Velocity reinstates Singapore Airlines redemptions

[MooTime]

Exactly. SQ are under no obligation to make seats available for partners

Just out of interest, are any partners obligated to make reward seat available to partners??

I assume all One World partners MUST make seats available to each partner or overall? I know the Qatar / Qantas relationship is sour & hard to find each others seats etc.

What about other partners like VA & SQ or even VA & UA......does each partnership have confidential reward seat availability quantity??

 

[Phoenix-1]

SQ has additional availability for its own members using KrisFlyer - especially in premium cabins. My guess is if it is on the SQ website but not the VA one, you are not going to be able to get the seat using Velocity.

Fair enough. Thanks for your help.

 

[andye]

Several times the call centre has said to me that they can only see what I see

 

[jase05]

Just out of interest, are any partners obligated to make reward seat available to partners??

I assume all One World partners MUST make seats available to each partner or overall? I know the Qatar / Qantas relationship is sour & hard to find each others seats etc.

What about other partners like VA & SQ or even VA & UA......does each partnership have confidential reward seat availability quantity??

I don’t know how many seats each other have agreed to give partners but I do know SQ awards have been very plentiful since coming back online IMO

 

[drron]

Havev you looked at SQ today. I am waiting on a return F award from Fra towards the end of may next year. when i booked the March SIN -FRA award plenty of availability . today if you are an hour late after release only Advantage awards left. Even BNE- SIN J awards are getting harder for the Day time flights.

 

[dajop]

Havev you looked at SQ today. I am waiting on a return F award from Fra towards the end of may next year. when i booked the March SIN -FRA award plenty of availability . today if you are an hour late after release only Advantage awards left. Even BNE- SIN J awards are getting harder for the Day time flights.

FRA can be a big problem. You're competing with all of the "cashed up" Americans trying to snag JFK-SIN (and on to MLE or DPS) which of course routes JFK-FRA-SIN, so either FRA flight can be difficult.

 

[andye]

I am just about to cancel 5xJ awards SQ241 SIN-SYD 18 Apr 23 (mid school holidays). Not sure if they will reappear but get in quick if they do. Good luck

Ps: 25 minute wait at 8.15 this morning but agent very effective

PPS: they are there

 

[henrus]

Just out of interest, are any partners obligated to make reward seat available to partners??

I was under the impression that Star Alliance had some type of agreement about making award seats available. Obviously this wouldn't apply to VA and I don't think it covers premium cabins either.

 

[ozstamps]

I was under the impression that Star Alliance had some type of agreement about making award seats available. Obviously this wouldn't apply to VA and I don't think it covers premium cabins either.

SQ have always marched to their own tune with Star.

For a decade United members could NEVER get a SQ First award using UA miles. Not a year out, not a day out. NEVER.

Even Lounge access they like to make their own rules where they possibly can.

 

[HSB44]

All KrisFlyer Miles that expire between now and end of June will be extended by 12 months* and those that expire in the second half of 2022 will be extended by 6 months. So perhaps you need not worry. Yet.

* the way it will work is that they will be extended by 6 months initially and then be extended again when expiring in the second half of 2022.

Thanks! I must have missed the email....

 

[jakeseven7]

No further update or intel on the transfer between Velocity and Krisflyer being reinstated?

I know its being 'worked on' and clearly not a priority....

Hoping waiting....

 

[RAM]

No further update or intel on the transfer between Velocity and Krisflyer being reinstated?

I know its being 'worked on' and clearly not a priority....

Hoping waiting....

Given the reported sales on SIA flights in/out of Australia (and additional flights being added weekly) I don't think SIA is in any hurry to send 'premium seat' cash Virgin's way.

 

[jakeseven7]

Given the reported sales on SIA flights in/out of Australia (and additional flights being added weekly) I don't think SIA is in any hurry to send 'premium seat' cash Virgin's way.

It was reported the flow of points was much the other way, which is what I'm interested in.

 

[HS-TQE]

It was reported the flow of points was much the other way, which is what I'm interested in.

Which was also money losing and had a minor contribution towards VA 1.0's bankruptcy, thus less of a priority but still considered up there to ensure it "doesn't lose money" under the new regime.

 

[RAM]

It was reported the flow of points was much the other way, which is what I'm interested in.

I am talking about the same direction too.

SIA provided a 'wholesale' price to VA for the exchange of VFF for Krisflyers. SIA repriced this cost which led to the change in ratio of VFF points to Kris a few years back.

The 'cost' to VA is much lower than the cost if you or I was to buy a business or 1st class return to Paris (for example) as a revenue fare from SIA.

SIA makes much more from selling revenue fares than it does from Krisflyer redemptions, especially where the Krisflyer points come from another airline via a transfer agreement.

So, while SIA is able to sell for $$ premium seats into/out of Australia nearly completely leaving next to no empty seats (revenue adjusted for value from points transfers) then they will be in no hurry to re-instate the transfers.

 

[dajop]

Which was also money losing and had a minor contribution towards VA 1.0's bankruptcy, thus less of a priority but still considered up there to ensure it "doesn't lose money" under the new regime.

What they probably need to do differentiate velocity points earnt from flying (which are probably more important strategically) and allow those to be transferred, but not allow transfers of “sold” points earnt via cards, hotels and the like that result in losses.

 

[HS-TQE]

Keep in mind BOTH Krisflyer and Velocity HAVE TO AGREE to a deal before re-instating the transfer. Bain would not want to follow John Borghetti into agreeing with Goon Phong (then SQ CEO) for any rate (which would lead to a loss for VA) for the sake of ego.

 

[ozstamps]

What they probably need to do differentiate velocity points earnt from flying (which are probably more important strategically) and allow those to be transferred, but not allow transfers of “sold” points earnt via cards, hotels and the like that result in losses.

They do not care. A million points is a million points. They made money from giving them all, in whatever guise!

SQ do not care either - they bill VA so much per point transferred no matter how earned.

 

[Mr H]

What they probably need to do differentiate velocity points earnt from flying (which are probably more important strategically) and allow those to be transferred, but not allow transfers of “sold” points earnt via cards, hotels and the like that result in losses.

You can already decide how to direct your points that you earn through flying when you link a FF scheme to the booking. Once a velocity point is in an account it counts the same as any other velocity point and it would be really dangerous for them to decide that some points could be spent on some things while others could not. Two categories of velocity points is not going to make an attractive proposition for potential credit card customers.

 

[HS-TQE]

They do not care. A million points is a million points. They made money from giving them all, in whatever guise!

SQ do not care either - they bill VA so much per point transferred no matter how earned.

Exactly. That's why the Krisflyer-Velocity transfer program lost money for VA because most of the transfers are in the one direction (Velocity to Krisflyer).

With a PE owner now at Virgin, they'll want to stem those losses when they get around to looking at that program (eventually or if at all), and Krisflyer also has to agree to a arrangement between both parties for the program to be reinstated.