Stress test this plan

[laffer]

Hey All.

I was hopeful that I could get some constructive input or alternative suggestions to deal with the situation below.

FF Program: SQ Krisflyer. No Status. Enough points for return in J to Europe ex Syd. 100,000 odd points expiring in Jan.

The challenge: To use the points balance for J travel. Due to my job situation, it is likely that the travel is going to have to be between Xmas and around the New Year Period.

The Proposal: Afternoon flight out of Syd to LHR (or anywhere in Europe reall) on 25 Dec. I have to be in London to see a Premier League game on the 26th so ideal for an arrival into LHR.

Spend about a week or so around Europe before flying back to BKK.

From there I will go to Sin and make my own steam home (not using KF points). This will be a paid fare.

Results so far:

To maximise my chances, I have looked to book one way segments.

I cannot find anything out of Oz (Syd, Brs or Melb) to Sin on or around the 25th (that is not waitlisting into the standard category and I need saver fares).

I can see a J flight to confirm now from SIN to LHR on the 25th (11pm or so departure) which get into LHR on the morning of the 26th (perfect!).

Cannot find anything cleared to return from most ports in Europe although heaps of Saver waitlists. Tried AMS, CDG, LHR, CPH, FCO, FRA, and MUC).

The dilemma:

I think I am going to have to pay for my fare out of Syd to Sin (I am paying for it coming back so maybe I just grab a return if that works).

If i confirm the LHR flight then I need to be on either the SQ or QF afternoon departures out of Syd to connect. That is fine with me although the $1200 one way price is annoying (but I know what time it is).

What I am more worried about is getting home from Europe. I know with Waitlist that it often clears about 14 days out (if it does). I have no status so not going to get any preferential treatment. Do I just waitlist a heap (I am flexible) and hope it comes off and if it doesnt well I suppose I can just source the best price out of Europe to BKK. I doubt I will have a problem confirming a flight. The benefit of using the points was to get a trip out and away but if I am paying for most of it then it kind of defeats the purpose so I would like to maximise efforts to use these things!.

Thoughts? Is there an easier way to search SQ availability? It is awful on the app going day by day.

Your comments are much appreciated.

 

[cgichard]

You need to be aware that public transport is minimal on 25 December and still much reduced on 26 December Public Transport in London at Christmas
Taxis will be scarce and more expensive that usual. SQ flights ex-Australia on 25 December tend to be full of people going only as far as some place in Asia, with more availabilitfy opening up from SIN onwards.

 

[Boca68]

Just a thought?
Xmas is a Monday this year, assuming you finish work on the Friday , have you looked on the 23rd & 24th outward? Unlikely, but worth a shot. Even late departures on the 22nd?

 

[laffer]

Just a thought?
Xmas is a Monday this year, assuming you finish work on the Friday , have you looked on the 23rd & 24th outward? Unlikely, but worth a shot. Even late departures on the 22nd?

Can only leave in the afternoon of the 25th.

In reality, I could skip the boxing day fixtures but looking at availability out of Syd for the later dates its not that much better.

 

[Mattg]

I can see a J saver award BNE-SIN-LHR on the 25th. SQ236 connecting onwards to SQ322.

Don't forget that TG flights from BKK to/from Europe are an option using KrisFlyer miles. So if you can get to BKK using TG, that should work. Using TG instead of SQ actually costs fewer KrisFlyer miles, too.

 

[laffer]

Just to update this thread and hopefully get some more guidance.

I have found a flight fromSIN to LHRat 1am on the 26th. It gets into LHR on the morning of the 26th there. Perfect. I cannot find any flights that match my timing out of Syd so I am going to purchase a fare.

The QF flight out of Syd is decent. $753 for a 9.55 arrival. There is a bit of a layover in SIN but that is OK. Plenty of time to transit. But the question is what happens if there is a technical with QF. As my SQ flight is a reward I presume they wont do too much to help if I miss it in SIN. The equivalent SQ flight to that of the QF flight is $300 more expensive so not ideal. Should I just take the risk and purchase some travel insurance (as I always do). Or should I purchase the SQ in the hope that if I am stranded in Syd they will help (even if the fares might not be linked).

It has been a while since I have been in Changi but I presume baggage claim is after immigration so if I am flying QF and transiting to QF, I will have to go through immigration and check in again whereas if I was with SQ then I would go through the transit lounge.

The flight back from Europe is proving more challenging but I can waitlist that one and just purchase out of Europe if need be. I need to lock down the flight out though and the flight from SIN to LHR fits nicely. Just out of SYD is the pain.

 

[equus]

Should I just take the risk and purchase some travel insurance (as I always do). Or should I purchase the SQ in the hope that if I am stranded in Syd they will help (even if the fares might not be linked).

Purchasing the SQ might help, maybe. Travel insurance for a QF arrival SQ departure won't necessarily help you, as it is not a "connecting flight", it is two separate flights. However, depending on your policy, you may have be able to utilise a "Special Events" cover. TID annual policy will cover interruption from "any unforeseeable event outside your control" and does not exclude for airline delays or cancellations. It will pat the reasonable additional cost of using alternative transport of the same fare class to get you to your destination on time. The only catch is that they have tightened this up in the latest PDS, and will only pay $2000 for single or $4000 for family - which is unlikely to cover an alternative walk up J fate - but might cover a Y.

Pick the level of risk you are comfortable with. This sort of thing is why there is still a market for more expensive fares that are end to end, rather than simply joining together cheap point-to-points, and why travel agents still have a role to play in putting together connections across different airlines, where travel insurance can protect you.

 

[Justinf]

Let's hope we pick up our form. It's been horrible lately.
COYS

 

[laffer]

Good bounce back last night.

Let's hope we pick up our form. It's been horrible lately.
COYS