- Introduction: A Downgraded Adventure To Oman
- Review: Turkish Airlines Lounge Miami Airport (MIA)
- Review: Air Canada Business Class Airbus A220 (MIA-YUL)
- Review: Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge Montreal Airport (YUL)
- Review: Air France Lounge Montreal Airport (YUL)
- Review: SWISS Business Class Airbus A330 (YUL-ZRH)
- Review: SWISS Arrivals Lounge Zurich Airport (ZRH)
- Review: SWISS Business Lounge Zurich Airport (ZRH)
- Review: SWISS Helvetic Business Class Embraer E190-E2 (ZRH-MXP)
- Review: Oman Air Business Class Boeing 787 (MXP-MCT)
- Review: Oman Air Business Lounge Muscat Airport (MCT)
- Review: Oman Air First Lounge Muscat Airport (MCT)
- Review: Oman Air Business Class Airbus A330 (MCT-FRA)
- Review: Hilton Garden Inn Frankfurt Airport (FRA)
- Review: Singapore Airlines Business Class Boeing 777 (FRA-JFK)
For the last segment of my downgraded adventure to Oman, I flew Singapore Airlines’ Boeing 777-300ER business class on the eight hour fifth freedom flight from Frankfurt to New York.
Suffice it to say that the trip ended on a high note — Singapore Airlines is one of my favorite airline brands, and the carrier has one of my favorite business class products.
While I’m not a huge fan of Singapore Airlines’ business class seats, everything else about the experience is exceptional, from the kind and attentive service, to the endless entertainment and free Wi-Fi, to the delicious meals, to the constantly refreshed bathrooms.
Flying Singapore Airlines is always a pleasure, but it’s especially nice between Frankfurt and New York, when you consider the alternatives. Let’s get into the review.
In this post:
How I booked my Singapore Airlines business class ticket
I booked my Singapore Airlines business class ticket using Air Canada Aeroplan points. Specifically, I booked the following award in business class for 60,000 Air Canada Aeroplan points plus $184.30 in taxes and fees:
1/14 SQ26 Frankfurt to New York departing 8:20AM arriving 11:15AM
Aeroplan points are easy to come by, as the program is transfer partners with Amex Membership Rewards, Capital One, and Chase Ultimate Rewards. On top of that, there’s the Aeroplan® Credit Card (review) in the United States, which is quite rewarding.
Singapore Airlines business class lounge & boarding
Singapore Airlines sends its business class passengers to the Lufthansa Business Lounge Frankfurt, which I’ve reviewed in the past. If you’re looking for a fun alternative, the Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge Frankfurt is also conveniently located, and is accessible with a business class ticket, in line with Star Alliance lounge access policies.
Both lounges are pleasant, especially given the early morning departure of the Singapore Airlines flight, as it’s before the peak bank of flights.
Boarding for the 8:20AM flight to New York was scheduled to start 35 minutes before departure, at 7:45AM. However, the inbound flight from Singapore was delayed by around 40 minutes, so boarding ended up only starting at 8:10AM.
Singapore Airlines 777 business class cabin & seats
Singapore Airlines’ Boeing 777-300ERs feature a total of 48 business class seats. These seats are in a 1-2-1 configuration, and are spread across two cabins. The main cabin is behind the second set of doors, and consists of 36 seats, spread across nine rows.
Then there’s also the forward cabin, located in front of the second set of doors, which consists of 12 seats, spread across three rows. This is located immediately behind the first class cabin, which consists of just one row (and which I recently reviewed).
Singapore Airlines’ business class seats are the same in each row (except the bulkheads), with seats that are forward facing. However, when you want to turn the seat into a bed, you have to “flip” the seat over, and sleep at an angle, as the footwell is to the side of the seat. Below is a look at seat 12A, a standard seat in the second row of the cabin.
However, the best seats in this configuration are the bulkhead seats (in rows 11 and 15), since they don’t have a footwell, but rather offer a massive amount of space. See my guide to these seats, and how to reserve them, as this extra space can make a big difference.
I assigned myself seat 11A, the window seat on the left side in the first row of business class. This is an unbelievably good seat, thanks to the amount of personal space, and also thanks to there being no foot traffic here, as food is served from the galley behind the mini-cabin.
The actual seats (not including the ottomans) in this row are identical to the seats in every other row.
To the side of the seat is an exposed storage compartment, as well as a reading light, AC and USB-A power outlets, and a headphone jack.
To the left of the seat is an entertainment controller, as well as a deep storage compartment, where you could place a pair of headphones.
The tray table folds out from immediately in front of the storage compartment, and it’s quite easy to use. What’s great about the tray table is how easily it can be moved around, as you can move it side to side, and can even move it up and down.
All the seat controls are on a panel to the side of the seat, and are easy to use. Furthermore, they’re well placed, as they’re easy to access, but you won’t hit them by mistake.
What makes these bulkhead seats so special is the huge amount of space you have your feet, as there’s no small footwell you have to squeeze your feet into. This is awesome when you’re sleeping (since you don’t have to angle your body), and it’s also useful when you’re awake, since you essentially have an ottoman on which you can rest your feet.
One downside to this seat is that the entertainment monitor is a bit further from you (given the extra space you have), so it might not appear to be as big.
To the side of the entertainment monitor is a vanity, with a little panel that you can open or close.
Due to the huge width of the seat, there’s a large pillow that’s always at the seat, which makes a great armrest, if nothing else.
The overhead consoles contain reading lights, though don’t have individual air nozzles.
Singapore Airlines business class amenities
Waiting at each seat upon boarding was a pair of noise canceling headphones, which aren’t amazing, but do the trick.
The (very thick) menu was also waiting at each seat, in the literature pocket.
On top of that, there was a bottle of water at every seat.
Within a minute of settling in, one of the lovely flight attendants was by my seat to welcome me aboard by name, inform me of the flight time, and to give me the amenities for the flight. These amenities included an amenity kit with select products from Penhaligon’s, including hand lotion, lip balm, and facial mist.
Then I was also given slippers, eyeshades, and earplugs.
A little later into the boarding process, pre-departure drinks were served, with the choice of orange juice, apple juice, or tomato juice, and those were offered with warm towels.
Singapore Airlines 777 business class entertainment & Wi-Fi
A real highlight of the Singapore Airlines business class experience is the entertainment selection. For one, Singapore Airlines offers unlimited complimentary Wi-Fi to business class passengers.
To log into the free Wi-Fi, you just need to enter your email address, last name, and seat number. I found the speeds to be good, and you could even use Wi-Fi on multiple devices at the same time, which is generous. Singapore Airlines is the first major, global airline to offer free Wi-Fi throughout its Wi-Fi enabled fleet, and the airline should be commended for that.
For what it’s worth, a paid Wi-Fi plan costs anywhere from $3.99-15.99 for the entire flight without data caps. However, very few people should be paying for Wi-Fi, as even KrisFlyer members in economy get free Wi-Fi.
When it comes to seat back entertainment, Singapore Airlines has its KrisWorld entertainment system, which I consider to be among the best inflight entertainment of any airline. The entertainment selection is massive, with a huge variety of movies, TV shows, live TV, music, games, and more.
There’s endless entertainment, and in particular, I appreciate how there are entire seasons of TV shows, making it easy to binge watch.
Of course the system also has a map feature, which is usually my inflight entertainment of choice.
Singapore Airlines 777 departure from Frankfurt
Boarding was quite efficient, and wrapped up by 8:30AM, 20 minutes after it started. Business class was about two-thirds full, as there were 16 open seats in the cabin.
I love Singapore Airlines’ boarding music, so enjoyed listening to that throughout the boarding process. It’s so calming.
Once the door closed, the captain made his welcome aboard announcement, informing us of our flight time of 7hr55min, and and our initial cruising altitude of 32,000 feet. Some bags were still being loaded, so we ended up pushing back around 8:45AM.
At that point the safety video was screened.
We started our taxi at 8:50AM, and had a short five minute journey to our departure runway, which was 25C.
While holding short of the runway, the captain announced that the first officer had to go into the cabin to make sure there was no ice on the wing. Everything looked good, and a couple of minutes later we were cleared for takeoff.
It was a smooth climb out, and just five minutes after takeoff the seatbelt sign was turned off.
Once the seatbelt sign was turned off, the crew sprung into action, starting with closing the curtains between cabins. It was interesting to be on this side of the curtain. 😉
Singapore Airlines business class lunch service
On this Singapore Airlines business class flight, lunch was served after takeoff. I tend to think one sign of good service in a premium cabin is how quickly you get your first drink. After all, people tend to be more patient and have a better perception of service if they feel like they’re not waiting for too long.
I was amazed when just 10 minutes after takeoff, the crew came through the cabin with glasses of champagne, prior to actually starting the main drink service. I don’t think I’ve ever had a drink within 10 minutes of takeoff in business class, so huge kudos to Singapore Airlines.
It also wasn’t just any champagne, but it was Piper-Heidsieck Brut Vintage 2014, which was lovely. This was a limited time offering, and now the airline is back to serving the non-vintage version of this.
Below you can find the lunch menu for this flight, as well as the (extensive) drink list. Keep in mind that Singapore Airlines offers Book the Cook, where you can preorder your meal from a larger selection. However, I elected not to use that on this flight.
The quick pace of service continued, as 25 minutes after takeoff I was served Singapore Airlines’ signature chicken satay dish, with onions, cucumbers, and spicy peanut sauce. Yum, yum, yum. It had just occurred to me that this was the first time in many years that I’ve been served satay on Singapore Airlines, so it was a real treat to enjoy this again, especially out of Frankfurt.
About an hour after takeoff, the appetizer was served. This consisted of sautéed prawns and quinoa salad with asparagus and lemon creme fraiche. I was also offered a selection of bread, and of course chose Singapore Airlines’ sinfully delicious garlic bread.
Once the appetizers were cleared, it was time for main courses. I ordered the Gai Pad King, which was a Thai style stir-fried chicken with ginger, vegetables, and steamed rice. While perhaps not the fanciest premium cabin meal ever, the dish was well executed, and I was happy with my choice.
About 90 minutes after takeoff, I was served dessert, with the choice of coconut ice cream, strawberry shortcake, or both. I went with both.
I was also asked if I wanted any coffee, so I asked for a cappuccino, which appeared within a few minutes.
This was an excellent meal. Not only was the food quality very good, but the service pace and level of attentiveness was perfect. Singapore Airlines crews have this amazing ability to consistently anticipate needs, in a way that no other airline does. It’s almost impossible to ask for anything in Singapore Airlines business class, because the crew won’t even let it get to that point.
Singapore Airlines 777 business class lavatories
After the meal, I checked out the lavatories in Singapore Airlines’ 777 business class. There are three lavatories by the galley at the second set of doors, with two lavatories being on the left side, and one being on the right side.
The lavatories were pretty standard, though there were a few cool features.
For one, there were some toiletries from Penhaligon’s, just as you’ll find in the amenity kits.
Furthermore, rather than just having paper towels, the lavatory also had proper cloth towels, which was a nice feature.
Lastly, the lavatory was spotless throughout the flight. I think this is such an underrated point of differentiation between airlines. On some carriers, you go into a business class lavatory at the end of the flight, and it looks like a war zone. On other airlines, it looks as clean upon landing as it does when you departed.
Singapore Airlines 777 business class bed
Singapore Airlines’ 777 business class bed is a bit controversial among passengers, and many aren’t a fan of it. You can’t recline your seat into a bed, but instead you have to flip the seat over. The crew is more than happy to help with this, and to provide a nice turndown service.
The bulkhead seats offer the most comfortable beds, thanks to the spacious sleeping surface, where you don’t have to angle your feet to the side.
I love Singapore Airlines’ bedding, and I appreciate how there are two pillows, a thick blanket, and a mattress pad.
However, the catch is that the sleeping surface is really hard, and I know that’s a point of frustration that many people have with this product. I hope that this is something that Singapore Airlines addresses when it (eventually) introduces its new business class seat.
I know some people also don’t like how there’s not much middle ground between being fully reclined and sitting up. However, I find that you can get pretty comfortable lounging in bed mode, by simply propping up the pillows behind your back. This is similar to Finnair’s no recline business class seat.
I ended up napping for around two hours after lunch, and woke up at roughly the halfway point of the flight. What’s amazing about Singapore Airlines is that within a minute of waking up, before I was even able to sit up, a crew member was by my seat to ask if she could get me something. I ordered a coffee, which was promptly served.
Singapore Airlines business class pre-landing snack
About 90 minutes before landing, a refreshment service was performed, and you can find the menu below.
There were two choices, and I selected the fried rice vermicelli with marinated chicken, with Chinese mushrooms and leafy greens. This was served with water, coffee, and tea, though other drinks were also available upon request. This was a tasty dish, though not the most substantial meal service ever, given that it was only a single main course, with no starter or dessert.
Singapore Airlines business class service
The single greatest thing about flying with Singapore Airlines is the service. Singapore Airlines flight attendants are in a league of their own when it comes to how attentive, professional, poised, and confident they are. Service on Singapore Airlines feels more like a performance than anything else.
The service on this flight was exceptional. From never having to ask for a drink refill, to the lavatories being spotless, to the crew addressing each passenger by name, I have nothing but good things to say about the service.
Singapore Airlines 777 arrival in New York
At 10:15AM New York time, the first officer announced that we’d be descending soon, and would be landing at around 11AM local time. He warned that it was gusty in New York, and there would be some turbulence on approach.
Sure enough, we began our descent at around 10:30AM, and then 10 minutes after that, the seatbelt sign was turned on, and the crew was told to prepare the cabin for landing.
The first officer wasn’t lying — it was a very bumpy approach, though despite that, we had a perfectly smooth touchdown at 11AM.
We then taxied toward our gate at Terminal 4. Unfortunately there was heavy congestion on the apron, and on top of that, our gate was still occupied by an Emirates A380. So we ended up having to wait for around 20 minutes, until our gate opened up. The pilots did a great job keeping us updated, and made no fewer than three announcements during that period.
We pulled into our arrival gate at 11:30AM, and parked next to an EL AL 787.
Bottom line
I had an amazing flight in Singapore Airlines’ Boeing 777 business class, and it was especially a treat that this was a fifth freedom flight. What I love most about Singapore Airlines is the flawless service, the extensive entertainment, the free Wi-Fi, and the spotless bathrooms. The food and amenities are also very good, and the seats are certainly large. If you can get a bulkhead seat, you’ll have an even better experience.
The only downside to this product is that the bed is on the hard side, but on balance, this is an incredible product. There’s not an airline that impresses me as consistently as Singapore Airlines. Consistency is important, and that’s an area where Singapore Airlines shines.
What’s your take on Singapore Airlines 777 business class?
Alerts for SQ awards are not available on ExpertFlyer.
Is there any other website to see SQ awards availability?
(ok I could check on SQ site every day but...)
Thanks for the detailed trip report. I'm flying this exact flight in April via the same Aeroplan redemption and it helped knowing what to expect.
I just flew SIN-LAX and remembered how much I enjoyed this product. The service is attentive as you say, that you never have to ask for anything. The food is excellent and I actually like the bed - between the pillows and movable tray table, you can do nearly everything comfortably in the bed position, which isn't the case for most airlines. I like that it's more like a wide pallet - much better than something narrow!
Thanks for the review. For me and my wife Singapore Airlines is the preferred airline, and whenever we travel from Europe to SIN and further, it is an obvious choice. About the service, though, it is not as consistent as one would want. I recently flew four segments with SQ and in two flights they struggled a bit with the service -- too many inexperienced crew members in the cabin at the time, at least...
Thanks for the review. For me and my wife Singapore Airlines is the preferred airline, and whenever we travel from Europe to SIN and further, it is an obvious choice. About the service, though, it is not as consistent as one would want. I recently flew four segments with SQ and in two flights they struggled a bit with the service -- too many inexperienced crew members in the cabin at the time, at least this was the impression. The "trainees" seemed nervous, unrelaxed, some food and drinks were also dropped/spilled... The supervisor then intervened, yes, but all seemed a bit weird.
I did not know about the bulkheads seats, so have to check that out. :-)
@Justin Devonish
The SQ lounge situation at JFK is a disaster. SQ cheaped out even more , their biz pax are now invited to Primeclass Lounge which is a step or two down from Air India one.
Why does everyone mention for the SQ seats that you’re sleeping at an angle? You sleep exactly the same in any reverse herringbone configuration but no one finds that worth mentioning?
I think the main issue is at least with reverse herringbone seats, your still look forward at the TV screen whether seated or laying down. With the SQ you have to watch the TV screen at an angle when it is in bed mode. And yes, you might say who cares, bed mode is for sleeping, but there are people who enjoying watching TV shows or a movie before going to sleep while the seat is in bed mode. That's my take, anyway.
uh, no. In any other seat, you maintain the same angle vs. the seat (basically parallel) whether in seating or sleeping configuration. However, in SQ's seat, you are parallel to the seat while seated, but have to rotate yourself when in sleeping mode (the seat extends when lowered, but your legs go in a different direction towards the ottoman). This creates a very uncomfortable (at least for me) sleeping position, and it's very easy to bump your knees as well.
Hey, so do the bulkhead seats offer more room?
Ben -
Time for you to reflect.... my downgraded trip report.... we get it, you got downgraded, you have mentioned it on each and every trip report in the series ... get over it
It was interesting to be on this side of the curtain. ... oh brother
Do you ever reflect on how you come off a boyish, elitist, self entitled with these comments ??
A little bit of humility and you would probably get more viewers, many I have spoken to just can't stand your pompousness ....
borish
Perhaps you should read a different travel blog! I think Ben comes off much less pompous than most.
I actually think Ben is the most humble travel blogger out there. Always careful in what he writes and also fair in just outlining the bad things without neglecting to talk about the good ones. Look how he gives Oman Air a gleaming review even if they messed up one of his flights.
Flew on an SQ A380 J recently, SIN-MEL (as part of a 60k Aeroplan redemption ICN-SIN-MEL on OZ+SQ in J). While OZ was actually quite good, I didn't find SQ to be quite as good in terms of friendliness - the crew seemed cold and detached, and was never addressed by name. I had to ask for the Penhaligon's amenity kit, it wasn't proactively offered. I managed to snag a bulkhead seat and actually slept...
Flew on an SQ A380 J recently, SIN-MEL (as part of a 60k Aeroplan redemption ICN-SIN-MEL on OZ+SQ in J). While OZ was actually quite good, I didn't find SQ to be quite as good in terms of friendliness - the crew seemed cold and detached, and was never addressed by name. I had to ask for the Penhaligon's amenity kit, it wasn't proactively offered. I managed to snag a bulkhead seat and actually slept quite well - but then that's because I probably like hard beds.
I actually found the service flow somewhat slow. Takeoff was well past midnight (0052), and the meal service only started at 0145, nearly an hour later). At least it didn't take long to finish the meal, and everything was cleared by 0210.
Surprisingly for a sleeper service/night flight, I was offered breakfast immediately upon waking up (this despite having eaten dinner - lobster thermidor - on board prior to sleeping). Gotta love how fast they notice things, turned it down though.
I’ve taken dozens of SQ J flights including this route and never been proactively offered the amenity kit! You must be special Official policy is its on request only, as far as I know.
The bulkhead centre 2 seats have slightly more length. The bulkhead seats are the only seats that have any semblance of comfort. The SQ non bulkhead seats are a disaster. The foot cubby is not even suitable as a Chihuahua kennel. Pretty much every reviewer of SQ business somehow magically snags a bulkhead seat. Wonder why. And don't get me started on the stupid flip of the seat to make a bed.
Did you get downgraded by any chance?
How come you did not mention , as champagne lover as you are , that champagne is not offered as pre departure drink out of Frankfurt and out of New York ???
I can’t beleibe you have not notice that
I flew this exact SQ route in business class in early December 2023. SQ's business class has lost its luster. That curry dish for the main only had two very small pieces of chicken -quite a disappointment.
The seat: well only the crew knew how to turn it into a bed. SQ really need to get rid of it. The crew were attentive and friendly. The IFE was fine. Overall, they were just two...
I flew this exact SQ route in business class in early December 2023. SQ's business class has lost its luster. That curry dish for the main only had two very small pieces of chicken -quite a disappointment.
The seat: well only the crew knew how to turn it into a bed. SQ really need to get rid of it. The crew were attentive and friendly. The IFE was fine. Overall, they were just two average flights. Nothing memorable about them. Oh, and that Air India lounge at JFK adds to the averageness to poor experience of the entire trip.
Good review. Thanks
Agreed their lie flat bed is somewhat hard. Not sure if it affects me getting a deep sleep as I never sleep well on planes. I do arrive rested everytime with sq J though.
Those bulkhead seats are hard to get as they always seem to be blocked off for families or else the crew use them for breaks.
What I do like about flying SQ J is the Silver...
Good review. Thanks
Agreed their lie flat bed is somewhat hard. Not sure if it affects me getting a deep sleep as I never sleep well on planes. I do arrive rested everytime with sq J though.
Those bulkhead seats are hard to get as they always seem to be blocked off for families or else the crew use them for breaks.
What I do like about flying SQ J is the Silver Kris lounge at Changi. That lounge is streets ahead of any other lounge I’ve experienced, especially the food which is authentic dim sum.
I do concur with you that SQ are the best at keeping their toilets clean! Wish other airlines would be like that too…
Tinned corn in the Gai Pad King - I didn't expect to see that.
How do you know its tinned corn? Certainly here we can purchase mini corn, and the taste and texture is much betterr than the canned variety.
Because it tasted "tinny" ?
"This was a tasty dish, though not the most substantial meal service ever, given that it was only a single main course, with no starter or dessert."
Other airlines (like Lufthansa and United) do serve more food on this route...quality versus quantity, I guess? Though it would be nice if they at least offered a choice of dishes at least.
I don't think that many airlines between Europe and NYC serve proper second meal as it is relatively shirt flight. BA will offer finger sandwitches or so. I found SQ food offer excellent. And don't forget you can "book the cook" which offers endless options. Quite unique service.
I never said anyone offers a proper second meal on this route.
Say what you will, but Lufthansa does offer a dessert and bread along with the second meal entree, and a choice of entrees for that meal as well. United will throw in a packed dessert and side salad of sorts with that second meal as well as well as a choice of entrees. BA also gives you bread on that route as...
I never said anyone offers a proper second meal on this route.
Say what you will, but Lufthansa does offer a dessert and bread along with the second meal entree, and a choice of entrees for that meal as well. United will throw in a packed dessert and side salad of sorts with that second meal as well as well as a choice of entrees. BA also gives you bread on that route as well in the second meal.
Again, nothing to do with the quality of the food, just that other airlines will give you more quantity on that route and routes of similar length.
Also, you can only Book the Cook on this trip to replace the entree for your first meal.
I flew this just a couple days later, got out of FRA by the skin of my teeth before the snowstorm. First time flying J on SQ, some thoughts:
- Also selected 11A, which I was very surprised to find available the morning of the flight; J cabin didn't go out full but probably 75% full
- Didn't receive an amenity kit, which doesn't bother me as I never use them, but interesting...
I flew this just a couple days later, got out of FRA by the skin of my teeth before the snowstorm. First time flying J on SQ, some thoughts:
- Also selected 11A, which I was very surprised to find available the morning of the flight; J cabin didn't go out full but probably 75% full
- Didn't receive an amenity kit, which doesn't bother me as I never use them, but interesting to see they forgot that
- Ordered the exact same food, excellent across the board
- I found the seat itself to be very comfortable; didn't use it as a bed though; with the available recline, I was perfectly happy to do work or just sit with a scotch on the rocks and listen to music for a few hours
- Maybe this is just because I'm left-handed and thus have a tendency to lean left as I write or read, but whenever I would shift in my seat, I would trigger the release for the tray table, which got pretty annoying but this is small potatoes of course, in the grand scheme
- Service was friendly and professional but I wouldn't say warm... At least not to the degree I am used to on CX or NH
Overall, this would be my new preferred way to get back from Europe to NYC. I was thinking a few days later about the flight and how I felt about it. I recalled that toward the beginning of our descent into JFK, a flight attendant came up to me and commented her surprise that I hadn't slept at all the entire flight. I told her I was just super comfy and in the zone, so time had flown by. There's a saying that luxury is supposed to feel a bit like magic, and this flight was exactly that. For an eight-hour+ flight TATL, it went by like nothing. Good times.
Great detail, I think you give more weight to soft product than your readers. It’s an incredibly hard seat, hardest I’ve ever had on a lie flat.
And if you gave to sleep at an angle cause you don’t have a bulkhead, your back will be hurting for the first 3 days of the trip. SQ totally screwed up their hard product. While you mention it, it’s sort of buried. It should be the...
Great detail, I think you give more weight to soft product than your readers. It’s an incredibly hard seat, hardest I’ve ever had on a lie flat.
And if you gave to sleep at an angle cause you don’t have a bulkhead, your back will be hurting for the first 3 days of the trip. SQ totally screwed up their hard product. While you mention it, it’s sort of buried. It should be the first thing emphasized.
Normally I love your trip reports but I think you missed the overall mark on this.
@ Beachfan -- Interesting take. Though I'm a bit confused, why would sleeping at an angle cause your back to hurt? It's no different than any other modern business class seat in that regard. The only angle you're sleeping at is in comparison to the fuselage, just as you do in a reverse herringbone seat.
Yes, the seat is a bit hard, but I'd take this any day over the seats on Austrian, Lufthansa, SWISS, etc.
I Agree. Except for the bulkhead seat these have to be some of the worst seats in the world. A superior seat exceeds soft product any day for me. With the expected exclusions ie short flights, day time flights. When it comes to a flight I expect to sleep on then the only thing that matters is sleeping and this seat fails
Ridden that seat many times, and while it's certainly not the softest product out there, it's by no means as hard as what you'll find on most Western carriers.
Biggest gripe is that you have to stand out of it, just as you're feeling sleepy, to turn down. Really wish that wasn't the case.
As for the "back hurting for 3 days" bit.... either you're ridiculously over-exaggerating, or you've got an atypical sensitivity that you...
Ridden that seat many times, and while it's certainly not the softest product out there, it's by no means as hard as what you'll find on most Western carriers.
Biggest gripe is that you have to stand out of it, just as you're feeling sleepy, to turn down. Really wish that wasn't the case.
As for the "back hurting for 3 days" bit.... either you're ridiculously over-exaggerating, or you've got an atypical sensitivity that you may wish to see a doctor about. Because that's just not a thing, for this seat.
I don't mind SQ's hard but very wide seats, as I have made it my practice for the past 6 years to always travel with a thin but comfortable Thermarest self-inflating hiking mattress. Largely because I have found most airline seats uncomfortable either due to hardness, or ridges in the mechanism that poke in when laying sideways. So once the mattress is inflated enough, and the bedding is in place, I always have a good rest.
Totally agree with you. I was extremely disappointed by SQ's J seat (A380, SIN-MEL, no bulkhead). The angle really makes you only sleep at a single position, and I kept bumping my knees when shifting around. Worse sleep I ever had in a lie-flat, it's not even close. No amount of food/service can make up for a bad seat, in my eyes.
"a Thai style stir-friend chicken" :)))
@ X-CCCP -- Whoops, fixed, thanks!
The meal choices do not seem to be matched well to the departure time. Given the early morning departure I would prefer a breakfast after takeoff and the second, more substantial meal as lunch closer to the late morning arrival time in JFK.
@ InternationalTraveler -- Interesting you raise that point. I think the reason lunch is served is because some passengers are arriving from Singapore, so that way the airline doesn't have two breakfast services in a row.
However, back in the day I believe Singapore Airlines did serve breakfast after takeoff, and at the time there was no satay in business class or caviar in first class. Personally I'm really happy to see that change, since...
@ InternationalTraveler -- Interesting you raise that point. I think the reason lunch is served is because some passengers are arriving from Singapore, so that way the airline doesn't have two breakfast services in a row.
However, back in the day I believe Singapore Airlines did serve breakfast after takeoff, and at the time there was no satay in business class or caviar in first class. Personally I'm really happy to see that change, since airline breakfast is rarely anything to get excited about.
I find it fascinating that all aviation-bloggers dislike this seat, while the gen pop seems to like it. I kind of disagree with the whole "sleeping at an angle" idea. Are you sleeping diagonal relative to the seat's direction? Yes. But are your body lying in a straight line diagonally relative to the seat's direction? Yes.
And also, how is the bed any different than Finnair's? If I remember correctly, you gave that 4 stars...
I find it fascinating that all aviation-bloggers dislike this seat, while the gen pop seems to like it. I kind of disagree with the whole "sleeping at an angle" idea. Are you sleeping diagonal relative to the seat's direction? Yes. But are your body lying in a straight line diagonally relative to the seat's direction? Yes.
And also, how is the bed any different than Finnair's? If I remember correctly, you gave that 4 stars...
Funny how that 'innovation' was applauded, while SQ invented the sleeping concept years ago...
@ E39 -- I hear you, but at least speaking for myself, I don't have such strong feelings about the seat. It's not my favorite business class seat in the world, just as Finnair's also isn't. However, it's also (very) far from being my least favorite business class seat.
So excited to fly this same flight in May! 60k Aeroplan points, what a deal!
Ben - as is pretty obvious from the bottle, that isn't the PH 2014 :)
It's their "Essentiel" offering, which is basically a non-vintage champagne that's given a bit more cellar time on the lees (i.e. with spent yeast). It's a step above the base NV, but it's not one of their vintage offerings.
XO Cognac in biz? Unusual.
I fully agree about the bed - it is incredibly hard and uncomfortable. I also agree with your other comments about the outstanding service, I am surprised you gave 5 stars when the comfort of the bed is such a key reason for travelling business class.
@ Derek -- I hear you, though I think it's also important to consider this in the context of the competition. Look at most of the business class products across the Atlantic, especially Lufthansa out of Frankfurt, and I'd say this compares very favorably. And my five star rating is based largely on a soft product that's exceptional, balanced out slightly by the seat.
You're right. It looks more like a 4.5 rating at the most.
Might be worth mentioning the ability to pre-book a meal as well?
@ Alvin | YTHK -- Good point, thanks! Updated post to add that.
Another super SQ experience, start to finish. I too love their boarding music.
Very happy to see the fair comparison to Finnair. Many bloggers have lauded Finnair product as new when Singapore has offered something similar for many years. Glad the flight was very enjoyable - looking forward to my trip on SQ in April!