I always fly SQ because of my Kris Flyer privileges. Also they are on time and have a well maintained fleet. Quite often I change flights in Changi with only 25 min wait. Never have I missed the baggage or the flight. Even if the inward flight is a bit late they wait. In fact, after boarding once the bags are loaded they come to the seat and inform that it's been done. Nowadays it's automatic notification with the App.
I rarely go with agents and always buy with the airline direct. My wife does all the bookings well in advance whenever she finds the lowest fares. When Covid hit we had two separate flights booked and paid with SQ. CMB-SIN-LHR return. Then LHR - KEF return (Iceland, with Icelandic Air)
Also had another flight six months after the above flight with SQ, also paid in fulll CMB-SIN-WLG return.
When Covid stuck, SQ
refunded all the money without asking a single question in full. No admin fee was deducted. Icelandic air gave me a voucher for the full amount to be used upto three years later with proviso of further extension. I used this later, post Covid when we flew to Iceland. Got the same flights with the voucher provided.
My friends who booked the flights to LHR through an agent got the refund many months later than me, with a reduced amount.
If you book direct with the airline, anytime you can contact them and they will accommodate you. Through an agent they will need a payment for you to deal with them direct, but you can contact the agent and proceed.
If you happen to miss a connection you are in a better position with a direcly booked ticket. Try contacting Skyscanner or eDreams from another airport. This happened to us in Santiago airport. There were 7 of us who missed the connection to Peru. The three of us with direct bookings with LATAM. The other four on-line Skyscanner or eDreams. We had a total of 6 internal flights booked with LATAM in the South Americas. I had to talk the LATAM girl into agreeing to change the other four online issued tickets. It was Christmas time and Santiago immigration was horribly managed, understaffed, we spent hours in the queue ending up when we arrived at the departure gate, it was unmanned but the aircraft was still there. We were left behind, but luckily there was another flight to Peru in three hours.
Agents can offer cheaper deals because they operate with a consolidator who has an agreement with the aiirline for bulk purchases. They get cheaper fares because of the volume of tickets they sell.
Also sometimes there could be hidden catches too, like reduced baggage or reduced points (flyer miles), or it's a longer flight (not the shortest time for the total journey), the fare is not flex, etc
If it's a lot lower go with an agent. I had a friend of mine a Thai guy operating from BKK who offered unbelievable fares. He worked for a major consolidator based in BKK. These guys normally do not deal with passengers directly but he did because I knew his niece. You inform him six months ahead and he always sends an e-ticket a few days before you fly. Never failed even once. Sadly he had diabetes, high BP, was obese and passed away during the worst Covid period.
