Does anyone have tips for booking Krisflyer partner award redemptions?
I’m trying to determine if I can book a one way New York-Incheon-Singapore-Perth (JFK-ICN-SIN-PER) or New York-Taipei-Singapore-Perth (JFK-TPE-SIN-PER) business class redemption as there is no saver award availability on Singapore Airlines (SQ) flights New York-Frankfurt-Singapore-Perth (JFK-FRA-SIN-PER). I already hold a confirmed business class award ticket on San Francisco-Singapore-Perth (SFO-SIN-PER), so don’t have enough points to waitlist. However I am trying to see if there are other options out of New York that might work with the dates I am looking for – 12th June +3 days. (I realise I can book JFK – SFO however timing is awkward due to 11.30am departure time).
On United.com, there appears to be business saver award availability for the desired routing flying Asiana and Thai Airways on the 12th June. I’ve called the Singapore Airlines Krisflyer call centre and selected the option for partner award bookings. The operator I got kept saying I could only fly via FRA with Lufthansa and there was only waitlisting available, which are the Singapore Airlines flights. I tried explain I wanted to book a partner airline award ticket and gave him the Asiana flight numbers, but he kept referring to the Frankfurt flight and then said there are no direct flights from JFK to PER. (yes I know – it’s 25 hours plus flying time!)
Award Nexus also shows available flights for the 12th and the 14th June, including routings via EVA Air and TG.
I’ve not booked a partner award with Krisflyer before. I’ve read the information on Singapore Air’s website and numerous blog posts etc where it seems like I should be able to book the routing I’m after. Am I trying to book a ticket that isn’t possible? Or was the call centre operator just being unhelpful? Perhaps my terminology isn’t the clearest. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how I could get a better result?