SQ award flights waitlist for SIN-CHC-SIN

[gasband]

I have tried to redeem APril 2017 flight to Osaka and its on waitlist.... 11 months ahead and still on waitlist~~~ faintz haha~~

 

[trd2970]

Be patient

I have tried to redeem APril 2017 flight to Osaka and its on waitlist.... 11 months ahead and still on waitlist~~~ faintz haha~~

 

[dilphinus]

Sometime tour agencies reserve the seats by the block. Once it past a certain date, the remaining balance will be returned to the airline. Depending on the number of seats returned and how close it is to the departure date, it might cause an occasional fire sale. Better to sell those seats cheap than to fly with empty seats.

Of course, they can't sell it too cheap as not to cover the necessary cost (gas, misc charges etc). But technical info like these are for another thread

Are you in the industry? Based on my understanding (was in the industry), agencies blocking seats on airlines, this practice is almost non-existent today. If there is a group booking, the agency will have to fax the group name list to the airline and the airline will decide to release the seats or not.

Used to be in SQ. SQ has a quota for redeemption seats. Regardless whether the paying seats are full or not, each category has its own quota and seats from each category do not get released into the different categories. Any leftover seats are for staff on standby personal travel, also known as id (industry) tickets.

 

[dilphinus]

Ok then. Wasn't expecting to be that full but I guess it could be school holiday season.

The SG to Aus/NZ routes are extremely popular with the Europeans. It's winter in Europe and they always like to escape to Aus/NZ for summer. The fares on SQ from Europe to Aus/NZ are pretty competitive with other airlines in Europe and they prefer to transit in Changi than other airports. Even for fare paying, it's extremely difficult to get a seat on SQ for this route during Nov/Dec.

 

[leogeo]

Are you in the industry? Based on my understanding (was in the industry), agencies blocking seats on airlines, this practice is almost non-existent today. If there is a group booking, the agency will have to fax the group name list to the airline and the airline will decide to release the seats or not.

Used to be in SQ. SQ has a quota for redeemption seats. Regardless whether the paying seats are full or not, each category has its own quota and seats from each category do not get released into the different categories. Any leftover seats are for staff on standby personal travel, also known as id (industry) tickets.

u r wrong. group blocks still happen today and unsold seats could be returned to the airline as late as 2 weeks before departure (of course the agency has to pay a penalty). that's when the airline scrambles to release inventory / clear waitlists.

 

[leogeo]

I have tried to redeem APril 2017 flight to Osaka and its on waitlist.... 11 months ahead and still on waitlist~~~ faintz haha~~

Suggest you read this post...pretty accurate

 

[invisible999]

On the two occasions which I tried to claim my miles I end up being still on wait list 2 weeks before flight departs.

Waitlist is SQ's and very few other airline feature. At DL/UA/AA/AC award seats are immediately confirmed, so it the same as if you'd paid for ticket.

For SQ my approach is to avoid waitlist at first place by all costs. And if there is waitlist, alternative options for travel should be in place, as it I arranged already.

Redeeming award seats in Business is pretty much the only reasonable option for people from middle class to enjoy premium class travel without bankrupting themselves or selling kidneys.

And sometimes ability to sleep\relax during long haul is the option difficult to measure financially as well. I personally have no problem with travel on HKG-EWR in Y on UA (who have taken this flight, would understand what I mean) on 747 which is older than I am. But for my wife, if she is sitting during 10h on uncomfortable economy class seat, she can't sleep or relax at all and after arrival at destination needs two days to recover.

 

[SGJoe86]

Are you in the industry? Based on my understanding (was in the industry), agencies blocking seats on airlines, this practice is almost non-existent today. If there is a group booking, the agency will have to fax the group name list to the airline and the airline will decide to release the seats or not.

Used to be in SQ. SQ has a quota for redeemption seats. Regardless whether the paying seats are full or not, each category has its own quota and seats from each category do not get released into the different categories. Any leftover seats are for staff on standby personal travel, also known as id (industry) tickets.

I ain't, but know folks that work in tour agencies (guides and counter booking agents) and for SQ (flyboys and Eng)