Budget airline sparks controversy: Netizens accuse Scoot of 'pulling out counters early and arbitrarily canceling flights'

▲ Scoot. (Photo / File photo, provided by Scoot)

Online News Team / Comprehensive Report

Budget airlines are once again at the center of consumer disputes. A netizen posted an article on PTT titled "Terrible Scoot," detailing how they purchased a Scoot flight ticket but were unable to check in due to the airline pulling out its counters early. As a result, they had to buy a new Tigerair ticket to travel to Osaka, only to have their return flight canceled by Scoot. The post has sparked heated discussions among netizens.

In the post by netizen L,they mentioned that they booked a Scoot flight from Kaohsiung to Osaka on May 21 and a return flight from Osaka to Kaohsiung on May 26. However, on May 21, Scoot pulled out its counters early, preventing L and another passenger from checking in. As a result, they purchased a Tigerair ticket for NT$13,500 to fly to Osaka..After arriving in Osaka, Scoot informed them that their return flight would be canceled if they did not contact the airline within 48 hours.

In the post, L stated that they called Scoot's customer service and strongly insisted that their itinerary should not be canceled, repeatedly confirming with the airline that their flight would not be canceled.However, when they checked in at Kansai International Airport on May 26, ground staff informed them that their return flight had been canceled,and they were told to take a flight on May 28 instead to return to Taiwan.

▲ A netizen accuses Scoot of poor service on PTT, sparking heated discussion. (Photo / Screenshot from PTT)

L believes that they had to bear the costs of accommodation and work losses over those two days. Despite having explicitly told customer service not to cancel their flight, Scoot maliciously canceled it. They plan to wage a moral and legal battle against Scoot. The post quickly gained traction on PTT's Japan Travel board (Japan_Travel), receiving numerous upvotes and sparking intense debate. Some commented, "I will never fly Scoot again," while others said, "It's hard to say who's right or wrong without evidence" or "Let's sit back and watch the drama."

In response to the netizen's complaint, Scoot issued a statement this evening,confirming that on May 21, Scoot's check-in counters operated according to regulations. According to check-in records, the last passenger to complete check-in and seat assignment for that flight finished around 10:21 AM, and staff were available at the counter until 10:30 AM.,Additionally, after inquiring with on-duty staff at the scene, there were no reports of any passengers experiencing abnormal situations. This contradicts what Mr. Wang claimed on public online platforms and in some media—that he arrived at the check-in counter at 10:15 AM, only to find the counter closed and no staff available to assist him with check-in.

Scoot also pointed out that according to its transportation terms, if a passenger misses the first segment of their journey and has subsequent connecting or return flights, Scoot will automatically cancel the reservations for the later flights unless the passenger contacts the customer service center within 48 hours to inform them of the missed flight's departure time.

▲ Scoot's official website indicates the procedures following the cancellation of the first flight. (Photo / Screenshot from Scoot's official website)

The content of Scoot's statement is as follows:

On June 1, 2016, in the morning, Scoot's Taiwan general agent, Fida Travel, received a letter from passenger Mr. Wang regarding his booked flight from Kaohsiung to Osaka, which was scheduled to depart at 11:30 AM on May 21. Due to the check-in counter closing early, he was unable to board the flight. Fida Travel staff immediately contacted Scoot's head office and the Taiwan ground handling general agent to verify the details. At 3:11 PM that day, they replied to Mr. Wang, confirming receipt of the letter and officially requesting the relevant departments to initiate an investigation. They assured him that they would provide the results and next steps as soon as possible after confirmation from the head office.

Due to passenger privacy considerations, accessing all booking records and customer service call logs requires the consent and assistance of Scoot's head office in Singapore, which involves a certain process and time. The verification is currently ongoing. However, it has already been confirmed with the Taiwan ground handling general agent that since Scoot began operations in Taiwan in 2012, there have been no instances of counters closing early or staff leaving prematurely, resulting in passengers being unable to complete check-in as scheduled. According to Scoot's transportation terms, all check-in counters close 60 minutes before the flight's departure time, and passengers are advised to check in at the airport at least 90 minutes before departure.

After verifying with the ground handling general agent and relevant airport authorities, sufficient evidence has now been obtained to confirm that on May 21, Scoot's check-in counters operated according to regulations. According to check-in records, the last passenger to complete check-in and seat assignment for that flight finished around 10:21 AM, and staff were available at the counter until 10:30 AM. Additionally, inquiring with on-duty staff at the scene revealed no reports of any passengers experiencing abnormal situations, which contradicts what Mr. Wang claimed on public online platforms and in some media—that he arrived at the check-in counter at 10:15 AM, only to find the counter closed and no staff available to assist him with check-in.

Since the details of this case are still under further investigation by Scoot's head office, the detailed findings and next steps will be communicated to the passenger by the general agent. However, if any false statements harm Scoot's reputation, Scoot reserves the right to pursue legal action.