Since SIA terminated its phone check-in system, Internet check-in has been the main way for passengers to check themselves in before arriving at the airport. (Yes, there is also the SMS check-in, but that system seems so complicated that it is probably not worth the while of a casual passenger who travels on SIA once or twice a year to go through the hassle of setting up the system for SMS check-in.)

In early May, my wife and two children, and my wife's parents, flew SIA's SQ 12 from Singapore to Los Angeles.

Checking in for that flight was a nightmare.

My wife could not check in her parents, despite trying all the combinations of their names, passport numbers, ticket numbers and booking references.

She eventually had to make a personal trip to SIA's office in Orchard Road to check everyone in, spending half a day doing so. She gave her feedback to SIA through its online feedback system, but never received any reply.

On May 26, I tried to check in my wife's parents through Internet check-in for their return flight from Los Angeles to Singapore.

Again, the system told me that I could not do so, and that they would have to present themselves personally for check-in at Los Angeles International Airport.

Once again, this is a tremendous disappointment. I also spent nearly an hour trying to check them in, unsuccessfully.

I do not know how much SIA has spent on its IT systems to support Internet check-in.

Neither do I know how much SIA spent on the full-page advertisements in this newspaper trumpeting the convenience of Internet check-in.

But it is clear to me that SIA has wasted its money, if in the end it still advises its passengers to check in by the old-economy method of presenting themselves at the airport.

SIA should bring back its phone check-in to allow passengers some contact with a live representative of SIA who can direct them through the process of checking in.

Keith Tan Kean Loong

Los Angeles, USA