Extortionate Skywest award flights

[StevePER]

I'm playing around with some ideas for a holiday close to home next year.

Cocos Islands was an interesting idea, but it's impossible because there are never 3 reward seats available.

Darwin is a possibility, but the 6am DJ departure isn't friendly for travelling with young kids (or anyone really). Then I started looking at some Skywest destinations. They're not really a "partner" when it comes to reward flights are they? Even when there is availability (rarely) the cost is extortionate:

Examples:
PER-ALH: 6,900 + $107 - save $32 over buying a ticket
PER-EPR: 6,900 + $136 - save $33 over buying a ticket
PER-KGI: 6,900 + $156 - $7 more than buying a ticket!
PER-KNX: 6,900 + $312 - $73 more than buying a ticket!
PER-LEA: Not found

(In their defence, PER-DRW on XR is a quite reasonable 16,900 + $37 but it's never available - and it's early morning anyway).

<sigh>

I thought the introduction of the points table might sort this problem out, but it hasn't.

 

[Mh4k]

Only tangentially related, but I was quoted 750k points for one-way business class Hong Kong to Heathrow on VS by the Velocity gold desk D:

 

[markis10]

Whats wrong with PER-DRW on DJ at 10:30, and easily available?

 

[notzac]

Only tangentially related, but I was quoted 750k points for one-way business class Hong Kong to Heathrow on VS by the Velocity gold desk D:

HAHA .. really? That's the cheapest points redemption in J they could find?

 

[StevePER]

Whats wrong with PER-DRW on DJ at 10:30, and easily available?

I was looking in April/May next year, and the only flight is at 06:00. 10:30 would be much better!

 

[markis10]

I was looking in April/May next year, and the only flight is at 06:00. 10:30 would be much better!

Ahh, Summer 12 schedules, may change!

 

[StevePER]

My wife was telling me this evening how nice the Cocos Islands look. So it's a shame that after 5 years flying mainly with Virgin I can't get 3 award seats any time within a two month period, but a Qantas Gold could pretty much choose any day they wanted.

And on the Summer '12 thing, any idea when they reshuffle the schedules?

 

[Boeta]

And on the Summer '12 thing, any idea when they reshuffle the schedules?

In my experiences, domestic Virgin schedules are sent roughly a couple of months into the preceding schedule. So by November you should know... otherwise...

 

[markis10]

My wife was telling me this evening how nice the Cocos Islands look. So it's a shame that after 5 years flying mainly with Virgin I can't get 3 award seats any time within a two month period, but a Qantas Gold could pretty much choose any day they wanted.

And on the Summer '12 thing, any idea when they reshuffle the schedules?

Since when did QF fly to the Cocos Islands? Award availability should really be compared on a like for like route basis where possible, otherwise its irrelevant IMHO.

 

[StevePER]

Since when did QF fly to the Cocos Islands? Award availability should really be compared on a like for like route basis where possible, otherwise its irrelevant IMHO.

I mean that a QF gold can get comped to DJ Gold and get the guaranteed seats, while a long-time DJ silver can't get three seats no matter how flexible they are with dates.

 

[StevePER]

Still on the topic of Cocos Islands, I wonder if it is possible to get 2 reward seats + 1 premium reward seat (there is lots more availability in premium). I called Velocity today and asked if it was possible to book like this and then downgrade the premium seat. At first she wasn't sure (apparently they don't often get requests for a downgrade) but then came back and said they have no way to do this.