- Four Continents and 37,000 Miles in Two Weeks: Introduction
- Four Continents and 37,000 Miles in Two Weeks: United First Class Tampa to Washington to Los Angeles, United Red Carpet Club Washington Dulles, Lufthansa Senator Lounge Washington Dulles
- Four Continents and 37,000 Miles in Two Weeks: Holiday Inn Express Los Angeles Airport
- Four Continents and 37,000 Miles in Two Weeks: reLAX Lounge LAX
- Four Continents and 37,000 Miles in Two Weeks: Star Alliance Lounge Los Angeles, Singapore Airlines Business Class Los Angeles to Tokyo to Singapore, ANA Business Class Lounge Tokyo
- Four Continents and 37,000 Miles in Two Weeks: Singapore Airlines Silver Kris Lounge Terminal 3, a Day at Singapore Changi Airport, Singapore Airlines Business Class Singapore to Kuala Lumpur
- Four Continents and 37,000 Miles in Two Weeks: InterContinental Kuala Lumpur
- Four Continents and 37,000 Miles in Two Weeks: Le Meridien Kuala Lumpur
- Four Continents and 37,000 Miles in Two Weeks: Exploring Kuala Lumpur
- Four Continents and 37,000 Miles in Two Weeks: Plaza Premium Lounge Kuala Lumpur, Sri Lankan Business Class Kuala Lumpur to Singapore
- Four Continents and 37,000 Miles in Two Weeks: Marina Bay Sands Singapore
- Four Continents and 37,000 Miles in Two Weeks: Exploring Singapore
- Four Continents and 37,000 Miles in Two Weeks: Qantas First Class Lounge Singapore, Qantas A380 First Class Singapore to Sydney
- Four Continents and 37,000 Miles in Two Weeks: Holiday Inn Sydney Airport
- Four Continents and 37,000 Miles in Two Weeks: Exploring Sydney
- Four Continents and 37,000 Miles in Two Weeks: Qantas Business Class Lounge Sydney, Qantas Business Class Sydney to Melbourne
- Four Continents and 37,000 Miles in Two Weeks: Park Hyatt Melbourne
- Four Continents and 37,000 Miles in Two Weeks: Exploring Melbourne
- Four Continents and 37,000 Miles in Two Weeks: Qantas First Class Lounge Melbourne
- Four Continents and 37,000 Miles in Two Weeks: Qantas A380 First Class Melbourne to Singapore
- Four Continents and 37,000 Miles in Two Weeks: Qantas A380 First Class Singapore to London
- Four Continents and 37,000 Miles in Two Weeks: British Airways First Class Lounge London, British Airways Club Europe London to Vienna
- Four Continents and 37,000 Miles in Two Weeks: Le Meridien Vienna
- Four Continents and 37,000 Miles in Two Weeks: Exploring Vienna
- Four Continents and 37,000 Miles in Two Weeks: Austrian Business Class Lounge Vienna, British Midland Business Class Vienna to London, Great British Lounge London
- Four Continents and 37,000 Miles in Two Weeks: Star Alliance Lounge London, Air New Zealand Business Premier London to Los Angeles
- Four Continents and 37,000 Miles in Two Weeks: Sheraton Gateway Los Angeles
- Four Continents and 37,000 Miles in Two Weeks: Andaz West Hollywood
- Four Continents and 37,000 Miles in Two Weeks: Conclusion
Given that the reLAX lounge was nothing too exciting, I headed down to Singapore Airlines check-in at around 12:20 PM, shortly after it opened.
Bradley Terminal exterior
Bradley Terminal interior
Some of the airlines leaving from Bradley
Check-in
Business class check-in
While there were well over 100 people in the economy class line already, there was no one in the business class line. Check-in was prompt and the agent was incredibly charming, and soon enough I had my boarding passes all the way to Kuala Lumpur, as well as lounge invitation for the Star Alliance lounge. She advised me that we would be departing from a remote stand today, saying that boarding would start at 2:45PM, one hour before departure.
I was surprised at just how many police officers and security guards there were with machine guns, not just at El Al check-in, but otherwise too. I was almost scared to take pictures in the terminal.
Bradley is easily the biggest mess of a terminal out there. It’s an absolute cluster-you-know-what. At the same time, in a weird, twisted kind of way, I kind of like it just a little. And that’s simply because of the variety of airlines that fly out of there, mostly to exotic destinations. When I leave out of Bradley I know I’m headed somewhere fun.
I proceeded to the TSA checkpoint, where there was a premium line (up until a few years ago they didn’t have one), though it was basically as long as the other line, and probably ended up taking longer since it’s the same lane that handicapped people, families traveling with small children, and crews use, and they always have line cutting privileges.
The TSA agent checking IDs was so friendly and sincere that I couldn’t help but pay him a compliment, which is a first for the TSA for me.
The biggest problem with security at Bradley Terminal is that they don’t use any line dividers. So once your ID is checked it’s basically just a mob scene to get to the actual x-ray machine, as opposed to a single filed line. After a wait of about 20 minutes I was through, and proceeded to the Star Alliance lounge. While there are some decent restaurants at Bradley Terminal landside, the terminal looks like a hospital corridor airside.
Bradley terminal airside… how charming
The Star Alliance lounge can be accessed through the same elevator as the SkyTeam lounge, though is one floor higher.
Lounge elevator
While the lounge is far from spectacular, there’s still something cool about it to me, since it’s shared by several airlines. So at check-in you’re greeted by a Singapore agent, Lufthansa agent, Asiana agent, Thai agent, Swiss agent, etc., all in their respective uniforms.
I was directed to the business class section of the lounge, which is a pretty big area though always packed. The lounge is nothing special, with a few cold and warm snack options. They have olives, cheese, fruit, chips, some chicken noodle dish, instant noodles, etc. Most importantly, the wireless internet is pretty fast.
Star Alliance business class lounge
Star Alliance business class lounge
Star Alliance business class lounge
Star Alliance business class lounge snack options
Star Alliance business class lounge snack
The odd thing about the lounge is that there is a first class section with a separate entrance, though there’s a door between the two lounges that’s usually wide open. So if you wanted to use the first class lounge you could easily sneak in there. That being said, I’ve used it many times and it’s nothing special, usually just as crowded as the business class lounge.
Door to the first class lounge
At around 2:45PM I left the lounge for the gate (or bus terminal, whichever you prefer), which was maybe a 10 minute walk away. By the time I got there they were boarding coach, though they still have a priority lane. I got onto the bus, where I had to wait for about 10 minutes for it to fill up. I almost felt bad for the other passengers, because I seemed to be the only person not mumbling something along the lines of “oh my gosh, how am I going to survive the next 20 hours?”
Departure gate
Bus
While a bus ride isn’t all that much fun, I did enjoy the views, as we drove past two Qantas A380s, a couple of V Australia 777-300ERs, and an Air Pacific 747. I’ve gotta wonder, though, why does Singapore seem to leave from remote gates so often at LAX? Is it something they do to save money, or can they simply not get a gate?
Sexy Qantas A380s that I’d be flying later in the trip
V Australia 777
The remote stands at LAX aren’t your typical remote stands in that they don’t use airstairs, but instead have a remote gate of sorts, where you walk up a ramp and then through a jetbridge onto the plane.
Remote gate
Ramp up to jetbridge
The one disadvantage of boarding a few minutes late is that the jetbridge line was 100 people deep, so it took a while to board.
Jetbridge
Fortunately, all of the stresses of traveling, especially through Bradley Terminal, subside as soon as you step onboard a Singapore Airlines plane.
Singapore Airlines 11
Los Angeles (LAX) – Tokyo (NRT)
Sunday, May 15
Depart: 3:45PM
Arrive: 7:15PM (+1 day)
Duration: 11hr30min
Aircraft: Boeing 777-300ER
Seat: 11A (Business Class)
At the door I was greeted by two lovely flight attendants who directed me left towards my seat in row 11.
Seat 11A
Seat 11A
Entertainment and seat controls
Before I could even settle in I was offered a pre-departure beverage of choice and newspapers and magazines. I went with champagne, which was promptly served by one of the lovely flight attendants. That was quickly followed by hot towels.
Champagne
Hot towel
At my seat already were headphones and the menu for the flight.
Menu and headphones
While this flight was initially supposed to be operated by the Airbus 380, it was downgraded to a 777-300ER due to the earthquake in Japan. In theory that was a bummer, though it meant I could secure row 11, which is by far the best place to sit in business class on Singapore. For one, it’s part of the forward mini cabin with only two rows. More importantly, however, the seat is vastly superior to the rest of the business class seats. The rest of the seats only have a cutout to put your feet in, while the bulkhead row gives you a ton of open space. The seat really isn’t that much different than what’s offered in first class.
Rest of the mini cabin
Plenty of space
Shortly before scheduled pushback time the captain came on the PA for a welcome aboard announcement, informing us of our flight time of a “quick 11 hours.” He said we would be a few minutes late as they loaded some last minute bags, but should make up for it once airborne.
The “new” Singapore safety video showed, which is probably the most boring of any airline out there. The old one at least had decent music with it.
About 15 minutes late we pushed back and quickly began our taxi to runway 24L. After holding for some smaller planes to take off, it was our turn.
Pushing back
Ready to go
The 777-300ER is one powerful beast, and I’m always surprised by how quickly it gets off the ground, even with what I assume is a near full load between fuel and cargo.
The views of the California coast on the climb out were beautiful, as it was a clear and sunny day. After a bit of chop thanks to some thick clouds, the seatbelt sign was turned off less than five minutes after takeoff.
Airport views after takeoff
Coastline views
At that point the flight attendants closed the curtains and their “performance” began. It started with socks and eyeshades being distributed. Interestingly, Singapore doesn’t have an amenity kit in business class. Instead, they have all the essentials in the lavatory.
Socks and eyeshades
Following that hot towels were served, which were quickly followed by one of the flight attendants introducing herself and asking what I’d like to drink. Unlike US airlines, it wasn’t “whaddya wanna drink, hun?” but rather “Mr. Lucky, it’s a pleasure to have you flying with us today, my name is Angel, and along with my colleagues I’ll be taking care of you. May I offer you a beverage now that we’re airborne?” I went with a Diet Coke with lime (or as they seem to call it, lemon), which was served with a small ramekin of cold nuts.
As the flight attendant noticed my ramekin was almost empty, she came by immediately and offered another one.
The KrisWorld entertainment system was turned on, and I started by watching a couple of episodes of “Two and a Half Men.” The entertainment system is fantastic, with all kinds of sitcoms, movies, and CDs.
Entertainment system
At this point the main meal service began, starting with orders being taken. Interestingly, Singapore actually has a pretty simple menu in business class. It’s not five courses, but rather an appetizer, main course, and dessert. As I always say, I’ve never been hungry on an airplane in a premium cabin, so that was perfectly fine by me.
The only disappointment for me is that Singapore no longer serves satay before the appetizer from Los Angeles to Tokyo, as they used to. Now they just serve it from Tokyo to Singapore.
The menu read as follows:
Dinner Menu Los Angeles to Tokyo
Starter
Seared ahi tuna, heart of romaine lettuce, shaved parmesan cheese, anchoiade vinaigrette
Main
Panroasted corn-fed chicken breast in morel sauce with wild mushroom ballotine and garden vegetables
Stir fried beef with ginger and spring onion, served with braised beancurd with eggplant and asparagus and steamed rice
Grilled seabass with artichoke tomato ragout, buttered vegetables and new potatoes
Finale
Double fudge brownie ice cream served with raspberry coulis
Gourmet cheese with garnishes
A selection of fresh fruit
Gourmet coffees & selection of fine teas, with pralines
For anyone interested, they also had a Japanese menu, as follows:
Dinner Menu Los Angeles to Tokyo
HANAKOIREKI
Embark on a culinary journey that takes you through the changing flavors of the seasons. Savour the best of spring, summer, autumn and winter in this delectable Japanese meal for the most discerning palate.ICHINI JYU
Sakizuke
Konbu cured sea bream sashimi salad with citrus dressingSunomono
Baby octopus with sesame sauce
Jelly fish with citrus sauceShiizakana
Japanese style omelette
Pickled mountain vegetablesMen
Cold green tea soba noodlesNINO JYU
Ha Sun
Smoked salmon rolled with radish sproutTakiawase
Fried tofu cake with ginger sauceKuchitori
Assorted picklesYakimono
Wagyu beef with garlic sauceGohan
Bamboo shoot steamed riceTome-Wan
Miso soup with spinach, seaweed and tofuMizugashi
Sesame ice cream with garnishes
Lastly, the wine list read as follows:
Champagne
Bollinger Special CuveeWhite Wine
Cuvaison Chardonnay 2008 Napa Valley Carneros
Dr Loosen 2008 RieslingRed Wine
Chateau Paloumey 2007 Haut-Medoc
Tenuta Di Castiglioni 2007Port
Offley LBV 2005 Port
Fonseca Unfiltered Late Bottled Vintage 2005
I went with the seared ahi tuna and stir fry beef.
The meal service was at a rather leisurely pace, as the flight attendants seem to be stretched rather thin when the cabin is nearly full.
Seared ahi tuna, heart of romaine lettuce, shaved parmesan cheese, anchoiade vinaigrette
The tuna was delicious, and served with Singapore’s always excellent garlic bread.
Once the starter was complete, my beef stir fry was served, which was also good. Nothing earth shattering, but good.
Stir fried beef with ginger and spring onion, served with braised beancurd with eggplant and asparagus and steamed rice
After that I was offered dessert, which was delicious ice cream. While Singapore’s desserts in first class are always works of art, I kind of wish that they’d get a bit more creative with their desserts in business class.
Double fudge brownie ice cream served with raspberry coulis
Once ice cream was served, the cheese cart was rolled through the cabin, and I went with a little bit of everything.
Gourmet cheese with garnishes
To finish off the meal I ordered a coffee.
Coffee
The service throughout the meal was typical Singapore service – efficient, detail oriented, and always with a smile.
Meal service finished with a hot towel and bottle of water.
Hot towel
Bottled water
Then it was time to relax and enjoy the great “hard” product. Singapore really must have the best business class seat out there. It reclines a good bit, but then if you want to turn it into a bed you have to get up and flip the surface over.
Seat in the reclined position
I wasn’t tired yet, so watched a few more TV shows, starting with the BBC comedy “Come Fly Wit Me.” While I’ve seen all the episodes before, there’s something fun about watching “Come Fly With Me” on an airplane. Then I watched the British Comedy “Maranda,” which was hilarious, followed by some “Modern Family.” I then got a bit of work done on my laptop, at which point we were almost half way to Tokyo.
Watching “Modern Family”
Airshow
I checked out the snack selection, not because I was especially hungry, but because I wanted to swipe a few snacks for the rest of my trip, since I’m sure we’ve all been hungry in our hotel rooms at 2AM jetlagged.
Snacks
The snacks offered included chips, Hersheys chocolate, nuts, etc. I put those in my bag, and a few minutes later asked for a Krispy Kreme doughnut. I wasn’t really hungry, but there’s just something cool about eating a freshly made Krispy Kreme doughnut on an airplane. The flight attendant came up to my seat and said “Mr. Lucky, please be so kind as to pick out which doughnut you would like and I will plate it for you.” I pointed to one with sprinkles, which was served moments later on a plate with a fork and knife. Ah…
Krispy Kreme doughnuts
Doughnut
Just for reference, the full snack menu read as follows:
Light Bites Menu Los Angeles to Tokyo
Should you fancy a little snack or something more substantial in between your meals, simply make your selection known to our crew, during the flight
Noodles
Rice noodles in broth served with fish balls
Kitsune udon
White wheat noodles in light fish broth garnished with sweetened beancurd and fish cakeVegetarian and non vegetarian instant noodles
Sandwiches
Tomato tortilla wrap with chipotle pepper nayonnaise spread, smoked chicken, avocado, tomato and letture
Krispy kreme doughnut
Snacks
Assorted nuts
Chips
Fruit yoghurt
Chocolate bar
Assorted biscuits
A selection from the fruit basket
At that point I was feeling pretty tired so decided it was time to get some sleep. One of the lovely flight attendants made my bed with great care, and brought me another bottle of water while I visited the lav.
In bed mode
Classy lavatory
Amenities
I woke up about two hours out of Tokyo as the second meal service began, starting with juice and hot towels. I went with an orange juice.
Orange juice
The menu read as follows:
Light Meal Menu Los Angeles to Tokyo
Starter
Salad of cajun spiced grilled chicken with boston and frisee lettuces, caramelised walnut, feta cheese, shaved fennel and dried cranberry served with chipotle dressing
Main
Malay style fried noodles with seafood and chicken satay
Enchiladas
Baked corn tortilla with pork stek, tomatillo salsa, panela cheese and red onionFinale
Lavendar and chocolate gateau
Gourmet coffees & selection of fine teas
Or the Japanese menu read as follows:
Light Meal Menu Los Angeles to Tokyo
HANAKOIREKI
Embark on a culinary journey that takes you through the changing flavors of the seasons. Savour the best of spring, summer, autumn and winter in this delectable Japanese meal for the most discerning palate.Kuchitori
Egg tofu and salmon roeYakimono
Black cod with miso sauceTakiawase
Seasoned and braised shrimp, shiitake mushroom
Lotus root and carrotSunomono
Yuzu citrus tart with seasonal fruitGohan
Steamed rice with seasoned cod roe
Assorted picklesTome-Wan
Miso soup with wheat cake, shredded egg and shiso leafMizugashi
Shortly thereafter the starter, which was a cajun chicken salad, was served, accompanied by bread from the bread basket.
Salad of cajun spiced grilled chicken with boston and frisee lettuces, caramelised walnut, feta cheese, shaved fennel and dried cranberry served with chipotle dressing
For the main course I went with the fried noodles with seafood and satay, which was delicious.
Malay style fried noodles with seafood and chicken satay
For dessert was a small piece of chocolate cake, which was also tasty.
Lavendar and chocolate gateau
Airshow
About 30 minutes before landing the captain came on the PA to advise us of our on time arrival at Tokyo Narita, and advised the crew to prepare the cabin for landing. Headsets were collected and we descended into Narita as day turned to night.
On descent
After a smooth landing and quick taxi we parked right next to a United new colors 747.
United 747 next door
After bidding the crew farewell it was off to transit security, where I was the first one, surprisingly. I guess most of the people on my flight were terminating their travels in Tokyo. Security in Japan is always a pleasure – they’re so friendly, the process is so simple, and you don’t feel violated when you’re through. 😉
I took the escalator down to the ANA business class lounge, where I was promptly admitted. While I wanted to shower, I first checked my email briefly, which I always do to make sure the world hasn’t ended (or something like that).
ANA lounge entrance
The ANA business class lounge is nice with finger sandwiches, a noodle and sake bar, and all kinds of drinks, though it’s nothing special.
ANA lounge interior
After about 15 minutes I decided it was time for a shower. I love the showers in the ANA lounge because they’re very high pressure, though the only downside is that they’ve substantially deteriorated the quality of their toiletries over the years. Now you only get a tiny sample back of shampoo and body gel, which just doesn’t cut it.
Shower room
Shower room
Once I was done with the shower reboarding was already underway, so I headed to gate 41, where the plane was parked. Boarding was super speedy since almost everyone was already aboard, and I settled back into 11A.
Narita terminal
Narita terminal
Singapore-bound 777
Singapore Airlines 11
Tokyo (NRT) – Singapore (SIN)
Monday, May 16
Depart: 8:50PM
Arrive: 3:05AM (+1 day)
Duration: 7hr15min
Aircraft: Boeing 777-300ER
Seat: 11A (Business Class)
Waiting for me at my seat, once again, were headphones and a menu. I was immediately offered socks and eyeshades, followed by a pre-departure beverage. I went with the pineapple juice (or whatever tropical juice it is that they have).
Eyeshades and socks
Pre-departure beverage
Hot towels quickly followed.
The captain came on the PA to welcome us aboard and announce our flight time of 6hr45min, anticipating we would arrive right on schedule (shed-jewel).
One of the disadvantages of sitting in the first row of business class is that you have a full view of first class during boarding. On this particular flight it was just a Japanese couple in first class, and I found it quite funny as the guy was standing up in his pajamas looking at business class with a huge grin, knowing he had the cabin to himself. Rub it in, buddy. 😀
We pushed back right on time and began our taxi to runway 16R. Singapore Airlines recently pushed back the departure time of the Los Angeles to Singapore (via Tokyo) flight, so that it leaves Los Angeles a couple of hours later and also leaves Tokyo a couple of hours later. Previously it got in at around 1AM, though now it gets in at 3AM. That’s awful, except for the fact that it leaves Tokyo later, which means that the queues for takeoff aren’t as long out of Tokyo anymore, since the evening rush has already left.
After a quick takeoff roll we were airborne, though this time the seatbelt sign stayed on for a while as there was some turbulence on the way out. The captain kept the seatbelt sign on for about 30 minutes.
The KrisWorld entertainment system wasn’t turned on for about 30 minutes, and even at that point there were problems with the system, so they had to reboot. It was 45 minutes into the flight before the system worked.
Entertainment system issues
Once the ride smoothed out a bit, the flight attendants quickly sprung into action. They first distributed socks and eyeshades, followed quickly by taking drink and meal orders.
The dinner menu read as follows:
Dinner Menu Tokyo to Singapore
Prelude
Satay
With onion, cucumber and spicy peanut sauceStarter
Marinated prawns with sliced lotus root and sesame seeds
Main
Anchovy and caper crusted cod with pepper sauce, buttered vegetables and fettucine pasta
Wagu Koshi-ni
Soya flavored beef steak, sauteed vegetables and steamed riceRoast peppered chicken with gravy, ratatouille and potatoes
Finale
Gourmet ice cream
Gourmet cheese with garnishes
A selection of fresh fruit
Gourmet coffees & selection of fine teas, with pralines
The Japanese menu read as follows:
Dinner Menu Tokyo to Singapore
HANAKOIREKI
Embark on a culinary journey that takes you through the changing flavors of the seasons. Savour the best of spring, summer, autumn and winter in this delectable Japanese meal for the most discerning palate.ICHINI JYU
Sakizuke
Bamboo shoot, udo, squid marinated with kinome misoSunomono
Conger eel bo-sushi, lily bulb, boiled nabana with mustard
Shiizakana
Omeltte with mountain vegetable
Burdock rolled with conger eel, ginger stickMen
Cha soba noodle, soba sauce, egg julienne, mountain vegetables
Spring onion, seaweed, wasabiNINO JYU
Ha Sun
Simmered baby octopus, ice fish, mountain vegetable, wrapped sea bream, grilled prawn with egg yolk, plum jellyTakiawase
Simmered bamboo shoot and sea bream eggs
Butterbur and carrot flowerKuchitori
Marinated radish, carrot, cucumber
with conger eel, salmon roe and white sesameYakimono
Grilled flounder Saikyo-yaki
Kelp rollGohan
Steamed rice with minced beefTome-Wan
Miso soupMizugashi
Yuzu mousse cake with citrus sauce
I ordered a Singapore Sling as my drink, and since I wasn’t especially hungry, skipped the main course.
Singapore Sling
To start was satay, which is one of my favorites on Singapore. As I mentioned before, I’m sad that they no longer serve it between Los Angeles and Tokyo. Actually, you’d think they would serve it on Los Angeles to Tokyo, which is a flight during “normal” meal hours, as opposed to Tokyo to Singapore, which is basically a redeye. Whatever. Regardless, it was as good as it’s ever been.
Satay
The starter of the prawn salad was served next, with a choice of breads. I went with garlic bread, which has never disappointed me on Singapore.
Marinated prawns with sliced lotus root and sesame seeds
The seatbelt sign went on a few times during the meal service, which meant service was suspended a couple of times. It’s a real shame, since I was dying to get some shut eye.
About two hours after takeoff my last course was served, which was ice cream. It was tasty, though it certainly wouldn’t hurt if Singapore had a bit of variety in their desserts. Service finished off with a bottle of water and some pralines.
Gourmet ice cream
Praline
Bottled water
At that point, my bed was made, and I got a solid four or so hours of sleep. Like I said, the bed is very comfortable for sleeping, and I was very tired, not to mention I had a 15 hour layover in Singapore without a hotel room.
In bed mode
I woke up as we began our descent into Singapore, at which point the seatbelt sign was once again turned on.
Airshow
The descent was mostly smooth, with the exception of a few very thick clouds, which caused quite a bit of chop.
Approach into Singapore
We touched down shortly before 3AM and had a quick taxi to terminal 3. Changi Airport is tranquil all times of the day, but especially at 3AM. While I was exhausted after flying for over 20 hours, I wasn’t tired, so I figured my wait till my 5PM flight would be survivable enough.
Hey lucky, are you going to try the new SIA business class? It's amazing.
Hey!
You don't like icecream? Or you don't want it twice?! :P
@ Steve -- They're usually among the first to be assigned, though they're not blocked in advance so I'd suggest requesting it as soon as possible.
Hi Lucky - how did you request for the seat with the bassinet? I am on a A380 all business upper deck config later this year and would like to get the 17ish Business class seat if possible
I experienced the same problem with the entertainment system on an HK to SG flight. I didn't particularly mind as the inflight crew got it speedily resolved. Better still and much to my surprised delight, they presented me with a $200 KrisShop voucher (no minimum spending required!) as compensation at the end of the flight. Considering I was in Economy Class and was (well, am) just a teenager, that was very nice of them!
@ choi -- Did you read my introduction post, which explains exactly how I got the seats? You can find it here:
https://onemileatatime.com/four-continents-and-37000-miles-in-two-weeks-introduction/
the thing about these reports I dont like is the blogger never tells us how he got the ticket in the first place or ways he got himself in business class seats.
@ ORDnHKG -- I didn't have the time to visit both lounges. I might have mixed it up since I usually use the first class lounge, where the amenities are nicer.
You mentioned about the NH lounge in NRT had their showers amenity substantially deteriorated over the years to a tiny sample back of shampoo and body gel. What did you have before ? I know that for a fact, since they open that lounge in T1, it was always one time use packets, never had anything better unless you are in the F lounge which has Loccitane kit. (though I don't know what their shower...
You mentioned about the NH lounge in NRT had their showers amenity substantially deteriorated over the years to a tiny sample back of shampoo and body gel. What did you have before ? I know that for a fact, since they open that lounge in T1, it was always one time use packets, never had anything better unless you are in the F lounge which has Loccitane kit. (though I don't know what their shower amenities like when they were in T2, or that is what you are talking about ?) If you read the flyertalk thread about the shower amenities between RCC and NH lounge, you should know by now we all have a similiar conclusion, it is to shower in RCC and get to NH lounge for food. As NRT RCC from the beginning already offer little bottles of Molton Brown > Aerosense > SoMo > Nomad kit > H2O kit > Plegria > Murad kit.
@ Tom -- @ Glenn is right. When Singapore first rolled out the seats one of the complaints was that the seat was too wide (talk about a good problem to have), so it was awkward to position your arms since you couldn't reach both armrests. Therefore they added the little leather cushion type thing so you can rest your arms comfortably.
it's to give you something to lean your elbow on because the seat is so enormously wide
Great report
I have one question. What are those leather-upholstered block things on the right side of the seat.
that looks so cool. I really need to get on one of their planes with those giant business class seats one of these days.
Great stuff
if you or any of your readers are willing to help I'm building a web airline encyclopedia and need people to write articles on things such as: Airline reviews for first class, premium economy, etc, details on what product the airline provides
Email me at [email protected]
The website is seatrate.net.ms
@ chitownflyer -- First of all, keep in mind this is a 24 hour flight. That being said, it's still a lot of food. The fact is, I didn't eat all of it, and I don't eat a whole lot on the ground when traveling.
@ Other Ben -- Thanks!
@ Ken 747-400 Denver -- The nuts were indeed cold. Hey, for business class I found the service to be quite good. I'm sure there...
@ chitownflyer -- First of all, keep in mind this is a 24 hour flight. That being said, it's still a lot of food. The fact is, I didn't eat all of it, and I don't eat a whole lot on the ground when traveling.
@ Other Ben -- Thanks!
@ Ken 747-400 Denver -- The nuts were indeed cold. Hey, for business class I found the service to be quite good. I'm sure there are slightly better meal services out there, though the overall experience is unbeatable.
@ Andy Bluebear -- Indeed, I'd say it's better than *most* first class hard products. The center seats are actually decent for people traveling together. Yeah, there's a bit of distance since the seats are so wide, though that's probably a good problem to have.
@ Mal -- Enjoy your trip!
@ GoAmtrak -- It was surprisingly easy. Stay tuned!
@Gary makes a good point: it is a testament to SQ that their C product looks so good that people forget it's C and start judging it by F standards! I can't speak to cost-cutting as I've never flown this route, but in and of itself, everything looks outstanding for C.
I flew SQ from CAI-DXB-SIN a few years back and enjoyed pre-ordering their lobster thermidor online. Sadly, though, they were flying the regional hard...
@Gary makes a good point: it is a testament to SQ that their C product looks so good that people forget it's C and start judging it by F standards! I can't speak to cost-cutting as I've never flown this route, but in and of itself, everything looks outstanding for C.
I flew SQ from CAI-DXB-SIN a few years back and enjoyed pre-ordering their lobster thermidor online. Sadly, though, they were flying the regional hard product, so the seats sucked big-time. Not sure what they fly on that route these days...
Bravo for the epic report, as always.
I'm very eager to hear how one manages a post-Transpac 14-hour layover without devoting at least a few hours to sleep!
I have to agree about SQ desserts. I've done dozens of trips on SQ business class and always found the dessert disappointing. I've also had a very bad breakfast pancake coming into AKL on the SIN-AKL 777W. It was so dry and tasteless it was almost inedible. I do, however, think SQ still has the best mains.
When I fly, I always take the chip off my shoulder before I leave home.
Coins said "The TSA agent checking IDs was so friendly and sincere that I couldn’t help but pay him a compliment, which is a first for the TSA for me".
Advice to readers, TSA is ok if you approach without a chip on your shoulder.
For folks complaining about the catering, geez, this is BUSINESS CLASS. Wow, it's actually beautifully plated and looks appetizing even! And if you want more food, lucky reproduced the snack menu... Seriously, this looks like a great flight all around!
The catering on the LAX-NRT leg looks pretty average to me....... :-o
Thx for this lucky. I really wanted to see a good review of the new 388/733 seats for SQ as im flying them in September (on the 388 thankfully). Looks good. At least ill know now where to go to get my amenity kit stuff :D
Well, it looks like they sacrificed quantity in their meals, but the quality is still there. I got hungry just from those pictures alone.
And damn Lucky, that's a seat! It probably beats a few first class seats on other airlines. Though, not very good for people traveling together, I imagine.
re: SQ11 LA to Nrt
Thanks for all the detail and great pics. Appears they have gone thru cost cutting with inflight food: mixed nuts (looks like 80% peanuts & not heated?), very small salad, no satay (I thought was their trademark), and cuppachino in mug? no cup/saucer. UA now uses those mugs & makes me feel like I'm in a truckstop cafe. I think they're now over rated by travel mag. surveys.
I...
re: SQ11 LA to Nrt
Thanks for all the detail and great pics. Appears they have gone thru cost cutting with inflight food: mixed nuts (looks like 80% peanuts & not heated?), very small salad, no satay (I thought was their trademark), and cuppachino in mug? no cup/saucer. UA now uses those mugs & makes me feel like I'm in a truckstop cafe. I think they're now over rated by travel mag. surveys.
I would have missed their 5-6 courses they had maybe 1 yr. ago. Thai Air in Royal bus. class, last Jan., still had satay & 5 courses for dinner on BKK to LA route.
Your nickname is very appropriate, Lucky. Doing UF proud!
An excellent report as is customary from you. I do wonder, how are you able to eat so often when traveling? I find myself limited to maybe one meal or eating half the portions of two meals.