Prompt service needed

Singapore Airlines has the highest flight frequency from Jakarta to Singapore and vice versa. It has seven flights a day, seven days a week. Even Garuda Indonesia has only four flights daily to Singapore.

That is one of the reasons our company uses Singapore Airlines (SA) as our preferred carrier for business trips. Its frequent flights enable us to promptly attend meetings held in Singapore. We cannot deny that the fares are higher than those of other airlines, but after all it is a win-win situation.

Not infrequently, our company staff members must fly to Singapore in a very narrow time frame. Reservations can be made easily through any travel agent, and if the reservation is okayed right away, there will be no problem; just tell the travel agent to issue the ticket and all we have to do is go to the airport and fly to Singapore.

However problems are encountered when the reservation is not okayed or we are placed on a waiting list. For a same day reservation, calling SA's reservation office on 5206881 or 5704422 won't help the situation. SA reservation staff will tell you to call the SA office at Soekarno-Hatta Airport, because their reservation system is closed and is handed over to the airport system. Therefore, in order to change waiting list status into an OK status, a request must be made to the SA office at the airport. Three telephone numbers are available -- 5507130, 5507131 and 5507132.

Unfortunately, calling these numbers is irritating. First, it is very difficult to get through to any of these numbers. Second, after trying a number of times and finally getting through, you will be served by an answering machine. Third, the answering machine is not able to take messages because it will inform you that the mailbox is full, and finally, after all these efforts, no one can guarantee that you will get a seat.

I suggest SA improves their customer service and refrain from applying double standards.

ADRIANUS HIYUNG TJUNG

Jakarta