Waitlisted

[GLAM82]

Hi all,

My wife and I are currently confirmed on SQ 656 (SIN-FUK) on the 16th of May 2010 in Business Class through online redemption.

However, we are waitlisted for SQ 11 (NRT-SIN) in Business Class on the 31st of May 2010.

My question is:

1) Is there any way to ensure confirmation as my wife and I really need to get back to Singapore on the 31st of May 2010.

2) There is a note saying that I need to confirm my seats by the 7th of March 2010, if I am still on wait list then, what do I do? Re-book again?

3) What are my chances considering I have only Blue Status on Krisflyer?

Thanks in advance.

[Dickson]

Hi! Are you waitlisted on redemption booking as well on SQ11 Biz class?

If yes (ie. redemption booking), then in my opinion, the chances are extremely slim that your booking will clear on time for you to make a decision on whether to confirm your Sin-Fukuoka sector.

That's one of the hazards of redemption booking. If you can secure a seat, you're given on several days to confirm it. Else, the reservation is automatically cancelled. But if you cannot get a seat and is waitlisted, then the only way this can clear is either (i) your luckly that the 1 or 2 passengers who'd previously booked the redemption slot you want changes his/her reservation and vacate that slot, so your WL is cleared, or (ii) very close to the departure date, inventory control decides that more seats are available to be released for redemption. In this case, SQ11 is one of the only flight offering Business Savers redemption from Narita, so I'm sure it will be very popular.

When it comes to redemption waitlist, the status of passenger is a secondary issue. Because the primary restriction here is strict inventory control. Sure, if you're a higher ranking PPS, you'll be at the top of the waitlist. But its still for the same limited inventory. I've been put on futile waitlist for months before.

I've been in your shoes before. After years of experience with SIA on redemption booking, what I now do is to work my travel plans around redemption flights availability. Its safer that way and you can better plan your travel.

If you must travel NRT-SIN on that date, I'd recommend you try redemption booking on ANA (Star Alliance award). However, take note that all award travels on Star Alliance does NOT allow any date/flight change, after the ticket is issued. Unlike Krisflyer redemption on SQ flights, where changes in date/flights are allowed.

However, if your waitlist on SQ11 is on a commercial booking, then your chances are higher. If I were you, I'd then take the risk and confirm the Sin-Fukuoka booking.

[Gunners]

Are there any statistics on how much inventory is made available for online redemptions?

On many occassions it seems to me that SIA prefers to leave plane empty rather than accept a redemption bookings Is this the case?

[GLAM82]

Hi Dickson,

I did the redemption booking separately and have already confirmed the SIN-FUK sector.

The NRT-SIN sector on SQ 11 is a redemption waitlist. Will wait until the 7th of March, failing which to get a seat, I will then try to redeem a seat on NH.

Thanks so much for the advice.

[Dent@SUB]

However, take note that all award travels on Star Alliance does NOT allow any date/flight change, after the ticket is issued. Unlike Krisflyer redemption on SQ flights, where changes in date/flights are allowed.

eerrrrr...... I think that booking/ticket can be changed for a certain fee.... for what we called the ticket re-issuance fee... USD30???

[KC*]

Sorry to OT a little ... :

Can we confirm a not so favourable (dates) return trip redemption and ticket the flights (as required), while placing one of the sectors on waitlist for a more preferred date? Can this be done online without cancelling the leg first?

[Dickson]

Hi, in the past, you can. ie. confirm booking & issue ticket on a non-ideal date, then wait-list on preferred date.

However, recently this seems to have changed. No wait-listing on another date is allowed on an issued redemption ticket. The Krisflyer atttendant merrily told me to "keep checking everyday" to see if a seat is available for award travel, and then change the travel date when it opens up. I couldn't be bothered.

However, for an unissued redemption booking, you are allowed to wait-list on other dates. Once it clears, you are required to ticket it within a matter of days. Again, this is a change from the past. In the past, you are required to ticket it several days/weeks before the date of travel. Now, you are required to ticket it several days after making a booking (even if your travel is months away).

So either case, you're forced to take a risk. If you choose not to "grab" a non-ideal date, then you wait-list for the ideal date. And risk waiting till eternity. Which can be extremely disruptive to travel planning (hotels, etc). If you grab a non-ideal date first, then you cannot have any wait-list. Just hope you're lucky that the ideal date opens up later, then you make a change in your booking.

[GLAM82]

Looks like I won't be getting my seats on SQ 11.

If I call up to make a booking using my Krisflyer miles for a seat on NH metal in Business class, will that still be 59,500 miles for 2 Adults or 70,000 miles? I also now have to add an infant booking for my daughter, perhaps it would be better for me to just make a visit down to their office to get everything settled?

[Dickson]

Hi, did a bit of checking. Unfortunately, there're no more redemption seats available on business class for travel on NH or UA on 31-May. Even economy redemption on SQ is not available. I did not check NH or UA economy.

If I were in your shoes, I'll probably cancel the SIN-FUK redemption J booking (and get the miles refunded, save for a small penalty), but book commercial Y ticket SIN-FUK//NRT-SIN and do a redemption upgrade on SIN-FUK leg. At least you're sure of securing seats on the dates of travel you want, while still enjoying an upgrade on SIN-FUK.

[GLAM82]

Hi, did a bit of checking. Unfortunately, there're no more redemption seats available on business class for travel on NH or UA on 31-May. Even economy redemption on SQ is not available. I did not check NH or UA economy.

If I were in your shoes, I'll probably cancel the SIN-FUK redemption J booking (and get the miles refunded, save for a small penalty), but book commercial Y ticket SIN-FUK//NRT-SIN and do a redemption upgrade on SIN-FUK leg. At least you're sure of securing seats on the dates of travel you want, while still enjoying an upgrade on SIN-FUK.

Thanks Dickson for helping with the checking. Guess my wife and I will just scrap our plans to go to Tokyo and just stick wih SIN-FUK-SIN. We wanted to visit Tokyo to show our baby daughter to her brothers but we can wait for them to visit Singapore. At least my wife and daughter can spend more time with my in laws in Fukuoka.

[Kyo]

ANA Star Alliance Japan Airpass might be of some help...

Basically you can even link it on to any redemption Star Alliance ticket that flies into/out of Japan by going to ANA's office at Robinson Rd and doing the bookings on the spot. I've done it before and it's a cheap and economical way to get around Japan quickly.

[GLAM82]

ANA Star Alliance Japan Airpass might be of some help...

Basically you can even link it on to any redemption Star Alliance ticket that flies into/out of Japan by going to ANA's office at Robinson Rd and doing the bookings on the spot. I've done it before and it's a cheap and economical way to get around Japan quickly.

Thanks for the suggestion Kyo. However, the reason why I wanted to fly out from NRT was because if I had to go back to FUK, then I would incur a round trip Shinkansen ticket from Hakata to Kagoshima Sendai which is where my in laws stay.

The original plan was SIN-FUK, followed by Shinkansen to Sendai, KOJ-HND, NRT-SIN

If I have to come back to FUK then it will be SIN-FUK, followed by Shinkansen to Sendai, KOJ-HND, HND-KOJ, followed by Shinkansen to FUK, FUK-SIN.

[Kyo]

I probably don't understand the shinkansen system well enough between Fukuoka and Miyagi to get what you're saying but I was thinking maybe something like: FUK-KOJ // KOJ-FUK // FUK-NRT on the NH Airpass.

[GLAM82]

I probably don't understand the shinkansen system well enough between Fukuoka and Miyagi to get what you're saying but I was thinking maybe something like: FUK-KOJ // KOJ-FUK // FUK-NRT on the NH Airpass.

Sorry for the poor explaination.

Shinkansen from Hakata station to Sendai station would be the best option for me because I will be traveling with my wife and my then 5 month old daughter and my in laws place is just 5 minutes away from Sendai station.

But I see your point and can probably do SIN-FUK, take the train to Sendai and stay for 2 weeks then KOJ-HND, stay for 2 nights then HND-FUK-SIN

so would that mean 3 coupons for the Japan Airpass?

Sorry for the dumb questions

[GLAM82]

Sorry just thought that perhaps you misunderstood my previous posting about the Shinkansen to Sendai.

I meant Sendai in Kagoshima Kyushu not Miyagiken-Sendai