Velocity Gold Status and Singapore Airlines

[travcaine]

Hi all, first post here!

I am a Velocity Gold member and have a indepenant flight booked with Singapore Air.
I know there is benifts with SIA but how do I access those? When I check in at the airport will it recongise my Velocity status (was provided during booking)? Or do I need to do something else?

 

[AIRwin]

Flying out of Australia?

 

[travcaine]

Flying out of Australia?

Yes via Singapore to South Africa (return)

 

[serfty]

Hi all, first post here!

I am a Velocity Gold member and have a indepenant flight booked with Singapore Air.
I know there is benifts with SIA but how do I access those? When I check in at the airport will it recongise my Velocity status (was provided during booking)? Or do I need to do something else?

I just flew MEL-SIN-KUL and return in paid economy as a Velocity WP.

- No free seat selection.
- Lounge access at SQ lounges (this means Star Gold Lounge access in SIN - T3 much better than the one in T2).
- Group 3 priority boarding; note this was not reflected with OLCI ex MEL, but the BPs provided at physical check in had the correct information.
- Velocity Points/SC for my outbound posted about three days after the flights. This included status bonus points.
- I didn't check luggage but my fare include 20Kg and I could have had an additional 25Kg.

 

[travcaine]

I just flew MEL-SIN-KUL and return in paid economy as a Velocity WP.

- No free seat selection
- Lounge access at SQ lounges (this means Star Gold Lounge access in SIN. (T3 much better than the one in T2)
- Group 3 priority boarding; note this was not reflected with OLCI ex MEL, but the BPs provided at physical check in had the correct information.
- Velocity Points/SC for my outbound posted about three days after the flights. This included status bonus points.

Thanks. Did you book your flight indepant of VA (direct with SIA)?
So my physical boarding pass at Melbourne will come correct with Star Alliance Gold to allow lounge access and Priority boarding? Did you use Priority Check in?

 

[serfty]

Thanks. Did you book your flight indepant of VA (direct with SIA)?
So my physical boarding pass at Melbourne will come correct with Star Alliance Gold to allow lounge access and Priority boarding? Did you use Priority Check in?

My BP shows "VA PT" - I'll dig up an image.

 

[travcaine]

My BP shows "VA PT" - I'll dig up an image.

Thanks, will wait for image! Great help!

 

[serfty]

I booked direct with SQ during a sale back in August for travel this week, entering my Velocity Number on booking. When checking in at the airport I used a Premium (*G, not PPS) counter.

 

[MattA]

+1 to @serfty 's experience -- I flew paid Y on SQ MEL - SIN -JNB and vv last September as a VA WP:

- Booked via SQ website
- I *was* able to select seats for free (maybe this depends on fare type?)
- Entered VFF number at time of booking; it didn't show up at online check in but was on the booking and benefits were applied seamlessly
- Boarding passes had VA PT printed on them
- Used the *G/J check-in desk at MEL
- Priority baggage tags (it auto-printed PRIO on the tags)
- MEL BP was printed with message granting access to the SQ lounge
- SIN BPs had the "You are invited to the KF Gold lounge" msg as above (can't remember exactly, but I think I had to show my physical Velocity card here)
- No lounge access in JNB as SQ doesn't have its own lounge there, and the partnership with VA doesn't extend to partner lounges. I paid for access to the Plaza Premium lounge at ~ZAR 200 for an hour's access (so ~$16). Booked online via the website the day before travel. Not sure where you are flying to in South Africa, but thought this was very good value -- full a la carte dining with table service / meals cooked to order and beers/wine etc. 1 hour was plenty for my needs although there was a 3 hour option too (at higher cost).

But generally yeah the whole experience in terms of status benefits was pretty seamless in this case.

 

[serfty]

+1 to @serfty 's experience -- I flew paid Y on SQ MEL - SIN -JNB and vv last September as a VA WP:

- Booked via SQ website
- I *was* able to select seats for free (maybe this depends on fare type?)
- Entered VFF number at time of booking; it didn't show up at online check in but was on the booking and benefits were applied seamlessly
- Boarding passes had VA PT printed on them
- Used the *G/J check-in desk at MEL
- Priority baggage tags (it auto-printed PRIO on the tags)
- MEL BP was printed with message granting access to the SQ lounge
- SIN BPs had the "You are invited to the KF Gold lounge" msg as above (can't remember exactly, but I think I had to show my physical Velocity card here)
...

But generally yeah the whole experience in terms of status benefits was pretty seamless in this case.

I was on a super cheap K class fare but did pay to select seats on the long flights and checked no luggage.

 

[travcaine]

+1 to @serfty 's experience -- I flew paid Y on SQ MEL - SIN -JNB and vv last September as a VA WP:

- Booked via SQ website
- I *was* able to select seats for free (maybe this depends on fare type?)
- Entered VFF number at time of booking; it didn't show up at online check in but was on the booking and benefits were applied seamlessly
- Boarding passes had VA PT printed on them
- Used the *G/J check-in desk at MEL
- Priority baggage tags (it auto-printed PRIO on the tags)
- MEL BP was printed with message granting access to the SQ lounge
- SIN BPs had the "You are invited to the KF Gold lounge" msg as above (can't remember exactly, but I think I had to show my physical Velocity card here)
- No lounge access in JNB as SQ doesn't have its own lounge there, and the partnership with VA doesn't extend to partner lounges. I paid for access to the Plaza Premium lounge at ~ZAR 200 for an hour's access (so ~$16). Booked online via the website the day before travel. Not sure where you are flying to in South Africa, but thought this was very good value -- full a la carte dining with table service / meals cooked to order and beers/wine etc. 1 hour was plenty for my needs although there was a 3 hour option too (at higher cost).

But generally yeah the whole experience in terms of status benefits was pretty seamless in this case.

Did you have priority boarding as well? Would this work for someone traveling with me on the same booking but now VFF Gold?

 

[MattA]

Did you have priority boarding as well? Would this work for someone traveling with me on the same booking but now VFF Gold?

Yes, I had priority boarding and you should too as VFF Gold. Priority was enforced too, at least in MEL -- some other Y pax were being turned away in front of me and sent to the back of a long line. I was waved through after showing my BP, which had "Boarding Group 3" printed on it.

 

[travcaine]

Yes, I had priority boarding and you should too as VFF Gold. Priority was enforced too, at least in MEL -- some other Y pax were being turned away in front of me and sent to the back of a long line. I was waved through after showing my BP, which had "Boarding Group 3" printed on it.

Thank you. How did you find the priority check in and boarding in JNB?

 

[MattA]

Thank you. How did you find the priority check in and boarding in JNB?

No worries. I can't really remember much about procedures at JNB (this was nearly a year ago now -- Sept last year -- time flies!) but pretty sure I used both with no issues (if it had been a drama it would have stuck in my memory!)

The check in desk signage at JNB almost certainly didn't/doesn't specifically mention Velocity status--just stroll up to the J / Krisflyer Gold one and you will have no problems.

 

[travcaine]

No worries. I can't really remember much about procedures at JNB (this was nearly a year ago now -- Sept last year -- time flies!) but pretty sure I used both with no issues (if it had been a drama it would have stuck in my memory!)

The check in desk signage at JNB almost certainly didn't/doesn't specifically mention Velocity status--just stroll up to the J / Krisflyer Gold one and you will have no problems.

Thanks again! Sounds Postive! I hope they let my parnter have priority check in/baording with me. I am gold, she is red but on same booking.

 

[Feka742]

Thanks again! Sounds Postive! I hope they let my parnter have priority check in/baording with me. I am gold, she is red but on same booking.

On the same booking, there'll be no problem with both of you using the Business/Gold check-in - it's generally assumed that passengers on the same booking will check-in together. Boarding should be fine too, particularly if you're sitting together.

It can't hurt to take your physical VA card with you to smooth the process if needed, but unlikely to be a problem if not.

 

[Warks]

I booked SYD-SIN-CPH return via SQ and had my Kris Flyer number on the booking. At the airport I went to the Business/Gold etc check-in, flashing my Gold VA card (I think) with Mrs Warks (no status) and checked in. The staff member said he'd add my VA status to my boarding pass so I could get into the lounges. That worked, although no status appeared when I checked in at CPH on the way home - apparently I could get into the SAS lounge but it's not that great anyway.
Interestingly my points weren't showing up for SQ so I lodged a claim for the first flights and they came through straight away. I lodged a claim for the return flights days later and was told they points had already gone to another account which was a surprise. But when I happened to look at my Velocity account a bit later I saw all the SCs had been credited there plus the points so I managed a double dip on some of the points.

 

[Gremlin]

One thing that might be to your advantage. SQ will print “VA Gold” or some variation on your BP. If the word “Gold” appears, presenting at SQ BP with “Gold” may be sufficient to gain access to a partner *A Lounge. It’s happened in the past that this has been confused with *A Gold!

To be clear, you won’t be entitled to lounge access in JNB, but you may wish to try your luck anyway.

Edit: WP won’t get you access here.

 

[travcaine]

UPDATE: The Priority Boarding and Lounge Access now shows on the Digital Boarding pass (online checking) as well.

 

[CorporateFlyerMEL]

I am flying SGN-SIN-SYD on value Y fare, cannot select seats (without fee) although VA number is in the booking - seems the seat selection is related to the fare rather than VA status (noting on SQ website, KrisFlyer Gold and Silver can select for free regardless of fare).