Has SQ Stopped all MEL/SYD Business Awards from Velocity

[ben95]

UA used to consistently release J availability for their TPAC routes MEL/SYD/BNE <-> LAX/SFO/IAH, sometimes at T-1 and all the way up to T-30 even.

Now, when running any sort of search (Example 1 or Example 2), there's nothing (at least in J).

Has a "change" happened? I have been monitoring the LAX/SFO <-> MEL route recently, as I need to book a flight home after a trip to the US in about 2 months time.
I'm a fair way away from their usual T-14 (I think?) drop, but if what I'm seeing right now is the usual, then it'll be a bit tough to get the date/s I'm after when that window does roll around.

Any advice or insight into what's going on?
Thanks!

This coincides with SQ pulling all J rewards inventory from MEL/SYD on Velocity. Really limits the option in where you can go with velocity points out of Australia.

 

[bcworld]

This coincides with SQ pulling all J rewards inventory from MEL/SYD on Velocity.

When did this happen? I certainly can't find any.

 

[ben95]

When did this happen? I certainly can't find any.

Late aug early sept it seems like. Not in front of a computer so can’t screenshot but the stats chart from seats.aero clearly shows an overnight disappearance on those routes.

 

[bcworld]

Late aug early sept it seems like. Not in front of a computer so can’t screenshot but the stats chart from seats.aero clearly shows an overnight disappearance on those routes.

I don't want to take this thread off topic but you can add PER-SIN to the disappeared list.

 

[zeruassiul]

Late aug early sept it seems like. Not in front of a computer so can’t screenshot but the stats chart from seats.aero clearly shows an overnight disappearance on those routes.

Hey, how do you look at these stats retrospectively on seats.aero?

 

[antycbr]

Between UA and SQ both pulling availability this is a major devaluation of velocity points.

 

[zeruassiul]

Between UA and SQ both pulling availability this is a major devaluation of velocity points.

And QR. I can't find anything on QR/VA to DOH, used to be 4 a flight in J.

 

[drron]

The problem is likely to be due to more than 1 reason and not all due to pulling awards from Velocity. KF release awards 25 days before they would be able to be booked via velocity. I have noticed that it is harder to redeem long haul flights in Premium cabins. For example I wanted 2J awards on this sector for mid October next year. so at 10am QLD time each day I would log on to see availability. Between 100 and 1002 I would see the new days availability. On 2 days only advantage awards available and no saver awards at ll. on another 2 days only waitlist awards. So only 3 days out of 7 were saver awards available within minutes of release. On 2 of those days they went to waitlist within an hour. On 1 day they lasted 4 days before being snapped up. So no chance of getting them through velocity. Of course the day my preferred date came up it was waitlist only and today no saver awards. So I had to transfer some points for the extra cost.

Looking at SYD/MEL to SIN there was pretty good availability on release but several dates had no saver awards before the day they were released to Velocity. There were usually only flight per day after the VA release date that had availabiliity. flying out of BNE had reasonable availability but nothing like the past.
So I think this is the major problem and I can't help thinking that the many times it has been said on AFF that KF is better value than Velocity is bit to blame
. Those of us who booked frequently to SIN through Velocity knew that if you had to transfer your Velocity points to KF it certainly wasn't better value.

So going forward the points game is only going to get harder.

 

[elanshin]

The problem is likely to be due to more than 1 reason and not all due to pulling awards from Velocity. KF release awards 25 days before they would be able to be booked via velocity. I have noticed that it is harder to redeem long haul flights in Premium cabins. For example I wanted 2J awards on this sector for mid October next year. so at 10am QLD time each day I would log on to see availability. Between 100 and 1002 I would see the new days availability. On 2 days only advantage awards available and no saver awards at ll. on another 2 days only waitlist awards. So only 3 days out of 7 were saver awards available within minutes of release. On 2 of those days they went to waitlist within an hour. On 1 day they lasted 4 days before being snapped up. So no chance of getting them through velocity. Of course the day my preferred date came up it was waitlist only and today no saver awards. So I had to transfer some points for the extra cost.

Looking at SYD/MEL to SIN there was pretty good availability on release but several dates had no saver awards before the day they were released to Velocity. There were usually only flight per day after the VA release date that had availabiliity. flying out of BNE had reasonable availability but nothing like the past.
So I think this is the major problem and I can't help thinking that the many times it has been said on AFF that KF is better value than Velocity is bit to blame
. Those of us who booked frequently to SIN through Velocity knew that if you had to transfer your Velocity points to KF it certainly wasn't better value.

So going forward the points game is only going to get harder.

I don't believe that it's mainly due to awards being redeemed that's causing the issue here. A quick look at the Aeroplan thread shows similar situation on AC BUT BNE/PER has no such problems and are widely available at the same time period.

I struggle to believe that SQ would have BNE wide open but SYD/MEL with their combined (9? 10?) daily flights has close to nothing. It basically points to the scenario that SQ is holding their partner awards for SYD/MEL back.