SQ Tips, Trips and Tales

[coriander]

Hi all, what time do SQ rewards go online for the next day?

Midnight GMT.

 

[Edge]

Midnight GMT.

Appreciated.

 

[drron]

It is 1100 AEST so 10am in the east south of QLD in daylight savings time.

 

[SponsorSFC]

Any good?

The one area I think SQ fails it’s desserts. Can’t think of any I had in J or F that impressed me. Not only on SQ but I feel most Asian airlines don’t shine in the dessert department. Maybe it’s for the best

What, you mean you don't think Vienneta is the height of sophistication?

 

[daft009]

What, you mean you don't think Vienneta is the height of sophistication?

I've always enjoyed their desserts in J and F.
But then I'm a sucker for anything sweet.. even the magnums in Y

 

[andye]

I've always enjoyed their desserts in J and F.
But then I'm a sucker for anything sweet.. even the magnums in Y

Thought they'd upgraded the Economy wine experience for a moment there

 

[Kangol]

Anyone have any idea about what's going on?
I'm looking at a mixed F/J award booking.
MEL-SIN-SGN, F connecting to J. Return in the same classes.
All segments are available as saver awards individually online.
This is almost a year out.
I call the 13 10 11 number because the old (02) 8228 1188 is disconnected - don't know of another number.
The call centre agent I get is in the Philippines.
Several times now, they say they can only see Advantage and not Saver awards.
Even when I ask them to search just one segment, they can only see Advantage.
According to them, their availability is different to what's listed online.

Am I better off booking the F segments online and calling to change/add the J ones after?

Looks like I waited too long/something is going on with availability.

No saver F awards available between MEL-SYD and SIN now for net year. None whatsoever!
A day or two ago there was plenty at 10-11 months out

 

[skflyer]

Two great legs in SQ Suites and First Class on SQ25 + SQ211.

Great food, service was excellent, and the new caviar service is much improved. I also like the Tattinger Comtes Blanc De Blancs - personal favourite on SQ25. Was great to meet @Crusier Elite in TPR and have to agree with his comments that the new private room is very sterile. Food at TPR could also use some work, lack of options and not high quality.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Two great legs in SQ Suites and First Class on SQ25 + SQ211.

Was great to meet @Crusier Elite in TPR

Was great to meet you too young fella - wasn’t exp on 25 just superb? Crew were just

That‘s CSS Jacki serving you the Comte’s - I have had pleasure of her service a couple times before - in time you will graduate to Krug and wonder how you ever stomached that cordial Comtes.

Make sure you keep posting mate - you have plenty offer - hopefully see you again soon in TPR.

 

[skflyer]

Was great to meet you too young fella - wasn’t exp on 25 just superb? Crew were just

That‘s CSS Jacki serving you the Comte’s - I have had pleasure of her service a couple times before - in time you will graduate to Krug and wonder how you ever stomached that cordial Comtes.

Make sure you keep posting mate - you have plenty offer - hopefully see you again soon in TPR.

I agree experience on SQ25 was world class - the crew even tucked me into bed - not sure if its awkward or amazing?!! Looking forward to my next flight in October

 

[skflyer]

@Cruiser Elite which is your favourite suite on the A380 for my next booking?

 

[Cruiser Elite]

@Cruiser Elite which is your favourite suite on the A380 for my next booking?

2F as you might just snag 1F as double but given current demand and loading little chance of that - I’ve sat in all except 3A and little diff except 1A and 1F feel to me as of your snout is pressed against bulkhead at and

If on 777 1C every day of the week

 

[boomy]

Let’s talk about downgrades.

I’ll share my experience and how to handle them.

This year I had the misfortune to get hit by no less than four F - J downgrades due to aircraft changes, all Ex SIN to FRA (twice), LHR and MEL. In all four cases the aircraft change was from 777 to 350. All flights booked on Saver using points.

I’ll start by saying they SQ became extremely unreliable with aircraft changes post covid, particularly with 777s but also some 380 services have been also effected. The reasons to these changes vary and we’ll not going to get into that because they don’t matter from the customer point of view. What matters is how SQ handle downgrades and unfortunately they don’t do it very well.

SQ will normally send generic SMS and email notification about aircraft changes with a pre-selected seat in J on the new service. They don’t bother to proactively offer any alternatives.

When calling customer service to enquire about what can be done most agents will give two options: Either accept the downgrade or cancel the ticket for full refund. At this point I’m guessing most customers give up and accept the changes, maybe some will ask for partial refund or some other sort of compensation.

When asking about being transferred to another same day flight with F service the answer will most likely be: There needs to be Saver availability otherwise it’s not possible. I’ve even had supervisors trying to convince me there is nothing to be done if there is no Saver available. This answer is incorrect. There is a absolutely no need for Saver, not even for Advatage, just a revenue ticket for sale and the team can do magic. The big problem is getting an agent who’s capable enough to correlate with the right team and get things done. It’s not easy to find that super agent.

In my case, 3 out of the 4 downgrades had another flight on the same day showing Advatage availability in F and eventually the team created an additional Saver seat on each of those flights. They didn’t take from the Advatage pool but from the revenue seats pool. Two flights moved from 350 back to 777 and one from 350 to 380

My 4th downgrade was SIN-FRA 777 to 350. The difference between this one and the other 3 was that there was no Advantage on the alternative 380 on the same day. SQ system showed only Waitlist in F. There were however few revenue seats available to book. Again, the team was able to create Saver seat and move me from 350 to 380.

In conclusion, I know that aircraft changes is something that can happen and F - J downgrade isn’t the worst thing in the world… BUT I believe pax should get what they paid for, if possible. So if there is another flight on the same day on the same route and there are either award or revenue seats for the same class as originally booked then SQ can definitely move pax to that flight. It might take quite a few phone calls, don’t take no for an answer, just HUACA. Once you hit the right agent it will all be done on the same call, no callbacks or followups required.

Good luck

 

[tororm]

Let’s talk about downgrades.

I’ll share my experience and how to handle them.

This year I had the misfortune to get hit by no less than four F - J downgrades due to aircraft changes, all Ex SIN to FRA (twice), LHR and MEL. In all four cases the aircraft change was from 777 to 350. All flights booked on Saver using points.

I’ll start by saying they SQ became extremely unreliable with aircraft changes post covid, particularly with 777s but also some 380 services have been also effected. The reasons to these changes vary and we’ll not going to get into that because they don’t matter from the customer point of view. What matters is how SQ handle downgrades and unfortunately they don’t do it very well.

SQ will normally send generic SMS and email notification about aircraft changes with a pre-selected seat in J on the new service. They don’t bother to proactively offer any alternatives.

When calling customer service to enquire about what can be done most agents will give two options: Either accept the downgrade or cancel the ticket for full refund. At this point I’m guessing most customers give up and accept the changes, maybe some will ask for partial refund or some other sort of compensation.

When asking about being transferred to another same day flight with F service the answer will most likely be: There needs to be Saver availability otherwise it’s not possible. I’ve even had supervisors trying to convince me there is nothing to be done if there is no Saver available. This answer is incorrect. There is a absolutely no need for Saver, not even for Advatage, just a revenue ticket for sale and the team can do magic. The big problem is getting an agent who’s capable enough to correlate with the right team and get things done. It’s not easy to find that super agent.

In my case, 3 out of the 4 downgrades had another flight on the same day showing Advatage availability in F and eventually the team created an additional Saver seat on each of those flights. They didn’t take from the Advatage pool but from the revenue seats pool. Two flights moved from 350 back to 777 and one from 350 to 380

My 4th downgrade was SIN-FRA 777 to 350. The difference between this one and the other 3 was that there was no Advantage on the alternative 380 on the same day. SQ system showed only Waitlist in F. There were however few revenue seats available to book. Again, the team was able to create Saver seat and move me from 350 to 380.

In conclusion, I know that aircraft changes is something that can happen and F - J downgrade isn’t the worst thing in the world… BUT I believe pax should get what they paid for, if possible. So if there is another flight on the same day on the same route and there are either award or revenue seats for the same class as originally booked then SQ can definitely move pax to that flight. It might take quite a few phone calls, don’t take no for an answer, just HUACA. Once you hit the right agent it will all be done on the same call, no callbacks or followups required.

Good luck

I was recently downgraded from 777 F on SQ26 (SIN - FRA) - I got an email informing me that I'd been downgraded to J- apparently due to aircraft change.
I was pretty upset given I spent 25 hours on the phone to get them in the first place (what a nightmare) and after checking availability on alternate options called up.
After two transfers and about 40 minutes on the phone I was booked into 1F and 2F in the A380.

 

[drron]

So tomorrow I am going to ring SQ about my downgraded FRA flight with the 777 downgraded to the A350. ow the A380 is an overnight flight and we are getting in to FRA early on the 19th and have already booked our hotel in Porto for the 19th. I would book the 1250 LH flight to OPO -it's half the price of Tap flights.So are there showers and somewhere to nap in the FRA lounges?
SQ 26 the A380 flight does have waitlisted advantage awards and revenue seats available so hopefully we can get on.

 

[boomy]

So tomorrow I am going to ring SQ about my downgraded FRA flight with the 777 downgraded to the A350. ow the A380 is an overnight flight and we are getting in to FRA early on the 19th and have already booked our hotel in Porto for the 19th. I would book the 1250 LH flight to OPO -it's half the price of Tap flights.So are there showers and somewhere to nap in the FRA lounges?
SQ 26 the A380 flight does have waitlisted advantage awards and revenue seats available so hopefully we can get on.

Interesting coincidence, for my 4th downgrade SIN-FRA 777 to 350 I also had connection to Porto.
Originally SQ326 was supposed to land at 20:40 and I’ve booked the last FRA-OPO flight departing the next day at 20:20 giving me almost 24h layover in FRA. After the change to SQ26 I now have full day in FRA. On one hand it’s good because I can check in my luggage all the way through but I’ll have to cancel the hotel in FRA (maybe book dayroom).

Anyway, to answer your question I don’t think there are any nap rooms in LH Senator lounges but I do remember semi-private nooks in the AC Maple Leaf lounge.

Good luck with SQ, they should be able to move you.

 

[cove]

I stayed with Krug. The passenger next to me went Comtes but that did not worry me. Couldn’t get the top off the caviar jar so i sought assistance twice coming home from Los Angeles. A true first world problem is what I was thinling.

 

[drron]

So on the phone to SQ re the downgrade F to J due to change to the A350. Got a wonderful agent first up.He knew that he had to transfer to the redemption team. He stayed on the line though. the member of the redemption team was inflexible and wouldn't budge on not being able to create saver awards from the revenue bucket. Ended with you will then have to accept a full refund. I said that is not acceptable. At that point the initial agent came back on the line. He said he took notes and has all the details and is going to directly contact the senior member of the redemption team to try and get it done and I will either get a call back or email with the result.
@boomy I did read out the bit in your post re the 4th award change.

 

[coriander]

Have you got status, DrRon? I had F on 777 from SIN-MEL as part of a forthcoming ZRH-MEL trip. They changed it to A350 and cancelled my flight completely - no downgrade to J offered. Repeated emails and phone calls got nowhere ("you have to email us/do it online yourself") until I transferred enough points to get EG status as part of their promotion back in January. Suddenly I found they'd talk to me and immediately opened a revenue J ticket for the SIN-MEL sector on that same now A350 flight (time constraints back in Aus menat I didn't push/fight for an F the next day). Took from December to February to get sorted.

 

[drron]

Yes I bought SQ gold with the great points transfer last year.