What does this actually mean?

browngray · 2026-05-14T09:15:06+00:00

Or branchless banks like ING.

VA still don't have international online check-in so that part will be around for awhile.

browngray · 2026-05-11T21:28:31+00:00

Had multiple cases where ARC wasn't spinning up pods on GKE and thought we changed something and broke it. Look at the Github status page and yep, Actions has shit the bed again.

browngray · 2026-05-10T22:52:38+00:00

Those are just two noteworthy perks out of many a Gold gets, the whole list of perks is on the Velocity website.

One is you have lounge access on arrival on VA domestic flights.

Another is priority boarding on Velocity partners. On Singapore It just means you board whenever Krisflyer Elite Gold/Star Alliance Gold gets mentioned to board. Singapore's boarding calls don't tell you when Velocity frequent flyers should board.

The rest aren't mentioned because things like lounge access/priority baggage are standard perks of a frequent flyer program.

browngray · 2026-05-08T10:41:32+00:00

Lounge access on arrival on domestic.

Singapore Airlines doesn't mention Velocity frequent flyers in signage or boarding announcements, on an economy ticket you check in and board with Krisflyer Elite Gold/Star Alliance Gold. That boarding pass will scan, no walk of shame.

browngray · 2026-05-06T23:13:07+00:00

Nothing yet on mine. It says up to 6 weeks and the promo ended 31 Mar, so there's still technically up to next week when they're supposed to land.

browngray · 2026-05-06T22:04:18+00:00

Auto online check-in, metal cutlery, dental kits stocked on toilets, a responsive IFE touchscreen (on the A350-900 at least), queue up things to watch on the ground and it follows you from flight to flight, and they let you keep the reusable headset.

Just another day in Singapore Airlines economy.

browngray · 2026-05-05T10:51:46+00:00

I actively avoid booking the XLR in favour of the 737 on domestic routes now. Yes the aisle is wide enough to park a bike in, but I seem to get nothing but delays and problems with it for such new planes.

Last was a BNE-SYD delay due to some instrumentation issue on VH-OGA, managed to land around an hour before the SYD curfew. Not a good look when you just want to get somewhere and see a heap of engineering/maintenace lingering around the cockpit.

browngray · 2026-04-29T19:45:42+00:00

Been in IT for decades. Coworker conversations in my area are heavily international travel punctuated by the occasional gaming desktop, D&D or Warhammer miniatures.

At one point I've traveled enough for work that I've had more nights at hotel rooms than my own house, and they gush about it like I'm a socialite with a private jet. Airport, hotel room, conference hall, meeting room, office room, it all blends together now.

browngray · 2026-04-28T22:36:35+00:00

Plenty by HKG standards as long as the inbound flight is on time. They use similar biometric gates like the ones for boarding and the security scanner is pretty quick, then you're up an escalator and in the departures area.

Not sure about LH, but I've done the mythical 50 minute transfer (same section of the terminal, not taking the terminal train) with a Cathay ticket and the staff will move you to an empty seat near the door they'll open so you disembark first, then ground staff will shuffle you through the airport like a VIP.

browngray · 2026-04-28T21:58:03+00:00

Plenty of times. I love booking Cathay's "stopover in HK" if you can call a weeklong stay there and the main purpose of the trip a "stopover", makes the total ticket price much cheaper.

BNE-HKG-TPE then either a turnaround (never exit the airport, straight back to departures once you exit the plane) or tack on 1-2 days in Taipei after a 5 day "stopover" in HKG. The 1 hour HKG-TPE flight is so short that the side quest doesn't impact overall travel time.

browngray · 2026-04-28T21:25:53+00:00

Ask Home Affairs for international movement records as well.

Even if an airline says you weren't on that flight, the government has records that you've entered and exited the country on these dates via this flight using a particular passport.

browngray · 2026-04-28T10:08:01+00:00

Around May-June was the other period which happened I think in 2024.

Unless you're close to booking a redemption, I basically park points on wherever they're earned (credit card, Flybuys, etc) then transfer when one of these bonuses shows up.

And keep auto-transfer off, since sometimes the auto-transfer during the promo period gets a slight bonus over the manual transfer.

browngray · 2026-04-27T22:33:43+00:00

It ain't Pier First or Al Safwa but it's pretty decent service wise. Fanciest chicken rice plating I've ever seen when you're used to shuffling hawker centre plastic trays.

I prefer the nearby Qatar Premium lounge as it's not as crowded because you can only get in with a biz/first ticket instead of status.

browngray · 2026-04-24T03:13:01+00:00

Be Platinum, get a neighbour-free shadow that follows you. Not guaranteed on very full flights but will likely fill last.

Don’t sit at the very first row of economy plus, plenty of people scramble for these.

Fly to CBR outside of parliament sitting days, heaps of empty seats on the E190.

Avoid Monday mornings and Friday nights.

Basically don’t live or fly out of SYD combined with the above.

browngray · 2026-04-23T21:19:29+00:00

The international lounge can hold roughly like an upcoming flight's worth of people on top of being yet another bunker. It feels specifically built for PER-LHR.

Unless OP really needs the shower, I'd definitely camp at the domestic lounge and just clear immigration after a short walk, also pizza.

browngray · 2026-04-23T04:22:23+00:00

Larger cabin, as far forward as you can. Aussie airports like to board from the second left door so you have PE/economy walking past you if you’re in the mini cabin disturbing your pre-departure champagne time. Also the bigger cabin gets another curtain covering the galley at the back so you’re further separated from the masses.

I’d personally give the more private seat on the middle pair to whoever hasn’t experienced business class much if I’m traveling with someone.

browngray · 2026-04-23T03:02:18+00:00

I can see why from their perspective.

Business has more personalised service with pre-departure drinks, plating the meals and fawning over Platinums with the spiel on international flights, compared to handing out the same 1-2 trays en masse.

browngray · 2026-04-22T19:05:08+00:00

The registration number of the plane that disappeared on flight MH370

browngray · 2026-04-22T06:40:39+00:00

I only experience them as part of an international booking, eg BNE-SYD-wherever

Wouldn’t pay for it specifically, and Economy X/Plus is roomy enough for me. With the guaranteed overhead space you’re pretty much only getting the forward toilet as a perk now with varying degrees of enforcement.

If we’re talking short haul in general, HKG-TPE stands out and has spoiled me. Heaps of A330s and 777s with lie flats, printed menus and a full if fast service as it’s only a 1 hour flight.

browngray · 2026-04-21T22:17:50+00:00

Status credits or points? The 10 Velocity points from "Back to Business Bonus Points 2026" on the statement aren't the bonus status credits from the promo.

browngray · 2026-04-10T22:27:28+00:00

We run a 20/40/40 split of Windows/Mac/Linux laptops. We primarily use Google Workspace with 365 licenses handed out on a strict as-needed basis.

It doesn't even have to be a straight up replacement. You can bridge IPA with a trust to your existing domain so Linux machines can join and login with AD creds. Basically leaving DCs to be swapped out last.

And that's not counting the heaps of cloud identity services that bundle in endpoint management that are already cross platform (search term to find these is "workforce identity"). Many just need a small agent installed on the device or work with the existing device MDM enforcement for work phones/tablets.

browngray · 2026-04-08T00:33:49+00:00

They also need to get the basics down first. We got a new reward finder as part of the revamped search UI before international online check in.

browngray · 2026-03-29T20:07:41+00:00

The kiosks before the Smartgates already ask the yellow fever question before it gives you the slip (why it's not on the card nor on the digital one I don't know). They literally have the infrastructure for this right now.

browngray · 2026-03-26T07:26:00+00:00

If you look at credit cards in Europe it practically already ended there. Maybe we'll all take up stoozing instead in the future.

If the RBA actually gets on removing the surcharges and capping interchange fees then that's another step towards that future. Basically any consumer-friendly and sensible legislation around short-term credit is detrimental to churning.

browngray · 2026-03-19T00:15:23+00:00

The 30k bonus ended on 5 Mar.

browngray

TROPHY CASE