Seat Selection Denied - VA Codeshare Flight with Singapore Airlines

[jedi_sith]

I just wanted to give people a heads up with an unexpected issue buying SIA flights as a VA codeshare.

I have purchased SYD-SIN-LHR-SIN-SYD flights (Y) for my family for a trip later in the year. As my wife and I are both Platinum FF I purchased these (4 tickets) through the VA website, rather than through Singapore Airlines. They were the same price so I thought "why not"?

When I tried to select our seats I got a message stating "Your booking contains flight(s) with some of our partner airlines. To change your seat selection please go to the relevant partner airlines website or dial our Guest Contact Centre) on 13 67 89". OK - doesn't seem unreasonable.

I rang the guest contact number and was told that as this was an SIA flight, I would need to contact SIA to assist with the seat selection. 30 mins on hold to SIA and I was told the reverse "this flight is operated by "our partner" so you will need to contact them".

There are four of us travelling and I just want to make sure we are seated together. As all the sectors are a380's with a 3-4-3 layout I thought this would be simple to have us all together in the 4 seats in the middle.

So it turns out that booking through VA was a mistake, there are no upgrade opportunities and I can't even select my seats.

Can anyone offer any suggestions about the best approach to take to do something as simple as locking in our seats ahead of the flights?

 

[SilverFlamingo]

You’ll need the SQ booking reference and will then be able to select seats on the SQ website. It will be somewhere on your eticket, if not the VA centre should be able to find it for you.

It’s not very intuitive but is possible.

 

[serfty]

You’ll need the SQ booking reference and will then be able to select seats on the SQ website. It will be somewhere on your eticket, if not the VA centre should be able to find it for you.

It’s not very intuitive but is possible.

The VA e-ticket clearly states another carrier's PNR against relevant segments. Use this to select seating using SQ manage booking.

 

[jedi_sith]

You’ll need the SQ booking reference and will then be able to select seats on the SQ website.

The VA e-ticket clearly states another carrier's PNR against relevant segments. Use this to select seating using SQ manage booking.

Appreciate the suggestion!

Even after adding the SQ booking reference to my Krisflyer account (I don't have any status with SIA) I still get the same basic error that the seats cannot be selected. Cant select on the VA website with the VA booking reference, and cant select on the SQ website with the SQ reference but I can see the full itinerary on both.
It is like neither carrier "owns" the itinerary. Which is consistent with what both call centres told me. Its a really odd situation.

I'm at a loss - I failed to do this via the call centres and failed to do this via the websites of the respective carriers.

EDIT: The SQ website allows me to specify a preference for Window or Aisle only with a message that says "Aircraft layout may vary. For details, get in touch with our partner airline operating this flight".

 

[Vic]

To OP, Status earning may be higher with a VA flight number, at least it appears to be higher for Qatar. I'm probably wrong for SQ

Singapore Airlines

Earn Points with Singapore Airlines when you travel in an eligible fare class on flights with a SQ flight number that are operated by Singapore Airlines. You can also earn Status Credits and redeem Reward Seat. Learn more now.

experience.velocityfrequentflyer.com

The VA e-ticket clearly states another carrier's PNR against relevant segments. Use this to select seating using SQ manage booking.

The information is also very clearly accessible on the VA website.

1. Login to Velocity
2. "My Trips"
3. "Go to Trip" for the given trip
4. Click on "Partner airline references" Middle TOP just under the VA reference

Edit: Did you try to do SQ manage my booking without login to SQ account?

Double Edit: who is operating the flight? Don't Singapore also partner with Silkair, for example?

 

[jedi_sith]

Edit: Did you try to do SQ manage my booking without login to SQ account?

Double Edit: who is operating the flight? Don't Singapore also partner with Silkair, for example?

Have tried to manage the flight:
VA website - VA reference
SQ website - SQ reference (logged in to account and not logged in to account)

The SQ website shows the following for each sector: "Flight VA 5522 Airbus A380-800 is operated by Singapore Airlines". The same aircraft type and the same operator x 4 just different flight numbers.

 

[dajop]

there are no upgrade opportunities

Don't worry about being unable to upgrade. Even if you had purchased the tickets via SQ on SQ code and were a Solitaire PPS (top tier), the best chance to upgrade, would still be to spend $1000 on some form of gambling and hope you win enough cash to make an entirely new booking in your desired travel class.

Double Edit: who is operating the flight? Don't Singapore also partner with Silkair, for example?

Silkair don't exist anymore, and never operated SYD/SIN/LHR. SQ does codeshare on Scoot between SYD and SIN, but VA don't.

 

[jedi_sith]

Don't worry about being unable to upgrade. Even if you had purchased the tickets via SQ on SQ code and were a Solitaire PPS (top tier), the best chance to upgrade, would still be to spend $1000 on some form of gambling and hope you win enough cash to make an entirely new booking in your desired travel class.

LOL

I am starting to think being able to upgrade with points is something like a tale parents tell their kids so they'll behave. Just under 1,000,000 velocity points in my account is an indication of how long I've been trying.

 

[SuzieQ68]

Edit - I stand corrected. Pre-Covid, seat selection on a Flex fare was included on SQ flights booked via VA. It appears this has been removed for all fare classes on international flights flying SQ. Thanks Bagpuss for the info. I wasn’t aware of the change. Very disappointing and a huge factor in deciding which airline to book with - think I’d book via SQ.

What is the fare class code for your ticket? I've found with VA and SQ that their fare classes are different and a Flex fare on VA can be a discount economy fare on SQ - eg K fare class is Flex for VA (seat selection included), K fare class is Lite for SQ (seat selection charged}. I had this happen to me awhile back (as in pre-Covid) and I contacted VA about it (I was VA Gold at this point) and they (whilst I was on the phone) sorted it with SQ directly. My basis of getting VA to sort it was that under the VA fare class, seat selection was included (no charge). As I purchased as specific fare class via VA (ie Flex) with inclusions such as seat selection, I should be able to select my seat for my flight without penalty - it wasn't my issue that VA & SQ had different rules. VA accepted my basis and sorted for me immediately. Check the fare class and see if this is the situation. If so, I'd contact VA again and ask them to sort since they sold you a ticket WITH seat selection.

 

[Bagpuss]

Even after adding the SQ booking reference to my Krisflyer account (I don't have any status with SIA)

If you bought the tickets through Virgin Australia you would want to earn velocity points and not have it linked to Krisflyer at all.

On the Singapore Airlines website just use the "Manage Booking" section and use the SQ reference number.

There's a possibility you have a fare class which doesn't allow seat selection is the only other explanation. The Virgin website claims no Singapore Airlines fare includes seat selection : International long haul Click "fares by destination" and expand Singapore Airlines. The information under "Fare Options" is misleading.

NOTE : You could trying using the mobile app.

 

[jedi_sith]

If you bought the tickets through Virgin Australia you would want to earn velocity points and not have it linked to Krisflyer at all.

On the Singapore Airlines website just use the "Manage Booking" section and use the SQ reference number.

There's a possibility you have a fare class which doesn't allow seat selection is the only other explanation. The Virgin website claims no Singapore Airlines fare includes seat selection : International long haul Click "fares by destination" and expand Singapore Airlines. The information under "Fare Options" is misleading.

NOTE : You could trying using the mobile app.

Just an update of sorts.

I went back through the Platinum support team (website) who forwarded it on to the reservations team.

3 of the 4 sectors now have allocated seats. The message I got back was that one of the sectors (SIN - LHR) returned an error when the agent tried to select the seats on my behalf so this one is still unresolved.

In short, this doesn't appear to be related to the class of ticket (however the T&C's may have been updated since purchase). Neither airline is allowing me to select the seats myself through their respective websites / itineraries but the VA agent had the ability to update the tickets to a point and has done so for 3/4 sectors.

It appears to be a bug or something missed with the original ticket purchase process.

Based on this experience I wouldn't buy a codeshare ticket in the future, I would buy direct from SQ. I'd still get the points, the price was the same and I could select my seats.

 

[nerdinary]

I'm in the same boat. The Mrs. and I are flying from KUL to SYD via SIN on an SQ flight. Tickets are from VA. For <reasons>, we have two separate bookings.

On the VA website I'm unable to select seats. Using the SQ PNR on the SQ website, I'm also unable to select seats.

I contacted VA customer support to ensure we can both be seated together, but they are unable to help as this flight is operated by SQ.

So I contact SQ, and after a lot of back and forth, the staff tell me that prior seat selection requires a payment. My ticket is a "Choice" fare and I'm VA Gold - I should be eligible for free seat selection, but SQ says they don't see that on their end.

So now we'll have to leave it to check in and hope we can pick seats next to each other.

 

[Bagpuss]

Based on this experience I wouldn't buy a codeshare ticket in the future, I would buy direct from SQ. I'd still get the points, the price was the same and I could select my seats.

The benefit of buying via VA :
- You will get sectors
- Slightly more status credits
- Slightly more points
- Sometimes the cancellation / changes fees are lower
- Seat selection is included (if it works of course) when can sometimes make a pricing difference.

 

[PERLHR]

The benefit of buying via VA :
- You will get sectors
- Slightly more status credits
- Slightly more points
- Sometimes the cancellation / changes fees are lower
- Seat selection is included (if it works of course) when can sometimes make a pricing difference.

Often, I find the VA web for the same flights costs more than using SQ. Bit ridiculous....so probably still actually paying for seat choice!!

 

[Bagpuss]

Often, I find the VA web for the same flights costs more than using SQ. Bit ridiculous....so probably still actually paying for seat choice!!

From the searches I have ever done, though never actually purchased via VA, SQ is cheaper direct buying direct. However, VA is cheaper than QR.

 

[bcworld]

- Slightly more points

Not necessarily 'slightly'. I.e. silver, gold and plat booking SQ on a VA flight number will be getting 50%, 75% or 100% bonus on miles flown.

 

[fuzzydunlop]

Just booked 2 J Mel-Sin-FCO reward seats so chuffed. But I cannot select seats through VA. Will try SQ now but had a couple of questions:
1. Once I’ve selected a seat, can I change it later say if a bulkhead seat opens up.
2. Can I cancel seats if the dates don’t suit anymore (hypothetical) once I’ve allotted seats or it counts as I’ve managed the booking.

 

[bcworld]

Just booked 2 J Mel-Sin-FCO reward seats so chuffed. But I cannot select seats through VA. Will try SQ now but had a couple of questions:
1. Once I’ve selected a seat, can I change it later say if a bulkhead seat opens up.
2. Can I cancel seats if the dates don’t suit anymore (hypothetical) once I’ve allotted seats or it counts as I’ve managed the booking.

Yes you can change it. Bulkheads, if available, will open up at exactly 48 hours before departure, not before...be ready! You can cancel your booking in line with Velocity's terms and conditions...having selected a seat makes no difference.

 

[PERLHR]

Do we know if buying SQ flight via Virgin Aus with a VA flight number on choice or flex fares has got better with regard to seat selection (especially for VA Gold or Platinum). ? I see the cost of flights on the SQ metal with VA flight number remains higher than booking with easy seat selection via SQ! Come in VA and SQ this should not be so difficult should it!!

 

[marcojim]

Do we know if buying SQ flight via Virgin Aus with a VA flight number on choice or flex fares has got better with regard to seat selection (especially for VA Gold or Platinum). ? I see the cost of flights on the SQ metal with VA flight number remains higher than booking with easy seat selection via SQ! Come in VA and SQ this should not be so difficult should it!!

On a recent SQ flight with a VA flight number, I was unable to select my seat through manage my booking on either carrier.

On one occasion I called SQ, they were able to select seats for me. However on subsequent calls to change my seat, both SQ and VA pointed their fingers at one another, saying that the other carrier should be responsible for seat selection.

This was for a Y booking though. Not sure if it’s different for J.