year-old had brought with him a red Rimowa trunk for the trip, containing all his personal belongings.
However, he wasn’t the only one on the flight carrying the same luggage.
Image courtesy of Aflo Images on Canva. For illustration purposes only.
Although JT took a red Rimowa luggage from the airport carousel, he was surprised to find that it was not his.
“I only realised it when I got to the hotel in Macau,” he said, about an hour after landing.
He then recalled seeing another person take an identical trunk on the baggage carousel.
As it turned out, both were tagged as “Priority” given that JT travelled in business class, and he later discovered that the other party was seated in first class on the same flight.
“Even our names are quite similar,” JT said
JT said he tried calling the SIA office in Singapore, but he did not have mobile roaming.
As such, he contacted them through an “SQ Baggage” channel on WhatsApp to seek assistance, but it did not work.
In a screenshot seen by MS News, the passenger received a reply from the channel saying it is currently unable to service non-flight status enquiries.
Image courtesy of JT.
JT then tried the online chat feature on the SIA app, where he got in touch with an agent. However, he claimed the agent wasn’t able to help beyond directing him to the SIA office in Hong Kong.
“When I asked if she could contact the other passenger, who took my luggage, she said she’s not allowed to do that,” JT said.
The passenger said the agent gave him a link to an online form for reporting baggage issues, but it allegedly kept showing an error message when JT tried using it.
Image courtesy of JT.
“It was only when I flagged that to the agent that she gave the number to the HK SIA office,” said JT.
JT said he then had to use the hotel phone to call the SIA office in Hong Kong, which incurred extra charges.
Fortunately, the office was able to contact the other party and ask for permission to share their contact details with JT.
“Even though the HK SIA office contacted the other party, their stance was basically ‘settle it among yourselves’,” JT said.
Luckily, the other party was arriving in Macau later that evening. JT then met them at the hotel they were staying at to exchange luggage.
JT expressed dissatisfaction with SIA’s service, stating that the WhatsApp channel, which he claimed was specifically for luggage concerns, did not work as it should.
“It’s supposed to be helpful for people overseas who ran into trouble but have no mobile roaming,” he expressed.
The issue wasn’t with our errors, it’s that SQ simply doesn’t have a proper system in place for such incidents — which I’m sure happens all the time.
In response to MS News enquiries, an SIA spokesperson said the airline sincerely apologises to the customer for his recent experience.
“We are in contact with the customer and providing the necessary assistance,” they said.
They clarified that SIA’s WhatsApp flight notification service is meant to provide customers with flight updates, and is “not a customer service channel”.
Customers who need assistance with their baggage are urged to contact SIA’s Lost and Found at their respective destinations here.
Meanwhile, those needing assistance related to their bookings may contact SIA at +65 6223 8888.
It is understood that the SQ Baggage Channel, which the customer had initially contacted, is SIA’s WhatsApp flight notification service.
It is originally named Singapore Airlines, but customers can rename it in the app.
MS News also tried to use the said Singapore Airlines channel on WhatsApp and received the same response as the customer in his exchange with the “SQ Baggage” channel.
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Featured image adapted from Reddit, Airbus. Both for illustration purposes only.