SQ Freq Flyer points redemption - help

[SQ-flyer]

I am trying to do a redemption booking over the Xmas/NY period (good luck! hehe) with SQ

We have had numerous people tell us different things on the phone.

One man told me that airlines will start releasing this week FF flights for over the xmas/NY period - I really don;t believe it? but if that's the case thats great.

(this is SQ - regarding LH and SA flights....)

I know with QF once they release seats thats pretty much it and on popular routes often you need to grab them 365 days in advance!!

Another lady told us we could waitlist on SQ's partner airline SAA but then we rung back and got another who said this was incorrect and to ring back every day and each day they'll send thru a request to SAA and LH asking if we could get on the flight using FF points - this seems VERY labour intensive! PHEW!
[SIZE=+0]
Anyone have any idea as to how this works? Or perhaps an explanation / some advice as to how to do this better.

p.s. the SQ people are usually very helpful and suggest things - but this time it is I who had to keep suggesting - (from LHR to CPT) - to try LH.... or even LX..... they really weren't that fussed to help even though we're PPS members too![/SIZE]

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Welcome to AFF ]SQ-flyer

Just to check you are using Kris Flyer miles?

AFAIK you can only waitlist on SQ flights, not on partners.

As for awards being released - most airlines release at about 11 or 12 months, and may release some more closer to departure on flights with low sales.

On some routes over christmas - new year this may be likely, and on others not a hope. Perhaps you could give some more details like where you are trying to fly between, what class, how many pax.

As you realise, you can help by being flexible over routing and dates.

Have you checked current award availability using ANA tool? (Need a ANA account, which is free and use the lookup.) For flights with no availability you should also check the booking class availability (using expert flyer, tandt, etc) - if full then most unlikely that any awards will be released.

 

[SQ-flyer]

Thanks Kiwi Flyer

Yeah I am trying to redeem Krisflyer points.

Its for me, in Business class (apparently economy is even more full anyway)

LHR to CPT 22 Dec

CPT LHR is fine I am on a flight.... but its getting there that is a trouble.

They finally managed to get me ona flight from LHR-FRA-CPT but with a 1h10m connection in frankfurt and with all the delays out of LHR esp on a weeknight, I am likely to miss my flight - and then what? as a rewards person do I have any rights?

So I am going to try to keep looking - any suggestions? thanks

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

I would take LHR-FRA-CPT in a flash, although I would also look to take an earlier LHR-FRA flight even if it meant being in economy (it is a short flight and after all intra-europe business is not that great).

Flights between Europe and South Africa in business class are generally very hard to get - even paid - on any airline. Just before christmas would be a bad time for availability I imagine. If you could fly on Christmas Day there would likely be less demand (note I haven't looked any of these up - not enough time before my flight is called). On my recent RTW I was waitlisted for several months before I gave up and rerouted (dropping South Africa).