Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

SIA "Priority Boarding" - Krisflyer Elite Gold & Star Alliance Gold

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • SIA "Priority Boarding" - Krisflyer Elite Gold & Star Alliance Gold

    I refer to ST Forum Online, and its recent articles pertaining to "Priority Boarding" for SIA's Krisflyer Elite Gold and Star Alliance Gold tier members.

    Link: http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/...ry_807022.html

    And

    Link: http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/...ry_808702.html

    It is apparent that SIA's Public Communications and Media Affairs Department remains silent and has failed to inform its Krisflyer Elite Gold and the Star Alliance Gold members who would be affected by a supposedly "ongoing trial" at selected airports - hopefully aimed at enhancing our travel experience. Apparently, during this time, we would still be welcome to board with priority, but at normal (not priority) designated lanes.

    Communication platforms for SIA are aplenty. Krisflyer members could be updated via the monthly e-Newsletters and the krisflyer.com website. Star Alliance Gold members and the travelling community could have been communicated of this via the "News Alerts" on the infamous singaporeair.com website. For the larger tech-savvy audience, communications could be through social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. However, to the dismay of many Krisflyer Elite Gold and Star Alliance Gold members, nothing has been communicated to-date by the airline.

    At this moment, it seems that SIA is not aligned with the "benefits" as stipulated under its own Krisflyer program, which has been mapped to the Star Alliance framework.

    a) Star Alliance website
    http://www.staralliance.com/en/benef...ilver-status/; and*

    b) Krisflyer brochure https://www.singaporeair.com/pdf/pps...efitsGuide.pdf

    Is the airline now signaling to its Krisflyer Elite Gold and Star Alliance Gold members that they are no longer as relevant today, than compared to the past, and are more discriminated today, when compared to PPS and Solitare members?

  • #2
    That's sad. LH even has more benefits for those in its silver (aka Frequent Traveller tier) than SQ. For *A, I should have enrolled in LH Miles-and-More or UA Mileage Plus instead even though neither carrier flies to or has limited presence at MNL. Isn't there a way to buy yourself into PPS just like what CX does for passengers to enter MarcoPolo?

    CX even extends priority check-in and boarding to MarcoPolo club members in green and they sometimes don't even check your membership card.

    Comment


    • #3
      SIA "Priority Boarding" - Krisflyer Elite Gold & Star Alliance Gold

      Thanks! Yes, am aware that most of the other award programs offered by Star Alliance Carriers are better than the Krisflyer program. It seems to be going downhill instead of progressing with the times. Do not get me wrong, I do find the services provided by SQ splendid. It is just the r eward programs that I have issues about.

      Specifically, on 24 May 2012, I was a passenger on SQ 833 from Shanghai to Singapore. "Priority Boarding" was unavailable, and Krisflyer Elite Gold and Star Alliance Gold passengers were requested by ground staff to queue and board in sequence at the normal lane.

      My peers from various Global MNCs, who like myself, are frequent travellers, and are Krisflyer Elite Gold members, affirmed that "Priority Boarding" was unavailable on numerous SIA flights and this observation is not isolated to Shanghai Pudong Airport.

      Since SIA clarified that our "Priority Boarding" privileges are still intact, the relevant question therefore, is whether SIA's third-party Ground Handling agents have been adequately briefed on our privileges, that remain status-quo.

      Perhaps SIA should clarify what operational process efficiencies could be realized, since regardless of boarding priority privileges, there would always be at least two dedicated lanes available for boarding. Would boarding times be reduced and flights depart on-time if Krisflyer Elite Gold and Star Alliance Gold passengers were to board the aircraft through these normal designated lanes? The ongoing "trial" at selected airports would definitely have interesting statistics (Refer to SIA Response dated 9 May: http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/...ry_808702.html).

      What about the "opportunity costs"? Surely, Management must have factored in the potential lost patronage from its Krisflyer Elite Gold and Star Alliance Gold passengers. A handful would be peeved by this perceived loss in "Priority Boarding" privilege, as they would have been turned away by ground staff at the airports. Krisflyer Elite Gold and Star Alliance Gold members can only pray that other benefits, associated with our tier level would not suddenly cease, after other "trials" at selected airports have been conducted.

      SIA's business model is in the "Premium" category, a brand well-reputed globally. It is known for its excellence in product and service offerings and innovations. Since its post Malaysia-Singapore Airways ("MSA") era, SIA has prided itself as "a great way to fly". With ongoing "trials" at airports, and our "Priority Boarding" privilege now in a grey zone, is the carrier dangerously and sub-consciously re-positioning itself, from "Premium" to "Budget"?

      Whilst, in terms of product differentiation, SIA does not charge a fee for "Priority Boarding", the only carriers that I know, toying with and unbundling "Priority Boarding" are the "Budget" and "No Frills" carriers. Passengers flying "Budget" and "No Frills" pay according to how they would like to travel, and "Priority Boarding", are priced at a fee. Travellers do understand, and can accept this practice for "Budget" and "No Frills", but when already paying for premium priced tickets, SIA should steer clear and avoid antagonising its loyal and frequent travellers - its Elite tier included. After all, it takes numerous flight sectors to accumulate 50,000 miles for the annual re-qualification of its Krisflyer Elite Gold and Star Alliance Gold membership tier.

      Comment


      • #4
        I fly >150k miles a year for work on Y class....my CEO flies Y class, so no argument for me to go biz :0

        Sometimes I wonder why I continue to pay more to fly SQ Y class....and I kept telling myself....better planes...better VOD....nicer looking chicks...but not necessarily better service....but I kept booking my tickets on SQ !

        Bottom line is the KF Gold ! Paltry compared to United Plus....but at least I can squeeze into the KF Gold lounge with everyman and dog...and I get to board first to check out the chicks...errr..plane.

        I am cashing out my points for redemption flights to US for my family, so maybe after that I will be enticed to use my UA plus card and go cold turkey on lounge usage or priority boarding until I can accumulate miles to gold status on UA.

        Initially, priority boarding was chaos on the economy line for KF gold, but recently I have seen some semblance of order where gold members can actually get to the front of the Q to board. I just continue boarding at the biz line if the economy line is choc a bloc with y passengers....the supervisor on duty has not stopped me (yet).

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by Bat69 View Post
          ..., so maybe after that I will be enticed to use my UA plus card and go cold turkey on lounge usage or priority boarding until I can accumulate miles to gold status on UA.
          There's no reason why you cannot continue to use your KF Gold benefits while switching to and earning status on UA. Input the UA FFP into the system, but use your KF Gold card at check-in/lounge/boarding.

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by milehighj View Post
            There's no reason why you cannot continue to use your KF Gold benefits while switching to and earning status on UA. Input the UA FFP into the system, but use your KF Gold card at check-in/lounge/boarding.
            I've got a status match/challenge from KF Gold to UA 1P (both *G), just needed like 15 or 20k miles in 3 months, on UA though.

            Plus flying UA allows priority boarding for *S too.
            Last edited by fone; 14 June 2012, 04:29 PM.

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by SQ380 View Post

              Specifically, on 24 May 2012, I was a passenger on SQ 833 from Shanghai to Singapore. "Priority Boarding" was unavailable, and Krisflyer Elite Gold and Star Alliance Gold passengers were requested by ground staff to queue and board in sequence at the normal lane.
              Hmm I've been doing SIN-PVG weekly for almost a month now, and it seemed like EG / *G were directed to the front of the normal lane?

              Comment


              • #8
                The A380 HKG-SIN flight i did last week, as KFG I was directed to the PPS lane.

                Comment


                • #9
                  In JFK the sign directed Golds to use the Economy lane, but lane seemed rather blocked by eager passengers.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by milehighj View Post
                    There's no reason why you cannot continue to use your KF Gold benefits while switching to and earning status on UA. Input the UA FFP into the system, but use your KF Gold card at check-in/lounge/boarding.
                    Thanks for the tip, did not think of that

                    Originally posted by fone View Post
                    I've got a status match/challenge from KF Gold to UA 1P (both *G), just needed like 15 or 20k miles in 3 months, on UA though.

                    Plus flying UA allows priority boarding for *S too.
                    I was thinking like flying SQ but chalking up mileage on UA plus

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by view View Post
                      In JFK the sign directed Golds to use the Economy lane, but lane seemed rather blocked by eager passengers.
                      That is exactly the problem, I do not mind using the economy lane, but once blocked by passengers, I'll jump to the biz lane But, I also do not want to mess with the big TSA officers

                      I have a trip to LAX next month

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        UA clearly tiers entry into the plane by printing a group number on the boarding pass. I have observed that Group 1 is J class while Group 2 is *A Gold pax. I am unsure where M+ FFP will fall under though.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          *G boarding

                          Originally posted by ginkoka View Post
                          Hmm I've been doing SIN-PVG weekly for almost a month now, and it seemed like EG / *G were directed to the front of the normal lane?
                          Just arrived off of SQ 831 PVG-SIN today, 19 June. *G passengers were being directed to the "other" lane to queue, but also I noticed the ground staff in that lane asked *G to come forward as you said, creating a lane within a lane and boarding *G Y passengers before they boarded "all other" Y passengers.

                          This meant that, at least on this flight, *G passengers were being boarded concurrently with F, J, and PPS passengers, even if from the "other" lane.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            The sad truth is that SQ only values J and F class (and PPS) passengers as they are the ones with the $ to travel and hence are the only ones really contributing to SQ's bottom line. With KF and *A Gold , well, you basically aren't the ones they want to care much about as you don't spend enough dosh (otherwise you'll be PPS by now)...

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              I spoke with SQ Customer Services on Monday, 18 June. They have confirmed that the airports currently on trial are Singapore, Shanghai and Beijing. According to the airline, the trial has been ongoing for the last six months, and a decision has yet to be made in terms of how to improve the boarding process. The reason why we are boarding from the "normal" instead of "priority" lane is because of complaints from the Solitare, PPS, PCL and JCL pax who found the queue lane too "long" for their liking.

                              SIA has confirmed that Krisflyer Elite Gold and Star Alliance Gold pax will continue to board with "priority" but from the "normal" lane. Though boarding will be ahead of EYCL pax, Krisfler Elite Gold and Star Alliance Gold pax will be "called" for boarding, only after the announcement has been made for Solitare, PPS, PCL and JCL pax. These "premium" pax will board from the "priority" lane.

                              Comment

                              Working...
                              X