BEWARE: AIG Insurance and Tiger Airways Trick

Dr. Gajaprishthakara · Aug 22nd, 2007, 18:41

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.

Nick-H · Aug 22nd, 2007, 19:55

The insurance option check box is pre-checked in order to maximize convenience for our customers

Superb! Fantastic!

If I start a business I must remember to pre-take money from my customers' purses. To maximise their convenience, of course.

Tiger Airways? Is this an Indian company? there is little or no effective consumer protection law here --- just look at the advertising, for a start.

capt_mahajan · Aug 22nd, 2007, 19:59

Singapore Airlines owns a large chunk of Tiger Airways; I think Tiger itself is Singaporean.

Isn't AIG American? I know they are tied up with Tatas here in India, hence Tata-AIG.

vpsingh · Aug 22nd, 2007, 20:02

And I thought only Indian airlines are difficult to deal with.
I feel this industry never learns a lesson unless you drag them to court.

iwanttogoback · Aug 22nd, 2007, 20:05

damn! i was planning on picking up some of their cheap perth-melbourne flights. maybe i might reconsider using them.

do let us know how it goes doc. and thanks for the warning.

Dr. Gajaprishthakara · Aug 22nd, 2007, 20:11

10 points Captain.

Its founding shareholders are: Singapore Airlines Limited (49%); Indigo Partners LLC, the investment firm founded by Bill Franke, (24%); Irelandia Investments Limited, the private investment arm of Tony Ryan and his family (founders of European no-frills carrier Ryanair), (16%); and Singapore's investment agency Temasek Holdings Pte Ltd (11%).

thanks wiki

You would not believe how difficult it is to contact all of them electronically.

They can hide but they can't escape.

capt_mahajan · Aug 22nd, 2007, 20:17

Temasek are like "Engulf and Devour" in Silent Movie (I think)... their hands are in everything.

Good luck, Dr. G

Dr. Gajaprishthakara · Aug 22nd, 2007, 20:21

lol @ the captain

btw - the link between India and Tiger Airways is quite significant and, in my usual persona of trying to provide helpful information on this site, I would have been highlighting what they are doing in India and how members could benefit. But I am really not in the mood for that now.

Wheel · Aug 24th, 2007, 15:13

Hi Dr.
I am a newbie here , but I too noticed that insurance tick box lately on tigerairways.com.
But today when I visited the site for booking another sector, I looked carefully since reading your posting.
The good news is AIG promotion appears to have gone!
Cheers
Wheel

capt_mahajan · Aug 24th, 2007, 15:14

Wheel, welcome to indiamike

Dr G strikes again

gerrykiddy · Aug 24th, 2007, 17:57

I smiled when I noticed the Tony Ryan (Ryanair) connection with the "opt out" and "uncontactable" problems. Here in Ireland booking Ryanair is like a minefield. You must opt out of so many things. The best one is the Priority Booking Option which allows you to get on the plane first. Most people book it in error and now the queue for Priority Booking is as long as the previous queue but you are carrying 6 euros less in your pocket for your customer convenience.

Dr. Gajaprishthakara · Aug 24th, 2007, 18:03

Thanks Captain but sadly premature.

The AIG/Tiger scam is running either only through the Singapore Tiger site or for legs that go into or out of Singapore. I don't have the inclination to explore exactly when and where it occurs and I have no doubt that there are sectors (such as the one that Wheel might have booked) that do not have this option (cough!). The attached screen capture is from today through the Singapore portal.

himmat01 · Aug 24th, 2007, 19:35

Spice Jet is running a similar scheme with guess who? TATA-AIG. If you forget to click "No" you are charged Rs. 129.00.

Dr. Gajaprishthakara · Aug 24th, 2007, 19:51

One of the weak points (and there are so so many) of these schemes is that there is supposed to be a cooling-off period for insurance purchases (in Australia and some other countries). So, even if you actually wanted it and chose it, you should still have the opportunity to cancel it if you have not entered into the period in which you have derived benefit. While this is not the case in all countries, international travel is multi-jurisdictional - a point that the Singaporean-based lawyers dealing with this seem to forget.

I cannot for the life of me imagine why Tiger thinks alienating their customers makes good business sense. Dogs are fine - but if you lie down with insurance companies.....

himmat01 · Aug 24th, 2007, 19:58

We do have a trial period of 15 days for insurance products in India.

Aug 22nd, 2007, 18:41	#1
Dr. Gajaprishthakara Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Sydney, Melbourne, Cairo, South India Posts: 366	BEWARE: AIG Insurance and Tiger Airways Trick 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. Last edited by Dr. Gajaprishthakara : Aug 22nd, 2007 at 20:19. Reason: clarity

Aug 22nd, 2007, 19:59	#3
capt_mahajan Infidel Sufi Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: styx Posts: 13,606	Singapore Airlines owns a large chunk of Tiger Airways; I think Tiger itself is Singaporean. Isn't AIG American? I know they are tied up with Tatas here in India, hence Tata-AIG. __________________ . Outside the machine

Aug 22nd, 2007, 20:02	#4
vpsingh Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: New Delhi Posts: 101	And I thought only Indian airlines are difficult to deal with. I feel this industry never learns a lesson unless you drag them to court. __________________ Don't follow the herd, grass is already eaten!!

Aug 24th, 2007, 15:13	#9
Wheel Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Franklin, New Zealand Posts: 17	Thanks, Dr. Your effort pays off Hi Dr. I am a newbie here , but I too noticed that insurance tick box lately on tigerairways.com. But today when I visited the site for booking another sector, I looked carefully since reading your posting. The good news is AIG promotion appears to have gone! Cheers Wheel

Aug 24th, 2007, 17:57	#11
gerrykiddy Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Ireland Posts: 5	Ryanair Connection I smiled when I noticed the Tony Ryan (Ryanair) connection with the "opt out" and "uncontactable" problems. Here in Ireland booking Ryanair is like a minefield. You must opt out of so many things. The best one is the Priority Booking Option which allows you to get on the plane first. Most people book it in error and now the queue for Priority Booking is as long as the previous queue but you are carrying 6 euros less in your pocket for your customer convenience.

Aug 22nd, 2007, 19:55	#2
Nick-H This is just a cameo appearance Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 36,210	The insurance option check box is pre-checked in order to maximize convenience for our customers Superb! Fantastic! If I start a business I must remember to pre-take money from my customers' purses. To maximise their convenience, of course. Tiger Airways? Is this an Indian company? there is little or no effective consumer protection law here --- just look at the advertising, for a start.

Aug 22nd, 2007, 20:05	#5
iwanttogoback bling it on Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: perth Posts: 1,711	damn! i was planning on picking up some of their cheap perth-melbourne flights. maybe i might reconsider using them. do let us know how it goes doc. and thanks for the warning.

Aug 22nd, 2007, 20:11	#6
Dr. Gajaprishthakara Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Sydney, Melbourne, Cairo, South India Posts: 366	10 points Captain. Its founding shareholders are: Singapore Airlines Limited (49%); Indigo Partners LLC, the investment firm founded by Bill Franke, (24%); Irelandia Investments Limited, the private investment arm of Tony Ryan and his family (founders of European no-frills carrier Ryanair), (16%); and Singapore's investment agency Temasek Holdings Pte Ltd (11%). thanks wiki You would not believe how difficult it is to contact all of them electronically. They can hide but they can't escape.

Aug 22nd, 2007, 20:17	#7
capt_mahajan Infidel Sufi Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: styx Posts: 13,606	Temasek are like "Engulf and Devour" in Silent Movie (I think)... their hands are in everything. Good luck, Dr. G

Aug 22nd, 2007, 20:21	#8
Dr. Gajaprishthakara Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Sydney, Melbourne, Cairo, South India Posts: 366	lol @ the captain btw - the link between India and Tiger Airways is quite significant and, in my usual persona of trying to provide helpful information on this site, I would have been highlighting what they are doing in India and how members could benefit. But I am really not in the mood for that now.

Aug 24th, 2007, 15:14	#10
capt_mahajan Infidel Sufi Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: styx Posts: 13,606	Wheel, welcome to indiamike Dr G strikes again

Aug 24th, 2007, 18:03	#12
Dr. Gajaprishthakara Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Sydney, Melbourne, Cairo, South India Posts: 366	Thanks Captain but sadly premature. The AIG/Tiger scam is running either only through the Singapore Tiger site or for legs that go into or out of Singapore. I don't have the inclination to explore exactly when and where it occurs and I have no doubt that there are sectors (such as the one that Wheel might have booked) that do not have this option (cough!). The attached screen capture is from today through the Singapore portal. Attached Thumbnails

Aug 24th, 2007, 19:35	#13
himmat01 Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: India Posts: 112	Spice Jet is running a similar scheme with guess who? TATA-AIG. If you forget to click "No" you are charged Rs. 129.00. __________________ http://www.airliners-india.net/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/himmat/

Aug 24th, 2007, 19:51	#14
Dr. Gajaprishthakara Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Sydney, Melbourne, Cairo, South India Posts: 366	One of the weak points (and there are so so many) of these schemes is that there is supposed to be a cooling-off period for insurance purchases (in Australia and some other countries). So, even if you actually wanted it and chose it, you should still have the opportunity to cancel it if you have not entered into the period in which you have derived benefit. While this is not the case in all countries, international travel is multi-jurisdictional - a point that the Singaporean-based lawyers dealing with this seem to forget. I cannot for the life of me imagine why Tiger thinks alienating their customers makes good business sense. Dogs are fine - but if you lie down with insurance companies..... Last edited by Dr. Gajaprishthakara : Aug 24th, 2007 at 19:52. Reason: spelling

Aug 24th, 2007, 19:58	#15
himmat01 Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: India Posts: 112	We do have a trial period of 15 days for insurance products in India.

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