General questions about SQ booking system.

[SQ238]

Hello SQTalkers,

I would like to quickly say thanks to all who post here, the information shared is amazing. I hope I can contribute equally with my share when I think I have worthwhile advice or information.

I have a few questions about the SQ booking system.

I will be on holiday to Asia this Dec and Jan, flying exclusively with SQ in Y class, which I have booked with no problem through the Australian SQ site. I am now trying to book a small side trip to visit friends, a return flight BKK-HKG for mid Jan next year but the SQ system only comes up with a price of almost $3000au, more than twice the price of my return Y ticket from MEL-BKK Is it normal for the system to come up with such high Y costs? It only seems to be BKK-HKG, it doesn't matter if I try dates next week or next year it continually gives me this massive price for that return trip.

If I break the flights down and try getting costs off the SQ system for BKK-SIN, SIN-HKG and return it comes up with a total for the 4 flights of about $1000au, still much higher than years gone by. The same trip with Thai, which is obviously direct, comes to a total of about $650au. I would much rather travel SQ.

So what is my best option, go to a travel agent here in Australia and get costs for the return trip with SQ, or phone a SQ phone agent? I am of the understanding that if I book my flight with either of these two options I cannot select my seat and do an internet check in, as I can do if I book directly through the SQ booking system, am I right?

Thanks a million for any advice you can give me on this problem.

SQ238.

[zander]

I don't think SQ has a published fare for the route BKK-HKG which explains the high cost. I might be wrong though. If you do not mind flying airlines out of the *A alliance, I would say u can try Emirates. They have really attractive Y and J fares for this route. These discounted fares are released periodically and the discounted fares for Jan might not be out yet.

[wsssaero]

You can do OLCI even if you book through a TA, but I think you can't select a seat at the time of booking with the TA.

[jhm]

I don't think SQ has a published fare for the route BKK-HKG which explains the high cost.

That's right:

FQBKKHKG10JAN-SQ«                                               
BKK-HKG       CXR-SQ       SAT 10JAN09                     USD  
THE FOLLOWING CARRIERS ALSO PUBLISH FARES BKK-HKG:              
5J AI BI CI CX EK ET JL KA KQ MH RJ TG UL UO YY                 
ADDITIONAL CARRIERS PARTICIPATE IN YY FARES                     
//SEE FQHELP FOR INFORMATION ABOUT THE NEW FARE DISPLAYS//      
  SURCHARGE FOR PAPER TICKET MAY BE ADDED WHEN ITIN PRICED      
THB CONVERTED TO USD USING BSR 1 USD - 34.106 THB               
                                                                
[color=red][b]*** SQ DOES NOT PUBLISH NLX FARES BKK-HKG ***                   
*** BELOW ARE YY NLX FARES BKK-HKG VALID ON SQ ***[/b][/color]              
                                                                
YY     BKKHKG.EH       10JAN09          MPM  1258               
    V FARE BASIS     BK    FARE   TRAVEL-TICKET AP  MINMAX  RTG 
  1 . Y              S‡R   708.00     ----      -    -/  - EH01 
  2 . Y              S‡O   425.00     ----      -    -/  - EH01 
  3 . C              Z‡R   934.00     ----      -    -/  - EH01 
  4 . F              F‡R  1090.00     ----      -    -/  - EH01 
  5 . C              Z‡O   561.00     ----      -    -/  - EH01 
  6 . F              F‡O   654.00     ----      -    -/  - EH01

And the IATA BKK-HKG YY fare has a MPM of 1,258 which doesn't work if you fly BKK-SIN-HKG. So the system ends up giving you the cost of fully flexible Y on SQ for BKK-SIN plus SIN-HKG which gives the very high price obtained.

Edit: welcome to SQT, SQ238!

[sqdazz]

for that route you are better off flying Emirates - much cheaper. I am a big SQ and Star Alliance fan but the price is outrageous, even with Thai, its only a 2.5 hour flight... ill just fly emirates on that sector or take Air Asia to Macau and get a ferry. TG inter asia flights ex BKK prices are WAY overpriced unless booked in conjunction with a longhaul flight, e.g MEL-BKK-HKG-BKK-MEL....

[SQ238]

Thanks for all the informative replies, much appreciated.

sqdazz, Emirates is also way over priced at present but I will keep checking, great advice in regard to Air Asia. Cheers.

Also thanks for your welcome to the board jhm.

SQ238.