An elderly couple from Singapore decided to book a tour package to Europe with the hope of witnessing the spectacular Northern Lights.

To make their long journey more comfortable, they chose to upgrade their flight seats to premium economy. The travel agency informed them that this would require an additional payment of $2,800 per person.

Upon returning from their trip, the couple expressed dissatisfaction with the situation.

Reported by Shin Min Daily News on Wednesday (Jan 14), Xu, a 60-year-old woman, had signed up for the tour package along with her husband and daughter in February 2025 through a friend-recommended travel agency.

The tour was supposed to cover destinations in Finland, Norway, and Sweden, initially scheduled to commence on Oct 10 but was unexpectedly moved up by a day.

Given the long-haul flight, Xu and her husband requested the travel agency's assistance in upgrading their seats on Finnair to premium economy. The agency quoted an additional cost of $2,800 per person for this upgrade.

"Despite feeling that the fees were exorbitant, my husband and I, being elderly, find it challenging to endure extended periods of sitting," Xu explained.

"We didn't want to miss out on the trip with our daughter, so we reluctantly paid the extra $5,600."

However, upon further investigation post-trip, Xu discovered that Finnair had offered round-trip premium economy tickets for the same travel period at $2,000 per person.

Even though the tour package already covered the airfare, the seat upgrade cost nearly equaled another air ticket, Xu revealed to the Chinese daily.

Subsequent to her findings, Xu lodged a complaint with the Consumers Association of Singapore (Case).

"I am not seeking a refund. I simply request the travel agency to furnish a breakdown of the airfare and seat upgrade charges," she stated.

Prices Clearly Communicated: Travel Agency

In response to inquiries by Shin Min Daily News, a representative from the travel agency asserted that the pricing had been clearly communicated to the customers and refuted any claims of unfairness or lack of transparency in their operations.

The representative highlighted that the couple had compared flight ticket prices only after completing their trip.

"We presented the customers with ticket prices for alternative departure dates, some of which exceeded their willingness to pay. This also illustrated the dynamic nature of airfare pricing," the representative clarified.

The travel agency stated their cooperation with Case's investigations.

Case confirmed via the Chinese daily that they had received a complaint and clarified that it is standard practice for travel agencies to levy additional charges for itinerary modifications.

They explained that group air tickets are typically acquired by travel agencies and airlines in bulk through negotiation, subject to specific fare terms and conditions.

Nevertheless, travel agencies are obligated to disclose any additional fees or charges to customers prior to the commencement of trips.

melissateo@asiaone.com