SQ Tips, Trips and Tales

[penegal]

Sounds like a plan, but might need to be elsewhere if before 13 Jan - OT is closed to 13 Jan.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Sounds like a plan, but might need to be elsewhere if before 13 Jan - OT is closed to 13 Jan.

I did say week or so - you know how like your 8pm arrivals are in fact 10:30pm arrival? Get the drift? But that is going OT.

Back OT - I need to book for 4 pax into PVG / out of PEK early May - R/F rdpts easier than J - go figure.

 

[kamchatsky]

I have put in waitlists for 2*2 F savers and 2*2 J Savers for late December 2017 (in time for school holidays) on the following flights:

SQ222 SYD-SIN
SQ638 SIN-NRT

I have just booked my backup flights: 4*J Savers SQ218 MEL-SIN, SQ632 SIN-HND. Transit time at SIN is 2:20. I would need to book separate flights from SYD-MEL, probably book the 9pm flight the night before. Since they are not linked so I need to ensure I have plenty of time between the SYD-MEL and MEL-SIN flights.

I would have preferred the waitlist option as I preferred to fly from SYD directly, the timing would suit us more. Finally SQ632 is on A350 so it does not have F. Would have preferred to have 2 F awards for my missus.

I prefer short and sweet transit time because of my two small kids (2 and 5 by Dec 2017) and they need to regular naps ..... Hence those flight selections.

So now the waiting game begins for waitlisting. I know it is hard to get 4 * J/F savers, especially on those time of the year. Hence I booked the backup flight first. If the waitlist doesn't come through, at least I would have the opportunity to fly A350 XWB for the first time.

 

[penegal]

Back OT - I need to book for 4 pax into PVG / out of PEK early May - R/F rdpts easier than J - go figure.

Staff trip?

Not entirely surprising. J awards tend to get snapped up first (same on QF). I think some people see them as "better value" or don't realise that they probably do have the points for F, and there is availability.

In any case, as was posted here a while ago, it is nice to fly R/F when you can.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Staff trip?

Nope - taking 3 of my sisters to China for 8 nts - can't wait to tell Cathy

 

[citrusb]

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

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

Hats off to you penegal....how many phone calls...did you have to speak to manager and 'appeal'?

 

[tizey]

Any tips on MEL-SIN-MNL F redemptions? The SIN-MNL and vice versa seem impossible to find. Would love to do it one way as I'm flying solo.

 

[TomVexille]

Melbourne has a 388 again TV...

I prefer the daytime flight

 

[LadyC]

I prefer the daytime flight

I was excited about the A380 until I realized the flight timing too.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

It's a daytime flt home - that's the beauty of 2 x o/w Savers - 222 and 232 ex SYD gives you daytime flt on 380 and 217 gives you daytime flt into MEL. 218 suits me perfectly on China trips as it connects beautifully with 830 into PVG or 802 into PEK which are both 380s. Whilst I agree sleeping in F cabins certainly restricts the total 'enjoyment' package but sometimes it is just required.

 

[whughes3]

Any tips on MEL-SIN-MNL F redemptions? The SIN-MNL and vice versa seem impossible to find. Would love to do it one way as I'm flying solo.

There is usually no F cabin on SIN-MNL flights, which would explain why such seats are hard to find! (looking at the schedules, it appears that normally only 1 of the 4 daily flights offers F).

 

[Cruiser Elite]

910 dep SIN 09:30 has F - this is only flt for day that offers F - ret 917 MNL-SIN dep 14:05 has F. It is not the easiest route for rdpt inventory.

 

[Pele]

There is usually no F cabin on SIN-MNL flights, which would explain why such seats are hard to find! (looking at the schedules, it appears that normally only 1 of the 4 daily flights offers F).

Gday

Last year i was planning a similar one way: MNL- SIN- SYD in F. I monitored the Krisflyer website almost daily for months and this is what i found:

- there was usually one flight a day from MNL to SIN with F. Not sure what F, the likes of Cruiser Elite will have to give you that detail.
- even at max days out(either 355 or 353 cant remember exactly) there are no flights available. They always gets loaded in as waitlisted.
- generally at about 14 days before departure a seat opens up(not sure if it is more than one but as i was only after one that is all i searched for), however:
- usually the flight combination with the shortest transit in Singapore(~3 hours) never opened up. The flights with transits in SIN of between 5- 17 hours opened up at saver level.

If your not in a hurry or have relatives/want to do some sightseeing in SIN that can work but otherwise not ideal.

Nonetheless i reckon this is one of the best value Krisflyer redemptions around as you get two sectors in F, plenty of TPR time and the taxes out of MNL are small change(ie $USD33). My plans changed last year so my research was in vain but if the stars align at some time in the future i will be all over this like a rash.

Pele.

 

[tizey]

Thanks guys! Looks like I'll book J and hope for a last minute switch to a F fare. It's just me flying, so hopefully it opens up and can access F on one leg.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

tizey it is a piece of cake to upgrade online J to F if inventory is released.

 

[penegal]

Hats off to you penegal....how many phone calls...did you have to speak to manager and 'appeal'?

Once, but I am pretty charming

My SQ status may have also helped given I was probably dealing with a different area / contact centre.

 

[Bwood9]

Well done, that is a good redemption rate considering the short notice. I have not flown Etihad so cannot compare but I have not been disappointed flying SQ J. I'd be looking forward to it as well. Please report your experience, it will be interesting to hear a comparison.

Well having completed LHR - SYD in SQ J I am very disappointed. Etihad are miles ahead of SQ. My issues:
-Etihad hard product is obviously better.
-Etihad dine any time and the food is better.
-Etihad Wifi service is better.
-Etihad crew are better.

I had to ask twice for a water bottle on the first flight, on the second flight I had to ask twice for a landing card. I was told by the first person in each case they had limited supply and would check but never got back to me!

 

[hummel]

So as detailed previous in this thread I have SFO-SIN-MEL x 2 pax in J booked in the next couple of weeks.

I was hoping I could change SIN-MEL to a later flight (within 24hrs) if R/F opened up a - and it did!

So.. I just rang SQ call centre on the number CE provided (sydney number) and they told me no can do! Only available for new bookings.

I then said that a bit strange is not? And apparently I would need to cancel my whole booking even though I can do mixed redemption bookings initially?

Any help.. as Angel I think it was in the call centre (I got her both times) wasn't so much help.

 

[PlutekPlutek]

Hi.
I need to fly SYD-PEK for work. Thinking of flying SQ since I'm a VA Plat. Work only pays for Y, however I have a large number of VA points sitting unused, that I could concievably use for an upgrade when flying SQ.
Is there a way I can find before I book the flights if there are any available upgrades on the any of the flights ? I will fly SYD-SIN-PEK and PEK-SIN-SYD. Could also fly out of MEL or BNE if that made things easier.
Do I need to book the flights first to see if upgrades are available, or is there some mechanism available where I can check that beforehand? Also, I looked on the upgrade chart and there seem to be two numbers listed for each route (Saver and something else). What's the difference between then ?

Cheers
LP

 

[Cruiser Elite]

I was hoping I could change SIN-MEL to a later flight (within 24hrs) if R/F opened up a - and it did!

So.. I just rang SQ call centre on the number CE provided (sydney number) and they told me no can do! Only available for new bookings.

What is your time frame? Call back and get a different Agent - pm me if time and I will get Mia to look at it but timing may be a prob as she is off for a few days.