Why are SQ taxes so high?

[JohnK]

I know SQ are one of the highest charging carriers for award tickets but some of those taxes and surcharges look extremely high.

 

[jetlagger]

I know SQ are one of the highest charging carriers for award tickets but some of those taxes and surcharges look extremely high.

I have been flying & redeeming with SQ over the past 20 years.
The redemption value has decreased significantly & the 'taxes" have increased enormously over this period of time.
Certainly the value of my krisflyer points is questionable & also the reduction in available redemption seats on random sectors which used to be available at short notice is becoming annoying.
SQ are fiercely guarding their seat inventory towards commercial tickets, however when flight loads are around the 80% mark, it seems strange not to be able to avail certain sectors on points for the loyalists (Actual higher revenue SQ flyers) amongst us.

 

[kpc]

IMHO (and as an ex SQ PPS member), it is only worth reedeming Krisflyer points for J awards and higher given the high cash copayments required. Don't even think about redeeming Y flights....it would be better value just paying cash for the Y ticket outright!

 

[Alanslegal]

IMHO (and as an ex SQ PPS member), it is only worth reedeming Krisflyer points for J awards and higher given the high cash copayments required. Don't even think about redeeming Y flights....it would be better value just paying cash for the Y ticket outright!

This is very true. As with all programs there are always tiny Y award sweet spots which make it a bit more worthwhile such as some intra-zone awards such as say SIN-MLE-SIN (or you can tag along, something like MNL-xSIN-MLE-xSIN-MNL) .... or even a AUS-PPT return on NZ.

 

[Bjet]

Yes that's right... I will be flying in Y not business and first class. yeah it's about $900 tax (per person) and also lots of stopovers - Rome and Paris.

 

[albatross710]

This thread inspired me to have a look at how redemptions have changed:

BNE-SIN-BNE Saver J redemption

APR 2010 76,000 miles and $347.96
Now 93,500 miles and $489.74

Miles required : Increase 23%
Taxes, Fuel etc: Increase 40.7%

The term rort comes to mind.

 

[jetlagger]

This thread inspired me to have a look at how redemptions have changed:

BNE-SIN-BNE Saver J redemption

APR 2010 76,000 miles and $347.96
Now 93,500 miles and $489.74

Miles required : Increase 23%
Taxes, Fuel etc: Increase 40.7%

The term rort comes to mind.

I'm with you on the modern rort term..
I'm afraid to retrieve my previous redemption receipts from the filing cabinet... The whole FF redemption system was much kinder & less complex in those times.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

I'm afraid to retrieve my previous redemption receipts from the filing cabinet... The whole FF redemption system was much kinder & less complex in those times.

Ah the good 'ol days - long gone I am sorry to say guys.

On the flip side my ability to cultivate and harvest KF pts is far far far greater than it was in those good 'ol days - so I ain't feeling' the pain.

As cove has repeatedly said 'it's a game' - and I am playing this game like my life depends on it - there is only one thing I love more than generating KF pts and that is redeeming those pts on F and J Savers.

*The huge increase in productivity of said cultivation and harvesting of KF pts due mostly to information gleened from this great site.

 

[zainman]

do Krisflyer members have unrestricted access to LH F? i.e, not like USDM where it is impossible or LM where T-14 seems to work...

 

[jetlagger]

Ah the good 'ol days - long gone I am sorry to say guys.

On the flip side my ability to cultivate and harvest KF pts is far far far greater than it was in those good 'ol days - so I ain't feeling' the pain.

*The huge increase in productivity of said cultivation and harvesting of KF pts due mostly to information gleened from this great site.

Well done Cruiser
My Raffles Class experiences & memorabilia shall remain entrenched in glorious reminiscence.
Till my next s-t-r-e-t-c-h for the suite trophy.. achievable, though sadly not available from my usual port.
It was the SQ = AF lounge in AUH recently that has disrupted my pleasant disposition of loyalty for SQ as well.
Still happy & comforting travels..

 

[JohnK]

I have been flying & redeeming with SQ over the past 20 years.
The redemption value has decreased significantly & the 'taxes" have increased enormously over this period of time.

But I thought that is usually the case. When something is too good to be true it usually gets enhanced. Almost every FF program suffers in one way or another.

 

[Jack_OC]

I recently booked 4 x J one way saver awards from MEL-FRA, and paid 80,750 KF miles + $422 each in taxes/surcharges. I think that's a pretty good deal.

 

[cove]

The result of high SQ taxes is so we can book great flights on points when we want them. It certainly is not the airline to book economy runs as a bargain redemption.

 

[Duffa]

Just for information.
Did a dummy run on MH J LHR to MEL one way----- a whopping $885 in "taxes" EACH.
SQ seems cheap by comparison! Even at 51,000 points the MH surcharge really eats in to the benefit

 

[albatross710]

What jurisdiction do international FF programs operate in?

I guess the only way is to put our trust in competition, although it seems that competition works on the airlines side as they compete to see how high the furlcharges can be tolerated.

 

[anat0l]

Just for information.
Did a dummy run on MH J LHR to MEL one way----- a whopping $885 in "taxes" EACH.
SQ seems cheap by comparison! Even at 51,000 points the MH surcharge really eats in to the benefit

Did you do a SQ comparison on the same class for the same route perchance?

I assume the $885 includes the UK APD (Highest bad, standard rate), yeah?