DFS taking action over ‘improper’ whisky sale
Duty Free Singapore (DFS) will be taking appropriate disciplinary action along with a full investigation after it found "improper behaviour on the part of a few employees and contractors working for DFS" in the sale of a product.
This comes after Mr Andrew Soetiono said in a Facebook post on Saturday that he was unable to buy a bottle of whisky - specifically Chichibu Ichiro's Malt Single Cask #1767 - on the same day at the Changi Airport DFS Whisky Festival.
In his post, he said that he and another traveller had both been waiting for hours when three men - who he said are staff of DFS - came up to the counter and obtained a bottle without having to queue.
Mr Soetiono said he had been waiting since 2.30pm while the other traveller had been waiting since noonwhen the men arrived at around 4pm.
He said the DFS staff appeared to have shown "preferential treatment" to their colleagues. He added that the staff initially denied selling the product to the men, but a staff member later admitted it and told them there were no more bottles available for sale that day.
The bottle costs $450, according to Facebook user Alex Lai who identified himself on Mr Soetiono's post as the other traveller who had been waiting at the store.
DFS Changi (and Cruise Centres) general manager Prashant Mahboobani told The Straits Times that the company was aware of the customer complaint on social media about the "allocation of a particularly sought-after bottle of whisky".
He said that all DFS products are available for sale to members of the public as well as DFS employees, but there was "improper behaviour" in this incident.
Mr Prashant added: "A full and thorough investigation is underway and appropriate disciplinary action is being taken.
"We apologise to any of our customers who have had difficulty obtaining this particularly sought-after product."
DFS employees are also no longer allowed to purchase this product during the Whisky Festival period, said Mr Prashant, adding that DFS would continue to release only a few bottles each day depending on stock.
- THE STRAITS TIMES
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