Review by CHC
As a delegate part of a conference group enroute to BKK, I opted for a walk in upgrade on TG for S$185 to Business class from my Q category ticket so as to be able to review the TG lounge as well as the new A350-900 to BKK.
The Lounge is located in a quiet spot of Terminal One near the central immigration on level 3. There are a few lounges close by like the SATS (which is accessible via the Priority Pass card) and Qantas lounge.
CHC and I were in Bangkok recently and we had the chance of trying out Thai Airways on their new Airbus A350-900. We were booked in Economy Class (Q class fare, which is a semi-flex fare) and knowing of Thai Airways’ same day walk up upgrade, we decided to give it a try.
You can check the seat availability on Expertflyer before travelling to know how full the cabin is but 48 hours before flying, this info is no longer available and one can only check at the check in counter (on the day of flying).
Many thanks to KK, my ex classmate who recently returned from ORD for a conference. He was kind enough to get some pictures for me on his NH 7 flight (SFO-NRT).
Not extensive (as this was a last minute request) – just some food pictures:
After trying out both Lufthansa Senator Lounge and Maple Leaf Lounge in Frankfurt during my last 2 visits, I have decided to try out the Senator Lounge again.
Until recently, transit in Frankfurt requires security check – which has since been dispensed with, though you still get an escort from the door to the lounge. Instead of weaving through the airport, one disembark straight to the waiting gate and straight to the lounge. In the past, you will come to the Maple Leaf Lounge first but with this new arrangement you reach the Senator Lounge first.
Senator Lounge is used as the First Class Lounge for Star Alliance First Class and Star Alliance Gold passengers. Unfortunately, there is no admission to the Lufthansa First Class Lounge or First Class Terminal (for those departing from Frankfurt).
After 1.5 weeks in Texas and Panama, it was time for us to move on to our final stop – New York. Without any fifth freedom flights from Star Alliance, I am left with either Copa Airlines or United Airlines. While United Airlines had a slightly better timing, redeeming a ticket can be rather challenging. Copa Airlines on the other hand can be redeemed directly from the Krisflyer portal without any issue. Although there are 3 flights into JFK, neither is good and only CM 804 was available for redemption (for my travel date). The redemption cost is 30,000 miles per person in Business Class.
With only one week to go, the cost for award redemption on Singapore Airlines is going up for both First and Business Class redemption (I shall only talk about Saver Award – lets be realistic, I doubt many of us can afford the Advantage Award ticket). The cost for Economy Class redemption remains the same and the margin between Premium Economy and Business is so small that Premium Economy is not worth considering (barring special circumstances).
Singapore Airlines does not have a Krisflyer lounge in Shanghai which is a tad surprising considering that SQ flies 4 daily flights to PVG, so First Class or Suite passengers are invited to use the No.71 Air China First Class Lounge located near gate D71, but on the second floor where there are other cafes and restaurants located.
LAX used to be the other route operated on Airbus A380-800 besides JFK. Things changed as of October 2016 when it was downgraded to a 77WR with a second service to LAX added (SQ7 and SQ8, at the expense of SQ15 and SQ16). SQ11/12 operates via Narita and SQ7/8 operates via Incheon. While getting Suites on SQ11/12 was not easy, it wasn’t tough either. Since the change, it is almost impossible to get even one seat on First Class, let alone 2 (especially you have no status on Krisflyer)! With only 4 seats, getting 1 will definitely be tough. Business Class on the other hand, was still doable.
I was initially due to fly SQ7 via Incheon and onwards to Male. I decided to change my itinerary and switched over to SQ11 with a Tokyo stopover. SQ7 previously cost me about USD $370 per person while SQ11 cost me SGD $145. In total, I paid 68,000 miles (+ another $290) for my flight, which would cost otherwise 93,500 miles if I am not willing to pay USD $100 for the stopover. Currently, you pay 88,000 miles but you only pay $23.60 for tax! Flight timing has also changed, SQ11 previously leaves LAX in the evening, arriving Narita at 730pm and Singapore at 330am! With the change, SQ11 departs at 10am, arrives Narita at 130pm and Singapore at 9pm. This new timing is more palatable for those arriving in both Narita and Singapore for sure.
There are many ways / tactics one can use to score an award ticket. Regardless of ways, the goal remains the same – to score that elusive and highly sought after premium class ticket!
My first Singapore Airlines premium class, do I need to say more? The step up from Economy Class to Business Class is indeed exhilarating! Back in 2012, I barely know much about the miles game, what more how to maximize it. Nevertheless, I decided to make use of what I had in my account to try out the Business Class.
My initial plan was to redeem SIN-TPE. I managed to get a pair of tickets to Taipei but I was unable to secure any return tickets. At 4.5 hours, Taipei is probably the best sector to fly to at 23,375 miles. However, availability is usually scarce (as compared to Hong Kong). Eventually I settled on Hong Kong as I was able to get the return tickets. I was initially booked on SQ860 (which uses the old 777-200 but with the regional business class seats). I managed to waitlist myself on SQ856 (on A380-800). One week out, my waitlist cleared and I managed to get myself on SQ856.
