All posts tagged: News

Changes to Emirates and Qantas chauffeur drive service

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Emirates and Qantas both offer a chauffeur drive service to their business and first class passengers for the longest time, but this is now set to be tightened from 1 March 2019. Emirates changes Emirates will no longer offer complimentary chauffeur drive service for customers on any redemption tickets after 1 March 2019. This includes tickets redeemed using Emirates Skywards, or any other frequent flyer programme such as Qantas Frequent Flyer or Alaska Mileage Plan. The service will also no longer be given to those who use miles to upgrade economy class tickets to business class. Qantas changes Qantas changes are a little more complex. From 1 March 2019, they will no longer offer chauffeur drive service to business and first class customers in Singapore and New Zealand, meaning that customers departing and arriving in these two countries will have to arrange their own transport. This also includes customers transiting in Singapore, who will no longer receive the service. The service will also be scaled back in London to a 50-mile radius, down from 70 miles. …

Emirates reduces baggage allowance for its cheapest fares

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Emirates has quietly reduced the check-in baggage allowance for its cheapest fares in Economy. From 4 February 2019, economy fares in the cheapest Special fare type will only receive 15kg check-in baggage allowance, down from the current 20kg. Saver fares will see their allowance drop to 25kg, down from 30kg. Changes to weight concept (for travel on all routes except to and from Americas, as well as originating from Africa) Economy Flex and Flex Plus fares will continue to receive 30kg and 35kg respectively. There is also no change to business and first class baggage allowances, which remains at 40kg and 50kg respectively. What remains unchanged are the frequent flyer extra baggage allowances for Emirates Skywards members. Silver, Gold and Platinum members will continue to receive between 12kg and 20kg extra baggage allowances on top of what is provided in the fare. Changes to piece concept (for travel to and from Americas, and for travel originating from Africa) For travel to and from Americas and for flights originating from Africa where check-in baggage allowance is by the number of pieces, Special fare type will receive only one single piece of baggage allowance, up to 23kg. Saver, Flex and Flex Plus customers continue to receive 2 …

Singapore Airlines is revising its redemption prices again, less than two years after the last time

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Singapore Airlines will be increasing the redemption rates for all award tickets, as well as upgrades, from 24 January 2019. This increase will see Krisflyer members forking out anything from 2,000 miles to 15,000 miles more for their premium economy, business or first class ticket. For those who have longer term memories, the last revision was in March 2017 (yes we are in 2019, guys), where SQ famously removed its 15% online redemption discount, in return for absorbing fuel surcharges on its tickets. This time round it’s mostly grim. Economy class rates remained unchanged, but everything else is going up – both saver and advantage rates. We will take a look at the increases at the saver level, because, frankly who redeems at an advantage level unless you really need to travel? One great news for those who usually upgrade with their miles: SQ will now allow a two-class upgrade from Economy to Business for aircraft with the premium economy product. Previously this will not be possible. Premium Economy Premium Economy saver rates have gone …

SilkAir to operate daily services to Cairns from 2 June 2019

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After announcing a massive scrapping rationalisation of services which saw many of its destinations transferred to Scoot, SilkAir is certainly springing a surprise here: daily services to Cairns from June to October 2019, the better half of the Northern Summer season. Currently, SilkAir is operating five weekly services to Cairns. The additional services will be on Tuesdays and Sundays, operated with SilkAir’s latest Boeing 737 MAX 8. The full schedule is as below: Route Flight Departure Arrival Flight Time Days Aircraft type SIN-CNS MI811 0110 0955 6h 45m Mon, Thu, Sat Boeing 737 MAX 8 SIN-CNS MI813 0845 1715 6h 30m Tue, Wed, Fri, Sun Boeing 737 MAX 8 CNS-SIN MI812 1045 1525 6h 40m Mon, Thu, Sat Boeing 737 MAX 8 CNS-SIN MI814 1815 2305 6h 20m Tue, Wed, Fri, Sun Boeing 737 MAX 8 SilkAir’s furthest destination At over 6 hours, Cairns is probably the furthest destinations on SilkAir’s network, even longer than the newly launched Hiroshima in Japan (that sits at 6 hours 15 minutes). That makes the flight an incredibly unattractive …