Daily roundup: Polestar 3 Long Range Dual Motor Performance Pack review — and other top stories today, World News
Stay in the know with a recap of our top stories today.
1. Polestar 3 Long Range Dual Motor Performance Pack review: Sporty electric SUV that's big in performance and price
Polestar is a brand that likes to do things a bit differently it seems. It first debuted in Singapore in late 2021 with the Polestar 2, a Tesla Model 3 rival but with a raised ride height that made it look like a strange mixed breed between sedan and SUV.
It then took over two years before it released its next new model. That was the Polestar 4, a sleek crossover that came with no rear windscreen. It's supposedly meant to be a sporty coupe-SUV, but its bold design choice seemingly defies definition... » READ MORE
2. Jetstar Asia ceasing operations: Passengers scramble to seek refunds, travel plans up in limbo
The travel plans of some Jetstar Asia passengers are now up in limbo after the budget carrier announced on Wednesday (June 11) morning it is winding up operations.
Among them are university undergraduate Tan and her friends.
They had booked round-trip tickets to Bali just days before, but now find themselves in an awkward predicament... » READ MORE
3. Durians for $1.95 at FairPrice annual fair this June
Durian lovers have every reason to celebrate with durian season making its return.
FairPrice's Annual Durian Fair is back and will be running across two weekends, from June 13 to 15 and June 20 to 22... » READ MORE
4. More seniors to benefit as 3 local banks recognise CPF Life payouts as income proof for credit card applications
More seniors aged 65 and above will be able to apply for credit cards as DBS, UOB and OCBC will recognise CPF Life payouts as income proof.
According to a statement on Tuesday (June 10), DBS said that the policy kicks in from June 11 (Wednesday)... » READ MORE
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Business Times
11 hours ago
- Business Times
‘Ridiculous and frustrating': Jetstar Asia staff blindsided by abrupt layoff notice
[SINGAPORE] Jetstar Asia employees were only informed of their retrenchment at 7 am on Wednesday (Jun 11) – the same morning the public announcement went out. 'It was unexpected – all my managers were also in shock, and they didn't see it coming,' said a cabin crew member, who declined to be named. 'Dropping the bomb suddenly – it's kind of ridiculous and frustrating for us. I was awake from 7 am till now, still trying to process what happened. It's a bit unfair.' The Qantas Group-owned budget carrier sent a press release at 7.22 am to announce it would cease operations on Jul 31, laying off over 500 employees in Singapore. Just before that, some employees were alerted via text to join a townhall, on a crew activation system typically used to mobilise reserve staff. This was followed by e-mails about the retrenchment, and a virtual townhall on Microsoft Teams at 8.15 am. Jetstar Asia's management also instructed staff not to speak to the media, The Business Times understands. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up Affected employees will receive four weeks' salary for each year of service, along with a performance-based bonus for financial year 2025 and a 'thank-you payment', understood to be around S$1,200. Still, the sudden layoff is expected to disproportionately affect employees such as cabin crew, whose basic salaries are supplemented largely through flight allowances, the employee explained. In the employee's case, the base pay amounts to about S$1,000 a month. The employee said that Jetstar Asia's decision to cancel upcoming flights ahead of its Jul 31 closure will further reduce their earnings in the weeks ahead. 'I checked the iChangi app (and) there's a lot of our flights that have been cancelled or re-timed, and I see (that) mine have been mostly cancelled,' the employee added. 'To me, it kind of sucks, because if today has already been cancelled, tomorrow also will be the same thing – until Jul 31, I don't know whether I'm going to do more flights, or fewer flights.' Higher costs Jetstar Asia, which began operations in 2004, cited rising supplier costs, airport fees and aviation charges, along with intensifying regional competition, as reasons for its closure. Customers impacted by the shutdown will be offered alternative flights or full refunds. The impending closure affects 16 intra-Asia routes – including flights from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Bangkok and Manila – but will not affect Jetstar's operations in Australia, New Zealand or Japan. Changi Airport Group said Jetstar Asia flew about 180 flights a week and carried 2.3 million passengers in 2024, or roughly 3 per cent of total traffic. Its fleet of 13 Airbus aircraft will be redeployed within the Qantas Group to support growth in Australia and New Zealand. Union support The Singapore Manual & Mercantile Workers' Union (SMMWU) said it was notified of the job cuts and has negotiated with Jetstar Asia to 'ensure that affected members and workers are treated with care and receive fair compensation'. 'The company has committed to providing a comprehensive retrenchment package in line with the Tripartite Advisory on Managing Excess Manpower and Responsible Retrenchment,' it added in a statement. SMMWU is working with the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) to help affected workers find their footing, said NTUC secretary-general Ng Chee Meng. From next week, NTUC and the Employment & Employability Institute, e2i, will be on-site at Changi Airport Terminal 1 – where Jetstar Asia's office is located – to provide affected workers with direct support, the labour chief said in a Wednesday Facebook post. This will include career coaching, skills upgrading and employability assistance. 'NTUC is also working with our partners to support these workers,' added Ng. 'We are exploring opportunities (with) Singapore Airlines Group, a unionised company, to match affected Jetstar Asia employees, including crew and corporate staff, to suitable roles where possible.'
Straits Times
12 hours ago
- Straits Times
Jetstar Asia responds to customers' concerns about flight cancellations, refunds
According to a Jetstar Asia spokesman, all customers are entitled to a monetary refund. ST PHOTO: GIN TAY SINGAPORE – As Singapore-based low-cost carrier Jetstar Asia prepares to close, with its final day of operations on July 31, customers have raised concerns about flight cancellations and refunds. The Straits Times posed the most common questions to Jetstar Asia. Here is what its spokesperson said. Q: What will Jetstar Asia's schedule look like in the coming weeks as operations wind down? Jetstar Asia's schedule will progressively reduce over the coming weeks. Our new schedule has been finalised and customers who are impacted by schedule changes will be contacted today (June 12) with their options, which includes alternative flights where possible (including with other airlines) or a full refund. Customers who are not contacted with schedule changes can proceed to the airport as normal, with their flight operating to schedule. Q: When will affected customers be notified about refunds, and how? By today (June 12), all customers will be contacted with details of alternative flight options where possible or offered a full refund. We ask customers to check the e-mail used at the time of booking for details. Q: Why have some requests for refunds been denied? All customers are entitled to a monetary refund, which will be processed to their original form of payment. If a customer originally paid by voucher, the refund will be processed into the form of a voucher, which will be converted to cash (after July 31). Q: Will Jetstar Asia compensate customers for monetary losses as a result of the airline closing shop? Any customers with non-refundable deposits for expenses such as hotels and car rentals should contact us, and we will consider all requests on a case-by-case basis. Vanessa Paige Chelvan is a correspondent at The Straits Times. She writes about all things transport and pens the occasional commentary. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Straits Times
12 hours ago
- Straits Times
Jetstar Asia's passengers struggle to get refunds for cancelled flights
Passengers queueing at the Jetstar Asia check-in counter in Changi Airport Terminal 4 on June 12. ST PHOTO: GIN TAY SINGAPORE – One day after Jetstar Asia announced that it would soon close, the low-cost carrier's passengers say they continue to struggle with rejected refund requests, congested helplines and disrupted travel plans. Some of the airline's passengers told The Straits Times they received notifications that they were 'not eligible for a monetary refund' after submitting requests to get their money back for cancelled flights, while others said they received links that did not work. On June 11, the Singapore-based airline made a surprise announcement that it would close on July 31, citing rising costs and growing regional competition. Since then, its customers have been gradually notified via e-mail to either apply for a refund or reschedule their flights. Mr David Shuttleworth's June 14 flight to Penang was cancelled, but when he applied to get his money back he was told that he was 'not eligible for a monetary refund'. The 70-year-old consultant said he has been unable to speak to a Jetstar Asia staff member about his case because of congested chat lines. Mr Wen Long also received a similar message after applying to get a refund of about $50 for his flight to Penang. He spent 45 minutes on the airline's online chat service before being told he would be refunded and sent a confirmation email within seven business days. Ms Atiqah A R, 32, said the email she received contained a broken link that directed her to Jetstar Asia's homepage, instead of a refund request form. The tax consultant later found the form on the website, but felt the process was troublesome. She paid $88 for a July 19 flight to Kuala Lumpur. She also pointed out that she received an Instagram follow request from what she believes to be a fraudulent account called '@jetstarclaimresponse' on June 12. 'I almost fell for it. This is what happens when (Jetstar Asia) is not as responsive as they should be,' she added. 'People are desperate to get any sort of (response) and might fall prey to these scammers.' Other customers have found themselves stuck with travel expenses that they cannot get refunds for. Ms Jazz Anana, 38, had her flight to Okinawa in October cancelled . It also means she will not be able to make an onward ANA flight from Okinawa to Tokyo that cost her $800. The homemaker has been told by ANA that her ticket is non-refundable. 'I didn't get travel insurance for this trip yet, I deeply regret not buying it earlier,' she said. The Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) said they received three complaints between June 11 to 12 from customers having issues with getting refunds from Jetstar Asia, either due to navigation issues on their website or a lack of clarity on who to contact. CASE president Melvin Yong said their organization is working with Jetstar Asia on how it intends to process refund requests and reschedule flights. Asked about the issues passengers are facing, a Jetstar Asia spokesperson said all passengers are entitled to monetary refunds. A screenshot of a flight cancellation email from Jetstar Airways to a passenger, on June 12. ST PHOTO: GIN TAY 'By today (June 12), all customers will be contacted with details of alternative flight options where possible or offered a full refund. We ask customers to check the email used at the time of booking for details,' she said. The spokesperson also said that customers who have made 'non-refundable deposits' for other travel expenses such as hotels and car rentals should contact the airline, and requests for refunds would be considered on a case by case basis. Meanwhile, Jetstar Asia's passengers continue to deal with cancelled flights at Changi Airport. Ms Aisyah Matsuni, 33, who works at an active ageing centre, was supposed to leave for Bangkok with her family at 7am on June 11, but had her flight cancelled twice. She was put on a Singapore Airlines flight to Bangkok on June 12 instead. The Singapore Airlines Group said it was working with Jetstar Asia to accommodate its passengers on SIA and Scoot flights if seats are available. It has set up a counter at Terminal 2 to assist these passengers. 'All of us are very angry. Especially the kids, they're very excited for it, and you (the airline) cancel last minute without any notification,' she said, adding that she was worried her return flight on June 15 might also be cancelled. Travel agencies are also dealing with the fallout. Chan Brothers Travel senior marketing communications executive Trista Foo said Jetstar Asia's closure has affected its tour packages to Okinawa, Japan, and Broome, Australia. The airline is only carrier offering direct flights to these places. Customers who bought tour packages to Okinawa are being provided other transiting flights from carriers such as Cathay Pacific or China Airlines, said Ms Foo, which will take about 2.5 hours longer than a direct flight. Alternative flights to Broome could extend journeys for up to 10 hours, including layover times, she said. Customers will receive a full refund if they cancel their bookings and do not take up the alternative arrangements offered by the agency, she added. CTC Travel deputy manager Diana Tan said it was working with alternative airlines for its group tours affected by Jetstar Asia's closure. Ms Tan said the agency has not had any cancellations so far. Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Income Insurance its travel insurance would cover losses from non-refundable accommodation, theme park tickets or transport bookings, for travel plans after July 31. The insurer said it is covering its customers affected by the Jetstar Asia's closure, even though this was not something covered under its travel insurance policy. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
