SINCE SUBMITTING THIS COMPLAINT TO SINGAPORE AIRLINES, NO RESPONSE HAS BEEN FORTHCOMING
DON'T BACK DOWN WHEN A STEWARD INSTRUCTS YOU TO DO SOMETHING YOU ARE NOT HAPPY WITH!
I was on flight SQ319 from London to Singapore on 02 July. Ticket number 06185118085576
I had arranged via the internet to sit on an aisle seat (Seat No 50H) due to the fact that I had not been well and was having issues with my health which included leg pains. I would need to get up many many times during this long flight.
On arriving at my seat I was asked/told by the steward that a woman who was pregnant needed my seat as she needed to sit on the aisle because she would have to be getting up constantly. I said that I had booked the seat due to my health issues. He said “she is pregnant”. I assumed that the woman was heavily pregnant and had major problems and so reluctantly gave up my pre booked seat.
I was placed between two men who intruded on my space constantly. I had to “push” the one man off my side and push his leg away from my leg area!
Sitting in a position like this was extremely painful and I experienced the most excrutiating leg pains during the whole duration of the flight. I had to get up many many times just to try and relieve the pain in my legs. At one stage the pain was so severe that I stood at the back for a very long period of time in tears.
I had to constantly get the stewardess to wake the man next to me so that I could get out and stand up before I began to scream with the pain in my legs.
Consequently, I never slept for the full duration of the flight…all I did was get up, go to the toilet and cry with pain.
Through all of this, the “pregnant” person slept though the flight, she drank wine and got up only once during the whole flight! She managed to stretch up and carry her own heavy bags from the hold and appeared quite healthy with absolutely no health issues at all! She was pregnant, ever so slightly and young and healthy! Please bear in mind that pregnancy is not a disease or illness.
On the other hand I am 57 years old and was not well at all!
Overall this is a very disappointing situation where a flight attendant asked me to be relocated after I took the initiative to pre-book a seat that would help me cope with my health condition.
Something that struck me was that there were many and I mean many men sitting on aisle seats…why on earth after me telling the steward that I was not well and also after he seeing that I was an older person, did he not ask one of the men to give up their seat??? This has been on my mind and the mind of many of the passengers.
I was approached by many of the passengers asking about my condition on the plane once we landed and off the plane. All expressed their surprise that Singapore Airlines allowed something like this to take place! These were people who I do not know! One woman said to me that the young pregnant person” did not get up more than once during the whole flight! “ She was under the impression that it was a ploy for a better seat.
I have been unwell for the couple of days now that I have been back and my legs are not doing too well. I have a huge swelling at the back of my ankle which is constantly paining. I will approach a doctor this week.
I feel very strongly that women should not be asked to give up their seats for young people or for men. Women should not be placed between men unless it is absolutely necessary. And, more than anything else, if one takes the initiative to actually pre-book a seat via the internet then especially it is improper to ask someone of my age to give up that seat for a perfectly healthy young person. The situation showed extreme lack of good judgment on the part of the Steward.
I always fly with Singapore Airlines as I do believe that they are exceptional in their service and conduct! My recent experience certainly has not reflected well on this view.
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