- Introduction: A VERY Quick Trip To Hong Kong
- Review: United Club Los Angeles Airport
- Review: United Club San Francisco Airport
- Review: United Business Class 777-300ER San Francisco To Hong Kong
- Review: United Club Hong Kong Airport
- Review: Singapore Airlines Business Class 777-300ER Hong Kong To San Francisco
Singapore Airlines 2
Hong Kong (HKG) – San Francisco (SFO)
Wednesday, March 29
Depart: 11:30PM
Arrive: 9:15PM
Duration: 12hr45min
Aircraft: Boeing 777-300ER
Seat: 21A (Business Class)
I boarded through door L2, where I was greeted by several flight attendants and pointed towards my seat. I tend to think you can tell within the first minute how good of a crew you’ll have, and this one was stellar. Singapore has a few different longhaul 777-300ER configurations — they have one featuring their “old” product, one featuring their refreshed product and eight first class seats with no premium economy (which I was on), and their newest configuration, which has four first class seats and premium economy.
In this case I was on a plane with eight first class seats and no premium economy, though it was a plane with Singapore’s newest business class product, which I hadn’t yet flown. I can’t believe it has taken me this long to write a real review of Singapore’s business class product.
Singapore has a total of 42 business class seats on this version of their 777-300ER. Business class seats are in a 1-2-1 configuration. There are eight business class seats in the forward cabin (right behind first class), and then the main business class cabin has a total of 34 business class seats. The rear business class cabin had a total of nine rows, though in the center section there are two fewer seats than by the windows.
Singapore Airlines 777 business class cabin
In my opinion the cabin is physically stunning. Then again, Singapore has always had incredible design.
Singapore Airlines 777 business class cabin
The absolute best seats in this configuration are the bulkhead seats in either cabin. That’s because they have so much legroom, and you don’t have to contort your body in order to be able to sleep. If you can assign yourself one of the bulkhead seats, I’d say you’re getting a better seat than what’s available in first class.
Singapore Airlines business class bulkhead seat
Up until now I’ve been in the bulkhead every time I’ve flown Singapore’s business class, so in this case I wanted to be sure I was experiencing one of the “normal” seats.
Singapore Airlines business class bulkhead seat
I had assigned myself seat 21A, which is the window seat on the left side in the second to last row. I knew that business class would only be just under half full, and in looking at the seatmap before the flight, I noticed that no one else was assigned in the last three rows, so I figured I might as well have that part of the cabin to myself. Besides, my general preference is to sit towards the back of the cabin anyway.
The seat was beautiful, and there are two types of seat finishes they use to make the cabin even more stunning (half of the rows have beige leather, and the other half have black leather).
Singapore Airlines business class seat
For the most part the seat was very thoughfully designed.
Singapore Airlines business class seat
To the left of the seat was a compartment with a storage area, a reading light, a headphone jack, and several power outlets.
Singapore Airlines business class seat storage
Singapore Airlines business class power outlets
In front of that and to the left was the entertainment controller, as well as a storage compartment for headphones, though you could also store something else in there if you wanted to.
Singapore Airlines business class seat entertainment controller, tray table, and storage
Singapore Airlines business class entertainment controller
Singapore Airlines business class headphone compartment
The headphones Singapore offers in business class are reasonably high quality, certainly better than what most other airlines offer.
Singapore Airlines business class headphones
The tray table could also be extended from the left armrest, and was a single table that couldn’t be folded over. However, I loved how it could be adjusted to many positions, and you could even adjust the height of the tray.
Singapore Airlines business class seat tray table
Now we get to the awkward part of the seat… the “legroom.” Different airlines have different types of staggered configurations, and in the case of Singapore’s business class, your foot cubby is to the very side of the seat.
Singapore Airlines business class seat
If you want to stretch out, you’ll have to sit sideways and place your feet in the very left part of the seat. I’ll talk more about bed comfort in a bit.
Singapore Airlines business class seat legroom
At the bottom left of the seat was another large exposed storage compartment.
Singapore Airlines business class seat storage
Above that and to the left of the personal television was yet another storage compartment, which was perfect for storing glasses or a phone. There was also a mirror.
Singapore Airlines business class seat storage
This seat has plenty of storage, which is an area that a lot of other airlines don’t do especially well, so kudos to Singapore for that.
The actual seat controls were on the aisle-side of the seat, and were easy to use. My one complaint is that it was quite easy to bump the controls accidentally, so I wish the controls wouldn’t be so “exposed.”
Singapore Airlines business class seat controls
Within a couple of minutes of arriving at my seat I was approached by one of the lovely flight attendants, who addressed me by name and asked if I wanted a pre-departure beverage, with the choice between champagne or their welcome drink of the month. I selected the welcome drink of the month, which consisted of orange juice, pineapple juice, and soda water. I was also offered a bottle of water, presumably given that this was a late night departure, and some people wanted to go to sleep right after takeoff.
Singapore Airlines business class pre-departure drink & bottled water
Moments later I was presented with the menu for the flight. The flight attendant explained to me the basics of the meal service (that there would be supper after takeoff, breakfast before landing, and that I should let them know if I want a snack between meals).
Singapore Airlines business class menu
About 10 minutes later I was offered a warm towel, which was nice and thick, and not one of the cheap towels that some other airlines use.
Singapore Airlines business class warm towel
Boarding was quick, despite the fact that economy was mostly full. By 11:20PM the door was closed, at which point Captain Richard came on the PA to add his welcome aboard. He informed us of our very quick flight time of 11 hours (1hr45min less than our block time), but that due to the strong jet stream he was expecting a “very bumpy ride.”
By 11:30PM we began our pushback and then taxi to the runway, at which point the safety video was screened. After that, a video was played showing how to make the business class bed.
View before pushback at Hong Kong Airport
Our taxi to the runway was quick, and surprisingly there was no wait for takeoff (I guess we beat the post-midnight rush). By 11:40PM we were cleared for takeoff on runway 7R.
The seatbelt sign was turned off about 10 minutes after takeoff, and as we continued our climb out I browsed the entertainment selection, starting with the airshow.
Airshow enroute to San Francisco
I found it a bit annoying that the personal television itself wasn’t touchscreen, but rather you had to control it using the handheld device, which I didn’t find to be especially easy to use. The KrisWorld entertainment selection is exceptional, and after Emirates’ ICE system, I’d say it’s among the best in the sky.
Singapore Airlines entertainment system
Singapore Airlines entertainment system
One of the fantastic things about Singapore’s reconfigured 777-300ERs is that they feature Wi-Fi. You can buy a Wi-Fi pass for the entire flight, and they charge based on how long you use it rather than the amount of data you use.
Singapore Airlines wifi
The pricing is as follows:
- 1 hour: $11.95
- 3 hours: $16.95
- 24 hours: $21.95
Singapore Airlines Wi-Fi pricing
~$22 with no data caps is as good as it gets, so I was very happy about that. Best of all, the Wi-Fi was among the fastest I’ve had in the sky, though I suspect that may partly be a function of everyone else on this flight sleeping. Singapore’s 777 Wi-Fi system almost makes me prefer it to the A380, given that Singapore charges for Wi-Fi based on data usage on that plane, and it can be very expensive.
About 20 minutes after takeoff the crew distributed slippers, socks, and eyeshades. While it might surprise some, Singapore doesn’t offer amenity kits in business class, but rather hands out a few basic things, and then has some more amenities in the lavatory. They’ve stated that it’s an amenity that they don’t find that people value, and that it’s wasteful.
Singapore Airlines business class slippers
There were two business class lavatories located between the business class cabins, and they were nice.
Singapore Airlines business class lavatory
They had plenty of amenities, as is the norm on Singapore.
Singapore Airlines business class lavatory amenities
Singapore Airlines business class lavatory amenities
Best of all, they were always spotless. Singapore crews are among the best about this, and every single time I entered the lavatory I saw the toilet paper tip “folded,” and there wasn’t a drop of anything anywhere.
Once amenities were distributed, the crew came through the cabin to take supper orders. The menu read as follows:
The wine and drink list read as follows:
Service began with drinks and mixed nuts. I ordered a glass of champagne — Singapore serves Charles Heidsieck in business class, which is nice.
Singapore Airlines business class champagne & mixed nuts
Just 10 minutes later my table was set. Singapore doesn’t use trays in business class, but rather everything is placed directly on your tablecloth.
Singapore Airlines business class supper — prawns on nicoise salad
The stater consisted of a nicoise salad with prawns, and was the highlight of the meal. It was exceptional.
Singapore Airlines business class supper — prawns on nicoise salad
I was also offered a selection of bread, and had a piece of garlic bread and baguette.
Singapore Airlines business class supper — assorted bread
My starter was cleared just a minute after I finished it, and then a couple of minutes later I was served the main. Singapore Airlines offers “Book The Cook” in business class, which allows you to pre-order a meal from a large menu. I should have done that, because my chicken wasn’t good at all. It was rubbery and tasteless.
Singapore Airlines business class supper — seared chicken breast with thyme jus
For dessert I was offered a yuzu and milk chocolate mousse cake, which was light and refreshing.
Singapore Airlines business class supper — yuzu and milk chocolate mousse cake
I was also offered a cheese plate, which was both tasty and nicely presented, especially for business class.
Singapore Airlines business class supper — assorted cheese
While the main course was disappointing, I enjoyed the starter, dessert, and cheese. That being said, it wasn’t really a memorable meal. Singapore’s “supper” service is usually the least impressive meal they have, as they offer limited service on these late night flights.
However, the service was phenomenal. The flight attendants working my aisle were charming, engaging, and attentive. I felt like I was in first class. The entire meal took just 45 minutes from start to finish.
After supper I figured it was time to get some rest. I asked the flight attendant if it was okay if I made the bed in the seat behind me, and she said “of course, you have lots of seats to choose from!”
Singapore’s business class seat doesn’t recline into a bed, but rather you have to fold the back of it over. The bedding is already set up on the back of the seat, so when you fold the seat over you’ll find all of the pillows and sheets there.
Singapore Airlines business class bed
The bed looks pretty comfortable, and I appreciate that they have two pillows. What you don’t see in pictures, however, is just how hard the bed is. While there’s a mattress pad (probably more like a mattress sheet), there’s very little padding so the bed is quite hard.
Singapore Airlines business class bed
But the most unusual part of the seat is that the foot cubby is at the far left of the seat. So when I tried to just lay down “straight,” I basically had enough room until my knees, and then I had to bend my knees 90 degrees. So you have two options — you can sleep diagonally, so that your head is by the aisle and then your feet are by the window, or you can sleep in the fetal position.
As someone who basically sleeps in the fetal position, I didn’t mind not being able to stretch out all the way. My bigger issue was the lack of padding — the seat is really hard in the bed position.
Singapore Airlines business class bed
I ended up falling asleep with nine hours left enroute to San Francisco.
Airshow enroute to San Francisco
I only got a bit over two hours of sleep, and woke up with just under seven hours left to San Francisco. We had hit some slight turbulence that woke me up, and then I couldn’t fall back asleep. The cabin was also quite warm, and unfortunately Singapore doesn’t have individual air nozzles at seats (something that I wish all airlines would have).
Singapore Airlines flight attendants are like ninjas, and somehow one of them came up to me a few minutes after I woke up to see if I wanted anything to drink. I asked for a cappuccino, which was excellent.
Singapore Airlines business class cappuccino
I was also asked if I wanted a snack, though I wasn’t really hungry. For what it’s worth, the snack menu read as follows:
I did grab a couple of packaged snacks from the galley, mainly so I could get a picture of them. 😉
Singapore Airlines business class snack
I worked for the next several hours, given that it was during the business day in the US, and the Wi-Fi was fast. Before I knew it, we were just four hours from San Francisco. Around this point the flight started getting really bumpy. Not violently so, but we had a couple of hours of consistent turbulence.
Airshow enroute to San Francisco
Then I decided to take a break and watch some TV shows. I love Curb Your Enthusiasm, and they had several episodes of that. Even though I had seen them all several times before, it’s a show that never gets old for me.
Singapore Airlines entertainment system
I also watched a couple of episodes of Fawlty Towers, which I’ve always enjoyed.
Singapore Airlines entertainment system
At this point it was the middle of the day outside, given that we left in the middle of the night and were flying east.
View enroute to San Francisco
About 90 minutes before landing the cabin lights were turned on in preparation for the breakfast service. The menu read as follows:
First the crew came through the cabin with either apple or orange juice, as a way of waking passengers up. I had some apple juice.
Singapore Airlines business class breakfast — apple juice
The meal was once again served directly on my tablecloth.
Singapore Airlines business class breakfast
It started with a tasty fruit plate.
Singapore Airlines business class breakfast — sliced fresh fruit
I was also offered a selection from the breadbasket, and chose a croissant and some other sweet thing.
Singapore Airlines business class breakfast — assorted bread
I was then asked if I wanted some cereal or yogurt. I asked for some muesli with milk.
Singapore Airlines business class breakfast — muesli with cereal
For the main course I ordered the pancakes with scrambled eggs and sausage. While I’m not a fan of sausage, the pancakes and scrambled eggs were excellent.
Singapore Airlines business class breakfast — pancakes
There is something a bit weird about having breakfast when you’re landing somewhere late at night, but that does seem to be the norm on many transpacific flights.
Once again, service throughout the meal was excellent. It’s funny to compare my United and Singapore flights, because I feel like on United the crew seemed like they were trying so hard, because they’re not quite used to the hustle as much. Meanwhile on Singapore the service just felt effortless. The crew was so good that I almost got the sense that they didn’t have to try, they were that polished and good at what they do.
30 minutes before landing the captain made another announcement, apologizing for the turbulence throughout the flight. He informed us that we would be landing in San Francisco at 7:40PM, a full 95 minutes ahead of schedule. You’ve gotta love a good tailwind!
Airshow approaching San Francisco
Airshow approaching San Francisco
The views on descent were beautiful. The Bay Area is a beautiful place to fly into, and it’s even more beautiful around sunset.
View approaching San Francisco
View approaching San Francisco
View approaching San Francisco
We had a smooth touchdown on runway 28L at 7:40PM.
Touchdown SFO
From there it was just a short five minute taxi to the international terminal, which looked surprisingly empty, aside from a China Southern 777.
Arriving at gate in San Francisco
I bid farewell to the crew, and was ready to get a good night of sleep, after a couple of crazy days of travel.
Singapore 777 business class bottom line
Singapore’s business class product has both some highs and lows. Singapore is known for being one of the best airlines in the world, though there’s no denying that other airlines have narrowed the gap somewhat.
The service on the flight was flawless, as I find to pretty consistently be the case on Singapore. Meanwhile the food was decent, though not amazing. I’d say that’s largely a function of this being a “supper” flight, which offers the most limited meal service. Aside from the main course at supper, the food was pretty good, though.
The seat is a mixed bag. On one hand it’s thoughtfully designed in terms of the amount of storage, placement of things, etc. At the same time, it’s not especially comfortable in bed mode, both because the bed is hard, and because you can’t stretch out all the way especially easily. I will say that their bulkhead seats are phenomenal, though, if you can snag one of those.
Singapore’s business class seat has had the same “bones” for over a decade, so they were really ahead of the competition. I can’t wait to see what their next generation of seats is like.
If you’ve flown Singapore’s business class, what was your experience like?
I've flown this SQ Business product a few times now on the A350 and B777 and I'm still not sold on the seat concept.
I suppose it's like a reverse herringbone but with lots more space around you but I'm sure the reverse herringbone seats I've travelled on (Cathay, Virgin Australia, Finnair, Qatar, American) had more space for my feet than the small cubby of SQ's new Business seat.
I've flown this product a few times now on the A350 and B777 and I'm still not sold on the seat concept.
I suppose it's like a reverse herringbone but with lots more space around you but I'm sure the reverse herringbone seats I've travelled on (Cathay, Virgin Australia, Finnair, Qatar, American) had more space for my feet than the small cubby of SQ's new Business seat.
Thanks for the review - I read it before I took the same flight in Nov 2017 and it was very helpful (Iusually fly United). I used Book a Chef and had their lobster thermidor. The part where you have to flip the back cushion in order to make the bed fully flatten is the main downside of not only this 777-300ER, but I recall on their A350 as well. Sometimes you want to alternate...
Thanks for the review - I read it before I took the same flight in Nov 2017 and it was very helpful (Iusually fly United). I used Book a Chef and had their lobster thermidor. The part where you have to flip the back cushion in order to make the bed fully flatten is the main downside of not only this 777-300ER, but I recall on their A350 as well. Sometimes you want to alternate between sleep or watch a movie several times during a long (>10 hr) flight - it makes no sense asking flight attendants to do these repeatedly (I learned how to do it after watching it once, but older fliers will definitely need help). And the small left pocket for your feet is also a negative, making the traveler sleep diagonally as i sleep with my body straight. Yes, flight attendnts look so relaxed and certain/polished, it makes US airline flight attendants look like they are fresh out of training.
Oh, very detailed review of your experience with Singapore Airlines. I just take a look at the menu on board and OMG this is not unlike a 5 - star fine dining in the sky. I always wan to try it once in my life. Thanks for your post!
Hi Ben,
Yes , very detail trip report on SQ Biz Class. Service is always good in SQ. However the seat for bed mode, is it comfortable. I can't really figure out where to put my feet in those strange cubicle. After reading your review, i prefer Reverse Herringbone and Apex Suite. For that long hour of your flight, i prefer to have a good sleep, Ben.
Just flow J class on Sin to LHR on 777 300ER and the return on A380. Overall top marks as expected; meals were pre-ordered via book-the-chef while service was attentive not overwhelming. Though the seat has been updated (more appealing in the 777) the overall design is rather annoying as it takes a Hercules effort to change the seat to a flat-bed. One has to step out of the seat altogether to manually do it;...
Just flow J class on Sin to LHR on 777 300ER and the return on A380. Overall top marks as expected; meals were pre-ordered via book-the-chef while service was attentive not overwhelming. Though the seat has been updated (more appealing in the 777) the overall design is rather annoying as it takes a Hercules effort to change the seat to a flat-bed. One has to step out of the seat altogether to manually do it; almost like removing the sun-roof of a topless car decade ago by hand vs that of the modern version at the touch of a button! A serious challenge to those who only manages to sleep intermittently throughout the flights as you may have to do this a few times. And not to mention the off centre space to rest your feet. I heard a new design is coming and hope it will address this annoyance. Even the 777 300ER has a more modern look I prefer J seats, aged pretty well, of the A380. Perhaps the overall ambience (entire upper level for J) has something to do with it.
Unless you are in bulkhead in J, you cannot raise one of your legs because of the TV monitor which is on the other side of the cubby hole. So forget about comfortable reclining and leg rest because which is true only on one leg - the cubby side. Your other leg would bump into the underside of the TV cabin if you try to raise it. On this side the leg room is incredibly...
Unless you are in bulkhead in J, you cannot raise one of your legs because of the TV monitor which is on the other side of the cubby hole. So forget about comfortable reclining and leg rest because which is true only on one leg - the cubby side. Your other leg would bump into the underside of the TV cabin if you try to raise it. On this side the leg room is incredibly short. A truly horrible design! I will try to avoid these seats as much as I can, and the steamer cabin is simply awful.
Hey @lucky,
Dont know if someone has asked this already. Is there a way to know before booking your ticket if the plane you will get is the retrofitted plane w/ the new business product or if its the older product? Thanks!
You know why I sort of hate United's frequent flyer program? For some (stupid) reason, you can't use United miles to upgrade on Singapore Airline's A350, A380, or 777-300ER!!!
@lucky
Thank you sooooo much!!!
Hi Lucky,
In reference to your statement "The absolute best seats in this configuration are the bulkhead seats in either cabin."
I have a question, I will fly SQ J in a few months and want to select the seat. I notice in the Seatguru that the bulkhead seat on 777-300 are Row 11 and Row 15. My question is: Is the row 15 bulkhead (behind the lavatory) seats have same space like row 11 bulkhead seats?
Your answer and help really means a lot for me. Thank you so much.
@ confusedflyer -- It sure does! Enjoy the flight!
@lucky when are we going to see the Residence review?
I am curious, did you ask the flight attendants to lower the cabin heat?
I was told eons ago on a Delta trans-Atlantic (ex-Pan Am) flight that they purposely kept the cabin heat high to get people to sleep and not bother the crew. Sadly, 30 years later, that is still my experience. the hotter the cabin, the less I see anyone.
Thanks for your review.
"Singapore doesn’t use trays in business class, but rather everything is placed directly on your tablecloth."
Correction: Singapore Airlines do serve meals on a tray in business class for regional flights (example: Singapore to Beijing). I am of the firm belief that trays should be removed and meals properly placed on the table for all business class flights regardless of distance -- especially for a premium-priced airline like SIA.
Great report. Always fascinate me how on earth do SQ have a "bed" when the seats were so closely bunched up together.
I think "Book the Cook" is purely a way to get to know exactly how much of each mains they should pack onto the flight. We have all heard of passengers not being able to choose their preferred options... That was a nice and creative way to get round that problem. ;)
@ Jeremy.
Get a freaking life. If you don't like his articles, simple, don't read the bloody thing. Could you do better.
Lucky, Nice report. Thanks. It's good to see the HK-SFO Busincess class was up to standard. My mother flew Business Class on SIA nonstop between Singapore and SFO and she mentioned Book the Cook wasn't available on that flight and the food wasn't as good as those on Business Class plying Singapore and, say, the UK.
Well done for managing to take a screenshot the minute you were drifting off to sleep ;)
I hate warm cabins too, especially on night flights. Regardless of what part of the world you're from, it's a physiological fact that the human body needs a cooler temperature to sleep. At the very least they could provide individual air vents to give people an option to feel a bit cooler, yet i think SQ has...
Well done for managing to take a screenshot the minute you were drifting off to sleep ;)
I hate warm cabins too, especially on night flights. Regardless of what part of the world you're from, it's a physiological fact that the human body needs a cooler temperature to sleep. At the very least they could provide individual air vents to give people an option to feel a bit cooler, yet i think SQ has been removing them from planes as they retrofit. it's crazy. Do they also think air vents are not an amenity that people value??
Stunning
Gotta disagree about Singaporean preference for keeping the temperature warm. I live here and the aircon is consistently set at an uncomfortably (to me) cold 21-22C. So don't know what's going on with SQ but am flying the 777 next month so interested to see how bad I find it
The China Southern 77W is an upgraded version with newer seats and newer IFE you should try on business class
"They’ve stated that it’s an amenity that they don’t find that people value, and that it’s wasteful"
So a question to those frequent traveller. Do you like having those amenity kits or use them at all? I'm curious.
Both KrisWorld and Studio CX blow Emirates' ICE away. Emirates edits EVERYTHING making any movie selection worthless. I'll take SQ any day, in J or F, over EK.
the selection is KrisWorld is "exceptional", but half of the movies become unwatchable because the audio quality is just so bad, at least on the A330 I flew to Seoul and back.
Found the review to be accurate. I love flying Singapore Airlines. Bulkhead seats are the best. I actually appreciate the warmer cabin. They also have a gluten free menu available.
@Jeremy - Given that you don't like the way Lucky writes, I don't know why you read his blogs.
@ Robert - I find Lucky's reviews among the best I read so perhaps you need to read others before making such sweeping statements.
I've taken this same flight (SQ2) multiple times and will do so again in June.
I have always enjoyed flying SQ J.
I actually enjoy the J bulk head seat better than the FC seat. I think the J seat is cozier and I like being able to put my legs up on the side shelf. The FC seat is too far from the front shelf to put my feet on.
Fortunately I have had good luck with book the cook and the meals have been between average to great.
2 things:
1) I would say the second colour of the seats is not black but dark brown (which fits in much better)
2) you had no cook on board for a fresh prepared meal (much better than book the cook)? : http://www.so-war-mein-flug.de/index.php?item=bewertungausgabe&navi=20&fairline=41&fklasse=5&fairportvon=9005&fairportnach=5092&fbewertung=1070bc23ce4c2cac5eddf0449bb35bb7&fmember=0bca34bc2c13086aff412177f3e2d0fb ;-)
LG Peter
FYI I believe Asian carriers keep the cabin so warm due to a personal preference from the local flyers.
Remember, Singapore as a country is located pretty much exactly on the equator and the temperature there hovers around 32C year round and almost never drops below 26-27C even in the middle of the night.
As a result people who live here get used to a much higher temperature. Western style air conditioning of between 16C-21C...
FYI I believe Asian carriers keep the cabin so warm due to a personal preference from the local flyers.
Remember, Singapore as a country is located pretty much exactly on the equator and the temperature there hovers around 32C year round and almost never drops below 26-27C even in the middle of the night.
As a result people who live here get used to a much higher temperature. Western style air conditioning of between 16C-21C would be uncomfortably cold to the native Singaporean.
@Anthony: you won't find ANY self-respecting German in the World, who would call these white cylindrical things/abominations... "Wurst"! Disgusting
@Robert in my experience people who say "not trying to be annoying" are usually very annoying. This seems to run true in this case. Lucky should be able to write reviews in his style. His phrases are what make the article his. I do not understand what you and Jeremy are trying to prove here. Anyways...I am finding the US carriers hard products to be matching the offerings of foreign carriers more and more (I...
@Robert in my experience people who say "not trying to be annoying" are usually very annoying. This seems to run true in this case. Lucky should be able to write reviews in his style. His phrases are what make the article his. I do not understand what you and Jeremy are trying to prove here. Anyways...I am finding the US carriers hard products to be matching the offerings of foreign carriers more and more (I need my air vents). Obviously, the service will never be the same.
Don't take this as personal poke. When I am new to these blogs o cannot afford the fly my family three business or first class. Where can I find reviews on economy seats flying internationally. I know think all the same but I found depending on time of day and if you fly on thanksgiving evening to TLV direct from JFK the flight is 1/2 empty which is nice in the cattle section.
@Patrick
Well that's because he is talking about a "seat", "runway", and a "menu"!
I have to agree with @A. After flying in both J and F on Singapore, I can't deal with the sauna like conditions on the aircraft. I might as well be on Spirit air with no recline for 15 hours - I cant sleep. There is no amount of caviar or champaign that can make me feel better.
Having flown this new product before. The biggest complaint would be the bed. It wasn't very wide and was indeed very hard. Everything else was conveniently placed in the seat. Their supposed to be unveiling a new business product very soon.
Lucky - You use the word "seat", "runway" and "menu" a lot in your reviews....jeez man, switch it up once and a while ;)
Not trying to be annoying, but a quick piece of stylistic writing advice. You use "among the best xxx" a lot in this review. Might help your writing to vary the phraseology a bit so as to not be repetitive. Otherwise, great review.
We've been on the SQ A380 twice, and will be again this coming Summer. Which we enjoyed much more than even LH FC, not to mention JAL FC, so we are quite spoiled. ;)
As once a year leisure travelers I think the only way we would ever want to go long haul SQ J would be if we could be assured of getting those bulk head seats. If we book award tix with SQ...
We've been on the SQ A380 twice, and will be again this coming Summer. Which we enjoyed much more than even LH FC, not to mention JAL FC, so we are quite spoiled. ;)
As once a year leisure travelers I think the only way we would ever want to go long haul SQ J would be if we could be assured of getting those bulk head seats. If we book award tix with SQ miles (thru cc points transfers, so no SQ status at all) at the start of booking, is getting them automatic? Or do they reserve those for people with status, or else keep them open until they find out if they need them for "bassinet" passengers?
Since I don't currently have enough miles in my SQ account to book a flight, they will not let me do a dummy booking to find out. :(
You said SQ flight attendants were great compared to UA, but how did the load factor compare? Seems like you SQ flight was only half full in C so the crew had plenty of time to spare.
I've done this flight twice and your experience fits both of mine to a T. Huge seat and bed but the bed is hard. Meal service was fantastic except for the lackluster main dish.
Re champagne -- they don't serve the same thing across all business class. Did SYD-SIN-HKG-SFO in business class in August 2016 and what they were serving on SYD-SIN on the A380 was different and much nicer than the 777 to SFO.
I really loved the muesli Singapore served while I was in Suites last year. However, the one Lucky had doesn't look like the one I had. Is it different between the two classes?
@Jack, my wife who is malaysian always complains that European carriers keep the cabin too cold :)
And, knowing Malaysians and Singaporeans in Europe, they do tend to like keeping the house very warm...
I'v flown Singapore only twice and find the service to be top notch. But for a long flight with
1- warm cabin
2- hassle to turn from recline to full flat bed
3- hard bed, and
4- awkward foot cubby
That's a deal killer for me.
I actually thought they did a horrible job with the new seats as I always sleep better in the old ones. I think the cubby in the old ones are more spacious than the new seats.
Lucky, a little off topic from this post, but i was wondering if you could clarify something. Last summer my mom flew JFK-NRT round trip on cathay. On the leg back HKG-JFK we were upgraded from premium economy to business. We have no one world status nor cathay status. Do you have any idea how this happened?
I flew that same flight in F once. Woke up sweating since it was so warm. I don't know why Asian carriers keep the cabin so warm.
I can't believe they got rid of the chicken satay appetizer. That was seriously the best part of flying SQ!
You flew the same plane from LAX-SIN in business. It was kind of difficult to lay the bed down.
@Susan
Yes the seats and leg rests recline to a very comfortable position. I've tried these new BC seats twice and for some reason have never turned the bed down but rather used the recline mode for a 7.5 hour flight.
@Lucky
the bulk head seats feature some really awesome real estate but as I've mentioned before they are bassinet seats too so woe to you if you end up sitting next to...
@Susan
Yes the seats and leg rests recline to a very comfortable position. I've tried these new BC seats twice and for some reason have never turned the bed down but rather used the recline mode for a 7.5 hour flight.
@Lucky
the bulk head seats feature some really awesome real estate but as I've mentioned before they are bassinet seats too so woe to you if you end up sitting next to an infant. My girl was an angel the last flight so I didn't get dirty looks from the other pax!
How can you be German and not be a fan of sausage?
@Randy - you basically have to sleep diagonally or on your side with your feet curled up into the cubby hole. It's one of the biggest flaws about the seat honestly.
SQ also designs their premium cabin seats from scratch from what I understand -rather than buying "off the shelf"- so that they have a unique and one of a kind product in the market. The downside with doing this is that they can...
@Randy - you basically have to sleep diagonally or on your side with your feet curled up into the cubby hole. It's one of the biggest flaws about the seat honestly.
SQ also designs their premium cabin seats from scratch from what I understand -rather than buying "off the shelf"- so that they have a unique and one of a kind product in the market. The downside with doing this is that they can potentially overlook major design flaws that an off the shelf solution would have sorted out in the production phase. SQ has had this issue before with the dreaded "Spacebed" from years back which had some major flaws that they had to make retrofits to after launching (anyone remember the drink rest that was in the arm that you had to open to get the tray out? Yeah - drinks everywhere all over the place.)
While SQ is a great airline on many different levels, they also have a reputation for being a bit aloof and snobbish at the corporate level and suffer from lots of groupthink at the middle management level. At least that's what I've heard.
@AdamH - if you tell the flight attendants on SQ that it's too warm, they'll typically turn the temp down from their control screen in the galley. Most airlines will do it I have found, with the exception of TK and KE crews.
@Lucky - The bulkhead is where it is at for sure, the rest of the seats are essentially reverse herringbone seats masquerading as forward facing seats!
Not real clear but do you have to angle your body to sleep flat with feet in the compartment to the side of the seat back in front? Seats do not appear to be staggered.
It is ridiculous that people criticize you for a perceived lack of variety in transition phrases. Give me a freaking break!
Just completed Business Class flight [SQ12 NRT-LAX] on the 773 with PE. I found the legroom restrictive [I'm 6' 0"] while in the seated position. AA's legroom and seat comfort on their 773 is far superior.
Jeremy = Credit
Great review, thanks! So does CX business on the 77W trump SQ?
The "book the cook" was a disappointment, once I ordered sea bass for my daughter and soy tenderloin for myself, the seabass way overcooked and dried out, my tenderloin was so tough and dry too, I didn't eat it after few bites, I even cut it up to eat from the inside out but still it's bad! Terribly disappointment!
@Ben - Please give your expert opinion: I have made 2 reservations to return home (MIA) from a trip with my wife and have not yet decided which one I will actually keep:
1st reservation Singapore Airlines All flights Business Class - 136,000 Krisflyer miles + $690.00
HAN/SIN/LAX (We have bulkhead seats on all flights). We will need to pirchase out flight LAX/MIA
2nd reservation Japan Airlines Business/First Class - 220,000 AA...
@Ben - Please give your expert opinion: I have made 2 reservations to return home (MIA) from a trip with my wife and have not yet decided which one I will actually keep:
1st reservation Singapore Airlines All flights Business Class - 136,000 Krisflyer miles + $690.00
HAN/SIN/LAX (We have bulkhead seats on all flights). We will need to pirchase out flight LAX/MIA
2nd reservation Japan Airlines Business/First Class - 220,000 AA miles + $126.00
HAN/NRT/ORD/MIA (Business HAN/NRT, 1st NRT/ORD, 1st ORD/MIA.
Which one would you take, the Singapore with very low miles or the Japan with more miles but flying first class ???
Hot cabins are the worst.
Are the bulkhead seat the ones to snag on the A380?
@ Lucky - No, they didn't retrofit them with the older OnAir system. Only the later batch of 7 77WNs delivered from 2012 (as it's referred to in SQ) were delivered with the Panasonic WiFi system. The initial batch of 777-300ERs delivered from 2006 onwards that became retrofitted 77WRs were delivered with OnAir and they left it as is even though they went through cabin refitting with the new 2012 products.
@ Susan - The...
@ Lucky - No, they didn't retrofit them with the older OnAir system. Only the later batch of 7 77WNs delivered from 2012 (as it's referred to in SQ) were delivered with the Panasonic WiFi system. The initial batch of 777-300ERs delivered from 2006 onwards that became retrofitted 77WRs were delivered with OnAir and they left it as is even though they went through cabin refitting with the new 2012 products.
@ Susan - The seat does recline to a limited extent - the new seat featuring the lazy-Z position. Pretty much like a day couch that reclines to about 45 degrees for lounging and as you said, watching TV. Anything more, you only have the option of flipping it over to become a full flat surface.
Hi. I'm just curious as to why you prefer sitting at the back, or towards the rear, of the business cabin. On Etihad, I know that they take meal orders starting from the rear of the business cabin.
Ben:
You indicated that the seat didn't recline into a bed. Does it recline at all (for example, to watch TV if you weren't ready for bed)?
You used the phrase "given that" 7 times in this article. I've seen you use it excessively, to the point that I always know it's your article vs your other writers when I start seeing it pop up. Please vary your writing a little more. I see "given that" and "but rather" so often, I'm beginning to think you've never learned another transition phrase.
Singapore's reconfigured 777-300ERs with premium economy (well, 9V-SWM, which I flew) has OnAir data-based WiFi, same as their A380s.
@ Alvin -- What the heck?! So they took a step backwards with wifi with their newest planes?