Changing of date for redemption ticket

[slacker]

Hi,

I had a problem changing a redemption booking:

I redeemed an Economy Saver SIN-NRT flight last July. The departure date is Feb this yr. However, I am not able to make it on this trip and wished to change my flight to sometime in May or July. However, I couldn't change my booking as the site quoted: "Sorry, We find that your original booking was booked under a special promotion. Your revised booking does not belong to the promotion. Please try changing the date and flights."

BTW, this is the first ever time making a redemption. I made this booking in a haste last Jul as some of my KF miles are expiring soon; and I thought I could modify my trip anytime as long it is within the 6 mths validity from the departure. Now I am stuck as no way I can make it for this trip within this two months. Looks like I gotta lose some of my miles?

Please advise me on how to solve this problem. Thanks very much.

[Pinkfloyd]

Generally on a booking like this, you might need to cancel the entire booking and get a refund on the taxes (might take a few weeks). Your miles will be credited back to you minus 5000 (some "service charge", at least 5000 is normal for flights to/fro Europe, not sure about Japan). This will also take a couple of days. And after all that, you will need to make a new booking.

Try calling KF and see what they say, they may be able to help you change the booking via the phone but it's really a hit-or-miss at the best of times.

[KC*]

I once made a change by calling their local office but it almost cost me the 15% discount as the rebooked flight was no longer online and hence did not qualify for the discount.

[JoJo Zep]

We have definitely had to change a few redemptions bookings and totally agree with Pinkflyod.

It has been easier for us, and used less points, to cancel the booking and start again. The reason being if you get hit with losing the 15% online booking discount on long haul flights, it's sometimes better to cough up the 5000 points cancellation penalty.

Having said that we have argued that the online portal will not accept the changes we are making and were therefore forced to call SIA and should not be penalised the online discount as we tried that route and could not complete the change

This approached has worked at least twice but did take quite a lot of discussion...

[Pinkfloyd]

We have definitely had to change a few redemptions bookings and totally agree with Pinkflyod.

It has been easier for us, and used less points, to cancel the booking and start again. The reason being if you get hit with losing the 15% online booking discount on long haul flights, it's sometimes better to cough up the 5000 points cancellation penalty.

Having said that we have argued that the online portal will not accept the changes we are making and were therefore forced to call SIA and should not be penalised the online discount as we tried that route and could not complete the change

This approached has worked at least twice but did take quite a lot of discussion...

Lucky for you. I once tried that with them but got the standard "That is our policy sir, sorry." answer... Should not have given up then. Currently in another spat with KF (ongoing for a month) but not going to give up this time!!!

[fone]

Hmm, I've only had 2 experience with changing award tickets, once with SQ's SIN call center and they simply changed the dates for me (only outbound date changed). Other time was with SQ's US office (few years back) and they advised me to cancel the booking and rebook it (and cancelled the booking for me).

[hsf]

Changing dates on SQ flights should be free.

http://www.singaporeair.com/saa/en_U...es.jsp#Header6



Your problem may be due to expired miles?

[Pinkfloyd]

Changing dates on SQ flights should be free.

http://www.singaporeair.com/saa/en_U...es.jsp#Header6



Your problem may be due to expired miles?

Strange they say this though. I have done redemption upgrades and when I needed to change the dates of the flight, I had to cancel the upgrade, get my miles refunded (less 5,000 miles, this was for AMS-SIN, as well as for LHR-SIN) then do a new upgrade.

Or maybe this is because it was an upgrade and not a redemption for flights.

[slacker]

Thanks for all the reply.

Called up SQ, and it all got fixed in less than 5 mins. All thanks to the advice by fellow SQTalkers: to press "2 for chinese" instead.

[Kyo]

They didn't deduct any miles and allowed a change to May or June?

[slacker]

They didn't deduct any miles and allowed a change to May or June?

Yup, not a single cent/mile was charged, n I swapped to the A380 flight in July, where I was not able to book any A380 flight back in July last year.

I even confirmed with her that I am able to change my flight again w/o any charge as long as I do it at least 24 hrs before the flight

But I have to say that I am really not used to speaking in Mandarin for such matters although my family is mandarin-speaking. Felt that I was a 'banana" man during the conversation, hehe..

[Pinkfloyd]

Yup, not a single cent/mile was charged, n I swapped to the A380 flight in July, where I was not able to book any A380 flight back in July last year.

I even confirmed with her that I am able to change my flight again w/o any charge as long as I do it at least 24 hrs before the flight

But I have to say that I am really not used to speaking in Mandarin for such matters although my family is mandarin-speaking. Felt that I was a 'banana" man during the conversation, hehe..

You could just tell the person that you can't speak mandarin and accidently hit the wrong button on the phone....

[Kyo]

I think you are most fortunate in this instance, slacker

[slacker]

I think you are most fortunate in this instance, slacker

Hmm, y am i the most fortunate? U mean i'm supposed to be not able to change my flight? If so, I must be really fortunate.

[hsf]

- you could have lost online booking discount

- you could have lost extra promotional discount ( since you stated promotion?)

- your miles would have expired in the interim? therefore essentially they have allowed you to extend validity of your miles.


so I would agree, quite fortunate!