Schedule Change - Tight Connection

[MrPlow]

Hi All,

My partner and I have an SQ J saver award booking MUC-AMS-SIN-MEL coming up in a few months. The first leg of the booking is a Lufthansa flight out of Munich.

When we booked the flights the connection in AMS was around 1hr 20 mins but Lufthansa has since had a schedule change the connection time is now only 55 minutes. I have been informed by SQ that they recommend at least an hour when connecting from partner flights despite the Schipol airport advising a minimum 50 minute connection time for schengen to non-schengen flights.

As a result i had a SQ representative trying to find a solution to the problem above. I offered to fly home a day later if needed and via a different city provided it was still in J and they managed to find and they found flights leaving the next day MUC-DUS-SIN-MEL and were reserved for me however i was then told there is a 18 hour layover in SIN which i have told them i will not accept as we need to be in Melbourne the night beforehand. We were then offered W seat form SIN-MEL but was told would not be refunded any miles.

A special request was being put to someone at SQ to see if they can bring forward the last leg of the revised booking however i have heard nothing for 2 weeks and i have made a subsequent follow up call to extend the booking time limit and an email almost a week ago and i have still not heard anything back.

I understand the rules regarding the same fare type has to be available in order to make the switch but i feel given the circumstances (although not caused by SQ) surely someone can overrule the "computer says no" to move us on to the earliest connecting flight from SIN. I have searched online and there are standard award seats and saver award wait list spots available for this last leg on SQ207 so surely it can't be that hard

Am hoping that someone can provide some advice on any steps i can take to try and get this to happen?

Our initial booking is still confirmed so if it can't be changed i feel inclined to stick with the original booking and if we miss the connection in AMS SQ will have to re book us on another flight and maybe put us up in a hotel which would surely cost them more than simply moving us to an earlier flight out of SIN.

 

[JohnK]

You can't get an earlier MUC-AMS flight?

I don't know what that flight costs but can you make your own way to AMS?

 

[LadyC]

You can't get an earlier MUC-AMS flight?

I don't know what that flight costs but can you make your own way to AMS?

Ditto what JohnK says.....I would think that the MUC-AMS flight would be the easiest to change - there will be plenty more of them available. I understand the challenge is most of the EU flights to SIN leave by about midday so you don't have many early morning options. Could you fly to AMS the night before?

 

[MrPlow]

Thanks for the help guys, I rang the airline to enquire about paying for our own way to AMS.

The agent I had on the phone was the best so far and looked into it for me and said that there were now waitlist spots available on the first connecting flight out of SIN on the revised booking that have been reserved. So he has waitlisted us and will lodge an appeal with the “reservations controller” explaining the situation in a bid to get our waitlist cleared.

Does anyone know how long it can take for the reservations controller to look at this and the chances we will be cleared?

 

[docjames]

FWIW i'd have pushed for an earlier MUC-AMS flight, or given mct at AMS is 50m, just gone with the 55m connection and left it to SQ to resolve if mis-connected.

Good luck - let us know what you end up getting as a solution.

 

[docjames]

Some flight times might help look at options:

SQ AMS-SIN appears to be a 1025am departure (at least currently).

LH have 0640-0815 MUC-AMS which is heaps.

The 0845-1015 is under the 55m.

Surely they (SQ talking to LH) can get you a seat MUC-AMS on the 0640 flight to connect?

 

[JohnK]

Does anyone know how long it can take for the reservations controller to look at this and the chances we will be cleared?

I guess it depends on availability. I was waiting on a SIN-CNX waitlist to clear and it wasn't clearing. I called them and said I really want this flight and it was processed relatively quickly.

 

[MrPlow]

An update for those who are interested. I rang the other day as i have still not heard anything. Was phoned back the next day and told that there are no seats available despite the appeal that was lodged explaining the situation.

Have decided we are just going to stick with the original booking and if we miss the connection in Amsterdam the airline will have to make alternative arrangements for us. If the wait list clears we will spend an extra day in Munich before coming home.