Enhancements to KF redemption waitlist process

[bubbles]

Hello all. I've been quite out of touch with KF (Even tho miles are being accumulated) and I received the above email a while ago. Can anyone clarify the point about waitilisting for redemption flights will be available up to 3 weeks before departure bit?

I checked the FAQ (extracted below) - what was the 'before' state prior to this announcement?

When is the latest that I will be able to place myself on redemption waitlist for a flight?
Customers may waitlist for a redemption flight up to three weeks before the flight departure date. However, please note that there may be instances on popular flights where waitlisting is not available.

Why is waitlisting available up to 3 weeks before departure while cancellation for unsuccessful waitlists is at 2 weeks before departure?
The new redemption waitlist process seeks to give you greater certainty on your travels, with an outcome on your waitlist provided at least 2 weeks before your flight departure. You may place yourself on a redemption waitlist up to 3 weeks before flight departure. Thereafter, new waitlists will not be available as all existing waitlists will be reviewed to determine if they can be confirmed or cancelled, and members will be informed by 2 weeks to flight departure of the waitlist status.

[sbs2716g]

Originally Posted by bubbles

Hello all. I've been quite out of touch with KF (Even tho miles are being accumulated) and I received the above email a while ago. Can anyone clarify the point about waitilisting for redemption flights will be available up to 3 weeks before departure bit?

I checked the FAQ (extracted below) - what was the 'before' state prior to this announcement?

Before state— no cancellation. Waitlist expired when flight departed. So you keep on check n wait and have no idea whether flights will be confirmed or not

Now — they will tell you 2 weeks before flight departure whether your waitlist is successful or not. If not successful, it will be cancelled n you can make alternative arrangements. But I think they will still allow new waitlist within 2 weeks of departures after old waitlist are cancelled. (Thus if your waitlist is cancel, you can place new one. But chance are small). I might be wrong. It will be weird if SQ does not allow new waitlist within 2 weeks.

[WBT]

Originally Posted by sbs2716g

But I think they will still allow new waitlist within 2 weeks of departures after old waitlist are cancelled. (Thus if your waitlist is cancel, you can place new one. But chance are small). I might be wrong. It will be weird if SQ does not allow new waitlist within 2 weeks.

This is no longer allowed I think. As per the SQ FAQ at https://www.singaporeair.com/en_UK/s...question-65339:

Originally Posted by SQ Website

When is the latest that I will be able to place myself on redemption waitlist for a flight?
Customers may waitlist for a redemption flight up to three weeks before the flight departure date. However, please note that there may be instances on popular flights where waitlisting is not available.

The status quo ante has certainly been upended, and I am not entirely happy with the changes (I think). I'll need to digest this and wait and see how it works in practice, but closing all waitlists three weeks prior to departure will (adversely) affect my booking practices!

[choonhong]

hi all, apologies if this isn't the correct thread, but do u guys usually redeem round trip award tickets? what if I only have enough miles for one way? Full service airlines usually charge a lot for one-way revenue tickets

[nocturne]

Buy the return in another airlines or take budget back.

I recently did that for a trip to Japan. Went with MH and returned with an award ticket.

[Jumbojet Lover]

Originally Posted by choonhong

hi all, apologies if this isn't the correct thread, but do u guys usually redeem round trip award tickets? what if I only have enough miles for one way? Full service airlines usually charge a lot for one-way revenue tickets

SQ's mileage redemption rates are all one-way only. It can be difficult to get redemption for one leg of a trip, let alone both ways. I don't believe any airline disallows one-way redemptions. It's not the same as revenue, commercial bookings where a one-way ticket is usually more expensive.

[sbs2716g]

Originally Posted by WBT

This is no longer allowed I think. As per the SQ FAQ at https://www.singaporeair.com/en_UK/s...question-65339:



The status quo ante has certainly been upended, and I am not entirely happy with the changes (I think). I'll need to digest this and wait and see how it works in practice, but closing all waitlists three weeks prior to departure will (adversely) affect my booking practices!

Based on this month redemption checking, saver waitlist close 3 weeks prior to departure. If seats are available within 21 days from flights, you can book straight away. Within 14 days, advantage waitlist will be available for some flights (seem like SQ is thinking that if you need to redeem urgently, you will be willing to pay more miles). For many fights there are saver seats available for immediate confirmation within 14 days

There is still possibility to do saver waitlist within 14 days (but only for 2 tickets n above). For example , if there is only one saver seat available for immediate confirmation n you need 2 seats, you should be able to place a saver waitlistfor 2. But whether it will clear or not we won’t know.

[yuuka_miya]

TIL this was a thing:

When waitlisting for a flight ~3 days prior to departure, the system would rarely ‘decline’ your waitlist request.
Thus your waitlist was a BOOKING with no ticket and never cancelled.
Armed with your BOOKING and PNR, you could simply turn up to the airport and attempt check-in.
Check-in agents would see your booking isn’t ticketed – and, so long as there is availability in the cabin you waitlisted for – the airport had authority to liaise with Krisflyer directly, and have your waitlist request approved on the spot.
Fundamentally – you could waitlist at the Saver level, turn up to the airport, and so long as there was at least 1 available seat, you would get on the flight.

[allmotor_2000]

Originally Posted by yuuka_miya

TIL this was a thing:

OK.. just did this today (LAX-SIN on SQ11). Was on a saver upgrade (to F from J) waitlist that never cleared. Asked politely at the check-in if a seat was available (1-of-4 was free), so they just did it. Had to sign some paper form for the mileage deduction. Maybe being Solitaire helped..?!

[CarbonMan]

Originally Posted by allmotor_2000

Maybe being Solitaire helped..?!

Maybe times are hard now.

[demue]

The ability to process upgrades (or even proactively offer them to travelers) is something SQ definitely wants to do (seems some system limitations hamper this, not certain).

LH has had it for years and years and I often got asked at check in if I wanted to use my miles to upgrade. Now often this happened in situations where I had an inkling that my booked class of service was oversold so I usually declined and maybe 50% of the time still got a free op up. Anyways, these upgrades if accepted can be easily processed at check in (for LHs case). That should be the way it gets implemented at SIA as well.