Keith T

Unlike airlines that have a similar practise (UA comes to mind), SQ isn't exempting elites from this charge either, which represents on some levels a devaluation of the PPS and Krisflyer Elite Gold tier levels. Huge thread on SQTalk atm: http://www.sqtalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5394 ericchai: The charge only applies to emergency exit row seats.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/3366187/...n-Facebook.html This ever diminishing boundary between work and private lives is concerning.

Uzbekistan Airways to join SkyTeam http://www.boarding.no/art.asp?id=33453

About bl**dy time I'd say...

A little bird told me that if current loads, as described above, are to persist, SQ might well declare a loss sometime in the Jan-Jun '09 period. They are still holding up ok atm though. I don't know how authoritative the source is so please take it with a pinch of salt until something is confirmed in print.

Got some interesting anecdotes about SQ. I used my bmi miles to book myself and the other half on a trip to SIN, TPE and HKG over the Easter holidays, on SQ and TG in C. (MEL-SIN-TPE-HKG-SIN-MEL) On the MEL-SIN segment we're both on separate flights as there was only 1 business class redemption seat available on each flight. Got into contact with some SQ contacts, hoping that they'd miraculously make an extra *A redemption seat available on the boyf's flight so that I can swap over. I was also hoping that with the global economic meltdown and Singapore officially in recession, the emptier cabins might mean they'd be willing to open up more redemption seats. After all, Sabre is telling me that the flight is rather empty with '9s' all over the place. Quite the opposite! They came back and told me that they anticipate to be "fully sold out" for an entire 2 week period in both F and C, and that I feel v lucky to have gotten what I already have. They've also got 2 SQ PPS members waitlisted for Krisflyer saver redemptions, which book into the same thing as *A redemptions - so they can't possibly 'leap frog' me ahead of them. And that apart from the *A redemption seat that I managed to get for the boyf on his flight, they will not likely be opening up further *A redemptions nor krisflyer saver redemptions as that flight is a popular connector to their European long hauls. Oh well, at least we're still departing/arriving on the same day. just that I'd leave MEL and get into SIN a few hours earlier. And it's still 7 months away so I'd still keep staring at availability like a hawk, ya never know... They then also mentioned that F and C bookings are extremely strong, stronger than the same period last year. Yet bookings for whY have declined significantly. You'd expect the opposite to occur in an economic crisis? My guess is that there is a higher level of pax who travel on discretionary income in whY, cf the typical demographics in J and F (corporate executives, business owners etc). But I'd also have expected some sort of substitute effect, as companies try to cut costs and try to get their executives downgrading a class or 2. But again corporate tickets usually book into full fare whY and it's not expensive to pony up with their own cash into C. Finally, apparently they need whY to have a load factor of at least 70% for a flight as a whole to turn a profit as whY is supposed to cover the fixed costs. The yields from C and F have also fallen as the bigger seats have meant less pax, despite the higher fares. So despite C and F being full, even oversold - they will run at a loss with the loads in whY being as they are. Just thought y'all will appreciate this little tidbit.

Amen.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7697261.stm Time to start working through those miles before diamond club gets absorbed into Miles & Less and becomes dramatically decreased in value... edit: those with BD*G status now may just get 2 more years as *G as LH Senators if history was anything to go by (cue Swiss Travel Club).

The reason is actually far simpler than that. The 2 airlines have pursued a trans tasman joint operations agreement in the past but have both times been knocked down by the competition authorities in both countries as a merger was deemed to be anti-competitive.

You did write v professional tasting notes about the Bolly in your blog.

Bollinger Grande Annee 1997!! Bolly is one of my fave champers; BA was serving the '99 at their T5 Flounge when I was there earlier this year. Compared to the Charles Heidsieck non-vintage at the SQ lounges at SIN (identical in both J and F)..... Don't get me wrong, it's a nice everyday champagne. But at the supposedly flagship lounge of a premier airline? eiling: I respecfully disagree that Dom Perignon tastes better. Unless it's the 1998 vintage of Dom, it's often too sweet for me when on the ground. Slightly better in the air. Of course, these things go down to personal tastes and are v subjective. And I obviously wouldn't say no when offered for free.

umm, i hate to say this (and of course I'd be the last person to advocate for these sort of FFP "enhancements" ) but let's put this into perspective: this is quite a standard industry practise these days as airlines eliminate mileage accrual for the cheapest fares. Great compromise between mileage and cheap fares in the face of LCC competition IMO - as a great proportion of the traveling public probably don't even maintain an FFP and just want to get somewhere affordably and comfortably. If you really want miles - simply buy up to the next fare category. The miles do represent a liability on the books and it costs money to run an FFP, and it's either cheap fares or mileage accrual; can't have it both ways. At the very least, the mileage accrual info should be clearly indicated prior to purchase to enable an informed choice.

I certainly do initiate convos, but I am also v perceptive and will leave the other person alone if s/he doesn't look like they feel like talking.

Check. Soon - requalifying stay is Westin Bund Centre Shanghai in early October. Certainly more than last year. So check. Too vague - difficult to quantify. So no. Adelaide in November. So far so good.

V surprising, I'd have thought FRA would be a high yield destination for most airlines due to the amount of business traffic and cargo. The non-daily service acts as a disincentive to lots of corporate traffic I'd assume, due to the inherent inflexibility with such a service. All I can say is - it'd take an impressive (lack of) effort to screw up FRA! Just some entirely non-professional musings from a casual, semi-informed observer.

It's SQ F, old serviceware.

Caviar best eaten with mother of pearl spoon, though they don't usually hand this out onboard. You'd want to spread it on the Melba toast with all/some (depending on personal preference) of the supplied garnishes. Nicely washed down with mouthfuls of Krug... Though if you really, really want nice onboard caviar - the cabin to fly is LH F.

Would this be a similar kind of situation to that BA 747 flying from LAX to LHR that shut down an engine not long after take off last year? Except that BA crew elected to continue flying normally...

Pieter - I'll be away when you come down under.... (see my BA97 link in siggy).

Per this Flyertalk thread it'd appear that MH F awards on FB have been terminated wef 23JUL08: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread....hlight=mh+first

So how many of y'all am I expecting in melly bun bun?

They're claimed by a Malaysian news report to have expressed interest in doing so, but that's far from confirmed.

Sabre is showing 777 one way (AMS-KUL) and 77W the other way (KUL-AMS)...

Buy on Board will also be introduced for JCL on domestic 3 class services; drinks continue to be complimentary. Another bonehead move from the US based carriers - this sets a v bad precedent.

Don't know whether to laugh or cry at this one: http://www.smh.com.au/news/travel/toilet-s...8911468165.html Lumping this in with QF30 really demonstrates a lack of perspective IMO...