3 airlines, 3 alliances, 4 airports, 4 countries in one day

[serfty]

... Now where is serfty this weekend? I am sure he would have a good guess at what I found. ...

A. Busy/Sleeping!

- tough weekend -late Fri flight to AKL, AM return, Sister's wedding Sat afternoon ~60km/80 minute drive from home, up at 5am Sun. Golf at rosebud CC; 19th Hole, Family Birthday BBQ last night - out to it 9:30pm ...

 

[docjames]

Watching with interest.

Happy to accept PM with routing details...... :shock:

 

[oz_mark]

BKK-TPE on KLM (Skyteam).

Then taking advantage of Cathay J fares ex.TPE. Anywhere from A$350 return to CGK to over $550 to DPS. Each return flight nets 240 SCs.

If I didn't get it, this is an excellent opportunity too.

It is the skyteam bit that was doing me in. I was looking at options up through China but couldn't see anything.

 

[JohnK]

CX business class ex-TPE to some destinations. The trick with my routing(s) was to try and find flights with First Class hoping for an op-up as well as the generous SCs.

The status runs in the USA are still much better as the best you can do in one day in Asia is ~240SCs even less if you try to find longer routes.

Yes, you are You could at least share with those of us who PM you

...

Cmon, share the love

I feel that too much detail has been revealed already.

I have received a few PMs and I would be happy to provide regular posters of AFF with the findings of my research.

I will be able to get the answer on Wednesday night, unless it is posted earlier.

Yes the topic will be on the agenda for discussion on Wednesday night....

 

[11sjw]

As you can see I'm a noob here but this status run stuff has me very interested. If you feel like lowering you standards please send me some details of either this or the US stuff you mentioned.

 

[drewbles]

I feel that too much detail has been revealed already.

I have received a few PMs and I would be happy to provide regular posters of AFF with the findings of my research.


Yes the topic will be on the agenda for discussion on Wednesday night....

Wow so i'm not a 'regular poster' hrm? Just because I choose not to post on everything hardly makes me unknown. If you can't take a bit of a laugh with my comment, you should lighten up.

Anyway, I'll stick to my USA YUP/KUP runs if you're not willing to share. Most people are willing to share info to benefit the community, regardless of their post count.

 

[JohnK]

A. Busy/Sleeping!

I hope you have recovered from your busy weekend. Any thoughts on my original question?

Starting off early in the morning on SQ award SIN-BKK. Then follows 3:30 hours transit in BKK waiting for a KL business class flight BKK-TPE. Then follows 1:30 hours transit in TPE waiting for a CX business class flight TPE-HKG.

All 3 flights are on separate itineraries and I know KL interlines with CX but I am not sure about SQ interlining with KL. No problem as I could collect luggage in BKK and check it through to HKG.

I guess it could come unstuck with significant delays but I am prepared to risk the ~AUD350 on the first status run. It is the second status run that interests me as I have 3 legs on a CX 744 with First Class.

 

[JohnK]

Wow so i'm not a 'regular poster' hrm? Just because I choose not to post on everything hardly makes me unknown. If you can't take a bit of a laugh with my comment, you should lighten up.

Anyway, I'll stick to my USA YUP/KUP runs if you're not willing to share.

Who said you are not a regular poster and I was not going to share the information? I just don't feel a need to post all the details.

Most people are willing to share info to benefit the community, regardless of their post count.

It depends on how you want to look at it. I feel enough has been posted already and if people are clever enough, and keen, and interested, then they should be able to do some of their own research. How did I find these deals? They weren't posted anywhere. I persevered until I found what I wanted. Check each city and get a feel for available routes and cost and then bingo. Call me paranoid but I think the last thing we need is a step by step guide of "How to book CX status runs in SE Asia".

If that makes me the villain then so be it. I can now understand how some of the people I have met on AFF don't always reveal the details of their own research to all and sundry but save it for the varioius social gatherings....

 

[NM]

All 3 flights are on separate itineraries and I know KL interlines with CX but I am not sure about SQ interlining with KL. No problem as I could collect luggage in BKK and check it through to HKG.

Do be aware that even with airlines that have an interline agreement, if on separate tickets there is no obligation for them to interline. Some airlines will not check bags through on separate tickets while other airlines are happy to to so. I know of one person who had difficulties with BA checking bags at LHR for a BA flight LHR-FRA and a QF flight FRA-SYD when they were on separate tickets. Took a few phone calls and persuasion for the bags to be checked through - and that is when its all the same alliance.

Hopefully your LH flight will be one of the 82% that is on-time for that sector.

 

[JohnK]

Do be aware that even with airlines that have an interline agreement, if on separate tickets there is no obligation for them to interline. Some airlines will not check bags through on separate tickets while other airlines are happy to to so.

I called CX and inquired about same day turnarounds and further destinations that day and it was the consultant that recommended I check luggage for last flight of the day. Say I was doing something like HKG-MNL-HKG-TPE on CX then check luggage through to TPE from HKG in the morning and do the HKG-MNL-HKG without checked luggage. This is when I mentioned I had a KL flight TPE-BKK as well on a separate ticket and he mentioned that they do have an interline agreement with KL and should not have an issue checking bags through to BKK.

Anyway my first transit through TPE is only 1:30 hours which is a slight worry if I had to collect luggage and re-check so hopefully KL will check luggage through to HKG. A couple of days later I have 3:10 hours in TPE so no big deal.

Hopefully your LH flight will be one of the 82% that is on-time for that sector.

The airline is not LH. It is KL (KLM)!

Hmmm. The KL flight only has 81% on time (50/61 flighs on time). Of the others 6 were late, 2 very late, 2 excessive and 1 cancellation. Also in 25 observations the average delay is 20 mins, the standard deviation is 34.45 mins and the maximum is 172 mins. I think that is reasonable odds all will be OK but as usual no guarantees....

 

[Oneworldplus2]

Hey JohnK,
Your inbox must be full my now.

AA = K'up + Y'up earn alot more l think. But, good find none-the-less. Good luck and l hope that you accomplish what you set out to get = QF Plat

I got a reply from QF today (phone).
Question; Since AA do AA Plat challenge, what does QF do to entice new members and no SWU's like EX PLAT AA's?
Answer; The double SC for "selected" clients during certain months.

I also talked about QF having no competition in Australia and them getting away with murder, the person on the other end = "yep".

Hmmmm...

 

[Mal]

I also talked about QF having no competition in Australia and them getting away with murder, the person on the other end = "yep".

Lol, what else could they say?



Anyone has the right to post about previously unpublished status runs, hide them, or give out select clues. Certainly if you give away some abstract clues, then people actually learn how to find their own deals.

There are many I haven't posted here (or at FT) either because I've been sworn to secrecy, or I just don't feel it is appropriate to post. These are SCRUN's in America ranging from $1US/SC up to $US1.30/SC.

Unfortunately what happens is that when good deals are posted, often they go missing soon afterwards. Whether that is something to do with additional bookings, an airline rep becoming wise about a deal or just pure competitive pressures no-one ever knows.

Note that often these sorts of deals are discussed at AFF/FT type gatherings with others who attend. There is a difference between giving information to people via that method and posting it on an Internet forum which is open to the world to read and act on.

 

[medhead]

I also think that you've been very generous with the hints, JohnK.

I feel half the fun is turning your hints into my own discovery. Part of the reason I didn't even bother with a PM.

 

[docjames]

medhead summed it up nicely, plenty of hints.

Enjoy the trip!

 

[serfty]

I hope you have recovered from your busy weekend. Any thoughts on my original question? ...

Nup!

I was thinking Taipei, but for some reason looked at ex MNL , so my brief exploration reveal little to excite.

Yep, if you can get to the USA, SC's can be relatively inexpensive.

 

[JohnK]

This is starting to look extremely difficult to achieve with checked luggage (including bag and golf clubs). CX have mentioned they will not check luggage for same day turnearounds like HKG-MNL-HKG.

One option is to check luggage through to transit points and clear customs, collect luggage and re-check luggage again but this adds considerable time to each trip and it will not be possible to do 4-5 sectors/day to make it worthwhile.

Another option is I can leave luggage at Novotel Airport hotel in TPE and collect it again after arriving back into TPE ~4:00pm for ~8:00pm flight departure from TPE but again this means clearing customs, taxi (or 2km walk) to Novotel Airport and then back to TPE airport again. This is fine but if inbound flight is late then I am in trouble as the luggage will not be easy to retrieve from Novotel Airport and make the connection.

Another option is to use left baggage services at either BKK, TPE or HKG and just take carry-on for day trips. It is very cheap to use left luggage services but can they be trusted? I know there has been horror stories of things going missing and damage to luggage and contents.

Another option is to use self service lockers at TPE or HKG (don't know if BKK has these available). I have never used them but apparently they are relatively inexpensive and hold a sizeable amount of luggage. Again can these services be trusted?

Another option is to somehow leave my golf clubs and luggage with the taxi driver that is going to pick up my friend at BKK airport. This will more than likely me the fare for the trip (no big deal) but still leaves the question of whether the person is trustworthy (when the owner of the luggage is not around) and my friend does not arrive until 4:00 hours after me and 1:00 hour after my flight departs.

Another option is to defer the status run to middle of trip and do it with carry-on only. But this means it is around New Years and airfares are a little more expensive and I have to check-out of hotel for 2-3 days and leave luggage with my friend.

I have put a lot of research into this and it would be a shame to let it all go to waste. Maybe I have not looked hard enough but it is quite surprising how difficult it is to get answers to some of the questions I have raised.

Ahh the joys of status/mileage runs. Back to more research....

 

[docjames]

John, I wouldnt be stressed leaving luggage at HKG.

We left ours at DXB no problems. If you're really worried about left (attended) luggage, you can always open it and check it before leaving the luggage hold area (we did).

Self-storage (ie coin / pay operated lockers) are quite safe at a major airport provided you make sure it's paid for long enough not to open if you're running late. IMHO, it's just as likely to be lost or stolen airside as it is in a secured locker or storage area.

So, dont leave anything irreplaceable in it, and have insurance, but really, I personally wouldnt worry. Others may differ.

 

[Mal]

If you are intending to do a SCRun, then you should attempt to not check any baggage in at all. The chances of the bags not turning up again at the end are reasonably high.

I would trust baggage storage in most places - especially if I have locked every pocket with a lock, or other anti-tamper system.

 

[kiwitripper64]

Its only luggage, and should be insured. If you lose anything you will remember it for a month.Take the trip You will remember that for years.

 

[serfty]

Its only luggage, and should be insured. If you lose anything you will remember it for a month.Take the trip You will remember that for years.

You obviously do not own tailored Golf Clubs ...

JohnK, if you are passing through HKG at/before the start and at/after the end of your (2 day?) MR, I would use the HKG left luggage facility.
(HKD130 per piece for 24-48 hours)