KrisFlyer Devaluation: Changes to KrisFlyer Redemption

[StarG]

As an example, an award from North America to Asia roundtrip will require 120,000 miles, 240,000 miles, and 370,000 miles respectively.

At least 370,000 miles is for a round trip long haul. The SQ bean counters are of much higher caliber.

[fimo]

Darn - I shouldn't have topped up the account over the summer then, when I split mileage credit to LH and KF.

Well, I guess it'll be LH pretty much all the way now, especially since they'll be buying over Brussels Airlines pretty soon. Now to start burning up my KF miles.

[SQ LPP]

I love the quote from one of the post when we started the thread about PPS Changes early 2007.

SQ does not love anyone anymore

[demue]

This will most likely be the case. First they introduce Full awards then they would phase out saver awards. Then they would say that only standard awards are available for all redemptions. Thus everyone is now paying double the miles. A rather tactical move by KF but this is really disappointing.

As many have stated similar opinions I want to join the chorus even though it will make no difference in the end I shared my views with KrisFlyer on what they are doing. My email is below (already sent), but in short it is not the full award I have gripes with but the lack of saver awards for new a/c types and the elimintation of such saver awards for some routes altogether. In the end I agree we will only have standard & full and maybe saver for inner-Asia routes.

Dear KrisFlyer Management,

with great interest have I noticed today's mailing of the new & enhanced flight awards. First of all the move to offer one-way redemption opportunities at 50% of the round trip award miles is a move certainly to be welcomed. A great idea already offered by leading Frequent Flyer Programs such as BMI Diamond Club.

However, the introduction of the new Full awards even at the currently unclear final redemption levels may be nice for some members that are really in the need of an award seat for a certain route, but basically one has to be almost a mileage millionare to use this award type. It offers such a horrible value per mile that I believe it is only attractive to a very select group of flyers / customers.

The introduction of the previously called 'Unrestricted' (now 'Standard') awards as the only redemption option on select aircraft types such as 773ER, A345 & A380 was already a move that made KrisFlyer much less appealing as an option to collect and redeem miles with. It is understandable for the introductory phase of a new product such as the new Business Class or the new First Class seat, but considering the changes to the structure of your fleet (selling of 744's) it means that in the near future some locations will only be served by the new product (like ZRH & CDG already with LHR & FRA to follow soon I guess) effectively meaning no more Saver Awards to any of those destinations.

I'm expecting a KrisFlyer future where I need a minimum of 220,000 miles to travel roundtrip in Business Class for example to Frankfurt on SQ as my only option for C class redemption given only aircrafts with the newer product are available unless I switch to another Star Alliance carrier like TG, LH or LX where I can still get a more reasonably priced (in miles) award. That makes KrisFlyer highly unattractive to me and many, many of my colleagues and friends. Personally, I'm holding Star Alliance Gold Status in two other programs (LH & BD) as a result of these customer unfriendly developments.

I'm still flying SQ on selected occassions as the overall product is still very good - though the Biz class seat maybe wide but seat pitch is claustrophobic for taller people and one needs to sleep diagonal to fit which is sad for such a new product. Crediting the miles for those SQ flights or any other Star Alliance flights to KrisFlyer however, is out of the question with such a devaluation of miles for premuim longhaul travel due to the new products. The new product will be wearing off its novelty factor quickly and other airlines are following suit and some even surpassing SQ (except the suites for now unless one wants to fly EK) so I'm wondering if in a few years one could actually expect again Saver awards to be availabe even if the route is operated by a 773ER or A380? It would be great, but I will not bet on that and strike KrisFlyer off my list of competitive Frequent Flyer programs. But then after all this may not bother SQ at all and rather be desired.

Best regards,

demue
KF *S xxxxxxxxxx (status will lapse by Sep 09 - not worth it)

[Kyo]

demue: Bravo, well said.

[MAN Flyer]

Well said demue, but be prepared for the Boiler Plate reply. Maybe with a new punch line, but hopefully not as embarassing as the cringeworthy 'more exclusive' one some genuis came up with for the PPS programme destruction.

However, as has been said numerous times before, they just don't care.

[SuperJonJon]

However, as has been said numerous times before, they just don't care.

That's the problem, SQ doesn't care any more.

If every member of SQTalk wrote in, it may raise an eyebrow or two?

[demue]

Well said demue, but be prepared for the Boiler Plate reply. Maybe with a new punch line, but hopefully not as embarassing as the cringeworthy 'more exclusive' one some genuis came up with for the PPS programme destruction.

However, as has been said numerous times before, they just don't care.

Haha - I'm not even expecting an answer. And even if I get one it will be 110% boiler plate .. for the greater good yada yada yada ...

[LionCity]

Haha - I'm not even expecting an answer. And even if I get one it will be 110% boiler plate .. for the greater good yada yada yada ...

demue, you are a wordsmith. How about drafting out what you think the reply will be?

[EWR]

for all you angry folks out there, please be reminded that saver awards are still available for economy class on all routes

[YK@HKG]

I am also another ES member who will not be crediting anymore miles to KF and will revert back to the basic Blue membership by next March. Goodbye KF...

[Danny Bhoy]

I don't think it's a matter of SQ not caring anymore. In fact they do care but unfortunately for us it's from a bottom line perspective in which they see maintaining an industry-standard FFP as being detrimental to their bottom line. But since it is still industry standard to have some sort of FFP, I think they will continue to "maintain" (for lack of a better word) Krisflyer, but not a Krisflyer that would be deemed industry standard.

Left to their own devices, I reckon SQ would probably dump Krisflyer altogether and be like Ritz Carlton or Four Seasons with no frequent traveller programme. They would then probably continue to monitor frequent fliers especially on J and F and offer them occasional sop of free travel or discounted fares. But as long as they're part of an alliance, this will not be possible.

[MAN Flyer]

Left to their own devices, I reckon SQ would probably dump Krisflyer altogether and be like Ritz Carlton or Four Seasons with no frequent traveller programme. They would then probably continue to monitor frequent fliers especially on J and F and offer them occasional sop of free travel or discounted fares. But as long as they're part of an alliance, this will not be possible.

I think this about sums it up. There are those in SQ who are not convinced of the need for a FFP.

I disagree that they don't care though. They just don't, as they make clear with their behaviour over the last couple of years. In fairness to them the flights are so full you can understand it in a way. They've got balls to keep it up though, especially with the uncertain times ahead.

[demue]

for all you angry folks out there, please be reminded that saver awards are still available for economy class on all routes

Hmm, I wouldn't say angry but rather disappointed to some degree. As MAN Flyer mentioned they currently can do it as at least C and largely Y is fully booked many times over so why would they care. But times can change (I hope they wont for SQ's sake) and people will remember 'unfriendly' moves and that tad arrogance that swings in their actions of lately (maybe it's just me).

Ohh and if I want to throw my hard earned miles away (value wise) then I will consider to redeem for economy awards. No offence please, I know you meant well but the value per mile you receive is lousy. I have approx. 200K flown bum-in-seat miles this year (not what I get credited in my FFP programs - that's more due to status bonuses etc.) and all in Economy so if I travel privately for a change I want the comfort (and better mileage redemtion value) of business class.

[zander]

I am wondering how SQ is going to handle redemptions in future. SQ is part of Star Alliance and allows other FFP to redeem seats on her aircraft using the Star Alliance award charts. In the near future, when all the long haul flights have been converted to the new seats, I have no idea how SQ is going to handle redemptions from other airlines since SQ has a different standard of requiring double the miles which is kinda in conflict with the current *A award levels. I cannot imagine the scenario where SQ is trying to force her own redemption levels over the other *A carriers and if none of them agree to the new levels for the new seats, its gonna be a joke if they fully restrict access from other FFP on all their long haul redemption seats.