Changes to PPS?

[YK@HKG]

"Disturbingly, many others who had otherwise hoped to join the club will now not bother to try and will take their business to another carrier."

Precisely.....why bother qualifying for a program that is "devalued". I could use the S$25,000 to qualify for other more "rewarding" programs.

[YK@HKG]

Reply to the online letter in the ST:

Priority Passenger Scheme amended to make it equitable for present and future members

I REFER to the letter by Mr Ralph Walter Ede, 'Negative reaction to changes to SIA priority passenger scheme'', (Online forum, April 2).

I would first like to thank Mr Ede for his comments and his deep interest in the PPS Club. We value all our customers and, whenever possible, will try our best to meet their needs. However, from time to time, all airlines have to review their programmes and Singapore Airlines is no exception.

While we realise that the changes to the PPS programme may not be pleasing to all existing members, it is something that has to be done now in order to make the scheme equitable for present and future members. The PPS Club is intended to recognise the airline's most valuable premium customers with appropriate benefits.

However, under the current miles/sector qualification scheme, customers who fly long haul, and pay more, are left out. This is in contrast to others who spend far less by flying on short-haul sectors. So the introduction of a value-based scheme will allow the recognition of all customers on an equal basis for their business.

I want to assure Mr Ede that much thought has gone into the issue before the decision was made, and all aspects were carefully considered with customers in mind. Qualifying members will benefit directly through greater exclusivity of the PPS Club, while all members and our many other frequent flyers will continue to have access to our award-winning frequent flyer programme, KrisFlyer.

Lim Wee Kok

Vice-President, Loyalty Marketing

Singapore Airlines

Very debatable...as Keith has mentioned...what are exactly the "God-Like" benefits that QPP members are now entitled to?

Award-winning KF? Oh please....even Silver members of MPC are entitled access to the Wing and Pier.

[LionCity]

Reply to the online letter in the ST:

Very debatable...as Keith has mentioned...what are exactly the "God-Like" benefits that QPP members are now entitled to?

Award-winning KF? Oh please....even Silver members of MPC are entitled access to the Wing and Pier.

Agreed with YK@HKG. I am in SQ's eyes not a "real valuable priority passenger" and considered a liability (nice choice of words from Keith). Tried of the standard response from SQ about being more equitable.

[KeithMEL]

Ooh, wrote that letter on the run yesterday. Glad they saw fit to publish my rant.

[upright man]

Hi everyone,

very interesting letters from KeithMEL and Ralph Ede !

Regarding the 45,000 PPS members who contribute 45% of SQ's revenue :

if one third of them are really abandoning SQ, how come SQ seems so nonchalant about potentially losing this revenue ?

I suspect SQ is quietly confident that much less than one third of PPS members will leave, that is SQ thinks they may rant and rave in forums and the media, but when the time comes to fly, they will still come back obediently to SQ.

Any opinions about this anyone ?

[Singapore_Air]

I think there has been a miscommunication.

I think it's 45% of revenue comes from premium passengers.

There are approximately 45,000 PPS Club members (at present)

[KeithMEL]

I suspect SQ is quietly confident that much less than one third of PPS members will leave, that is SQ thinks they may rant and rave in forums and the media, but when the time comes to fly, they will still come back obediently to SQ.

Any opinions about this anyone ?

This could be true for the majority of those based in Singapore where the slate of flights offered by SQ is unparalleled. It is especially true of business travelers who just need to travel somewhere as quickly as possible and in the most direct manner.

[SuperJonJon]

This could be true for the majority of those based in Singapore where the slate of flights offered by SQ is unparalleled. It is especially true of business travelers who just need to travel somewhere as quickly as possible and in the most direct manner.

This is definitely the case for me as it would be silly to fly to another hub to switch planes when I can fly directly to my destination. I do hope with the increased media attention that SQ will buckle and scrap the changes?

[TerryK]

.....I do hope with the increased media attention that SQ will buckle and scrap the changes?

I doubt SQ will ever scrap the changes. However, I hope SQ will modify the changes. Perhaps a LPPS at SGD 1MM PPS Values? It is very high but still a goal for some to achieve.

[jjpb3]

Very nicely-written letter, KeithMEL.

[jjpb3]

This is definitely the case for me as it would be silly to fly to another hub to switch planes when I can fly directly to my destination. I do hope with the increased media attention that SQ will buckle and scrap the changes?

I too doubt that the changes will be scrapped; I see signs of a siege mentality among the SQ management. The repeated reiteration of the empty phrase "benefit from increased exclusivity" is beginning to sound comical.

In any case, they have their fortress well-stocked with business travellers (like you, SuperJonJon ) who find the convenience of SIN the hub and of SQ flight schedules too great to ignore.

[SuperJonJon]

I too doubt that the changes will be scrapped; I see signs of a siege mentality among the SQ management. The repeated reiteration of the empty phrase "benefit from increased exclusivity" is beginning to sound comical.

In any case, they have their fortress well-stocked with business travellers (like you, SuperJonJon ) who find the convenience of SIN the hub and of SQ flight schedules too great to ignore.

I wish I could switch allegiance but just read a letter SQ sent to my company annoucing that they have given us more corporate discount for our tickets wef 1 Apr.

Now is that a good thing or bad? It is good to have cheaper tickets but then it will make it more difficult to requalify for PPS.

[jjpb3]

Ha, the new SQ: what one hand giveth, the other hand taketh away.

Given the stripping away of anytime-access to the SKL and of access to the SKL F when in J, QPP status doesn't seem to offer much of an incremental advantage to the business traveller. I reckon it's really the ability to clear waitlists that remains valuable. So the tradeoff isn't as severe as it would have been, had QPP privileges been kept the same.

It would be a different matter, of course, if "godlike treatment" extended beyond the feeling of "greater exclusivity".

[LionCity]

I too doubt that the changes will be scrapped; I see signs of a siege mentality among the SQ management. The repeated reiteration of the empty phrase "benefit from increased exclusivity" is beginning to sound comical.

In any case, they have their fortress well-stocked with business travellers (like you, SuperJonJon ) who find the convenience of SIN the hub and of SQ flight schedules too great to ignore.

True...I think SQ will still win in the end and they could disregard our loyalty with impunity as long as it fits their commercial interest. Doubt they will budge. For me doing my own business I could make my own decisions i.e. I will switch to CX on North Asia run and Emirates on the Europe run. I don't get huge corporation discounts. I have a final long haul SQ run but it is more to let the TA make some money for their hard work in organizing my difficult flights.

[tfung]

I wish I could switch allegiance but just read a letter SQ sent to my company annoucing that they have given us more corporate discount for our tickets wef 1 Apr.

Now is that a good thing or bad? It is good to have cheaper tickets but then it will make it more difficult to requalify for PPS.

what country are you based in? I have heard that SQ has raised its published fares on 1 Apr in some countries... so if your discount is based on %, the total price might still be higher...