SQ Tips, Trips and Tales

[get me outta here]

I think CE has reported in the past thousands up thread, that to go into the TPR you must be in F, no guesting oppos. But, the SQ J is good.

thanks guys, will take the suggestions on board, literally
No TPR for me, unless someone nice here will be there at the same time and can guest me , will post in the SQ lounge thread soon (will be in Changi on 22/07 around 7pm onwards)

 

[daft009]

Thanks guys, good to know

 

[tizey]

Re: Rumour:[Denied by RR] Qantas to ban JQ SYD-MEL pax from F lounges & send to J lou

yes, it's really a 'thing'. Some call centre agents are unaware they can do it, but mixed class redemptions are stated in the text under the award tables.

I thought you could only book mixed award if the class your booking isn't offered on that flight? I booked mixed F/J MEL-SIN-HAN as SIN-HAN had no F.

Oh man. This just hurts.

 

[desafinado74]

Hi desafinado74

I have no idea how many new F will be in the air , but if you search SIN-LHR from mid June 2018 back SQ322 comes up as "Not Available" every day as a Saver Fare, so I am assuming that flight is possibly one of them, which doesn't bode well.

Thanks Deka for the reply. I will have to decide if forking out another 45k miles to fly F is worth it or not, compared to J class. (I am thinking of flying F to LHR and return via J from AMS)

 

[cove]

First class/Suites availability has moved to Standard Miles in the 4 seater 777 it seems for the SIN-NRT-LAX run in April 2018.

 

[halogen]

Hi SQExperts

Just had a query about waitlists - I've read the wiki and made 4 waitlist bookings, 2 from per - tpe and 2 from tpe - per.

My question is, how do you guys plan for the waitlist not clearing in time? Especially if hotels and transfers need to be booked.

If the waitlist doesn't clear, how long do you guys wait before you book a normal flight with cash, cutting it too close to the day may result in a lack of availability or extremely expensive pricing.

 

[desafinado74]

Hello everyone,
I can't decide whether to take the 773 (which departs SIN at 1235pm for LHR ) or A380 which has the 9am departure.
I have not taken either plane for 3 years now, so i can't remember much how they were.
Which plane type do you all prefer ? I am leaning towards the 1235pm departure, but some people commented that the A380 is more quiet.
(I am going to redeem for J class)

 

[diningdecadence]

Hello everyone,
I can't decide whether to take the 773 (which departs SIN at 1235pm for LHR ) or A380 which has the 9am departure.
I have not taken either plane for 3 years now, so i can't remember much how they were.
Which plane type do you all prefer ? I am leaning towards the 1235pm departure, but some people commented that the A380 is more quiet.
(I am going to redeem for J class)

in J i'd be more interested in arrival time into LHR. ie i don't reckon it's a massive difference. try and go for the bulkhead/ mini cabin in whichever aircraft you end up in.

 

[Lemon_Party]

Hi SQExperts

Just had a query about waitlists - I've read the wiki and made 4 waitlist bookings, 2 from per - tpe and 2 from tpe - per.

My question is, how do you guys plan for the waitlist not clearing in time? Especially if hotels and transfers need to be booked.

If the waitlist doesn't clear, how long do you guys wait before you book a normal flight with cash, cutting it too close to the day may result in a lack of availability or extremely expensive pricing.

Really comes down to personal situation; how important is your travel on the exact dates; how important is the exact location; how flexible is your budget etc etc. If you have to be in TPE on those dates, I'd make my hotel bookings etc. Back up plan would be paid Y and I'd have a limit at when prices got to a certain level I'd pull the plug.

Others would waitlist a load of flights to TPE, have alternate reward flights available, and have 3/4 days departure flexibility.

SQ waitlists can often clear in the week before travel and up to day of departure. I get limited holidays that must be booked well in advance - losing 3 or 4 days waiting for a flight to clear doesn't suit me.

Check out the milelion page if you haven't before, he has a few articles on the waitlist in the directory. Experimenting with the SQ Waitlist | The MileLion

 

[halogen]

Really comes down to personal situation; how important is your travel on the exact dates; how important is the exact location; how flexible is your budget etc etc. If you have to be in TPE on those dates, I'd make my hotel bookings etc. Back up plan would be paid Y and I'd have a limit at when prices got to a certain level I'd pull the plug.

Others would waitlist a load of flights to TPE, have alternate reward flights available, and have 3/4 days departure flexibility.

SQ waitlists can often clear in the week before travel and up to day of departure. I get limited holidays that must be booked well in advance - losing 3 or 4 days waiting for a flight to clear doesn't suit me.

Check out the milelion page if you haven't before, he has a few articles on the waitlist in the directory. Experimenting with the SQ Waitlist | The MileLion

Thanks for the reply LP - flights are for my wife who is doing a trip with her mates who are travelling to TPE from other countries so dates are quite fixed.

Will check out milelion. I guess there is always an option to pay the normal award rates and get the flights confirmed, 37k one leg vs 20k on saver.

 

[theblank]

SQ waitlists can often clear in the week before travel and up to day of departure.

Does that mean very little chance of a waitlist opening up long before the flight, like 2-3 months out?

Obviously the right strategy is to confirm one flight for certainty, and waitlist on the preferred flights. I get travel anxiety (is that a thing)I dont think I could handle waiting up to a day before knowing, the men in white coats would be coming to take me away.

 

[prozerran]

Hi Halogen

I did the SQ318 (13:35pm) last year in J and I am doing the SQ308(9:00pm) this year in suites.

Both timings are good in my opinion.
The A380 is suppose to be a little more quiet than the 773.
However, the 773 is likely to have the new 2013 J seats (majority of the time it is the new J). The A380 has the old 2006 J seats.

SQ308 does breakfast/lunch, SQ318 does lunch/dinner.

I would do SQ318 (13:35pm) departure if you can just because of the new J.

Hi SQExperts

Just had a query about waitlists - I've read the wiki and made 4 waitlist bookings, 2 from per - tpe and 2 from tpe - per.

My question is, how do you guys plan for the waitlist not clearing in time? Especially if hotels and transfers need to be booked.

If the waitlist doesn't clear, how long do you guys wait before you book a normal flight with cash, cutting it too close to the day may result in a lack of availability or extremely expensive pricing.

 

[Lemon_Party]

Does that mean very little chance of a waitlist opening up long before the flight, like 2-3 months out?

Obviously the right strategy is to confirm one flight for certainty, and waitlist on the preferred flights. I get travel anxiety (is that a thing)I dont think I could handle waiting up to a day before knowing, the men in white coats would be coming to take me away.

Yeah - if you can get one locked in it's great. I have about ten waitlists for SYD-SIN-HKG in suites with a confirmed flight 4 days after my ideal departure. Closer to the time will be a tough decision...

From what I've read the waitlist is strange and unpredictable- but 350 days out when awards come online, and close to departure normally have best saver availability and waitlist clearances.

I've still seen posters who have had waitlists clear 3,4,5,6 months out etc so the actual logic is anyone's guess.

 

[halogen]

Hi Halogen

I did the SQ318 (13:35pm) last year in J and I am doing the SQ308(9:00pm) this year in suites.

Both timings are good in my opinion.
The A380 is suppose to be a little more quiet than the 773.
However, the 773 is likely to have the new 2013 J seats (majority of the time it is the new J). The A380 has the old 2006 J seats.

SQ308 does breakfast/lunch, SQ318 does lunch/dinner.

I would do SQ318 (13:35pm) departure if you can just because of the new J.

Thanks for the suggestion!

I think I'm going to confirm the standard redemption flights and leave the savers on waitlist, willing to cop the $30usd cancellation fee of the standard award booking if the saver ones come through.

Anyone else done this or have thoughts on this method?

Ends up costing a lot more points but at least the flights are confirmed I guess

 

[desafinado74]

in J i'd be more interested in arrival time into LHR. ie i don't reckon it's a massive difference. try and go for the bulkhead/ mini cabin in whichever aircraft you end up in.

Thanks for the reply Diningdecadance. I will go ahead and book the flight departing SIN at 1235pm over the weekend.
Does anyone know when is the best time to call the call centre ? No big issue, but i just hope i don't have to wait on the phone forever like Centrelink

 

[TomVexille]

Thanks for the reply Diningdecadance. I will go ahead and book the flight departing SIN at 1235pm over the weekend.
Does anyone know when is the best time to call the call centre ? No big issue, but i just hope i don't have to wait on the phone forever like Centrelink

I haven't called often, but I've never had to wait, unlike QF where I have status and wait at least half an hour...

That's the 02 # BTW

 

[desafinado74]

I haven't called often, but I've never had to wait, unlike QF where I have status and wait at least half an hour...

That's the 02 # BTW

Thanks Tom, and yup, i shall call the 02 number.
Just out of curiousity, are you required to pay the taxes and the USD$100 stopover fee straight away over the phone, or you can pay the fees online at a later date ?

 

[alexy23]

Locked in on LHR-SIN-MEL on 777-300ER (4 class). Leaving SQ305 @ 9:25am. Wanted to know people's experiences in upgrading to an A380 if seats are avail.

I can still see 2 R fares open on SQ 317 leaving @ 11:25am. Assuming this is still open when I arrive at airport, has anyone had success in asking for a plane switch?

 

[cove]

One of my sons is flying today and tomorrow to get home from Los Angeles and it appears his waitlisted upgrade did not come his way. Four seats in First make that close to mission impossible. It may be the start of the business class flying instead.

 

[pgsdiver]

One of my sons is flying today and tomorrow to get home from Los Angeles and it appears his waitlisted upgrade did not come his way. Four seats in First make that close to mission impossible. It may be the start of the business class flying instead.

At least if you have to suffer J, SQ is a good place to do it. I have a similar problem with a trip to Frankfurt in March. It seems to me, based on my numerous flirtations with dates and routes on the SQ site, that availability for Suites in particular, but F in general, is getting harder to find. I wonder if it is supply or demand that's doing it?
P