SQ Tips, Trips and Tales

[Cruiser Elite]

citrusb (and AFF community at large) here is the news. As of Nov 1 officially - mid Oct unofficially - mixed class rdpts must be now sectorised and priced as 2 sectors - ie no longer does 1 x sector in F* and connecting sector in J* or Y* price as 1 complete F* booking. (* insert any class here) price at highest cabin rate in booking.

Subsequent to decs problem being booted from TPR recently I did follow up with KF call Ctr and information conveyed to me was rather complicated and somewhat confusing and I too am still rather confused so I was quite reluctant to post. Of course everybody's initial response will be 'So why is this not reflected on SQ Award Chart?'

That I cannot answer - that KF Call Ctr agents cannot answer - the right hand does not know what the left hand is doing!

BUT

All is not lost - due to state of inconsistency and confusion it is still possible to book 'Mixed Class Redemptions as 1 x single booking priced at highest cabin rate and not 2 x sectorised booking at relevevant cabin rate'.

The way to achieve this is to continue with normal booking procedure for 'Mixed Class Redemption' and simply call KF call Ctr and ask - if and when you get response no cannot do old way must do new way as 2 sectors then ask for Manager/Supervisor - explain to her or him you have done this before so it can be done - basically you need to 'Appeal' their process of '2 x Sectorised Mixed Class Booking' - you should be almost guaranteed they will yield and book at old rates.

My apologies if I sound like a tool and this process just sounds rediculous - IMHO it is - but if you want those Mixed Class Redemptions then this is the procedure you will need to adopt.

NFI if this new protocol is set in stone or if and when SQ Award Chart might be updated to reflect same. Again my apologies for my not posting - I do not run SQ - like you dudes I just play the game.

 

[foggy]

Can confirm that I have had 3 J savers in the past (a few times actually). 2 Booked straight away and 1 on waitlist that cleared a week before travel. Data point for travel from Melb though. I understand this (3X J savers) is also getting harder to get by - probably because a lot of people now travel SQ due to Velocity transfers.

So these days, if we all have to travel together - either the wife or me in F saver and the other 2 in J savers. In fact, the last time - I even swapped my F to J after boarding the plane as it has few empty J seats.

4 J savers is the norm. 5 J savers are available on certain routes. Ive found syd - sin - kix having 5 J savers available for certain flight times.

 

[citrusb]

that's basically the line they have taken with me.....

Thanks to you CE and Mel and others.... for all the behind the scene work you do on our behalf......

Murphy's law I rang again and the seats were now 'waitlist' only, so I thought bugger I will do online J.....got to end put in credit card and selected seats and computer crashed..... Not mean't to be!!!!!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

that's basically the line they have taken with me.....

Thanks to you CE and Mel and others.... for all the behind the scene work you do on our behalf......

Murphy's law I rang again and the seats were now 'waitlist' only, so I thought bugger I will do online J.....got to end put in credit card and selected seats and computer crashed..... Not mean't to be!!!!!

There's a clear inconsistency and I'm not aware of any krisflyer news or mention of the change in policy. I'd say if you wanted to push the case you might have a good chance to force it under Aussie consumer laws... dunno how far you'd get, but it might work for this one trip (assuming the space becomes available again)

 

[andy2015]

There's a clear inconsistency and I'm not aware of any krisflyer news or mention of the change in policy. I'd say if you wanted to push the case you might have a good chance to force it under Aussie consumer laws... dunno how far you'd get, but it might work for this one trip (assuming the space becomes available again)

I agree with most things you post but appealing to consumer laws regarding Krisflyer redemptions I feel won't go far. I feel for you citusb, and I'd push for mixed while there has been no official communicated change but for everyone else it looks like times are a changing....

 

[cove]

Citrusb I keep thinking we Perth folks should start doing MEL-SIN-LHR or equivalent in Suites in 2017 as a solution to mixed redemptions. I think we can do it without too much difficulty.

 

[prozerran]

Thank you for replying.....I referred them to the award saver chart and to the clause you mentioned... they pointed out to me the last bullet point "Mileage indicated is only valid for non-stop flights(no connections or transits between two destinations)
I know in practice this has never been relied upon and always charged at the highest class for the mixed journey...do I ask for supervisor's supervisor!!

I know Cruiser Elite has informed us of the current situation, but citrusb the last bullet point is only asterisked for certain legs - eg those from/to Europe. *'Mileage indicated is only valid for non-stop flights (no connections or transits) between two destinations.', so their argument does not hold true.

 

[TomVexille]

Citrusb I keep thinking we Perth folks should start doing MEL-SIN-LHR or equivalent in Suites in 2017 as a solution to mixed redemptions. I think we can do it without too much difficulty.

Which means between you and CE I won't be able to get a saver seat ever... So go from SYD will you

 

[cove]

TV I am pretty relaxed with Saver or Standard so I don't think it will be a problem. The rest of our ten redemption nominees can still go out of Perth so your fears are way too exaggerated.
My brother in MEL has never done a Suites run and he regularly goes on SQ in business class with his +1.
So I have accounted for 14 of us....relax......

 

[citrusb]

Citrusb I keep thinking we Perth folks should start doing MEL-SIN-LHR or equivalent in Suites in 2017 as a solution to mixed redemptions. I think we can do it without too much difficulty.

I hear what you say.....I think that may be the best future solution...

 

[citrusb]

citrusb (and AFF community at large) here is the news. As of Nov 1 officially - mid Oct unofficially - mixed class rdpts must be now sectorised and priced as 2 sectors - ie no longer does 1 x sector in F* and connecting sector in J* or Y* price as 1 complete F* booking. (* insert any class here) price at highest cabin rate in booking.

Subsequent to decs problem being booted from TPR recently I did follow up with KF call Ctr and information conveyed to me was rather complicated and somewhat confusing and I too am still rather confused so I was quite reluctant to post. Of course everybody's initial response will be 'So why is this not reflected on SQ Award Chart?'

That I cannot answer - that KF Call Ctr agents cannot answer - the right hand does not know what the left hand is doing!

BUT

All is not lost - due to state of inconsistency and confusion it is still possible to book 'Mixed Class Redemptions as 1 x single booking priced at highest cabin rate and not 2 x sectorised booking at relevevant cabin rate'.

The way to achieve this is to continue with normal booking procedure for 'Mixed Class Redemption' and simply call KF call Ctr and ask - if and when you get response no cannot do old way must do new way as 2 sectors then ask for Manager/Supervisor - explain to her or him you have done this before so it can be done - basically you need to 'Appeal' their process of '2 x Sectorised Mixed Class Booking' - you should be almost guaranteed they will yield and book at old rates.

My apologies if I sound like a tool and this process just sounds rediculous - IMHO it is - but if you want those Mixed Class Redemptions then this is the procedure you will need to adopt.

NFI if this new protocol is set in stone or if and when SQ Award Chart might be updated to reflect same. Again my apologies for my not posting - I do not run SQ - like you dudes I just play the game.

Thanks CE for the explanation as it stands at the present time....

I agree that it's strange that a mixed class PER - SIN -LHR via call centre is now 32.5k + 107.5k (less the 15%) compared to online chart MEL or SYD - SIN-LHR (all in first) is 132.5k (less the 15%)

For the trip in question yesterday I ended up booking J all the way for 89k (for 2) compared to mixed class quote 157k.
The layover was only 1hr 20m so couldn't make good use of TPR and I'd reached end of my tether!!!!
I'm not short of KF miles but it was the principle on the day.....
I noticed they had held a mixed redemption booking for me from the earlier phone call, so if I feel 'refreshed' later in the day I may ring them again, and see how I go!!!!
Thanks to others who replied !!

 

[I love to travel]

For all you changi experts out there is DFS the only duty free shop at Changi. I seem to recall a thread re where to buy Champagne at good prices but cant find it. Their liqueur selection seems quite limited too, any experiences with different products between terminals, i looked at T1 a few days ago they had baileys, Contreau and Kahula and that seemed to be it. Thanks

 

[drron]

Have finally taken the plunge and have just redeemed SIN-NRT-LAX on SQ F.
So anyone in the TPR early 20/12 next year pop by and say Hi.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

I.l.t.t there used to be small stand alone duty free shop in T2 called T.W.S. or something similar - (Tobacco Wine Sprirts) - it had really competitive prices - quite cheaper than DFS but it closed 12mths or so back.

 

[TomVexille]

TV I am pretty relaxed with Saver or Standard so I don't think it will be a problem. The rest of our ten redemption nominees can still go out of Perth so your fears are way too exaggerated.
My brother in MEL has never done a Suites run and he regularly goes on SQ in business class with his +1.
So I have accounted for 14 of us....relax......

That's okay, I'll take the SYD flight for R

 

[penegal]

Melbourne has a 388 again TV...

 

[penegal]

I just did a magic mixed class (on the A350)...

And yes, if you really get stuck - HUACA... Hang Up And Call Again

 

[Cruiser Elite]

I just did a magic mixed class (on the A350)...

Gunna share details or is 2017 the year of the secret?

 

[penegal]

Gunna share details or is 2017 the year of the secret?

Not the most economical use of points, but I am doing DUS-SIN-MEL in late March.

Medium to long layover to have some good TPR time. A350 (J) to A380 (R)

 

[Cruiser Elite]

I will be heading to / from China late March - dates unknown ATPIT so best we liaise - BTW OT in next week or so? Msg me if your cough is going to be in town longer than 24hrs mate.