SYD to HYD as Velocity Platinum - SQ or EY

[ap_spd]

Hi All,

I am Velocity Platinum and have an upcoming travel to Hyderabad (HYD). Do you recommend

SYD-AUH-HYD
or
SYD-SIN-HYD (SIN-HYD will be on Silk Air)

Time of travel is not that big a problem.

thanks

 

[mooingchicken]

What class of travel? if Y then i would probably go with SQ.... 9 across not 10 with EY
SQ = no free upgrades.op-ups, unsure how generous EY are for velocity plat, but i haven't heard of many.
If J or above then both would be good, I haven't flown silk Air but from what I have read they are just the big couch type seats, so EY could be better if a night time flight?

 

[lovestotravel]

Flip a coin really, as they are both great airlines!

I would probably go with SQ but not a fan of Silk Air

 

[ap_spd]

thanks guys.

Flight on Y. In India check in needs to be done 3 hours prior and Silk Air has no lounge access so kind of boring to be on the floor for that long.

think may do EY and see if I can get on a VA operated flight to AUH and see if I get lucky with an op upgrade

 

[yohy?!]

id go EY personally and probably stopover in AUH, the Silkair leg will be miserable

 

[ap_spd]

thanks yohy?!

 

[peakhour]

id go EY personally and probably stopover in AUH, the Silkair leg will be miserable

Rubbish.

Having been SQ and Silk Air to HYD many times, and to other Indian ports I now would not go any other way. The Silk Air flights are fine, the seats are ok, the service is ok, the food is limited, but so it is on SQ and all flights to/from India. I often try the Indian Vegetarian meal just for something different.

The 3 hours check in is NOT a requirement in India. People just tell you that so you don't get caught in traffic. And in HYD yes the traffic can be bad.

However so long as you plan to arrive at least 90 minutes ahead taking into account bad traffic you will be fine.

HYD airport is quite good and much nicer than MAA, though of course not a patch on the big hubs like SIN.

The only reason for taking EY is if you prefer to spend a lot more time in the air in whY which is entirely up to you.

If you have not done so, make sure you try the chicken Briyani (or veg, or lamb if so inclined) at a decent restaurant.

Happy Travels.

peakhour

 

[dajop]

thanks guys.

Flight on Y. In India check in needs to be done 3 hours prior and Silk Air has no lounge access so kind of boring to be on the floor for that long.

Recently on FlyerTalk a VA gold asked if they got lounge access flying SilkAir out of HYD. Contributors said they wouldn't but the OP reported back and said they were granted access. As far as I can tell VA gold or platinum gets lounge privileges equivalent to KF gold.

 

[rtyuiop]

VA elites don't officially get access to anything other than actual Krisflyer lounges - meaning they don't get access where a KF gold would get access to a contract-operated lounge.

What actually happens seems to depend on where you are - for instance, I think I'm about 9/10 for getting a lounge invite flying out of Bangalore, but 0/4 from Tokyo.

Cheers,

Danny

 

[ap_spd]

thanks guys.

have spent a lot of time in HYD so I fully agree with the biryani comment, some of them are best found in road side eateries and my stomach is born Indian so can survive that..

One reason for EY was that it will get me lounge and also get a chance to see EY Sydney and AUH lounges, shame F lounge in AUH is closed for renovation.

If Silk Air was to grant me access (and i know it is person dependent, cos I have had some luck in the past gain entry into AMD lounge (contracted e by SQ)) I can live with it.

Cheers, ap

 

[dajop]

Reading various anecdotes seems to be if flying MI success rate for lounge access is greater? Or is it more that in practice VA elites don't get lounge access to star alliance partner lounges (where SQ use them) but are more likely (but not assured) to get access where SQ uses third party operates lounges?

 

[ap_spd]

i have been granted access to lounge when it was contracted to third party and i was on SQ. having said that VA still has a long way to go for Elite PAX, for eg, at many a ports (AMD, HKG) i have been told that as VA Plat u have no priority baggage or lounge access. that does make me smile... have had some difficult but polite conversations..