In a cheap and thoroughly disrespectful way of making money from their customers, AIG Insurance with the obvious blessing of Tiger Airways has commenced fooling people into taking out insurance that they may not want.

Here's how it works: contrary to expected practice, best practice, fair trading practice and the law as it relates to insurance, the Tiger Airways site requires you to actively opt-out of the insurance option. So if you miss clicking the button which says "No, I don't want insurance" then you pay. What a sad little scheme this is. Having missed (as I think many will) the necessity to click the button and having realised that I had purchased something that I did not want, I immediately contacted Tiger Airways and AIG. This was a mammoth effort in itself as they seem to be intentionally hiding their contact details. And don't just try replying to their confirmation e-mail. It bounces.

Once you locate an email address, do not expect anything close to reasonable service or response. I have asked them to forward the letter to the AIG and Tiger Airways Boards but they refuse to confirm that they have done this despite 5 requests. One can only assume that they have not forwarded my complaint.

On the substantive issue of tricking people into insurance, their eventual response denying my right to cancel the unwanted policy included the utterly disingenuous "The insurance option check box is pre-checked in order to maximize convenience for our customers". It is only really convenient for the companies involved. I am having difficulty in establishing where I experienced the "convenience" in all of this.

I, personally, won't be booking any more flights with Tiger Airways until they and AIG insurance change their internet sales practices. Additionally, I am pursuing the matter with regulatory authorities in Singapore and Australia.

You have been warned.

How much extra was the insurance?

Hi - it was only SGD5.00 but I really hate mean little tricks like this. And it all adds up for the companies.

Keep in mind that this was trip insurance rather than travel insurance. I can't advise on either as far as good ones to take out. But I would advise you to consider avoiding both AIG and Tiger until they decide to use good marketing instead of tricks to make money.

Yeah, Spirit Airlines does that too. Caveat emptor.

Well you can put them on the list to avoid until they change.

I would sack someone for bringing this idea to me. It is nothing more than cheap desperation and just shows that they will stoop to any low in order to make a buck.

Choosing an airline is a personal decision. As adults, we each have a responsibility to read before we click. Yes, what they do is sleazy. But the fare is still very low, despite the unexpected charges. Tiger Airways and their ilk are going to get you whenever they can. Caveat emptor.

You are out a whopping SIN$5.00, which comes out to US$3.30.

Put it in perspective.

Hi Static,

Yes, choosing an airline is a personal decision. And, like every other decision that one makes, it should be fully informed.

Well, in perspective, they do this because it is profitable. They make money. But not honest money but money through trickery. If they find it useful to function like this then there must be alot of people who end up paying up when it was not there intention. So, on an individual level it is small change but on a systemic level it is a fairly significant con job. It is like the bank manager that steals one cent out of each account - is it stealing? Absolutely. But this is even worse - this is two corporations.

Gladly, I am not of the school of thought that says that if people are conned, they deserve what they get. I have notified people here to try to lessen the chances of it happening to someone else. If you think that I am being petty then you can just make the personal decision not to read it.

Sheesh...don't get me going on AIG insurance! They were really resonably priced when I lived in SC. When I moved to CA they wanted to charge me $3000 more per year and insisted I cover my 17-year old even though he doesn't drive my vehicle. I immediately started shopping insurance and found plenty of others that charged what I was paying in SC and didn't care that I had a 17-year old driver living with me that didn't drive my car. AIG is out to lunch!

quote:

you can just make the personal decision not to read it.

As a moderator, I have no choice but to read all messages.

Here in the US, complaints about airlines have doubled. After years of losing money, airlines are now making record profits. Ripping off the consumer is just one of their ways, and there really is nothing to stop them. If we stop flying Tiger, there are a lot of other fools that still will, for the price that they're charging (even with the unexpected "add-ons"). If enough customers protest, it can have an effect.

Don't get me wrong; It's good that you warned people. You have no doubt saved many others from being overcharged. Most likely, this thread will pop up in a Google search when someone wants to know about Tiger Airways.

Watch out for Air Asia too. They have the same insurance scam.

AAAAANNNDD......if you try to bring your own food on tiger airways, they will tell you to "put it away" while you are trying to eat it. they want you to purchase the food that they have for sale.

i dont rememeber if it was stated on their tickets or not that "no outside food" was allowed. in any case, we just kept on eating...what were they going to do? throw us out?

(this was in the middle of the flight)..