currentjer

Just heads up, along with the introduction of AS as a partner, UA accrual rates have been altered significantly. 25% for the cheapest fare classes on UA to KF. This new rate begins 1 Oct 2017, for those who have booked travel for UA intending to credit to KF, I suppose you are out of luck.

Looks like SQ doesn't like UA at all - guess the feeling is mutual from UA's side. A unfriendly move when you don't inform your customers and provide a grace period - SQ has much to learn from AS.

Polytonic

Oh bugger. I have 37k worth of miles booked on UA pretty much all in discount economy (L/K) through January crediting to SQ. Well this is awkward.

oopl

Yea it really is a huge change.
Copy & paste on another thread I posted this to:

For those wanting to credit UA flights to Singapore KrisFlyer, discount economy will no longer earn 100%. This comes really with no notice and applies to flights departing on or after Oct. 1.

100% - B, E, H, M, U, Y
75% - Q, V, W
50% - L,S,T
25% - G, K

Full chart: http://www.singaporeair.com/saar5/pd...FOALLevels.pdf

Duke787

This is a huge devaluation and probably warrants a corresponding thread on the UA forum. Honestly hurts UA though more than SQ - may well be the end of my UA flying days when on a cheap ticket.

Yunnnn

Ah damn, I have almost 50k miles of travel on UA on K in the next 3 months

This is a pain without any notification in advance

garykung

Actually no.

It is too good to be true that nowadays SQ allows such generous credits for UA flights. When suddenly, the number of KF elites increases dramatically, SQ knows something is not right.

The pride of the Republic - SQ does what it can, as always.

merridius

there goes my chance of qualifying for *A gold...

puchong

Really bad of SQ to have such a significant change without any notice. Damn you, EssKew

cfischer

an expected and reasonable move. Would have been nice to see some warning from SQ, but I guess it was very generous while it lasted

Kmxu

Is there a really massive increase in KF elites because of a UA deal like http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/mileage-run-deals/1851332-ua-usa-china-oj-303-ai-38.html ? I only know a few persons who have credited to SQ, Perhaps, UA saw the increases in payment to SQ.

TravelwhileyouEat

Well now UA is more aligned with other partners' earning rates so no surprise there. It was only a matter of time and I guess changes in earning rates has always been a risk when planning to credit to partners.

tuolumne

The relationship between SQ and UA has been checkered ever since the inception of Star Alliance. SQ took 3 years after Star was announced to join with a list of demands, a move that UA saw as arrogant.

I’ve heard that SQ was betting on UAL not surviving Ch. 11 and was backchanneling with VX, who’s business plan was buttressed upon taking over SFO after UAL Corp. liquidated.

Well, UAL Corp. didn’t liquidate, VX was a money-looser that got bought out, and United today is an undisputed heavyweight in global travel, with a financial and strategic asset footing they have never had. SQ has seen it’s strategic position wither over the last two decades, but their pride, which may be mistaken as arrogance from an outside Western perspective, is still intact seeing their recent moves.

In short, Chicago sees SQ as arrogant, but knows the government of Singapore will have to prop it up should it’s chickens come to roost (which looks more likely to happen sooner rather than later). In my opinion, the A++ partners who control Star (UA & LH) would rather have CX inducted down the line, as SIN is not an exactly preferred geographic location for connecting pax flows.

UAL is trashing SQ’s yields on it’s flagship SIN-SFO/LAX service, even with their inferior product - a direct result of the feed a global network provides - something SQ doesn’t have. In short, it’s a Cold War that’s erupted, and SQ no longer has the upper hand.

RobOnLI

I agree with the sentiment of this post. Living in SIN I actually try to avoid flying SQ as much as possible. Their product is fine but their prices are the most expensive in Asia and I'm not referring to just against the multitude of LCCs that fly out of SIN. I'm including CX, TG, BR, CA, etc.

SQ has never really liked *A and could care less to be a part of it. But they do benefit from it (IMO) based on increased traffic through SIN from many *A partners in Asia. SQ is a great hub and SQ does have a great network, even if you don't include the bogus non-*A MI flights.

Ironically, I just booked SQ flights through United.com because I can still earn 11x fare redeemable miles vs 100% for my fare through SQ.com. PQMs are still the same but I'll earn approx 11K miles vs 3K miles if I booked elsewhere. So as much as UA and SQ may not like each other, UA will still let me book wholly SQ-operated tickets on their website and earn the extra miles. Yet United almost never shows TG or other intra-Asia airlines.

Who is surprised SQ did this? It's actually BS that they were giving higher mileage for the lower fare tickets when SQ awards next to nothing for most fares in UA and you can not earn more than 100% PQM on any fare including suites and first. This just means UA isn't paying SQ as much for the miles any longer so SQ cut the earnings.

-RM

garykung

I don't know what people have to be in conspiracy mode in this matter. It can be just as simple as this:

Seriously, when people start thinking about the bad vibe between SQ and UA, shouldn't they also think the devaluation was resulted because Singapore PM Lee Hsien Loong is mad at the U.S. granting asylum to Amos Yee?

puchong

Now, THAT is a stretch to suggest that SQ changed the KF earnings table due to this incident!