Mistake? Singapore Airlines Award Space Appears And Vanishes Using Partner Miles

Last week, Singapore Airlines premium cabin award space suddenly popped up on Star Alliance partner redemption websites. Was this an error a new trend?

First, note the space is gone as of this morning. I just spent 20 minutes combing the Aeroplan and United websites for a single date with economy or business class nonstop space from Singapore to Los Angeles. There is none, at least that I can find.

The question then becomes whether the space all sold out or whether Singapore offered it in error and has pulled it.

This would not be the first time Singapore has offered premium cabin award space in error. I got to experience Singapore Airlines first class, suites class, and business class thanks to a similar “glitch” in 2013 when the floodgates were suddenly opened and I used United miles to confirm the trip.

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I was initially hopeful that releasing longhaul award space was a deliberate move reflecting added capacity on new routes like the A350 nonstop services between Singapore and Los Angeles or Newark. Singapore has discounted redemptions on these flights using KrisFlyer miles and reasonably-priced revenue tickets are also available.

But based on the space totally disappearing, I tend to think Singapore said, “Oops, we didn’t mean to do that.” Singapore Airlines, at least in the past, has stated that it would rather send out premium cabins empty than dilute the product with upgraders and mileage redeemers. That seems a foolish business model for its new ultralonghaul service, but that is its prerogative.

CONCLUSION

We’ll have to pay this one by ear. As of this morning, my guess is that Singapore did not actually intend to release the space. Let’s see if it pops back up, though.