MAN Flyer

After considering the options for this I confirmed 2 things. First was I had to do those flights listed to finish one ticket and start the next, and get me out of Vietnam on Saturday and up to Seoul for a meeting early Monday. Second was hand luggage only was not an option.

I contacted SQ in MAN and told them what I wanted to do and see if they could get SQ/Changi to look after my luggage or suggest an alternative. The following day there was a telex back from SQ in SIN confirming that at check-in at SGN my luggage would be tagged on SQ171 to SIN only, and I would be collecting it later that night after returning on SQ69 from BKK. They copied this to SGN as well.

Excellent news I thought and 10/10 to SQ for arranging this. However, knowing them at SGN aren't always the sharpest tools in the box, and with the regular delays getting away from there on time coupled with the clamp down at Changi there was still a concern it might go **** up .

When checking in at SGN I gave them the last 2 vouchers of the current CRWTSTAR1 and the new ex-BKK CRTWSTAR2 that I was starting. I also pointed out that my luggage was going to be tagged SQ171 only, and showed them the telex which MAN had given me a copy of. They duly tagged it SQ171 only, and gave me the boarding pass for SQ171 only . Here we go....

I informed them that I have 2 more flights I need the BP for. They pointed out that as the luggage was only going to SIN I could only have boarding card for SQ171. I showed them the telex and stood my ground and off they went to the supervisor for a few minutes. After a further 'chat' with me the compromise was they gave me the BP for my next flight (SQ66 to BKK) but weren't budging on SQ69 back down to Changi.

I was happy with this as the connecting time at SIN was only 50 minutes so I needed that one, and I was confident I could get BP for SQ69 at the SKL in Changi. As it happened we pushed back at SGN a couple of minutes early and arrived at Changi 15 minutes before schedule. I went straight to the SKL and got BP for SQ69 ^ .

I then did SIN-BKK-SIN with the same excellent (and slightly bemused) crew. At Changi I walked to Lost & Found in Arrivals where they came straight out with my case, and within 20 minutes of exiting the aircraft I was in a taxi to the Conrad with my luggage ^ ^ .

A b****y big thumbs up to SQ in MAN (if you read this 'S', you're a good 'un ) & SIN and Changi itself for taking away the possible aggravation and enabling me to keep to my meetings and work schedule.

Now, where's that thread about PPS being worthless....

Kiwi Flyer

Excellent and good on SQ

derpelikan

one thing i learnd in asia ! you have to have something written in your hand.

if not asian staff can be very rude, or even just ignore you and tell you : sorry we can not do this...

happens in CHINA and Japan all the time...

dp

CGK

I am glad you did well on your turn around SGN/SIN/BKK/SIN. Even without your BP BKK-SIN issued at Changi, I thought you would be fine, since the SQ transfer desk agent at BKK is quite good last time I did the turn-around without BP.
I had an improved experience doing a CGK turnaround. Last year I did I got hassled. This time, I went to the transfer desk, and was asked to wait for the "designated" person who handled SQ transfer. It took a long time, but at the end she came from the gate. There was another J-class pax who did a turn around as well. I forgot to ask him whether he is an FTer? This time the agent collected my passport and BP and asked me to wait at the SQ lounge. So, I suggest next time you should do CGK turnaround for PPS sectors maximization.
(Note: I don't suggest DPS because I did not find any transfer desk upon arrival before passport control.)

MAN Flyer

Thanks for the suggestion, I know Kiwi Flyer did a CGK turnaround recently and it went well. However, my BKK jaunt wasn't a PPS run as I needed to finish an ex-BKK CRTWSTAR1 and start a CRTWSTAR2, which you should know more than most about thanks to your assistance

fist_of_death

PPS club sectors are the easilest to get for SIN-CGK which is 1.25 per sector which means 2.5 for a roundtrip.
if u take 10 trips, means u qualify for the PPS scheme.
anyway, i tink SQ cut the magazine service . M i right?? didnt recieve mine this year

Kiwi Flyer

PPS get vouchers, which you can use on magazine subscriptions or other goodies as you wish.

retrav1K

The Baggage storage in Changi is cheap and easy to use...

Think of checking in via internet, SMS or phone -- that way they HAVE to wait for you or find your bags to take off - can be done 48hrs in advance for all open sectors

Looking forward to the story

kyushuman

Instead of starting a new thread, here is a very related question..... I am ticketed BKK-SIN-SYD-SIN, then have a 3-week stopover in SIN before returning to BKK on 7/29, and am considering buying a ticket from BKK to PER, but have time constraints so need to leave that day if I am able to go. If I go, I'll gain *A Silver with BD after the two tickets, for about US$1200, and see two friends in Oz too.
I'll be flying in Y, with checked bags. No *A status, either. It seems the first two examples in this thread from MAN and CGK were both C class AND *A Gold. I'm thinking I may not get away so easily!
I need to go SIN-BKK-SIN-PER all on the same day, with only the 60 min in BKK and about 3hrs in SIN between flights.
Here is how it will look:

ITINERARY

Departing: Singapore(SIN) on Fri, 29 Jul 2005, 1600 hrs
Arriving: Bangkok(BKK) on Fri, 29 Jul 2005, 1725 hrs
Flight: SQ66 Economy Class

Next Ticket:

Departing: Bangkok (BKK) on Fri, 29 Jul at 1830hrs
Arriving: Singapore (SIN) on Fri 29 Jul at 21:55hrs
Flight: SQ69 Economy Class

Departing: Singapore(SIN) on Sat 30 July at 01:05hrs
Arriving: Perth (PER) on Sat 30 July at 06:20hrs


Do you think they'll let me check the bag from SIN all the way to PER? It doesn't bother me if it goes with me all the way. I can internet check-in the day before, so I'll have all the BPs.

Thanks for the advice in advance.

StarG

60 mins turnaround in BKK is tight.
What I would do is try to get the check-in staff to check the bags directly to PER since you are allowed to check your flights as early as 1 day in advance anyway.
Get all your boarding passes in SIN (SIN-BKK-SIN-PER).

If the agent gives you the 'for security reasons you need to travel with your bags' bit and won't budge, then I would leave my bags at the left bags counter and pick it up upon return to SIN. Plenty of time to do that in SIN.

Good luck.

Kiwi Flyer

I would leave bags in SIN and check the bags on the way back. Otherwise risking bags staying behind in BKK.

At least SQ66 & SQ69 looks like the same a/c (at least for the week I looked up) so if first flight delayed second one will be too.

One doubt I have though, is the last 2 times I had split itins I got different treatment. On one SQ happy to check in for both at same time. On the other, SQ wouldnt check in the 2nd itin at the same time.

StarG

Just to clarify: I am with Kiwi Flyer - I don't want to check luggages on the turnaround flights SIN-BKK-SIN. By 'check the bags directly to PER' I meant just check the bags SIN-PER, not 'through check in' SIN-BKK-SIN-PER.

kyushuman

Thanks for the quick replies!
I will just keep the bags at kept baggage in SIN and retrieve them when I return from BKK. I assume I need to get off the return BKK-SIN flight, go through customs/immigration, retrieve the bag, then go up to normal check-in and check the bag?
I've been to Changi many times but never used kept baggage. My only hope is that the flight isn't 4 hours late (like SQ69 was last July when I flew it!)
Thanks again.

StarG

Yup.
Similar thing happened to me last June. SQ69 delayed several hours.

CGK

When you check in at Changi for SQ66 to BKK, you ask for BP "return check-in" for SQ69. Then, the baggages can be check-in at the same time for your SIN-PER. At Changi you are allowed to check-in luggages up to 48 hours before your flight. You will ck in for your BKK flight 29 Jul at 3pm for example. And Your flight to PER is Jul 30 1:05am. So, it's less than 48 hours, and should be no problem for early baggages check-in. Therefore no need to store your luggages at the Left Luggage.
Hope this is clear in my explanation.