Devaluation of KrisFlyer miles - another letter to Straits Times (2009-03)

[yongchau]

http://www.straitstimes.com/ST%2BFor...ry_356917.html

Home > ST Forum > Online Story
Why devalue KrisFlyer miles?

AS A long-time customer of Singapore Airlines (SIA), I am increasingly dismayed by the carrier's efforts to devalue the air miles held by its most loyal customers.
In September last year, the airline introduced a new level of award, bringing the total to three levels (Saver, Standard and Full). This was promoted by SIA as follows:

"With the introduction of a new award type - Full award - we now offer three award types for redemption. As a result, you can enjoy greater value by mixing and matching the various award types and different classes of travel."

Frankly, I have yet to see any credibility behind the claim of "greater value". SIA includes a caveat with its new system of awards by indicating in small print that the Saver award, previously available on Economy and Business Class, no longer applies to its newer aircraft, the A380 and A330-300. In order to book a redemption flight on these flights, the loyal customer must qualify for a Standard award, which costs double that of the Saver award.

Let me provide an example:

Before the new programme, redeeming miles for a Business Class return ticket from London to Singapore would have cost the customer 120,000 miles. With the new award levels, and the restrictions on flights in place, the same Business Class ticket would cost the user an eye-watering 240,000 miles.

There are only three flights daily to London, two A380 and one A330-300, none of which is eligible for the Business Saver award. The same is true for Paris, incidentally.

So, with no flight from Singapore to London eligible for the Saver Award, the customer has no choice but to spend double the amount of miles to redeem a Standard Award Business Class ticket.

I would be intrigued to hear from SIA how this allows me to "enjoy greater value" as it has claimed.

Ben Gilbey

[Kyo]

If that had made it to the print edition.. Ben Gilbey might have actually got somewhere... as it stands, nothing will happen.

[crazycrab955]

There are only three flights daily to London, two A380 and one A330-300, none of which is eligible for the Business Saver award. The same is true for Paris, incidentally.

Last time I checked, A333 doesn't have the range to do SIN-LHR nonstop. I suppose he is confusing the A333 with the B77W?

Have to say it surprises me how anyone could confuse the two...

[taipeiflyer]

http://www.straitstimes.com/ST%2BFor...ry_356917.html

Home > ST Forum > Online Story
Why devalue KrisFlyer miles?

AS A long-time customer of Singapore Airlines (SIA), I am increasingly dismayed by the carrier's efforts to devalue the air miles held by its most loyal customers.
In September last year, the airline introduced a new level of award, bringing the total to three levels (Saver, Standard and Full). This was promoted by SIA as follows:

"With the introduction of a new award type - Full award - we now offer three award types for redemption. As a result, you can enjoy greater value by mixing and matching the various award types and different classes of travel."

Frankly, I have yet to see any credibility behind the claim of "greater value". SIA includes a caveat with its new system of awards by indicating in small print that the Saver award, previously available on Economy and Business Class, no longer applies to its newer aircraft, the A380 and A330-300. In order to book a redemption flight on these flights, the loyal customer must qualify for a Standard award, which costs double that of the Saver award.

Let me provide an example:

Before the new programme, redeeming miles for a Business Class return ticket from London to Singapore would have cost the customer 120,000 miles. With the new award levels, and the restrictions on flights in place, the same Business Class ticket would cost the user an eye-watering 240,000 miles.

There are only three flights daily to London, two A380 and one A330-300, none of which is eligible for the Business Saver award. The same is true for Paris, incidentally.

So, with no flight from Singapore to London eligible for the Saver Award, the customer has no choice but to spend double the amount of miles to redeem a Standard Award Business Class ticket.

I would be intrigued to hear from SIA how this allows me to "enjoy greater value" as it has claimed.

Ben Gilbey

homeboy needs to check his facts however.... he's all messed up on the airplanes.

[StarG]

Yep, also that Economy Class is still redeemable in Saver on the new planes.
He's just leaving SQ too much room to reply with one of the existing canned replies.

[milehighj]

He's just leaving SQ too much room to reply with one of the existing canned replies.

Yep, totally agree.

Btw, what's all this got to do with this thread...?

[StarG]

You are right. Thread split to give the irrelevant posts a proper thread.

[SQflyergirl]

Guy who wrote this is not a lawyer. Agree with StarG - wayyyy too much latitude to have a slick SQ PR exec rip into it (politely) and leave it in tatters.

[concept|infinit]

What a waste of a complaint for something that needs complaining about!

[Lobster]

Guy who wrote this is not a lawyer. Agree with StarG - wayyyy too much latitude to have a slick SQ PR exec rip into it (politely) and leave it in tatters.

It is a shame. His example is really good and should have been the focus of the message, "I fly SIN-LHR in business class, I want to redem SIN-LHR in business class it now costs me twice as much". It would have been very difficult to refute. But because the opening paragraph brings in economy class and opens it up to other routes it is all too easy for SQ PR machine to go to work on it (although to be honest I doubt whether they will bother).