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Though they felt the price was steep, the wife said their age made it difficult for them to endure long hours in Economy class.
January 15, 2026, 12:05 PM
An elderly couple in Singapore, who had signed up for a tour package to see the Northern Lights, had put in a request to their travel agency for an upgrade to Premium Economy class for their flight.
However, the travel agency reportedly demanded an extra S$2,800 per person — a sum that allegedly exceeded the cost of a round-trip Premium Economy ticket purchased directly from the airline’s website.
Ended up paying S$5,600
The 60-year-old woman, surnamed Xu (transliteration), told Shin Min Daily News that she, along with her husband and daughter, had booked a Nordic tour package through a travel agency in February 2025, after it was recommended by a friend.
The itinerary covered Finland, Norway and Sweden.
Given that it was a long-haul flight, Xu and her husband requested an upgrade to Premium Economy.
However, the travel agency informed them that the upgrade would cost an additional S$2,800 per person for the upgrade.
Although the couple felt the price was steep, Xu said their age made it difficult for them to endure long hours in Economy class.
“We also did not want to miss the trip with our daughter,” she added.
As such, the couple eventually agreed to pay the additional S$5,600.
Online price comparison raised concerns
According to Shin Min, after the trip, Xu said she checked online and found that a round-trip Premium Economy ticket for the same period and from the same airline was priced at about S$2,000.
She questioned why the upgrade fee was higher than the cost of buying a separate ticket, especially since the airfare was already included in the tour package.
“I have filed a complaint with the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE), but I am not asking for a refund.,” Xu said. “I just want the travel agency to provide a breakdown of the airfare and upgrade charges.”
Customer was already informed of the additional fees: Travel agency
When contacted by Shin Min, a spokesperson for the travel agency stated that the customer had been clearly informed of the additional charges for the ticket upgrade beforehand, and had not raised any objections before the trip.
The spokesperson added that Xu only searched for alternative fares after returning to Singapore and compared prices from different travel dates and conditions.
When customers book a package with them, the agency also shows them ticket prices for other departure dates, which are significantly higher, to illustrate how volatile airfare pricing can be, the spokesperson added.
The agency firmly denied any lack of transparency or misleading practices, stating that it had provided relevant information and was cooperating with CASE’s investigation.
CASE advises consumers to seek written clarification
In response to Mothership’s queries, CASE President Melvin Yong confirmed they had received a complaint regarding the travel agency’s upgrade of airfare prices in its tour packages.
He advised travellers who plan to consider airfare upgrades as part of a tour package to seek clear written confirmation of how the upgrade price is calculated before agreeing to additional charges.
“This includes clarifying whether the upgrade cost is based on individual published fares, negotiated group airfares, or other bundled arrangements, and whether the amount is refundable or subject to change.”
However, he also pointed out that it is common industry practice for travel agencies to charge extra for changes to group tour packages, such as individual airfare upgrades, changes to flight timings or other booking amendments, as group airfares are typically negotiated in bulk with airlines and are subject to specific fare rules.
Any individual changes may also require re-ticketing or additional administrative handling by the agency, Yong stated.
Nevertheless, he stressed that any surcharges or additional costs should be clearly disclosed to consumers upfront.
“Consumers are also encouraged to request an itemised or explanatory breakdown of the charges where possible, and to retain all relevant correspondence and documentation relating to the upgrade,” he said.
Top photos via Canva
