SQ Tips, Trips and Tales

[Cruiser Elite]

There might be another reason why SQ doesn't allow the award, but this isn't a case of back-tracking. Often reservations staff will try and explain something thrown up by the system, but they don't always come up with the right reason.

So you called to check MEL? Feel free to report back imm after you call them to clarify.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

So you called to check MEL? Feel free to report back imm after you call them to clarify.

22a of the kris flyer terms and conditions for SQ awards and upgrades defines backtracking:

Award Redemption - Award Calculation Rules

Travel must be via a published route. Backtracking is not permitted except as required by route restrictions. Backtracking occurs when a journey does not continue in the same direction in which it began. An itinerary containing a backtracking sector not required by route restrictions may require separate tickets.

​

PEK-SIN-IST or vv is one continuous direction, so it is not backtracking. As I said, there may be another reason why SQ doesn't allow this award, but it isn't backtracking. These things happen from time to time, getting a supervisor involved may be necessary to find out the actual reason behind the system rejecting it. If it's an error it can be overridden.

 

[andy2015]

PEK-SIN-IST or vv is one continuous direction, so it is not backtracking. As I said, there may be another reason why SQ doesn't allow this award, but it isn't backtracking. These things happen from time to time, getting a supervisor involved may be necessary to find out the actual reason behind the system rejecting it. If it's an error it can be overridden.

MPM limit maybe?

 

[Cruiser Elite]

PEK-SIN-IST or vv is one continuous direction, so it is not backtracking. As I said, there may be another reason why SQ doesn't allow this award, but it isn't backtracking. These things happen from time to time, getting a supervisor involved may be necessary to find out the actual reason behind the system rejecting it. If it's an error it can be overridden.

Stop dancing around like a fairy MEL - call SQ and ask is PEK-SIN-IST a valid routing for rdpt booking - I did and was clearly told it is backtracking - do a dummy search for a rdpt booking and see what it throws up - if it does yield response that I snipped and posted then pls call to clarify with a Supervisor - I am not seeking to book this flt but another AFFer is - help them out MEL - I failed in my mission - looks like it is up to you now.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Stop dancing around like a fairy MEL - call SQ and ask is PEK-SIN-IST a valid routing for rdpt booking - I did and was clearly told it is backtracking - do a dummy search for a rdpt booking and see what it throws up - if it does yield response that I snipped and posted then pls call to clarify with a Supervisor - I am not seeking to book this flt but another AFFer is - help them out MEL - I failed in my mission - looks like it is up to you now.

Sounds like the agent did a sample booking and repeated what the system shows us on line. It's up to the person wanting to do the redemption to follow that up if they want to, armed with the terms and conditions. It's the same as some call centre staff not wanting to do mixed class redemptions, you can either accept what the agent says, or pursue it given the rules which state mixed classes are possible in cases where suites/first is not offered. Just because an agent tells you something doesn't mean it is accurate.

it may be a case of exceeding MPM as andy2015 points out, but that would need to assume that the revenue fare follows routing rules and the award follows mileage-based rules.

 

[seanpodge]

Re: The IST-SIN-PEK "backtracking" issue, while it might not appear to be backtracking, the routing could fall foul of any "maximum permitted mileage" (MPM) rule SQ might have for flights between IST and PEK (or indeed between any two points). Using our old friend, gcmap.com, we get the following results:

Direct
IST-PEK 4407 mi

Via SIN
IST-PEK 8167 mi
IST-PVG 7744 mi
IST-WUH 7519 mi
IST-XMN 7241 mi

I only learnt about MPM when trying to get an award with OZ a couple of years ago. Wanted to go from China to the USA and thought that I could do it with EY via AUH. Sadly not.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Sq with KF points

My post was on Star Alliance Conditions booked through SQ.

Booking SQ on SQ is a different set of Conditions.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

I need to be in Nanjing, China (NKG) Thur 20th - so get to work. I had a single sector 'Upgrade Voucher' J to F courtesy of downgrade R to J on May 5 due to sub 350 from 380 - so I booked o/w J saver rdpt on 238 MEL-SIN on 19th @ 58K KF pts +$98 tax on and then called KF Call Ctr to arrange upgrade.

Process is then you forward a copy of both front and back Upgrade Voucher to KF Call Ctr and they then check applicability as per Ts and Cs for that particular voucher and availability F Saver seat - all was good and Upgrade arranged in 2 mins. 238 in J is refitted 777 with Weber / Regional 2 2 2 layout which are fine for daytime flt but upgrade to old F still allows complete daytime enjoyment of complete F soft product + TPR access for brekky Thursday morn pre dep Scoot from T2.

Then I need to get to NKG which could have been second sector SIN-PVG then subway to Hongqiao to get train to Nanjing - achievable but not at all easy without stopover 1 nt SH. So quich search shows Scoot direct flt SIN-NKG 10:20-15:50 - perfect timing:



Check the price diff Y to J - $356 to $486 - absolute no brainer - so am on Scoot on Thur in Scoot Biz - will be interesting to say the least. I do need to o/n in SIN but the 'Complimentary Hotel Night' courtesy of Prestige sees me spending a night in Orchard Hotel for zip - AD261.86 cheapest rate if booked direct.

I just love it when a plan comes together.

 

[mel-world]

22a of the kris flyer terms and conditions for SQ awards and upgrades defines backtracking:

​

PEK-SIN-IST or vv is one continuous direction, so it is not backtracking. As I said, there may be another reason why SQ doesn't allow this award, but it isn't backtracking. These things happen from time to time, getting a supervisor involved may be necessary to find out the actual reason behind the system rejecting it. If it's an error it can be overridden.

May not be backtracking East to West or VV but certainly backtracking South then North. But then again, I've been allowed to transit or stop in SIN twice with SQ on a RTW from MEL but on a revenue fare.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

May not be backtracking East to West or VV but certainly backtracking South then North. But then again, I've been allowed to transit or stop in SIN twice with SQ on a RTW from MEL but on a revenue fare.

TBH I have never come across, or seen applied, 'backtracking' in a north/south direction. East/west only. If north/south were to apply it would be extremely difficult to ticket almost anything.

and ist-PVG is apparently bookable on line as an award.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

May not be backtracking East to West or VV but certainly backtracking South then North. But then again, I've been allowed to transit or stop in SIN twice with SQ on a RTW from MEL but on a revenue fare.

That is the primary diff - diff rules apply to comm tix v rdpt bookings.

and ist-PVG is apparently bookable on line as an award.

And have you tried a dummy booking MEL? Here is response every time I do:



And a phone call to my new best contact in KF yields direct response PEK-SIN-IST is not permitted as it is backtracking.

 

[JessicaTam]

There was some discussion offline recently about SQ217/8 changing from an A380 to a B777. I have just checked my booking for New Year's Day and it is still showing as an A380. :?:

 

[dajop]

TBH I have never come across, or seen applied, 'backtracking' in a north/south direction. East/west only. If north/south were to apply it would be extremely difficult to ticket almost anything.

and ist-PVG is apparently bookable on line as an award.

I can recall reading on FT, in relation to star alliance awards made using Krisflyer, that backtracking is where the routing mileage exceeds a certain proportion (and I can't remember what that proportion is), over the distance directly between the two points. So north-south backtracking like this could well mean the route is backtracking. Not really any different to maximum permitted mileage ...

 

[kamchatsky]

There was some discussion offline recently about SQ217/8 changing from an A380 to a B777. I have just checked my booking for New Year's Day and it is still showing as an A380. :?:

My flight SQ218 on 20 December is still on A380 .....

 

[PDog]

There was some discussion offline recently about SQ217/8 changing from an A380 to a B777. I have just checked my booking for New Year's Day and it is still showing as an A380. :?:

Are you sure about the 217? It looks like the 777 from Jan until late March?
sorry :-(

 

[MEL_Traveller]

That is the primary diff - diff rules apply to comm tix v rdpt bookings.
And have you tried a dummy booking MEL? Here is response every time I do:

View attachment 102000

And a phone call to my new best contact in KF yields direct response PEK-SIN-IST is not permitted as it is backtracking.

Indeed, your contact at kris flyer is repeating the same message we see on line. It won't matter how many times you enter it in to the system, or they enter it in to the system, it will return the same result. But that doesn't mean it is the correct reason for the denial. They are not looking behind what the system is saying and as you aren't making a booking, I guess it's not a priority for them to find out.

There are plenty of examples where the system, followed by the call centre, has denied a proposed routing, only to later have the routing accepted once examined by a supervisor. Or at least, a correct reason given for the denial.

In this case, there is no apparent backtracking by the rules of 22a. There may be another reason, most likely that the routing exceeds MPM (and where the revenue ticket is allowed because it follows a published routing, rather than MPM).

The discussion may be a moot point, if it exceeds MPM (or another rule) it may still not be allowed, but the most benefit is derived from FF programs when the system is understood, rather than simply accepted.

 

[JessicaTam]

Are you sure about the 217? It looks like the 777 from Jan until late March?
sorry :-(

It looks like I have dodged a bullet. The last 217 of the year in an A380, which becomes my 218 flight on 1 Jan. After that it is a B777.

Phew.

 

[kamchatsky]

It looks like I have dodged a bullet. The last 217 of the year in an A380, which becomes my 218 flight on 1 Jan. After that it is a B777.

Phew.

However, is B777 THAT BAD anyway? For SQ218 it really is a red eye anyway and all we are doing is sleeping and have breakfast .....

 

[JessicaTam]

However, is B777 THAT BAD anyway? For SQ218 it really is a red eye anyway and all we are doing is sleeping and have breakfast .....

B777 is fine. I would just like to have a suite for one of my legs to CDG, as the SIN-CDG leg has already had the A380 subbed out.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

However, is B777 THAT BAD anyway? For SQ218 it really is a red eye anyway and all we are doing is sleeping and have breakfast .....

The *main* advantage of the suite is for sleeping. Everything else, amenities, service etc is same same.