The big Solitaire Reset

[CarbonMan]

After a few years of SQ flying, I've just qualified for TPP. A tad happy to have achieved this tier though I don't see being able to queue at check-in on a red carpet as opposed to a blue one as a real plus.

BUT what I am completely livid about is that SQ has wiped clean all the reserve value I have accumulated over the last year! It's enough to renew my PPS for two years without flying premium class.

Furthermore I have been given a new renewal date of July. So what's the problem you say? Well, I just renewed my PPS in March. So in a way I've only "used" 3 months of privileges; 9 months of "services" disappeared. On top of that, in the last 3 months, I had already re-qualified for PPS 2015/16.

Now because of the change to Solitaire, all of that has been reset to a big fat ZERO! Sucks! Someone please tell me that this is fair and I shouldn't write a long email to complain (I've already called to complain and all I got is a this-is-policy statement).

[SMK77]

Congratulations to becoming PPS Club Solitaire!

Wouldn't it be more efficient to reach out to PPS Club and have your PPS Reserve Value reinstated? I am sure that SQ will be more than happy to do that for you.

Calling SQ is not the right approach: If you follow SQTalk a bit you might have read my post that SQ is no longer having a PPS Call Center. Pointless to raise your issue with the call center.

[9V-SIA]

Congrats!

Can swap "secret privilege" stories with you now

[CarbonMan]

Congratulations to becoming PPS Club Solitaire!

Wouldn't it be more efficient to reach out to PPS Club and have your PPS Reserve Value reinstated? I am sure that SQ will be more than happy to do that for you.

Calling SQ is not the right approach: If you follow SQTalk a bit you might have read my post that SQ is no longer having a PPS Call Center. Pointless to raise your issue with the call center.

Thanks, SMK77, I have already written a long email to them. Indeed the KF call centre are now filled with people who not really helpful most of the time.

[CarbonMan]

Congrats!

Can swap "secret privilege" stories with you now

Hmmm .... this is beginning to sound more interesting than red carpets and F lounges. Can't wait!

[CarbonMan]

They are not budging .... sigh. The "secret" TPP privileges better be worth more than 2 years of PPS privileges that just got poofed away.

Dear Mr Carbon-dated

Thank you for your email dated 7 July 2014 to Singapore Airlines
regarding Reserve Value.

Please allow us to clarify that all earned PPS Value is used for
tracking your qualification for Solitaire PPS Club Membership. Once the
required cumulative PPS Value has reached S$250,000, your membership
status will automatically changed to Solitaire PPS Club Membership and
your cumulative PPS Value will be reset to zero. Please note that the
cumulative PPS Value of $250,000 is inclusive of your earned Reserve
Value within your five membership year of your PPS Club.

You may wish to note that as a Solitaire PPS Club member, if you book a
Saver Economy Class award for yourself or any of your redemption
nominees, we will give your booking priority for confirmation over other
members.

Should you have further query, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Mr Be-Nice-And-Suck-It-Up, thank you for writing to us and we look forward to being of service to you again.

Yours sincerely
XXX
Customer Service Executive
Singapore Airlines

[Kyo]

They are not budging .... sigh. The "secret" TPP privileges better be worth more than 2 years of PPS privileges that just got poofed away.

I'll volunteer to be your redemption nominee.... for J...

[demue]

Wow Economy Saver award booking privileges to folks who qualify flying premium cabin Guess you are supposed to be reminded of how it feels in the back of the bus

Now change that Business Saver and you are talking actual tangible benefits.

[SMK77]

Now I am getting where SQ is coming from: The same way they deduct 25,000 SGD every year you are becoming PPS, they are now deducting 250,000 SGD from your past five years. You are indeed zero as you have achieved Solitaire.

That's kind of difficult to digest and sounds a bit funny as they would indeed downgrade you to PPS after one year if you did not fly while you would stay PPS for two years if you were not upgraded to Solitaire.

You might write them a nice letter and tell them you are not interested in Solitaire and want to remain a 'normal' PPS as you have already qualified for at least two more years.

[CarbonMan]

I'll volunteer to be your redemption nominee.... for J...

Hmm ... thanks for giving me ideas on how I can make some money with TPP.

Wow Economy Saver award booking privileges to folks who qualify flying premium cabin Guess you are supposed to be reminded of how it feels in the back of the bus

Yeah, SQ knows that some of us are at the pointy end only because the company pays for it. When we are on our personal trips, we're the cheapest el-cheapos you can find! Of course I'm only referring to myself, as there are some well-heeled here who by default fly premium on all their trips!

You might write them a nice letter and tell them you are not interested in Solitaire and want to remain a 'normal' PPS as you have already qualified for at least two more years.

I was contemplating that, but I won't unless I'm convinced that Solitaire is nothing more than red carpets and ego. I don't like doing a threatening bluff (if I can help it). However, I've already seen the difference when it comes to Y Saver availability; where there were completely no seats available previously, it is now available to me firm, not waitlisted. It would come in helpful twice a year when I go for holidays ... don't have to chope so far in advance and can also travel during peakish periods.

And yes, there's some logic to what they are saying even though it is very painful logic. So for the moment, I'll suck it up, live with it and rebuild my nestegg RV.

[SMK77]

I am not sure whether using Krisflyer miles for Y is good value for money but that's an individual decision.

PPS status helps clearing the waitlist for R, F and J and that's usually nice when you have to pay for your ticket yourself. SQ has become very restrictive for R and F awards but have always cleared my desired timings.

[MAN Flyer]

Wow Economy Saver award booking privileges to folks who qualify flying premium cabin Guess you are supposed to be reminded of how it feels in the back of the bus

Now change that Business Saver and you are talking actual tangible benefits.

Indeed. SQ have a 'loyalty' programme for which you can only obtain status by flying in Premium Cabins, and they are hard faced enough to then promote one of the benefits of being a guaranteed seat in a cabin that those who qualified for status cannot use for it. Genius.

Maybe those folks at SQ currently sat in the secret bunker with those consultants trying to find ways to add value to the programme could indeed start by offering TPP's guaranteed access to JCL award bookings instead of these birthday upgrades that many of those who spend a lot of time on the road will not be able to use as we try to avoid travelling then.

Hmm ... thanks for giving me ideas on how I can make some money with TPP.

Yeah, SQ knows that some of us are at the pointy end only because the company pays for it. When we are on our personal trips, we're the cheapest el-cheapos you can find!

I am not sure about that. The idea that after flying north of 100 (and sometimes 150) flights a year I will then get on another aircraft to fly on holiday in Y is stretching it somewhat. I think most heavy travellers make us of the Miles & Status for their holidays.

I was contemplating that, but I won't unless I'm convinced that Solitaire is nothing more than red carpets and ego.

It depends what use you can make of it. The main benefit of TPP for most is the supplementary card and for me it's getting access to upgrades and awards in J and particularly F when it's not possible to get them on line and also to free up revenue seats at very short notice, which I regularly need to do. An email to my PPS co-ordinator tends to open doors that are otherwise shut, and I have to say it does make the programme worthwhile. It does for me anyway, but I have a rather fab PPS co-ordinator. YMMW.

Congrats on getting it anyway. Please keep us up to date on how you use it.

[CarbonMan]

I am not sure about that. The idea that after flying north of 100 (and sometimes 150) flights a year I will then get on another aircraft to fly on holiday in Y is stretching it somewhat. I think most heavy travellers make us of the Miles & Status for their holidays.

There lies the difference; at most I think I do about 24-30+ flights a year, >90% 12+ hours flights. Hence the miles accumulated a year are at best around 200K. My business expenses, including flights are put on a corporate card hence I only accumulate additional benefit of miles on personal expenditure. As such, for me, it would mean having one redemption holiday for me and my wife as opposed to at least 2 with the family. I do agree with SMK77 and you that one does get more bang on the mile putting it towards J or F upgrades. And while I do use miles for J upgrades occasionally for the special occasions like Mothers' Day and such, we tend to reserve our cash for a unique hotel, restaurant or experience at the destination than for the flight.

An email to my PPS co-ordinator tends to open doors that are otherwise shut, and I have to say it does make the programme worthwhile. It does for me anyway, but I have a rather fab PPS co-ordinator. YMMW.

The real upsides are rather non-transparent and that's where SQ fails to show the value of QPP and TPP, apart from the obvious priority check-in/boarding queues and SKL lounge access. I have been a QPP for quite a few years and I've no idea if I got a seat (revenue or redemption) only because I had QPP or normal seats were available ... unless I had to go ask for it from the PPS coordinator. If SQ consistently demonstrated to me that it was because of the status, then I would place more value on it and hence do my best to stay with them to ensure that I keep the status. For the moment, I value most the availability of choice seats when I fly commercial and availability of redemption Y-saver seats when I need them. You're right of course if J-saver and F-saver were also made more available, it would be a real plus. Even within TPP, I'm sure SQ prioritizes the 10+year veterans (who have access to personal PPS coordinators, ahem) versus the green horn TPPs, and they should IMHO. At the end of the day, premium loyalty relationship is about making those not-possible things, possible and there lies its value.

[crazycrab955]

Even within TPP, I'm sure SQ prioritizes the 10+year veterans (who have access to personal PPS coordinators, ahem) versus the green horn TPPs, and they should IMHO. At the end of the day, premium loyalty relationship is about making those not-possible things, possible and there lies its value.

Agreed. I have been TPP for four years and have experienced very little increase in service or benefits from QPP, beyond those which are published benefits. Friends and colleagues who were already Solitaire warned me not to expect much when I achieved TPP, and they were right.

I don't even have a PPS coordinator I can email for help. And when I do call for occasional assistance, I have no confidence that I get priority or better treatment than otherwise. I have a poor track record of clearing upgrades or waitlists, I have never received an op-up, and even Y-class redemptions have not exactly opened wide. I'm still waiting for the parade in my honour down Orchard Road. For the humour-impaired, the last one was a joke.

But perhaps I'm just unlucky...

[Kyo]

Perhaps you need to send them an e-mail that you're not feeling the love, and then follow through by diverting business elsewhere.

I've done that and it sounds like I've had more success than you have, even as a KF*G, now KF*S