What is your opinion if there are changes in PPS Club?

[jjpb3]

Maybe SQ needs to differentiate PPS depending on where a person is based ? Higher levels for those based in SEA ?

Actually, from what I've seen and heard (just my experience), those on the long-haul (e.g., the kangaroo route) routes are most likely to have companies that are willing to splash out on business class to make sure their employees are productive when they arrive at weird hours (based on their home time zones). Does this mean they should be hit by higher requirements because of their or their employers' concern for productivity? Just my personal POV, but it isn't nice to take away such perks, because it isn't as though road warriors don't pay the price for that kind of travel. A similar comment goes for those who shell out their own money to make travels more comfortable.

What I'd like to see not happen, at the very least, is the sort of BA Eurocheat levels for top elite (in this case, PPS) membership, such that a member who isn't in a captive market gets highly favorable qualification terms. The extent of such a bifurcation in qualification requirements would, IMO, be unfair to those who at the home city or near enough.

(I do realize that we're all speculating in the absence of an announcement or of a desire by CGK to reveal fully what he knows, whispers or not . It seems to me that the best solution is not to have such drastic changes in the program to start with. FWIW, drastic increases in PPS qualification requirements will definitely diminish my reasons to fly with SQ.)

[jhm]

What I'd like to see not happen, at the very least, is the sort of BA Eurocheat levels for top elite (in this case, PPS) membership, such that a member who isn't in a captive market gets highly favorable qualification terms. The extent of such a bifurcation in qualification requirements would, IMO, be unfair to those who at the home city or near enough.

The problem with the BA Eurocheat levels isn't so much the fact that they're on favourable terms but that (i) it's very easy for UK based persons to avail themselves of the lower levels; and (ii) as far as non-UK based persons are concerned, the current Euro levels are too low IMO.

I made the comment about higher levels for SEA residents on the basis that it seems to me - but I could be wrong - that it's far easier to qualify for PPS if based in SIN (for example, with 10 CGK runs) compared to someone based here in the UK (with the withdrawal of ZRH-MAN, the nearest would be JFK-FRA which is very expensive). This seems the exact opposite of schemes such as BAEC, Flying Blue (French residents) or LH M&M where it's harder for locals of the home market to qualify.

Of course, I agree with you that leaving aside the idle speculation in this thread, drastic changes in the PPS programme will most likely be bad and not something which any of us (myself included) would want. Whilst drastic increases in PPS requirements - making it more difficult for those like myself who barely qualified - may make me fly SQ less, I'm not sure that this would hold true for a busines traveller (which I'm not) who flies SQ not with an eye to PPS qualification but merely because it gets him/her from A to B in some comfort ?

[jjpb3]

The problem with the BA Eurocheat levels isn't so much the fact that they're on favourable terms but that ...(ii) as far as non-UK based persons are concerned, the current Euro levels are too low IMO.

That was why I used the adverb "highly" in my description:

... such that a member who isn't in a captive market gets highly favorable qualification terms.

Perhaps I should have phrased it more strongly.

I made the comment about higher levels for SEA residents on the basis that it seems to me - but I could be wrong - that it's far easier to qualify for PPS if based in SIN (for example, with 10 CGK runs) compared to someone based here in the UK (with the withdrawal of ZRH-MAN, the nearest would be JFK-FRA which is very expensive). This seems the exact opposite of schemes such as BAEC, Flying Blue (French residents) or LH M&M where it's harder for locals of the home market to qualify.

I don't think I agree with that, given current trends in corporate travel. Based on a project we've done in my company, a large proportion of business travellers can be described by the following portrait: away from home more than he or she would like; forced by corporate travel policies to travel in Y for distances that take fewer than a threshold number of hours (five and six were the modes, with four hours in second place); seeing the benefits of travelling frequently mainly in the free flights he or she can redeem for his or her family. This isn't the portrait of someone who would find business trips SIN-CGK contributing to PPS status, or someone who would want to take the time to go on CGK runs. On the other hand, someone who has to fly, say, UK-SE Asia two to three times a year can make PPS status because it seems most corporate travel policies would allow travel in C. Such travel is hard on the body -- particularly if you have to work as soon as you land -- but trust me, frequent short-haul trips are exhausting as well (besides being less helpful to frequent flyer status, most of the time), because you typically spend a larger proportion of your time in transit rather than sitting still (during which you can do some work), and particularly when you end up frequently waking up earlier than usual, travelling in Y, and then getting home close to or past your bedtime.

Based on what I've seen (market research and personal observations among my colleagues and friends), it just isn't the case that frequent short-haul flights are necessarily an 'easier' way to achieve status when one is a frequent business traveller (FTers with their endurance and appetite for doing MRs excepted, of course ).

...Whilst drastic increases in PPS requirements - making it more difficult for those like myself who barely qualified - may make me fly SQ less, I'm not sure that this would hold true for a busines traveller (which I'm not) who flies SQ not with an eye to PPS qualification but merely because it gets him/her from A to B in some comfort ?

I fully agree with you there. It feels to me that SQ is confident that most who belong to its prized customer segments won't drastically alter their travel patterns, so the actions won't be commensurate with the immediate emotions after the changes. If this confidence turns out to be warranted, SQ wins in the aggregate.

[CGK]

(I do realize that we're all speculating in the absence of an announcement or of a desire by CGK to reveal fully what he knows, whispers or not . It seems to me that the best solution is not to have such drastic changes in the program to start with. FWIW, drastic increases in PPS qualification requirements will definitely diminish my reasons to fly with SQ.)

Please, don't shoot the messenger. I only pass on the whispering... Perhaps the speculations that ya'll made can be a good case study for SQ.

[Rejuvenated]

Do you think SIN-CGK route (the shortest distance at the moment) will still earn the PPS miles/sectors?

On the other hand, what about making SIN-KUL eligible for sectors and thus making it the shortest (wild thinking)? I know one particular board member who will waste no time celebrating should it happen.

[globetrekker84]

On the other hand, what about making SIN-KUL eligible for sectors and thus making it the shortest (wild thinking)? I know one particular board member who will waste no time celebrating should it happen.

I think the only way this would happen is if they adjusted the entire PPS distance scale as well. Make 185-3250 miles = 1.5/1.25, etc. It'd make Malaysian members happy while (probably) reducing the overall number of PPS members worldwide.

[shortfinals]

I know one particular board member who will waste no time celebrating should it happen.

I think that particular board member's still licking wounds over the announcement from the last few days.....

[jhm]

Based on what I've seen (market research and personal observations among my colleagues and friends), it just isn't the case that frequent short-haul flights are necessarily an 'easier' way to achieve status when one is a frequent business traveller (FTers with their endurance and appetite for doing MRs excepted, of course ).

Sorry, when I wrote "easier", I didn't mean to belittle the hardships suffered by frequent short-haul business travellers. I only meant "easier" purely as a function of cost - a person based in SQ's home base who qualifies for PPS by flying short-haul will spend much less than someone who qualifies by flying long-haul from FRA or LHR. This seems to be recognised by BAEC, LH M&M, FB etc but not by PPS.

[jjpb3]

Sorry, when I wrote "easier", I didn't mean to belittle the hardships suffered by frequent short-haul business travellers. I only meant "easier" purely as a function of cost - a person based in SQ's home base who qualifies for PPS by flying short-haul will spend much less than someone who qualifies by flying long-haul from FRA or LHR. This seems to be recognised by BAEC, LH M&M, FB etc but not by PPS.

I guess I misinterpreted your argument. Sorry lah.

I bet it's because of competitive forces that SQ does that: it needs to compete with the green-tailed airline up north for business travellers. For this same concern for competition, BA has Eurocheat levels, and LH gives a 33% discount for SEN status to passengers outside the home country.

[SQflyergirl]

Feb 1, a day of regret
77W - it's time we forget
For under threat is our PPS
If gets any worse, we'll be out on our ass!

So boys and girls - you know what to do
Maybe even join flying blue
Cor! I'll miss the SKL
But I should think it'll beat DL!

But if i leave the silver Kris, I fear
I will most likely end up visiting the Pier
For i want to arrive in better shape
hopefully this doesn't sound like a sour grape

The Traitors in green have something new
Even perhaps, the equal of SQ
I'm think I'm inclined to say I agree
Purely because of these bloody surcharges you see!

In distress you may claim to be
But all you ever do is buy in class V
To them, only First is vaguely of interest
Not when the seat infront has your footrest

When you finally decide to upgrade
Only then will SQ reciprocate
Up until that time i should think
From infront of the curtain at you I'll wink

As for things said of the golden goose
They're more than happy to cut you loose
Krisflyer does not care it may seem
For they know all you'll do is join skyteam!

Perhaps you'll find happiness there
I hear they might even do a pretty good fare
But if your heart ever has the SQ yearning
Make sure you bring more of the sterling!

[globetrekker84]

Did I stumble into poetry corner?

[kaysquare]

Did I stumble into poetry corner?

Yes you did!

Nice poem by the way, SQFG

[CGK]

a whisper is however a whisper.... smtgh concrete. it could be not true but this is another problem.

Mirror - mirror - on the wall
What will SQ decide with PPS Club?

The whisper gets more concrete
But the mirror will not spill the bean
(unless too much watermelon martini served at MO, London)

The mirror says chaos, stunned, feeling abandoned
SQ will not love me the way it used to be
SQ will not love individual traveller
SQ only loves business traveller

[TerryK]

Look on the bright side, maybe SQ would give superlonghaul, LAX and EWR, more sectors.

[milehighj]

The mirror says chaos, stunned, feeling abandoned
SQ will not love me the way it used to be
SQ will not love individual traveller
SQ only loves business traveller

Ok... so since I'm primarily a business traveller, is SQ actually going to make me a happier QPP, or just relieved at not being "abandoned"...?