SQ C award inventory on ICN-SIN
Nov 22, 2011, 11:25 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: PHX
Programs: US CP, MR Plat
Posts: 328
SQ C award inventory on ICN-SIN
I booked a US award from PHX to SIN in C using several * partners for myself and my partner. Due to a schedule change, I need to rebook a segment from ICN-SIN. I’m noticing on this route they only have one open C seat on each flight, for almost any date I randomly checked. I can’t seem to find a single flight on this route with 2 C award seats. Do they typically only offer one at a time? If I change us to this flight and book one in C and the other in Y how likely is it another C seat will open up? There is an OZ option with two seats, but that leaves us in the airport for 12 hours, which we are already doing on the way home. The trip isn’t until May, so we have some time, but I’d really hate for one of us to be in Y on a flight of that length. Any experiences with this?
Nov 22, 2011, 10:41 pm
#3
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,731
I have heard that for certain routes, SQ only releases 1 or 2 seats at a time. The way to get more seats is to hold and confirm one of them, then SQ may release another one.
There is no guarantee that another seat will be released though. If you can find a sympathetic agent, you can see if they can hold one seat and check again to see if SQ will release another (may or may not work, depending on the delay interval).
There is no guarantee that another seat will be released though. If you can find a sympathetic agent, you can see if they can hold one seat and check again to see if SQ will release another (may or may not work, depending on the delay interval).
Dec 1, 2011, 6:33 pm
#6
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Dec 1, 2011, 6:58 pm
#7
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Manhattan Beach, California
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Not sure if the schedule change is in your schedule or the airline schedule. Assuming its the former and you do ultimately need two award seats to do this, here is my experience with this on SQ, using both KF miles and other *A miles.
In general, I have found that on flights within Asia, SQ will almost immediately release another seat or two when the flight is within about a 60 day window and they are still selling seats in that cabin. It's almost immediate if it is going to happen. I recently did this to get 5 awards seats DPS-SIN-SGN when only 2 were showing. I just kept booking and going back and within about 5-10 minutes another 2 seats would be there. I've had similar experiences on other intra-Asia routes, but never had to do this with ICN so cannot specifically comment on that.
In general, I have found that on flights within Asia, SQ will almost immediately release another seat or two when the flight is within about a 60 day window and they are still selling seats in that cabin. It's almost immediate if it is going to happen. I recently did this to get 5 awards seats DPS-SIN-SGN when only 2 were showing. I just kept booking and going back and within about 5-10 minutes another 2 seats would be there. I've had similar experiences on other intra-Asia routes, but never had to do this with ICN so cannot specifically comment on that.
Dec 1, 2011, 7:07 pm
#8
Join Date: Nov 2011
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Posts: 9
Is there a way on line to check if an award seat is available on a flt?
Have had poor results with calling KF initially before purchasing ticket.
Have had poor results with calling KF initially before purchasing ticket.
Dec 5, 2011, 6:05 pm
#9
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Oct 16, 2012, 12:20 pm
#10
Join Date: Apr 2010
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 697
Sorry to bring up an old thread but SQ ever release 77W seats on this route? I know they don't on the longhaul 77W, 345 or 380 flights, but I know they do open availability on flights intra Asia (maybe just the 772/3 and A333). ANA tool doesn't really help with this.
Oct 16, 2012, 4:00 pm
#11
Join Date: Nov 2009
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"I know they don't on the longhaul" You got it right the first time. No.
Oct 16, 2012, 5:54 pm
#12
Join Date: Apr 2010
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 697
Sorry should have been more specific. The route in the thread title ICN-SIN or even NRT-SIN, PEK-SIN, HKG-SIN. Just wondering if I can experience their longhaul J on an intra asia award flight with UA miles. I also think this is no, but thought it wouldn't hurt to ask.
Oct 16, 2012, 6:32 pm
#13
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 6,385
No.
Oct 16, 2012, 7:59 pm
#15
Join Date: Apr 2005
Programs: Hyatt Lifetime Globalist, SQ PPS Solitaire
Posts: 3,598
There is some history to this:
When SQ rolled out the new Biz on 77W and A380 aircraft, they got an exceptional approval from *A not to offer those seats to partners as they invested heavily into the new product and even charged their own members twice for those seats.
Now that the 'new' seats are not that new anymore, own members can book those seats for the regular price and SQ opened up inventory to partners some weeks back as well.
Due to an overwhelming success of that very first day of opening up inventory, SQ paniced and closed all doors again. It will be a matter of time till Biz seats on 77W and A380 will be up for grabs again.
Note that the ANA tool is not reliable as they have hard-coded a block of those seats into their system. ANA only shows Biz on non-77W, non-345 and non-A380 aircraft (aka regional business).
When SQ rolled out the new Biz on 77W and A380 aircraft, they got an exceptional approval from *A not to offer those seats to partners as they invested heavily into the new product and even charged their own members twice for those seats.
Now that the 'new' seats are not that new anymore, own members can book those seats for the regular price and SQ opened up inventory to partners some weeks back as well.
Due to an overwhelming success of that very first day of opening up inventory, SQ paniced and closed all doors again. It will be a matter of time till Biz seats on 77W and A380 will be up for grabs again.
Note that the ANA tool is not reliable as they have hard-coded a block of those seats into their system. ANA only shows Biz on non-77W, non-345 and non-A380 aircraft (aka regional business).