Velocity gold on SQ metal -

[plspoon]

I am VA gold which expires in May. I have the required number of eligible sectors but not quite enough status credits to requalify. Hubby and I are going PER-SIN-Narita and Osaka-SIN-PER and he pools his points and status credits into my account. So I will requalify as Gold.
My question is.... I have been reading some posts on this forum about VA ticketed flights on SQ metal being unable to checkin online and perhaps finishing up with the dreaded middle seat. Is this true? No online checkin? I am booking through an agent. She can probably request seats for us.
Is there any particular reason why I should go for the VA flight number or should I just get her to book us into the SQ flight number so I can online checkin and also select seats?
I have also read the Velocity T&C for SQ flights and it would appear that we are only entitled to go into the SQ lounge in Perth and Singapore (we won't have long enough in SIN to bother) and SilverKris lounges (of which there isn't one in Osaka). So are we out of luck with the lounge at the Osaka end? Anybody experience this?
I don't know which booking class we are in yet (economy) but I did ask her to book us using one of the eligible classes. Its a public holiday in Perth today so I won't be able to ask till tomorrow exactly which class.

Thoughts anybody? Thanks for any advice you can give me.

 

[erkpod]

What's the price difference if any between the SQ price & the VA price?

You'll have to make sure the fare buckets are legal for points/SC as there are some fare classes that don't earn. There's a list on the VFF website.

 

[pblackie]

Personally I've always booked through SQ so that I can choose my seat, I don't think there is any benefit booking through VA but as erpod says make sure the booking is in a class eligible to earn SC and miles

 

[notzac]

Booking the VA code will give you a points bonus and eligible sectors - in saying that, as long as you avoid fare classes N, Q, T and V (the cheapest economy fares that aren't eligible to earn points), I'd be booking directly on the SQ code.

 

[iambents]

Even if you book via VA you should be able to ask VFF for the SQ PNR for the flights so you can manage your booking on the SQ website hopefully. But if you don't need the SCs then its probably easier to book direct with SQ (and its likely to be cheaper if my recent searches are anything to go by).

 

[notzac]

But if you don't need the SCs then its probably easier to book direct with SQ (and its likely to be cheaper if my recent searches are anything to go by).

You'll earn SCs when booking directly with SQ - in fact, probably more generously than if booking with VA, as there's no such thing as 'Discount Economy' SQ flights from the perspective of VFF.

 

[smit0847]

Remember you can only access SQ operated KF Lounges, not OW *A lounges (i.e. no lounge access in KIX)

 

[Denali]

Newbie here but Ive had the same issue recently with VA booked flights on SQ metal so my newbie advise is....

Phone VA and ask for the SQ booking number and phone SQ customer service, speak very nicely to the person and ask them to assign seats to you, be prepared and have the seat map in front of you. Ive found from experience, some have better knowledge/computer security than others so some will say cant be done and others will do it and a minute later you will see the seat assignment on the SQ website (manage my bookings).

If you get someone that says they cant because its a VA booking, thank them, hang up, phone again and get someone else.

This is what I did for recent flights and we got the seats we wanted no problem. Our last trip to Japan was booked on SQ and we earned status credits/journey with no problem.

 

[Fiches Mouser]

If you get someone that says they cant because its a VA booking, thank them, hang up, phone again and get someone else.

This is what I did for recent flights and we got the seats we wanted no problem. Our last trip to Japan was booked on SQ and we earned status credits/journey with no problem.

Good tip. I called up to grab the PNR from SQ before my last flight to Japan, got given it, but didn't even think to ask them to assign seats. That upper deck bulkhead is GOOD.

Next time. Thanks Denali.

 

[scottogsyd]

Good tip. I called up to grab the PNR from SQ before my last flight to Japan, got given it, but didn't even think to ask them to assign seats. That upper deck bulkhead is GOOD.

Next time. Thanks Denali.

I'm very interested in this as I'm looking at booking SYD - SIN - BKK rtn in the coming weeks. I was under the impression that SQ don't release exit rows to passengers booked via code share ? Has anyone had any success booking via VA, using the PNR when calling SQ call centre and getting a bulkhead or preferred seat assigned to them ? The information seems to vary, but what I have gathered more points and SC's will be gained if I am to book via VA with a Flexi. The price between VA and SQ is similar.

 

[Dave R32]

My GLW and I have just returned from a BNE-SIN-HKG-SIN-MEL-BNE trip on a codeshare VA using SQ metal (except for the domestic leg of course) my experiences are as below:

1. You can't check in online via the VA or SQ websites or via the SQ phone apps. I tried several ways and was always stumped in the end. You can add passport numbers, contact details etc to your itinerary via the SQ website and request a window or aisle seat but that is as far it goes.

2. Do call and get your SQ PNR from VFF, I had no problem getting this and the VFF rep was totally in agreement that calling SQ to try and grab good seats was a good idea.

3. Call the SQ call centre and put in a seat request, I did this about a week out from the first flight and the requests were added but I was advised to call back with 48 hours of departure to ensure things were going to plan, which I did.

It was explained to me that seat requests would be added to my booking but they were requests not confirmed seat allocations.

4. At the check-in counter (I used Business / Priority check in on every flight with no issues) I again requested certain seats EG: window and aisle on the A330, Centre aisle on the B777, Upper deck window and aisle on the A380 flights (not exit or bulkhead) and received the following with no issues.
On the BNE - SIN A330 flight we had 44A and C however as the flight wasn't full I jumped to a centre aisle seat.
On the SIN - HKG B777 flight which was totally full we had 54D and G which were fine and lot more comfortable than the seats on the A330 fight.
On the HKG - SIN A380 flight we had requested and received upper deck 78H and K, once again the flight wasn't full so I jumped into 79K
On the SIN - HKG A380 flight we had requested and received upper deck 72H and K, flight was far from full so I jumped into 80D (centre aisle exit row)

The upper deck window seats on A380s are very good seats with the side bin providing extra space.

Lounge access, priority check-in and priority boarding was never an issue on the SQ flights, just had to show my VFF Gold card each time as nothing is printed on your BP, however when we checked in at HKG the agent was able to check us all the way through to BNE and the BP's for the VA flights had our VFF number and status printed on them so the SQ system definitely has the info but they don't print it on your BPs for SQ flights.

SCs and VFF points were showing in account within 36 hours of flights arriving, this included family pooling (460SCs in total).

The SQ lounges were better than I expected after reading negative comments on here with plenty of food and drinks available.

We purposely traveled mid week as flights are typically less loaded, and this proved the case on 3 of the 4 SQ flights.

The only minor hiccups were with VA.

1. A few days out from departure I received an email saying we had been moved from my preferred MEL - BNE flight (VA322) to one which departed an hour earlier (VA321), this gave us less than 30 mins from arrival from SIN to boarding, which in my opinion wasn't ideal so I called and changed it to a flight an hour later than the original (VA323). When we arrived in MEL (after a go around as we lost separation to the aircraft in front) we were given the option of flying ahead on our original flight, so I am not sure what happened here.

2. We decided to stick with VA323 and then asked in the lounge if we could use points to upgrade. This caused great confusion with the lounge service desk who insisted that we were SQ passengers and couldn't do this !. When the agent finally slowed down and listened that we were VA passengers who code shared etc, etc we received our upgrade with no issue. However on the flight there was no meals available for us or 2 other pax who upgraded, which I thought was strange as plenty of time was available.

Overall it was a good experience and I would do it again the same way if required.

Cheers
Dave.

 

[scottogsyd]

Thanks for putting the time into that post Dave, some great info in there! Can I ask why you booked with VA rather the SQ ? From what I have gathered thus far the only benefits of Booking through VA is the Bonus points gained when attached to status, eligible sector and possibly price? Other posters on various forums have mentioned that the SC haul when booking with SQ over VA would be higher as SQ calculate these by Segments which VA don't.

 

[Dave R32]

Hi Scott,

I must admit I didn't even look at booking via SQ from a SC viewpoint. From memory the prices were close but I booked way back in November when there were some very good specials around for full flexi fares.

Cheers
Dave.

 

[Denali]

...... I was under the impression that SQ don't release exit rows to passengers booked via code share ? .....

We have a trip first week of April and 2 weeks ago I was unable to get the preferred (exit row) seating as I was told on the phone that its available for SQ bookings only but to try my luck at checkin but I was able to secure the 2 seat rows that hubby and I prefer in Y.

We are now flying J class on this flight so had to give up the 2 seat row, Im sure we will survive somehow ;-)

 

[scottogsyd]

Thanks Dave and Denali. I think I will opt for the SQ purchase, forgo the bonus points for the ease of seats prefs etc.

Half your luck Denali, those J seats aren't lacking in size !

 

[ap_spd]

"various forums have mentioned that the SC haul when booking with SQ over VA would be higher as SQ calculate these by Segments which VA don't"

If I was to fly from SYD to Ahmedabad, which is two separate flight numbers will it be two sectors for SC, I think it should be 100 each way.

I was thinking of booking on VA as I need to complete my sector count to maintain WP...

 

[plspoon]

Thank you all of you for your valuable input, particularly Dave for his detailed info. So far we have our seat requests window and aisle "kk" (confirmed) by sq in our booking so fingers crossed it all goes well. I like your suggestion about requesting the upper deck on the a380, might try for that.
I'm going to be cheeky at checkin and ask if they can confirm seat numbers for us on the return sectors as well, worth a try....
if we do this again, I would probably book sq rather than the va code share. We don't really care about the bonus points, just the status credits. I believe we are in H class all the way which looks like full economy, not discount, so plenty of status credits.
I'll try and remember to post back after the trip to let you all know what happened with the seating.

 

[notzac]

"various forums have mentioned that the SC haul when booking with SQ over VA would be higher as SQ calculate these by Segments which VA don't"

So - both SQ and VA earn per segment (back in the DJ days, it was a single calculation for each one-way journey, which is where I think you may be getting that from). SQ generally earns more because VFF consider all eligible economy SQ tickets as full economy, where VA have discount economy and full economy.

The points and SCs you'll earn depend on the actual fare class, but here are the basic SC calculations:

SYD-SIN: 3912 miles, zone 4 SCs
SIN-AMD: 2583 miles, zone 3 SCs

Assuming you book an eligible economy SQ ticket, you'll earn 100 SCs each way. If you book on VA (check the fare closely, flights that book in to T, V or Q will earn nothing), an eligible discount economy ticket will earn 50 SCs each way and a flexible economy ticket will earn 100 SCs each way.

As you've already noted, you'll need to book the VA-coded flights to get the sector count up.

 

[ap_spd]

thanks Notzac. looked at the fare's, SQ ticketed is mostly on V so will be ineligible and then again need the sector count so will stick to VA for this trip.

cheers, ap

 

[Denali]

..... I like your suggestion about requesting the upper deck on the a380, might try for that.
I'm going to be cheeky at checkin and ask if they can confirm seat numbers for us on the return sectors as well, worth a try..........

If its an older configeration plane/seating, the upper deck window/side row is the best for Y, Ive done Sing>Paris up there and it made a big difference to the flight. Told hubby I wont ever do it again in Y but it was quiter and the extra room on the side was good.

I dont believe the checkin ladies will be able to allocate seats for your return flight (too many days out/their computer doesnt give them access) but maybe the ticketing office can help you.

If you have your SQ booking reference number, phone customer service #131011 and ask them to allocate upper deck seating. If he/she says she cant do it because its a VA booking, phone back to get someone else and ask them. I found it can be done, you just have to get someone that can think outside the box.

Good luck. Im 18 days away from our flight. In future I will be booking SQ direct as well.