Singapore Airlines is refreshing its business class amenity kits, for the first time since the airline introduced them in 2020 (thanks to The Milelion for flagging this).
Continue reading: Singapore Airlines’ New Le Labo Business Class Amenity Kits
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
Speaking for myself (obviously) I hardly ever end up using the products in amenity kits, except maybe an eye mask and the dental kit. I’d rather have a “menu” of items available on request than a bag cluttering up my seat the whole flight. Dental kits and lotion should be in the lavs, and if the airline has a snack and beverage counter out in a designated area they could put out a selection of amenity kit items as needed.
Although I have snagged some nice amenity bags worth using for personal effects after the flight, to me they’re just more clutter and trash for the earth.
I do realize they’re important to lots of people, though. I doubt it’s a differentiating factor for many, if any, in booking one airline over another.
Amenity kits just lead to a lot of waste. I always carry my own eye mask and ear plugs, and have my toiletries in my carry on - all of which are of much higher quality than what any airline gives in J or F. Don’t see why some people are so smitten by these amenity kits. Seems like a scarcity mentality where people are just clambering for something free.
Agree on not using a lot of the kit, which is a sad waste of resources. That said, if I'm curious or keen on a brand, as I likely would be with Le Labo, I'd likely indulge but would still hugely prefer a menu to request only what is needed - a lotion, a dental kit, a face mist is intriguing but often will get this a lot more in using a kit. I hope more airlines get rid of them but still offer many of these items on an as-request basis integrating lux, organic, local brands.
One thing I believe could be useful to most people would be pens. Not sure why they don't include them.
I'm not sure how many people use those socks. I would prefer flip flops.
I personally bring my own toothbrush and toothpaste, own moisturizers. I just don't bring pens. I just save the amenity kits as a collectors item. I actually still have amenity kits from '09 onwards.
The bags can be useful for chargers and cables along with other odds and ends.
Speaking of chargers and cables, a short cable with a USB-C plug on one end might not be too bad an idea, especially now that a lot of new Apple cables on new iPhones are USB-C to USB-C but many aircraft still use USB-A
Hello fellow Tim I wonder whether Delta has an amenities kit on Delta One that blows Singapore Airlines away in terms of premium feel?
Just my 2 cents, but with USB-A gradually being obsolete, I feel like they should just ditch USB-A altogether for a high powered USB-C port instead.
I would have to disagree with adding a cable to the kit as wireless charging is becoming the norm not to mention additional environmental waste.
Aside from pens, facial moisturizer, lip balm would do. I'd also add nasal mist/spray as your nose can get dry at altitude.
I'm entirely put off Changi, the call centre harassment, and the baby triads from India and have been avoiding Singapore entirely for a few years. You can make the airline better, but you can't fix the airport security or get better pasengers when they're all conveinced it's a status symbol to fly SIA. I am really, actually, in todays reality, getting better results flying through HKG. Fiji Airways is really nice too, that airport is really a great little airport, regardless how you feel about the waste in exporting so much water.
I don't have the room in the bags for the amenity kit. A pre-order similar to the meals would be a good idea. Other than the slippers, I hand the kits and pajamas to the staff (when flying in business or first). Pens would be a good idea if the pen is a Fisher Space Pen. The standard pen could / would leak and cause damage.
What an odd comment. SQ’s customer service including the call center is top notch.
And welcome to the long established reality that the Indian folks who travel are relatively well to do!
That is so true, as much as the loungei s bit better than other ground experience is not. The security before the gate is weird . They will open your carry on and let you put it back while lines are so long.
I'll continue to eschew amenity kits and take small sizes of my fragrance-free products onboard with me. The perfumes are simply too strong, and clash with the fragrance I'll already be wearing. That, and if I don't like how their products smell, I'm stuck with it. Same goes with hotels. Hard pass.
Amenity kits are not freebie’s, they are paid for like food and beverages, by being charged for as part of the ticket price.
By not using or taking an amenity kit, etc, the cost saved by the airline simply increases the bottom line.
Pens were stopped from being offered when technology replaced the written customs and landing cards.
I recall fondly the days in Raffles Class when SQ gave passengers a departing gift. I had so many sQ wallets.
I would think you would be doing it au naturale if you are doing it in the air lol
A lot of the problem with pax eschewing Amenities kits comes down to 'cost' savings' and the relevance of the product spread included.
Going back to the 1980's - 1990's, international airlines typically included useful items such as a pen, a disposable razor (for men), feminine hygiene packs (for women), toothbrush, toothpaste, a hairbrush or comb, slippers, socks, a face spray, moisturizing cream, eye-mask et al. Some would also include a shoe-horn, a postcard or a pin (QF). LAN Chile also used to include a handy shoe-bag. And amenity kits were often offered in a gender-based format. Most inclusions were quite useful. The addition of a fragrance was a 'bonus'.
And then, along came the concept of pajamas from the better carriers. That was when the cost-cutting started to bite - and inclusions started to shrink. Imagine being on a 14-17 hour flight today and not being able to freshen up with a shave, or breath freshener, or toothpaste?
Today's amenity kits seem to be based on the airline's perceived sense of 'brand' desirability - as opposed to the *usefulness* of included items. Ergo, more kits are discarded / left on-board, given that the desirability of goodies no longer aligns between the airline and its passengers.
Whilst not a 'fan-boy' of Emirates, it is one of a very few carriers that actually manages to successfully 'balance' the the requirements of passengers while promoting 'luxury' items in their kits,
BTW, not all airlines pay for or cost their amenity kits. It is a competitive landscape - and some of the 'designer' houses actually provide the airline with packages that showcase their particular brand, either FOC or at an artificially reduced price ie; the effect of a 'sample' bag.
To my way of thinking, airlines would be well-advised to survey their pax on what is actually 'desirable' to their customers, rather than simply including stuff that they *think* elevates their brand.
Oh, and a shout-out to international carriers that actually do provide an accessory kit to their economy / coach passengers. There are still some out there.
Lauda Air (now merged with Austrian) used to include a condom in their amenity kit on a long haul flight (at least on Vienna to Bangkok route). By the way, the 777s in OS fleet were former Lauda Air aircraft.
@David I can agree with you on HKG. It is a very lovely airport. Always very efficient through security and quite amazing with customs especially with the tech advancements and good customer service at check in.
@Vinod. Yeah, and I think that applies to the Chinese as well especially for those who travel. They sure have a lot of money. Instead of just using points and miles they can pay in cold, hard cash for those first/business class flights and for those suites at five star hotels. Airlines/ hotels/airports need these people to help with their bottom line.
J loads on SQ are packed to / from most Indian cities, especially as a good proportion of folks are connecting in SIN to the US or Australia. We have flown these routes quite a few times.
I believe SQ only offers F to Delhi and Bombay.
Pre pandemic, Virgin Australia long haul economy amenity kit contained a mini pen - very useful.