As the month draws to a close, so does my PPS membership (though I do enjoy a one-month grace period, which isn't much use, given my travel patterns). It's been a grand year, having access to the SKL C (when in Y) and SKL F (when in Raffles ); being addressed by name and served breakfast ahead of others in the same cabin on my LHR-SIN segments; and enjoying the miraculous waitlist-clearing capabilities of a QPP. But sadly, I have to say g'bye to KrisFlyer as my *A mileage-earning FFP.
Although the rational side of my brain told me that BD (with its cash+miles and UK-based credit card program) and TraitorAir had better earning-redemption ratios than KrisFlyer, I did hold out for the few advantages of SQ *G: access to VS lounges; KrisShop-earned miles ; and last but amazingly not least, the affiliation with an airline whose ethos I'd grown to love. But the accumulation of slights just grew to be too much. If I were to continue my flying days as an Elite Gold, I'd get no SIN SKL access; a segregated checkin counter at SIN; no more Fast Track access at LHR; miles that expire in 3 years but must be used at non-saver redemption levels for the 77W (and likely the A380); and no accelerated security line clearance at SIN (security lines are not a mandated *A privilege, so it should be possible for SQ EGs to get the privilege without extending it to *Gs). I just get the impression that SQ finds my frequent flying patronage -- mostly in Y when I spend my own moolah -- merely a nuisance. I'm sad, but I do see SQ's business rationale behind it. I feel fortunate that I have other options besides KrisFlyer and SQ.
I have to say this, the PPS program is one of the best-designed out there, in terms of being able to target the profitable customer segments (of which I'm only occasionally a member) and to retain their loyalty. I hope SQ doesn't make a numb-skulled move and alienate those customers, say, by making requalification harder.
To SQ: you need a better marketing department in the UK. You're missing out on valuable touchpoints with a very appreciative set of customers. I'm aghast that I get invitations to CX events as a CX Gold, and yet your primary communication with me is through the impersonal and increasingly uninteresting issues of Priority Magazine. I received a calendar from CX even though most of my flying had been on a partner airline. And no, I don't count the perfunctory birthday card (stamped, rather than signed) as part of your relationship-building activities. Such neglect effectively deterred me from taking the few flights it would have taken to requalify.
For me, I've noticed that given my travel patterns, the majority of the conveniences of being a QPP were accessible as a KF EG, and in fact, as a *G. I'd love to continue as a KF EG (I've earned enough miles), but I need more gestures of appreciation. I don't think I'll get those, so when I fly SQ, it will be as a frequent flyer banking with another FFP.
Let's not talk about the flights that I'll be moving to the green-tailfinned airline and its partners.
Apologies for a rant, but I think SQ needs to hear about a customer's discontent. (Yes, a letter containing most of these points will be sent to SQ; I'm not so silly that I wouldn't contact the airline directly. )
Although the rational side of my brain told me that BD (with its cash+miles and UK-based credit card program) and TraitorAir had better earning-redemption ratios than KrisFlyer, I did hold out for the few advantages of SQ *G: access to VS lounges; KrisShop-earned miles ; and last but amazingly not least, the affiliation with an airline whose ethos I'd grown to love. But the accumulation of slights just grew to be too much. If I were to continue my flying days as an Elite Gold, I'd get no SIN SKL access; a segregated checkin counter at SIN; no more Fast Track access at LHR; miles that expire in 3 years but must be used at non-saver redemption levels for the 77W (and likely the A380); and no accelerated security line clearance at SIN (security lines are not a mandated *A privilege, so it should be possible for SQ EGs to get the privilege without extending it to *Gs). I just get the impression that SQ finds my frequent flying patronage -- mostly in Y when I spend my own moolah -- merely a nuisance. I'm sad, but I do see SQ's business rationale behind it. I feel fortunate that I have other options besides KrisFlyer and SQ.
I have to say this, the PPS program is one of the best-designed out there, in terms of being able to target the profitable customer segments (of which I'm only occasionally a member) and to retain their loyalty. I hope SQ doesn't make a numb-skulled move and alienate those customers, say, by making requalification harder.
To SQ: you need a better marketing department in the UK. You're missing out on valuable touchpoints with a very appreciative set of customers. I'm aghast that I get invitations to CX events as a CX Gold, and yet your primary communication with me is through the impersonal and increasingly uninteresting issues of Priority Magazine. I received a calendar from CX even though most of my flying had been on a partner airline. And no, I don't count the perfunctory birthday card (stamped, rather than signed) as part of your relationship-building activities. Such neglect effectively deterred me from taking the few flights it would have taken to requalify.
For me, I've noticed that given my travel patterns, the majority of the conveniences of being a QPP were accessible as a KF EG, and in fact, as a *G. I'd love to continue as a KF EG (I've earned enough miles), but I need more gestures of appreciation. I don't think I'll get those, so when I fly SQ, it will be as a frequent flyer banking with another FFP.
Let's not talk about the flights that I'll be moving to the green-tailfinned airline and its partners.
Apologies for a rant, but I think SQ needs to hear about a customer's discontent. (Yes, a letter containing most of these points will be sent to SQ; I'm not so silly that I wouldn't contact the airline directly. )
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