New to KF redemptions - Q about process & waitlists

[Pollywaffle]

Hi all.

I am starting to plan my next trip that involves using my KF points. I've neer redeemed online with KF before. I am aiming for a one-way Business Saver flight SYD-LHR (or other European city) to be booked for next April and started 'training' last night. I did a trial run last night only to the point of available flights being displayed. I dared not go further unless it deducted points.

The info displayed showed the SYD-SIN and SIN-LHR There were a couple of flights that had Business Saver flights for the entire flight. Other flights showed availability for one sector and a waitlist for the other sector.
Here's my question. If I redeem points for one sector and waitlist for the other, how do I ensure I get on the plane?
Is there a standard time for replies to waitlist requests to be communicated?
If I am waitlisted in Business and there are no seats, will they assume I want to fly and put me in Economy?
Do I need to buy a seat for the sector that i am waitlisted on if I hear nothing?

Yes, feel free to laugh. It sounds silly but I was scratching my head about next steps.

Thanks,
PW.

Oh, and another question. I want to fly out Apr 2011 and return (prob via USA) in Jun 2011. Given competition is fierce on some sectors, I assume it's best to book the flights one-way so I can get in as early as the system allows and that I choose the appropriate partner arilines. Yes?

 

[kamchatsky]

Hi all.

I am starting to plan my next trip that involves using my KF points. I've neer redeemed online with KF before. I am aiming for a one-way Business Saver flight SYD-LHR (or other European city) to be booked for next April and started 'training' last night. I did a trial run last night only to the point of available flights being displayed. I dared not go further unless it deducted points.

The info displayed showed the SYD-SIN and SIN-LHR There were a couple of flights that had Business Saver flights for the entire flight. Other flights showed availability for one sector and a waitlist for the other sector.
Here's my question. If I redeem points for one sector and waitlist for the other, how do I ensure I get on the plane?
Is there a standard time for replies to waitlist requests to be communicated?
If I am waitlisted in Business and there are no seats, will they assume I want to fly and put me in Economy?
Do I need to buy a seat for the sector that i am waitlisted on if I hear nothing?

Yes, feel free to laugh. It sounds silly but I was scratching my head about next steps.

Thanks,
PW.

Oh, and another question. I want to fly out Apr 2011 and return (prob via USA) in Jun 2011. Given competition is fierce on some sectors, I assume it's best to book the flights one-way so I can get in as early as the system allows and that I choose the appropriate partner arilines. Yes?

SYD-SIN-LHR all the way with Business Savers? Book it now if you can. Normally SIN-LHR only has Business Standard redemption which is twice the amount as Business Savers. This is because Business Saver is NOT available on A380/77W/A345 planes. Book it first, then you can always change it later by paying $20US fee for change of routing.

Make sure you book SYD-SIN-LHR as 1 ticket though, and not two separate tickets.

I hate waitlisting because if seats do not free up then it will expire and you will get NO SEAT at all. That's why if there are any seats available I will lock in first, then think later.

 

[auriga]

I am quite surprised too to read that you can find business saver from SIN to LHR! That would be very very lucky indeed.

Unfortunately if one waitlist segment does not clear, the entire booking is cancelled. I guess the only way to ensure you have a ticket to travel, is to book another confirmed ticket, or perhaps to buy an economy ticket, and try to upgrade with KF miles. (although I don't think it is the best value).

 

[albatross710]

Hi all.

I am starting to plan my next trip that involves using my KF points. I've neer redeemed online with KF before. I am aiming for a one-way Business Saver flight SYD-LHR (or other European city) to be booked for next April and started 'training' last night. I did a trial run last night only to the point of available flights being displayed. I dared not go further unless it deducted points.

You can safely go another screen. Before SQ process the points you have to have a confirmed itinerary and pay the taxes and charges ie provide credit card details.

The info displayed showed the SYD-SIN and SIN-LHR There were a couple of flights that had Business Saver flights for the entire flight. Other flights showed availability for one sector and a waitlist for the other sector.
Here's my question. If I redeem points for one sector and waitlist for the other, how do I ensure I get on the plane?
Is there a standard time for replies to waitlist requests to be communicated?

If you waitlist on the website, your booking will stay as a waitlist for three days in which time SQ will (hopefully) attempt to fill the waitlist. If the waitlist doesn't clear in that time, the booking will lapse. If it doesn't look like clearing by 2.5 days, call the call centre, make a minor change to the booking and the waitlist will reset for another three days. I usually find that jockeying around with dates eventually finds a flight that will suit.

If I am waitlisted in Business and there are no seats, will they assume I want to fly and put me in Economy?

Nice idea but not going to happen. If you waitlist for J, it will lapse if not confirmed within the three days.

Do I need to buy a seat for the sector that i am waitlisted on if I hear nothing?

That would be a judgement on your part. As the other posters have mentioned they were surprised to see Saver J seats all the way to LHR. Even if I got J Saver BNE to SIN & then do the SIN-LHR only as Standard J it didn't save points as the two separate bookings worked out more on the itin I was trying. Do a simple spreadsheet and compare your out of pocket expenses, points and the various options to decide a solution that works for your situation.

Yes, feel free to laugh. It sounds silly but I was scratching my head about next steps.

Thanks,
PW.

Oh, and another question. I want to fly out Apr 2011 and return (prob via USA) in Jun 2011. Given competition is fierce on some sectors, I assume it's best to book the flights one-way so I can get in as early as the system allows and that I choose the appropriate partner arilines. Yes?

Always going to be a trade off between your other constraints, points, dollars, available time, available flights. Sounds like you are starting early and doing your research. I've been having success with KF redemptions 3-4 months prior to travel. Seem to have more availability than QF.

Also, if you haven't already, search the forum for info on the ANA tool (ana tool - Google Search) which is good for searching *A award availability.

 

[Pollywaffle]

Thanks for the insight everyone.

I had a look again last night for availability 350 days out and there were no Business Saver seats all the way through to LHR. It must have been a freaky luck that displayed the one flight I saw. Too bad I didn't want to fly then.

I might go back to the drawing board and rethink my strategy. My plan is to leave around Easter so I would imagine that availability would be even worse at that time.

Thanks to the Westpac Krisflyer credit card intro promo last year, I can afford (points wise) a business class seat and would like to take advantage of this.

 

[albatross710]

I might go back to the drawing board and rethink my strategy. My plan is to leave around Easter so I would imagine that availability would be even worse at that time..

Last December I booked flights for 4 family members for travel this Easter with various mix of J itineraries. I was considering changing one of the flights and even notice that at this stage, two weeks out there was some flexibility in obtaining J savers. I admit that news about this Easter isn't much use to you for 2011 but it is a start.

 

[dajop]

I had a look again last night for availability 350 days out and there were no Business Saver seats all the way through to LHR. It must have been a freaky luck that displayed the one flight I saw. Too bad I didn't want to fly then..

As SQ routlinely don't offer Business Savers to LHR, it must have been pure luck, either that or there had been an aircraft downgrade on that particular day. The closest you can realistically hope to to LHR on a Business Saver is AMS. Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, Rome and Athens are the only destinations you can get a Business Saver to. But at half the price of Standard Business awards, it would be worth getting to one of those cities and finding a cheap fare (or another star alliance economy redemption) to London.

 

[albatross710]

Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, Rome and Athens are the only destinations you can get a Business Saver to. But at half the price of Standard Business awards, it would be worth getting to one of those cities and finding a cheap fare (or another star alliance economy redemption) to London.

Airlines like Easyjet have pretty good value airfares anyway.

 

[DTM1]

Just as long as you are aware, that the reason you can get these flights is because they do not have the new J product, and do not have lie flat. Yes, they are better than Y, but don't expect too much.

Saver tickets are not offered on the A380, 77W, which are the only flights between SIN and LHR.

 

[dajop]

Just as long as you are aware, that the reason you can get these flights is because they do not have the new J product, and do not have lie flat. Yes, they are better than Y, but don't expect too much.

They are still "angled" lie flat, similar to Qantas Skybed MKI, and various offerings of LH, MH, TG etc. Not the new SQ J class, but still OK for getting some sleep, certainly a step above old style "cradle" seats that are found on SQ's regional routes.