Thanks, SQTalk

[Funnypigeon]

I would like to thank everyone here for feeding me with lots of ideas in how to use my KF membership. I would like to thank Mr. Tan aka SQ380 (if no wrong) for communicating seamlessly by email to SIA all time regarding the priority boarding issue and now it seems all resolved at following airport as per my experience lately:
CAN
SIN
CGK
KUL
MNL
round of applause to SQ380
Boarding sequence is now FIRST, BUSINESS, PPS, KFEG. Then only economy.

Besides i would like to know if someone have similar experience that i got last 2 days back in CGK. I was granted access to Pura Indah Lounge at T2 by my KFEG status and when i hand my boarding pass to the staff, they show me to "First Class Lounge" rather than "Business Class Lounge". Other passenger which i'm not sure which airlines they are taking were directed into Business Class Lounge. Only 3 passengers in First Class

I'm wondering if this is special case or KFEG usually granted access to First Class Lounge in CGK? Anyone have similar experience?

[UMD]

Besides i would like to know if someone have similar experience that i got last 2 days back in CGK. I was granted access to Pura Indah Lounge at T2 by my KFEG status and when i hand my boarding pass to the staff, they show me to "First Class Lounge" rather than "Business Class Lounge". Other passenger which i'm not sure which airlines they are taking were directed into Business Class Lounge. Only 3 passengers in First Class

I'm wondering if this is special case or KFEG usually granted access to First Class Lounge in CGK? Anyone have similar experience?

Since the opening of the Esplanade lounge, I have only used Pura Indah lounge twice and that's because I had to see some friends in there. So, I don't know the answer to your question but why anyone would want to be in the First Class section of the Pura Indah lounge is beyond me. That place is so stuffy and small and without any windows. The Business Class section in the same lounge is much much more spacious and nicer with windows to the tarmac.

The best lounge for SQ in CGK is still the Esplanade lounge which was designed for SQ. In the Esplanade lounge, QPP's are directed to the Business Class section while TPP's are directed to the First Class section of the lounge.

[Funnypigeon]

Since the opening of the Esplanade lounge, I have only used Pura Indah lounge twice and that's because I had to see some friends in there. So, I don't know the answer to your question but why anyone would want to be in the First Class section of the Pura Indah lounge is beyond me. That place is so stuffy and small and without any windows. The Business Class section in the same lounge is much much more spacious and nicer with windows to the tarmac.

The best lounge for SQ in CGK is still the Esplanade lounge which was designed for SQ. In the Esplanade lounge, QPP's are directed to the Business Class section while TPP's are directed to the First Class section of the lounge.

wow... believe the Esplanade is something even better! can i get into Esplanade lounge even if my boarding pass stated "Pura Indah Lounge"? Just curious about it But i can't locate where is the lounge because i only saw Premium Lounge and Pura Indah near gate D2. Maybe different direction?

[SQ380]

I would like to thank everyone here for feeding me with lots of ideas in how to use my KF membership. I would like to thank Mr. Tan aka SQ380 (if no wrong) for communicating seamlessly by email to SIA all time regarding the priority boarding issue and now it seems all resolved at following airport as per my experience lately:
CAN
SIN
CGK
KUL
MNL
round of applause to SQ380
Boarding sequence is now FIRST, BUSINESS, PPS, KFEG. Then only economy.

Glad to hear of some progress. However, what I was requesting SQ to consider was re-instating boarding via the "Priority Lane" for Star Alliance Gold and Krisflyer Elite Gold, just like how things were in 2012, before some smart alec decided to scrap that altogether! Anyways....

[Kyo]

Already told them for you, in person

[Audio]

Already told them for you, in person

No use.

I asked for an offical explaination on KFEG boarding using the priority lane after boarding had started.

They took 2 weeks to get back to me and they declared that they cannot allow KFEG from using the priority lane for boarding as before. That means once boarding had started, you would have to go to at back of the long EY queue to board.

They, however, state that some stations (like HKG) do allow priorty lane boarding when there is no queue. I guess for all other stations, I would have to sport a thick skin and try my luck to force my way through the priority lane and hope they will not stop me. I fly 50K miles to be a KFEG so that I get a chance to do this.

They also told me that they will continue to review this policy but I think this is stupid as if I go with another airline, how would I ever know that they have allow KFEG to use the priority lane again??

Totally unacceptable.

(Audio)


I flew UA to the US early April and avoided SQ altogether. For all the 8 sectors, it's feeling great again being welcomed at the start of every flight boarding on the left. I even got upgraded to Business on ANA at Narita! Other airlines are treating me more like a Frequent Filer than SQ.

[Kyo]

I would love to be a Frequent Filer too!

Nah, seriously, it's for 'operational capacity' reasons...

[Audio]

I would love to be a Frequent Filer too!

Nah, seriously, it's for 'operational capacity' reasons...

Yah, I got too many EY passengers that you are now becoming a burden to me. You frequent EY passenger, go fly with some other airline, you are not welcome anymore. You must admit that they do have a "very good reason" to be "less nice" with their KFEG.

I wonder how ALL OTHER airlines in the world can cope with their "operational capacity issues"....where all premium class passengers can merrily and harmoniously board together in the same lane with their Frequent Fliers Economy passengers....

(Audio)

[kapitan]

I have stopped flying SQ........ for obvious reasons....

[Audio]

So granted, it's an OPERATIONAL CAPACITY problem. They are screwing KFEG to please premium class passengers. They officially gave me an confirmed answer that they cannot allow KFEG to use the priority lane as before.

OK, so now if I travel Business Class, I should expect no KFEG to slow me down in my exclusive boarding lane, right?

I was on SQ11 2nd May, boarding at Narita for SIN with a Business Class boarding pass. Thought for once, I should try to be on the receiving camp to experience the badly needed boarding space, now that SIA had cleared and got rid of all the KFEG from the priority lane.

There were 4 lanes at Narita. Suites, Business Class, KFEG and EY. But once the KFEG queue had cleared and EY start boarding, the ground crew did the logical thing ....open the priority lane by fliipping the KFEG plate to the left.

So, you see, SIA management can set up a rigid policy but the various stations did obviously the logical and sensible thing.....since nobody dare to announce anything you are never sure what you are going to get.

As I step forward to board, a couple of KFEGs rushed in front of me, some used their infant as a "me first" ticket to the front....... Did it slow down my boarding? Absolutely not, as most of us are aware, the EY and premium classes take different routes inside the aerobridge and could not impact each other EVEN if they wanted to.

Kapitan, I'm with you...I'm just clearing my miles....

(Audio)

[Kyo]

I saw this last night at ICN on SQ15 ICN-SIN. The *Gs were meant to use the left lane, and the right lane was for J/F pax only (and probably PPS, I didn't look coz I was travelling in J anyway).

(parents with infants will get priority boarding regardless)

[SQ228]

Apologies that I am probably missing a bit of info here, but every flight I have ever boarded with SQ has invited KFEG to board early and I've received that since becoming KFEG. It's still on the website as a benefit.

Is this a specific location(s) that has stopped allowing it which explains the "where available" at the end of the benefit statement?

[RCTP]

I was on SQ865 about 2 weeks ago.

Boarding was:
1. Suites/PPS
2. Business
3. Economy

Asked the ground staff about KFEG and *G and was told that if not mentioned will board with economy.

[SQ380]

Totally Unacceptable…. This is what I am awaiting responses on, from Singapore Airlines… which is still pending reviews...

SQ replied on 25 November 2013. I responded to each of their comments. On 7 March 2014 they simply replied: "On a related note, we would like to share that our priority boarding is still undergoing a review. We will update you again when key developments emerge."

Details (25 November 2013) are as follows:

Singapore Airlines:

"With regard to your comments on priority boarding lanes, we acknowledge your concerns and have highlighted your suggestions to our Ground Services Manager for his consideration. As part of the ongoing review on this, we are pleased to share that our boarding sequence is currently being revised, at the individual cities’ level.

My Response:

"Customer Research, Singapore Airlines should participate and interview and / or survey its frequent and loyal customers, obtaining feedback of the “yet-to-be” revised boarding sequence.

It is very important that whilst considering various approaches, benefits available to Star Alliance frequent flyers are not sabotaged. Please remember that the audience for Star Alliance is wider, demographically, than Krisflyer. Your committee, and Customer Research, should, other than discussing with relevant authorities the best way forward, perform in-depth studies of what other Star Alliance partners are doing, to board passengers in an efficient and non-discriminatory format.

The board-paper that the relevant Department(s) present, should be positioned to include the findings, discuss what options are available, and highlight the pros and cons of each boarding sequence variation. Challenges faced at airports should be tabulated, with a brief of what other Star Alliance partners, faced with the similar operational limitations are doing. Is the approach something which Singapore Airlines and its Management could consider? If yes, is it justifiable; if no, why is it deemed irrelevant?

Once cleared by Singapore Airlines Management, could you please, for the purposes of not catching us off-guard (as was the case in 2012), share what revisions would be made to the existing boarding sequence. This could be communicated to the Singapore Airlines Krisflyer community via various Social Media platforms that you have; and to the wider Star Alliance community via appropriate communication channels. I am sure that to keep it simple and efficient, there will not be numerous variations. Information could be presented in a clear format, on a city / country level with the relevant boarding process sequence being narrated."

Singapore Airlines:

"In the interim, we will be deploying additional staff at selected parts of Changi Airport to assist with queue-combing. This is with the purpose to direct our KrisFlyer Gold members that may arrive late, to the priority lanes, where possible. Additionally, your recommendations will also be considered in the upcoming new Changi Airport Terminals."

My Response:

"Hopefully, what you have highlighted above, i.e. additional staff being deployed at selected parts of Changi Airport to assist with queue-combing, is only a temporary solution, whilst changes are being evaluated behind the scenes.

Further, your assurance, by stating that “recommendations will also be considered in the upcoming new Changi Airport Terminals” provides zero comfort. I am sure that this is a misread, but based on a worst interpretation basis, your response can be read as: “Singapore Airlines will not be reviewing and changing its boarding processes, until the new Airport Terminals, i.e. T4 (2017) and T5 (after 2020) are operationally ready.” By then, wouldn’t suggestions made today, potentially be obsolete and irrelevant by 2017? Wouldn’t it be better to consider what changes can be made today for operational efficiencies and enhancements, progressively evaluating this throughout time?"

[addictedtraveller]

SQ need to do some comparisons with other Airlines here. Yes ok they are prioritising premium passengers, but many frequent fliers that are going economy are on other occassions flying premium - this would certainly annoy me and influence my future purchase decisions.