SQ Award Rebooking
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: BKK/SEL/YQG
Posts: 2,543
SQ Award Rebooking
I booked a SQ award fully on partners (AC/BR) a long while back for the peak Christmas season. AC just cancelled my short domestic hop I was booked on, which had an original 3 hour transit in YYZ, and they are the only *A airline to operate out from the airport. I was rebooked with a 18 hour connection in YYZ before catching the BR flight the following day, which I really don't want to do. When I called in, they said that was the only option, flights on the same day did not have any award space. But even then, the 'shortest' connection is now 8 hours.
I couldn't even drop the AC segment to just drive to YYZ (6 hour drive) without cancelling, paying the cancellation fee, hoping the BR availability reopens and then paying at the new higher mileage rates. I can't risk this, as it's unlikely to reopen.
They also wouldn't let me change to an a different AC flight from YYZ (to NRT) without paying the $300 extra YQ.
Nor would they do anything to open up space from JFK/LAX on SQ operated flights.
Do I have any other options other than taking a forced overnight and a hotel cost on my dime?
I couldn't even drop the AC segment to just drive to YYZ (6 hour drive) without cancelling, paying the cancellation fee, hoping the BR availability reopens and then paying at the new higher mileage rates. I can't risk this, as it's unlikely to reopen.
They also wouldn't let me change to an a different AC flight from YYZ (to NRT) without paying the $300 extra YQ.
Nor would they do anything to open up space from JFK/LAX on SQ operated flights.
Do I have any other options other than taking a forced overnight and a hotel cost on my dime?
#2
Join Date: Oct 2016
Programs: Krisflyer
Posts: 588
You didn't say what your planned destination is (or class of booking), so what follows is more speculative than it needs to be.
Call again, ask to speak to a supervisor. Ask if they think it is reasonable to double the length of your journey. From a logistics point of view you might be better off asking to change it to be on SQ metal since SQ revenue management can open up extra award space at their own discretion, whereas getting them to force AC to open up award space is trickier. If you can get the supervisor to speak to revenue management they may prefer you spending KF miles on SQ instead of them giving money to AC to do the same.
In addition there are EWR, SFO and SEA in the USA. I would think between all these airports SQ would be able to find some space for you. SFO has two flights a day!
Call again, ask to speak to a supervisor. Ask if they think it is reasonable to double the length of your journey. From a logistics point of view you might be better off asking to change it to be on SQ metal since SQ revenue management can open up extra award space at their own discretion, whereas getting them to force AC to open up award space is trickier. If you can get the supervisor to speak to revenue management they may prefer you spending KF miles on SQ instead of them giving money to AC to do the same.
In addition there are EWR, SFO and SEA in the USA. I would think between all these airports SQ would be able to find some space for you. SFO has two flights a day!
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: BKK/SEL/YQG
Posts: 2,543
So if they are going to be firm looking for AC X space, I don't really have any other options to YYZ. Catching a flight from a US gateway is going to have them change the departure to DTW, and if they wouldn't even let me drop the YQG-YYZ segment without paying, I can't imaging they'd let me start from a different country.
SQ isn't ideal either, as that would require a backtrack to SIN but I'd prefer that to an overnight in YYZ...
#6
Join Date: May 2004
Location: SIN (LEJ once a year)
Programs: SQ, LH, BA, IHG Diamond AMB, HH Gold, SLH Indulged, Accor Gold, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 7,738
#7
Join Date: May 2004
Location: SIN (LEJ once a year)
Programs: SQ, LH, BA, IHG Diamond AMB, HH Gold, SLH Indulged, Accor Gold, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 7,738
a partner flight where YQ is applicable, he'll have to pay that, no way around it. Hence best to try to stick to SQ routings.
#8
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Singapore
Programs: QF LTG, SQ EGTP, Bonvoy LTG
Posts: 4,847
This is a big problem with award bookings on partners, and not just with SQ awards (I've read about it on other boards), where a flight is cancelled in advance (i.e. not on day of departure and outside airport control) , unlike commercial tickets where they transfer pax to other flights, they won't move people to other flights unless there is award inventory available. Theoretically SQ should contact AC and ask them to open inventory for the passenger on one of the better connections, as AC caused the problem by cancelling the flight, but unfortunately that's not the way it seems to work. Which is a hot steaming pile of &*@&#, if you ask me, but it is what it is.
#9
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 595
I booked a SQ award fully on partners (AC/BR) a long while back for the peak Christmas season. AC just cancelled my short domestic hop I was booked on, which had an original 3 hour transit in YYZ, and they are the only *A airline to operate out from the airport. I was rebooked with a 18 hour connection in YYZ before catching the BR flight the following day, which I really don't want to do. When I called in, they said that was the only option, flights on the same day did not have any award space. But even then, the 'shortest' connection is now 8 hours.
SQ managed to issued exact flights in C revenue fare instead. All these flights are in South America.
I refused to move my dates/flights around as my plan is firm.
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: ZOA, SFO, HKG
Programs: UA 1K 0.9MM, Marriott Gold, HHonors Gold, Hertz PC, SBux Gold, TSA Pre✓
Posts: 13,811
Because the ticket in question has been issued, OP should not even be liable for any additional costs, including YQ, if involuntary change is required.
But the problem is SQ does not fly to Canada, so SQ is not required to file international tariffs with TC.
Bottom line, we are in a he-say-she-say situation that OP will eventually need to pay for the YQ.