Rami Tamimi

Hi everyone,

As of tomorrow (01 December) S7 introduces the new fare concept. The idea is the same as the one used by airlines such as LH and BA (no free seat selction/lounge on basic fare etc). The link provides a good summary of changes.

Unlike BA and LH,S7 Priority and oneworld frequent flyer members will keep the benefits. Ruby and above can select the seats for free at check in (incl online) or via the service centre ([email protected]).

Ruby and Sapphire tier cardholders are entitled to 1 extra piece @23KG and Emerald to 1@32KG.

Sapphire and Emerald still get lounge access with any fare (incl Business Basic fares).

http://www.s7.ru/home/info/new_fare_concept/index.dot

Regards
Rami

Focke

Where are you seeing the information in regards to the oneworld benefits? Scanned the site in Russian & English and can't seem to find a direct reference to how the benefits are affected with the new fare rules.

Rami Tamimi

Privileges of status members in accordance with the new fare system:

http://www.s7.ru/s7-priority/ffpStat...privilegii-new

S7 offers the same benefits to OW elites and their own elites.

Focke

See it now. Thank you

Good to see the OW status still applies unlike w/ BA hand-luggage only fares.

Rami Tamimi

Absolutely agree with you. Generally S7 is very good in recognising oneworld status and giving the associated benefits (priority seats,lounge,opups),much better than SU!

FrugalLuxury

Thanks for the helpful info, Rami!

Regarding the free seat selection, if you don't want to wait until online check-in opens, you'll have to contact the service centre via email then?

Thanks again

Rami Tamimi

That's right,there is no module on the website to assign seats.

[email protected] is extremely fast in responding,they normally respond within a few hours (personal record 7 minutes).

You can also call their call center by phone or directly from the website/app,but I prefer emailing them.

PSon't make the mistake of selecting the first emergency exit row on 320,as it's not reclinable

FrugalLuxury

Thanks for the quick feedback and input

It's a 319, so you are saying one should avoid row 3 but pick row 9?

Looking forward to flying with S7 for the first time

Rami Tamimi

A320 have two overwing exits,hence two emergency exit rows,the first one has extra legroom,but does not recline and the second one has both:recline and extra legroom.

On A319 Extra Space seats are in row 1 (bulkhead) ,and row 11,the emergency exit.

Rami Tamimi

Regarding reserving seats via the call centre:

I normally send them an email,but this time decided to do it via the phone.Called their tool free 8-800 number (one can also call for free from the S7 website/app).

I selected option 2-"Changing/cancelling bookings" and waited 2 minutes for the agent to become available,when I told her that I wanted to "pay by status card" she told me I'd have to speak with S7 Priority (option 5) and transferred me to them. My call got immidiately answered and I just had to give the agent my PNR and desired seat number and it was immidiately visible in expertflyer as blocked...the whole conversation with the S7 Priority agent lasted for less than 20 seconds,very painless and efficient.

For english you'd just have to press "7" and it immidiately transfers you to the "english" team.

Concerto

Rami Tamimi

On the Economy FLEX, you only pay the fare difference (if any) and not the change fee.... and yes, they are refundable (subject to a fee), unlike the Basic fares.

Concerto

Concerto

Concerto

I couldn't understand why a date change onto a day which showed the same fare, more or less, yielded a RUB1,100 change fee. Of course, this is peanuts, especially with the current exchange rate. Upon reflection, the only thing that could have incurred the change fee, which wasn't actually a fee but a change of fare, was that the base fare was more than what I had originally paid. But I had been looking at the whole fare, which included taxes, and which seemed to be the same as the original fare booked, but obviously wasn't.