Singapore Airlines A350 Business Class Review (FCO to SIN) [2021]

Singapore Airlines is known for the best cabin crew in the world and I will not disagree. Yet, people are still somewhat polarized when it comes to Singapore business class. Can the rest of the Singapore business class experience live up to the prestige that Singapore Airlines has?

In this review, I will go into details about my experience flying Singapore Airlines business class on the A350, covering things like the seat, food, bed, and the service. Then I will go over why I wouldn’t go out of my way to fly Singapore Airlines business class.

Trip briefing

Flight routes

This particular segment of my journey back to South East Asia was one of the reasons why I went to Europe. The other reason was to fly Garuda Indonesia Jakarta (CGK) London (LHR) route.

  • Jakarta (CGK) -> London (LHR): Garuda Indonesia 777-300 Business Class
  • London (LHR) -> Athens (ATH): Aegean Airlines A321 Euro Business Class
  • Athens (ATH) -> Rome (FCO): Aegean Airlines A320 Economy Class
  • Rome (FCO) -> Singapore (SIN): Singapore Airlines A350-900 Business Class
  • Singapore (SIN) -> Jakarta (CGK): Garuda Indonesia 737-800 Exit Row Economy Class

This FCO-SIN flight was a fun daytime flight, but not a great flight if you care about food or reclined seat. Not saying it was bad, as I enjoyed the flight and I was in bed-mode the whole time, but I will describe more about the food and seat below.

Hotel stays

  • Andronis Athens (3 nights on cash)
  • Le Méridien Visconti Rome (3 nights on cash)

As I went to Europe during the winter, the cash rates were very reasonable.

Le Méridien Visconti Rome one bedroom suite

Flight details

Here are the details for the flight:

  • Route: Rome (FCO) -> Singapore (SIN)
  • Flight No.: SQ 365
  • Aircraft: A350-900
  • Registration: 9V-SMH
  • Class: Business Class (J)
  • Seat: 21K
  • Date: March 5, 2019
  • Scheduled Departure Time: 10:55 am | Actual Departure Time: 11:08 am (+13 minutes)
  • Scheduled Arrival Time: 5:45 am | Actual Arrival Time: 5:55 am (+10 minute)
  • Actual flight Time: 11 hours,  47 minutes 
Image via flightradar24

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Booking Singapore Airlines Business Class (SQ J)

I booked this flight using Singapore Krisflyer miles, which is actually the only way to book premium cabin seats with Singapore Airlines.

As this flight was booked during KrisFlyer Spontaneous Escapes it was only 38,000 miles and 41.70 Euros ($46.30 USD).

The normal mileage cost would have been 92,000 miles. That means, during this redemption sale I got 41% of the regular business saver redemption price. For an 11-hour business class flight, I was happy with this redemption, especially as it costed the same as an economy saver flight using KrisFlyer miles.

Fun fact: Singapore doesn’t charge close-in booking fees. You can book however close you want to the departure date as long as there is availability. I had no problem booking 13 days in advance.

I transferred American Express Membership Rewards Points to Krisflyer, which took about 24 hours to transfer, and once they were in my account I went ahead with redeeming my miles. You can also transfer other currencies like Chase Ultimate Rewards and Citi ThankYou Points.

Warning: When transferring points (Ultimate Rewards, Membership Rewards, and ThankYou Points) to KrisFlyer, it can take up to 48 working hours to complete the transfer. Weekends aren’t working hours, so you need to take into account the weekend delay.

As I mentioned above, one of the reasons I went to Europe was because of this flight. I wasn’t planning on visiting Italy so shortly after my last visit, but seeing how I never have flown Singapore business class before (I have only flown Singapore A380 suites and 777 first class) I thought it could be a good chance to try out a new product and get some Italian food.

One amazing course out of the many courses I had at Aqualunae Bistrot for my chef course meal.

Check-in

Check-in at FCO is usually crowded as there is limited space throughout the whole departure hall at terminal 3. Once I found Singapore’s check-in counters, I was greeted with a pretty empty queue area. There was no one in the business class line making it a breeze through the check-in procedures. 

To be honest, I forgot to take photos of the check-in counters as I was surprised how empty it was compared to my last visit to FCO.

FCO terminal and lounge experience

This was not the first time I found myself at FCO. FCO is a decent airport; it even has a Star Alliance business class lounge for Schengen departures, but as I am not flying intra-Schengen I was stuck with a lounge provided by Singapore Airlines called Passenger Lounge.

Passenger Lounge offered no views as it was in the basement, offered hot food items that were cold, and the lounge also was freezing. Let’s just say I ended up leaving the lounge after getting some water and a bagel to roam around the terminal as I was stuck in E-Gates.

What are E-Gates? FCO satellite E-Gates are a satellite terminal accessible by train, Singapore Airlines uses E-Gates at FCO airport. Once you’re at the satellite terminal you cannot go back to the normal terminal. If you wanted to go back to the main terminal, you will have to go through security again. 

So, my suggestion is to wait to go to E-Gates and go stay at the main terminal until a few minutes before boarding. The main terminal at least has a decent Plaza Premium Lounge.

Singapore business class cabin

Singapore Airlines A350-900 business class cabin has 42 seats configured in 1-2-1 configuration. There are 3 lavatories, one in the forward cabin and then two more in the middle of the two business class cabins. Business class seats are spread across two cabins, the most forward cabin is the larger cabin with more seats making it feel more crowded. Then there is another cabin filled with business class seats forward of premium economy, which feels more intimate.

Singapore Airlines business class seat map via SeatGuru

I was seated in the mini business class cabin in front of premium economy, which was great as there were only 4 seats occupied in this cabin, all of which were occupied bulkhead seats.

Singapore bulkhead seats are actually much better than non-bulkhead seats. So, if you can grab a bulkhead seat on a Singapore business class flight, you will have a better and wider seat with much more legroom plus no restrictive footwell.

What is unique about Singapore business class is that each seat is exactly the same besides bulkhead seats. So, each window seat is a window seat, while the middle aisle seats are always the same length from each other.

Overall, the cabin is pretty standard with no fancy lounges or bars on-board like Virgin Atlantic 787. In the middle galley, you can find some snacks, but nothing to write home about.

Singapore A350 business class seat

I knew all the bulkhead seats were taken on this A350 flight, that’s what I get for booking last minute. However, in the lie-flat position, this seat isn’t too bad if you’re sleeping on your side.

Design, comfort, and privacy

These seats are wide and it’s amazing. When you’re in the upright position, the width is great and feels like you can easily seat 1 and a half people in this seat.

However, legroom is sad.

I am someone that never reclines the seat as I prefer it upright or in the lie-flat position, but this amount of legroom is annoying for me in the upright position. Plus, if you recline your seat, your legroom goes away as your seat moves forward reducing your legroom.

It feels like you are almost on top of the IFE and yes you can use the ottoman and footwell in the corner of the seat for more legroom.

Plus, on top of all of this, the footwell is to the side off in the corner making you sit at this kinda weird angle. (This is where bulkhead seats on Singapore Airlines shine. If I booked a bulkhead seat, it would have been a huge footwell, but with only 8 business class bulkhead seats on this plane none were available.)

Singapore Airlines footwell

The rest of the seat was pleasantly thought out. From the armrests to the width of the main seat making it feel very roomy for my upper body. Plus, counter space for the seat isn’t bad. 

The privacy is alright. It helped as I was seated behind the occupied bulkhead seats which were the only occupied seats in my cabin. These are the most private seats in the world and still no comparison to seats with a door or Apex Suites true window seat.

I especially enjoyed the little features throughout the seat.

Seat features (controls, storage, extras)

Singapore does think about what the passenger might want and need, plus a little extra. Storage for this seat might seem minimal until you realize the cubbies and compartments are situated in a convenient way with enough room.

First off we have the storage underneath the ottoman and footwell. I could store my briefcase underneath.

The cubby next to the IFE screen which offers more than enough room for even a DSLR with a small lens. I wasted the space with my iPhone SE, wallet, passport, and headphones. (Note, the mirror has a cover that slides down.)

Located near the armest there are a few other storage options, one of which has the universal outlet and two USB ports.

Next to the aisle are your seat controls and 3 different reading lights.

There is even a coat hook.

Here is a video I shot during the flight showing all the seat features along with the legroom problem I wrote about above.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nh5r7DLWOVE[/embedyt]

Singapore business class not-so-amenity kit

Singapore Airlines doesn’t provide an amenity kit in business class. They instead give you the bare minimum at your seat like socks, eyeshades, and slippers, a huge departure from other airlines like EVA. 

You can find toothbrush and toothpaste along with a few other goodies stocked in the lavatories.

Singapore business class headphones and IFE

The IFE that Singapore provides on the aircraft is one of my favorites after Emirates ICE.

Singapore has a wonderful leave and resume feature, where you can continue the show or movie you were watching on your next flight if you didn’t finish it. I also like their in-flight map, one of my favorite channels on any airline.

You control the IFE by using the remote using the buttons or touchscreen as the IFE screen isn’t a touchscreen.

Movie and TV selection are really good, but I only cared about the in-flight map and content that I already had downloaded on my phone.

The provided headphones I didn’t use.

Singapore business class wifi

Wifi offered onboard my Singapore Airlines flight was priced without any data limits.

The wifi package I selected could last up to 24 hours and it only costed me $21.95. Speeds were alright, I could stream YouTube videos most of the time without a problem, but during certain times of the flight it would cut out, which is normal for long-haul flights.

Singapore business class boarding and take-off experience

When I boarded and got to my seat, I was offered a pre-departure drink. I ended up having champagne and guava juice. Plus a hot towel. 

With about a 10 minute delay, we were off to the skies for our 11-hour journey.

Southern mountains of Italy with snow caps

Singapore business class dining

Oh Singapore…

I love to eat when I travel, both on the ground and in the air I might indulge myself a little too much. Yes, I admit I have a problem and have cut back, but food is life.

To my disappointment, I had one of the worst meals offered by any airline on this flight. The taste was just terrible, even the dessert was terrible. No, I didn’t get sick or anything like that, just the taste and quality of the food served was bad.

What is the worst meal I had on a flight? Back in 2015, I flew Delta from Detroit (DTW) to Shanghai (PVG) on their 747 in economy comfort (now called Comfort+). I had non-meat pasta for the meal after take-off and I got sick. Yes, it’s economy, yes I got sick, and yes Singapore comes in second place to the worst meal I had on a plane (yet it’s a maybe distant second).

Yes, this is the first time flying Singapore business class, as I have only flown their suites and first class on routes with book the cook. Those meals offered in first class were alright, nothing special, but not JAL or ANA first class catering quality and taste. I expected this flight to offer just alright food as there was no book the cook service. Sadly, I was wrong…

Anyways, without further ado, here is my review of Singapore business class dining experience.

After take-off

Within minutes of reaching 10,000 feet in the sky, I was greeted by one of the attentive flight attendants asking for my drink order. I asked for champagne (Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve) and with my champagne was napkin and wet wipe.

Then another flight attendant came by asking if I wanted satay. I, of course, said yes as I love satay!

I was presented with lamb and chicken satay with cucumber and onions. The satay was cold, very chewy, and so hard to bite into both lamb and chicken that I thought I had a problem with eating. At least the peanut sauce was good.

After my attempt to finishing the hard as a rock yet chewy satay, the table was set. Business class catering without a tray is always amazing as it allows customizability with your meal that feels like a first class dining experience.

Yet, next up was definitely the worst dish out of all that was served on this flight.

Balik smoked salmon with balsamic vinegar pearls was by far the worst dish. The salmon was super chewy, a rubber-like texture. The potato cake was a cold ball of no taste that was chewy. And on top of all of that, the balsamic was nonexistent. Even without the salmon, which tasted terrible and was disgusting, how can rocket salad be so bad?

I enjoy eating salmon and have had it on many airlines, but this wasn’t salmon and after two bites of eating the salad I couldn’t keep on going.

After the appetizer, I was presented with a selection of bread and of course, I selected garlic bread. It was garlic bread and definitely the highlight of the meal. 🙂

At this point, I was worried about my main dish, which was the Thai style prawns with choo-chee curry sauce.

It tasted like uncooked curry powder that was left out with rice for a few days. The vegetables and the prawns were actually surprisingly not chewy. However, I couldn’t get rid of the boxed curry powder taste. (Yes, it felt like they mistakenly poured too much curry powder into the dish and didn’t bother to fix it.)

After all that food, which I didn’t actually finish, a cart came around with a selection of dessert and cheeses.

I selected the sbrisolona, an Italian almond cake, and a cheese plate.

The sbrisolona was cold and rock hard. It seems like a theme with most of their food to be hard to eat. The cheese, on the other hand, was cheese and I enjoyed eating it — I just wish I had more garlic bread to get rid of the powdered curry taste stuck in my mouth. (Yes, I drank a few glasses of water, but there was still pure powder in my mouth.)

Before touch down

Starting off the meal before landing was a selection of fruit. The fruit was sour.

After the fruit, I skipped the appetizer and went for the main course. I also got a selection of bread that came with the main course. I ended up grabbing two pieces of bread filled with fruit, which tasted great and not sour like the selection of cut fruit.

For the main, I got the fried rice vermicelli with chicken in XO sauce. This dish, without any surprise, wasn’t good. The noodles were very hard. It had a good flavor, but as the texture goes, it’s hard to eat. At least the mushrooms were fine.

I finished the meal with a good cup of cappuccino.

The before landing meal was fine. I would say it’s better than the meal after take-off but surprised how this meal also was plagued by weird flavors that were too sour and chewy hard food.

I didn’t enjoy any of these dishes on the flight. While the dishes were edible, I still cannot get over the fact that the salmon salad was so bad, chewy, and rubbery. Plus, the curry dish was so overpowering (I honestly wonder if a mistake happened during the cooking process and they accidentally poured the whole box of curry powder into this batch. Yes, I am repeating this because it baffles me how they could mess up curry like this).

Either way, most of the food errors presented on this flight were not at the fault of the crew, but at the catering company. Whoever caters their flights from FCO really needs to try again with these dishes.

And yes, I did comment about the quality and taste of the dishes to the crew when they asked how was my meal. They were very apologetic and I made sure they knew it wasn’t their fault, but this doesn’t give them and me much faith in their catering after this dining experience.

Menu

The food menu for my flight reads as followed:

Singapore does a good job with their selection of beverages. I like their choice of champagne and wine.

The beverage menu reads as followed:

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Singapore business class service

Singapore Airlines has some of the best cabin crew members in the world. In 2019 they won the best cabin crew in the world by Skytrax awards and I do agree that they have some of the best flight attendants in the world. Service is typically very warm, mostly attentive, and friendly while being professional. 

The cabin crew on my flight was wonderful, we ended up having an amazing conversation during the flight and they gave me a birthday present, even though my birthday was later that week. Along with the gifts, they gave me a personalized card. During the flight, they also made sure I always had a full glass and had enough to eat. They were always enthusiastic.

I would fly again with that cabin crew in a heartbeat. 🙂

Singapore business class lavatory

The lavatory was clean and remained clean the whole flight. 

You can find amenities like toothbrush and toothpaste along with other goodies like perfumes the whole flight.

Singapore business class bedding

Singapore Airlines business class beds are quite interesting. First of all, the beds have to be flipped manually by a flight attendant as the seat doesn’t reline into the lie-flat bed mode position. 

While you are in bed mode, you have to then ask the flight attendant to flip up the seat if you don’t want it in bed mode. For me, I don’t mind it as I always keep my seat in the lie-flat position, but to others that want to transition frequently you might find yourself somewhat annoyed by it.

Anyways, I found the bed alright. It was firm, which I like, but the footwell being off to the side made me have to lie at an angle. Plus, it’s not a long bed, even for me as I am 5’10”. I found it better to lie on my side for the bed.

The bedding itself was good and they gave me two pillows which make a huge difference.

Landing at SIN

We landed at Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) about 10 minutes late. I said my farewells to the crew and thanked them so much for the small gifts.

Once I disembarked, I made my way to the transfer counter to check-in for my Garuda Indonesia flight to Jakarta (CGK). Once it came time for boarding I got this beautiful picture of a Singapore A350 from the ground before I boarded the elite ground bus to my Garuda aircraft.

Final word

Did I have a good flight? Yes.

Did I leave the flight hungry and unhappy about my meals? Yes.

Would I fly Singapore Airlines again and skip the meals or hope for book the cook? Yes

I wouldn’t fly Singapore Airlines for the food, but I would for the crew. (I’d eat in the lounge before). If you can get past the awkward seat as I did and fly during the day time where sleep isn’t needed, you will enjoy the flight along with the crew. If you can score a bulkhead seat, that is even better!

However, I wouldn’t go out of my way to fly Singapore Airlines business class again for the food and the seat. I would much prefer flying another business class product between South East Asia and Europe.

This article was originally published by Steve Smith.

The New Singapore Airlines First Class Suite Review

The new Singapore Airlines first class suites are truly something special. Singapore maintained much of what made the old first class product special (great service, double beds, superb champagne, etc.), but they made the new product even more exclusive and attractive by cutting down the number of suites and making them more spacious. With that said, there are a few potential shortcomings. Here’s my full new Singapore Airlines first class suites review. 

Booking the new A380 Singapore Suites

I originally booked us Singapore Suites from Singapore to Sydney on SQ231. These were the old suites we flew before but I thought it would be nice to fly them again since we would be flying on our anniversary, February 22nd. I booked these at the saver level for 80,000 SQ miles each before I even found out about the new suites.

Then information about the new first class suites leaked throughout 2017 and it was eventually announced that the SIN to SYD route would be serviced by the new A380!

Leaked info helped me make a gamble on the new suites.

Based on leaked info, it started to look like it was going to be the other A380 flight (SQ221) that would be serviced by the new suites. I was really bummed.

Luckily, there were still Standard Awards (now called Advantage awards) for that date, so I poured Chase Ultimate Rewards and Amex Membership Rewards into my Singapore account and changed our flight to SQ221 for 70,000 additional SQ miles per passenger.

At that time, we still didn’t know for sure if these would be the new suites so this was definitely a questionable decision. Not only was I potentially squandering 150,000 valuable Membership Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards, I also lost the additional connecting flights on Star Alliance partner Air New Zealand. So this could have been a ~200,000 point misfire.

After months of waiting, luck was on our side and it was soon confirmed that’d we’d be flying on the new suites! If you’re not familiar, the price of Singapore Suites on this route is $4,000+, so we were pretty pumped.

Related: 12 Best Chase Ultimate Rewards First Class Redemptions

Singapore Airlines First Class Suites 1
The golden ticket.

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The Private Room

Our first class experience started in “The Private Room.”

The Private room is the ultra-exclusive first class lounge only for those flying first on SQ. It’s a beautiful lounge with free-flowing Dom Perignon 2006 and some very solid dining. But there’s honestly not much more to it. You can read about my Private Room experience here.

The Private Room Singapore Airlines 2
Entrance to the Private Room.

Boarding the A380

We were among the first to board and enter the new first class cabin.

The Singapore Airlines first class A380 cabin went down from 12 suites to only 6 suites, jumped from the bottom level to the top level, and incorporated a single aisle between the suites in a 1-1 configuration. The suites in the first two rows can be conjoined by lowering the middle partition, which is exactly what we did when we arrived.

The smaller number of suites makes the experience feel more intimate and exclusive and reminds me a lot of the Etihad Apartment cabin (although Etihad has more suites).

As I walked through the aisle, I thought it looked pretty stunning.

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Singapore Airlines new first class cabin aisle.

I really loved the charm that the old first class cabin had but this cabin looks more sleek and almost futuristic with the silver walls and doors.

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Singapore Airlines new first class cabin aisle.
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Beautiful exterior of the suites.
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Mood lighting.
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Stairs leading down to the first level.

The new A380 Singapore Suites

When I first entered the suite, I just thought, “wow.”

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Singapore Airlines new first class suite.

The photos I’d seen prior to the flight made these suites look very sterile, almost like a dentist office. But as I experienced it in person, I realized that these suites were actually very elegant.

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Singapore Airlines new first class suite.

They still have a slight “dentist office” resemblance at times.

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Singapore Airlines First Class Suites 12

But I still think they are very impressive overall.

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The new Singapore Suites.
Singapore Airlines First Class Suites double suite
Singapore A380 suites.

Beyond the looks, the first thing that I took notice of was the tremendous amount of real estate.

These suites are even more spacious than the Etihad Apartment, which is saying a lot. With the partition lowered, it felt like we had a ridiculous chunk of the aircraft to ourselves.

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Singapore Airlines first class double suite.

True to form, Singapore offered champagne as soon as we entered but on this flight they were serving Krug 2004 which was a very nice surprise.

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Singapore first class champagne, Krug 2004.

The seat on Singapore Airlines new suites

The seat itself is comfortable but felt a little narrow for Singapore Airlines. Singapore is known for such wide seats that it’s always odd to me to see a “normal” sized seat in first class.

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Singapore Airlines First Class seat.

The chair can rotate to fully face the window or come back around to face the TV. However, the chair does have a bit of a limited recline. The photo below shows the farthest that it will recline.

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Singapore Airlines First Class seat reclined.

This obviously isn’t ideal for those who like to lean all the way back into a flat or near flat position. However, when you have the option of hopping into a separate bed, I understand the logic of having a seat with limited recline.

Singapore Airlines new suites seat controls

The seat controls are pretty straightforward. You hit the window, take-off/landing, or TV button to move into a desired position that will orient your seat facing different directions.

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First class seat controls.

The confusing part is that the recline controls only show when you’re in a “final position.” You can see that in the image below, I’m in between two final positions and the recline controls don’t show.

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First class seat controls.

On the counter, there are also button controls for: service, do not disturb, window shades, TV position, and the suite lighting.

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First class controls.

Underneath these controls you can find the power outlet, USB, HDMI, and headphone jack (there’s another headphone jack beneath the armrest of the chair). There’s even an NFC panel for contactless payment, which you can use to purchase duty free items and wifi.

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More ports and outlets.

There’s another power outlet and USB port located on the wall where the tray table comes out, so these suites come fully equipped to handle your electronics.

TVS and in-flight entertainment

The TVs are huge at 32 inches. They’re so big and you have so much space in the suite that watching them really does feel like being in a hotel room. For a point of comparison, the Etihad Residence has a 32″ TV.

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New Singapore Suites TVs.

Using the controls, you can easily swing out the monitor to give you a better viewing angle.

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The in-flight entertainment selections were solid with a good selection of movies and TV shows. You can check out the Singapore Airlines current movies list here. Don’t forget you can use the SingaporeAir mobile app to check out what movies will be on and to set up your own playlist prior to departure.

To control the in-flight entertainment you can use the traditional controller, which you’ll find beneath the armrest.

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But you’ll probably be drawn to the tablet which can also be used to control things like the lighting.

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Singapore suites first class tablet.

Note that the tablet can only be removed after take-off.

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It fits pretty easily into one hand.

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Once you start dining or watching TV you’ll probably find it more convenient to mount the tablet on the side table where your tray table comes out.

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Storage

Overall, the storage on the new Singapore Suites is pretty solid.

First, there’s a closet at the entrance of your suit where you can store your luggage. I did not think that my two carry-ons would fit but they both fit into the closet, albeit snugly.

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The closet doesn’t look very big but it can fit more than you think.

There’s nice counter space where you can store larger electronics like your laptop, bigger cameras, and small bags. Some airlines overlook the fact that passengers just need a little bit of space to put things on and so it’s nice to have some good counter space.

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Singapore suites storage space.

However, the large rectangular spaces (seen in the images above) will be filled when the bed is made so you can’t keep stuff there if you’re planning on using the bed.

You can also use the counter space which holds the tray table but once again, you’ll have to move your items when you’re ready to eat.

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There are also a few closed compartments that you can use to store passports, phones, and amenities.

One of these compartments holds the Bose headphones which are very obviously high quality.

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Singapore Suites storage compartments.

The middle compartment is empty but comes with a brightly lit vanity mirror, while the third compartment holds your amenity kit. There’s another compartment just on the other side of the tablet but that holds bedding.

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Singapore Airlines suites class storage compartments.

There’s also a bit of storage underneath these compartments which is where I stored my pajamas before changing into them, though you can keep them stored in your closet along with your slippers.

New Singapore Airlines first class suite amenity kit

The amenities are no longer from Ferragamo and are now issued by Lalique. I miss the Ferragamo cologne but these are also high quality from what I could tell.

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Singapore Airlines first class amenity kit.

In the amenity kit, you’ll get: lip balm, body lotion, after shave, and eau de toilette, though the offerings could change based on the route.

The pajamas are no longer from Givenchy but they are much lighter than those pajamas, which makes them more comfortable.

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Thinner pajamas are very welcomed.

They also provide you with slippers that I’ve come to really value on long-haul flights.

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Singapore first class slippers along with my flat feet.

Singapore Airlines first class dining

The dining experience blew me away last time I flew Suites and it did the same once again. As soon as the dining started, I switched over from vintage Krug to Dom Perignon 2006.

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Dom Perignon 2006 on Singapore Suites.
Singapore Airlines First Class Suites champagne
Dom Perignon 2006 on Singapore Suites.

I really love that Singapore offers both of these choices.

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Singapore Suites champagne list.

Once they pulled out the tray, I noticed how massive it was. And also noticed my neighbor (much more on that later).

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Singapore Suites first class tray table.

We started off with fresh breads and caviar.

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Fresh breads.
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Singapore Airlines first class caviar.

It seems like the more and more I eat caviar, the more I discover I enjoy it, and I really liked what they served up on our Singapore flight.

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Singapore first class caviar.

This time I tried to do things a little bit differently and I went with a shot of vodka with the caviar.

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(Strong) Vodka with caviar.

After that, they brought out the fish soup with chicken and black moss. Blame it on the vodka, but I honestly don’t remember even eating this dish and can’t recall if I enjoyed it. But Brad loved its cilantro flavor.

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Fish soup with chicken and black moss.
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Fish soup with chicken and black moss.

Then came the salad which was pretty much a piece of lettuce but with some good dressing and freshly cracked black pepper. I do remember really loving the tomato vinaigrette dressing on this one.

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Singapore first class salad.

The main was lamb stew with penne pasta and it was very good. I feel like I’m constantly eating lamb on planes but this dish sounded good and I was very happy with my selection. Peppers were very fresh and the lamb nice and tender.

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Lamb stew with penne pasta.

Then came the dessert, which came in an amazing presentation of dry ice. I really enjoyed the ice cream and fresh berries.

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Singapore Airlines dessert.

Overall, this was a great dining experience. If you want to check out the full menu we had and view more pics of the cabin, you can check out my photo album here.

I will say that one of the drawbacks to the new design is that you can’t eat at the same table as your travel partner. This isn’t a big negative to me, though. I’ve done the shared tray table on some other airlines and I prefer to have more space, especially since it makes it much easier to get photographs.

But for those who like to dine together, it’s too bad Singapore couldn’t incorporate that feature.

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The fatal flaw of the new suites

While the dishes were great, the dining experience highlighted the biggest flaw of these new suites, in my opinion. This is the lack of privacy.

With your suite door open and your seat in the dining position, you are set to make perfect eye contact with the passenger across from you. It’s something that I noticed very quickly and something that I think was a major oversight since this is something that other cutting-edge first class suites don’t suffer from.

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The dining position puts your eyes right on your neighbor.
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This may not be an issue to everyone but to me it sort of puts a bit of a black-eye on the new Singapore Suites experience. I guess you could request for the flight attendant to shut your door between delivering dishes but that could make things like re-fills tricky and shouldn’t be needed on one of the top first class cabins.

The lavatories

The old Singapore first class lavatories really lacked compared to other A380s like Qatar, Emirates, and Etihad. But Singapore definitely stepped up their game with this new A380.

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New Singapore Suites first class lavatory.
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New Singapore Suites first class lavatory.

First of all the lavatories are just beautiful rooms that do help create a sense of relaxation in what is otherwise a place you’d like to get out of ASAP. The purple mood lighting, brightly lit vanity mirrors, and cushioned sit-down areas are a nice departure from the norm.

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New Singapore Suites first class lavatory.

One of the lavatories is actually bigger and more equipped than the other but they are both pretty elegant.

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New Singapore Suites first class lavatory.

You’ll notice that the new Singapore first class cabin still does not have a shower. I’m actually okay with that.

While plane showers are still fun to take and can be practical at times, I find taking a relaxing hot shower at a lounge before or after a flight to be more worth my while. I don’t have to worry about running out of “water time,” turbulence, weak water pressure, or anything else and can just relax in the shower.

So while a shower would’ve been cool to see, I don’t think it’s a major negative to the Singapore Suite experience. (I do think that Singapore should have installed a bar/lounge, though!)

The sleeping experience

Singapore did not give up on their double beds which made me very happy. To me, outside of their great service, the Singapore Airlines double bed experience is what makes Singapore’s first class product stand out the most. It’s such a great feature for traveling couples.

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Singapore first class double bed.

With the double beds made, it seriously looks like a hotel room in the sky.

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Singapore first class double bed.

The bed is 76 inches long and 27 inches wide, which is one inch wider than the Etihad Apartment’s bed. If you want, you can prop yourself up at an angle which is actually a pretty comfortable way to watch TV.

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I’d argue Singapore even upgraded the experience so now you can still have your window views along with a double bed.

Unfortunately, the bed is still not very soft. I still got comfortable but if you prefer very soft mattresses this could potentially pose a problem. Also, they could have done a better job of covering the partition between the bed since that’s still quite exposed.

The biggest issue to me though is that Singapore still keeps their A380s so warm. It’s just too warm to get super comfortable and I don’t understand how they don’t receive a million complaints a day about that.

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Warm cabins are harder to get comfortable in.

Despite those issues, It does feel remarkably private in the suite when the lights dim down.

Singapore Airlines First Class Suites double bed
The double bed experience makes Singapore Suites special.
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Mood lighting.

But I do think the suite walls could’ve been just a little bit higher.

Singapore Airlines First Class Suites bed

Lastly, one thing I really loved was being able to hop out of bed and still have plenty of space to move around.

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Overall, the soft pillows and thick comforter can help make up somewhat for a firm sleeping surface. But the warm temperature is something that can be a bit tougher to deal with. Still, Brad and I both got comfortable so it’s not like the sleeping experience is horrible.

Singapore Suites breakfast

Aside from the privacy issue mentioned above, breakfast had to be the other issue with the flight. For one, we didn’t have the biggest selection, although the pastries were great and fruit was fresh.

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Singapore first class suites breakfast.
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Singapore first class suites breakfast.

But the issue was that they started breakfast like 30 minutes before arriving. The whole breakfast experience was crazy rushed and almost impossible to enjoy. It really felt like someone might have botched something, that’s how off it felt.

Anniversary surprise

I contacted Singapore beforehand to notify them that we were flying on the exact day of our anniversary. They told me they would be able to bring out a cake and I thought that would be great (I didn’t tell Brad anything so he would be surprised).

But Singapore Airlines went well beyond bringing out a cake.

They usually give you teddy bears when you fly first class but in this case they stitched our names to the shirts of the teddy bears (while up in the sky). Although one bear is clearly the opposite gender, this was a very thoughtful gesture and it was a beautiful cake that ended up serving as our dessert for breakfast.

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Anniversary on Singapore Suites!
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The crew also signed a giant card and left messages in all sorts of different languages.

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I noticed someone sketched out two “male” teddy bears on the card which I thought was very nice especially considering the state of LGBT affairs in Singapore.

Overall, the anniversary surprise put the entire experience over the top.

Final word on the new A380 Singapore Airlines suites class

I was honestly blown away by the new Singapore Suites. I’ve flown on some great first class cabins like Emirates, Etihad, old Singapore Suites, Qatar, Cathay Pacific, etc. but there’s just something about flying Singapore Suites that’s just special. It never fails but when I fly suites with them, it’s like having a great time at a party — you don’t want it to ever end.

Although there are a couple of shortcomings with the new suites, if I had to choose one airline out of the above to fly first class on, I’d choose the new Singapore Suites in a second.

First Impressions: New Singapore Suites

This article will just provide my initial impressions of the new Singapore A380 first class suites. I’ll have a much more detailed review to follow in the coming days/weeks.

The first class cabin

The new Singapore Suites first class cabin has a single aisle and only 6 suites. The aisle is a bit tight but that’s not really a problem if you plan on spending most of your time in your suite. For people like me trying to get a ton of photos, it’s a bit of a struggle though.

Singapore A380 first class suites cabin.

I liked the abstract decor and lighting found on the suite walls/doors and on the ceiling, especially with the mood lighting. It’s a bit futuristic looking to me but not quite over the top.

Singapore A380 first class suites
Singapore A380 first class suites.

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The Suites are spacious and impressive

When I originally viewed photos of the new Singapore Suites, I found them to look very sterile, almost like a dentist office. But when I actually saw them in person, I didn’t get that feeling. While the suites are a bit simplistic, they also have a level of elegance to them that reminds you that you’re in one of the top first class cabins in the world. And that excitement is what helps make these cabins special.

Singapore A380 first class suites.
Singapore A380 first class suites.

While the designs on the exterior of the suites are more abstract, the interior of the suites have a floral theme, which helps add to the relaxing feel of the suite.

Singapore A380 first class suites.

The TVs are huge and they swivel out so that you can always maintain your preferred viewing angle. Having such a big TV makes you feel more like you’re in a hotel and adds to the in-flight entertainment experience. I also loved how it shows you how much time you have left for your movies in relation to the time left on your flight.

Singapore A380 first class suite TVs.

I also really loved the cordless tablet for the controls. I wish the default screen has an option to play/pause the in-flight entertainment (since you have to hit a few buttons to do that), but I found it very handy to be able to pull the table out whenever you wish.

Singapore A380 first class suite in-flight entertainment tablet.

The seat controls

The seat controls are a bit confusing at first.

The initial walkthrough with the flight attendant didn’t show me how to use these controls fully so I had to sort of figure it out how to recline the seat on my own. Once you know how the controls work, though, it’s surprisingly simple and intuitive to use.

Singapore A380 first class suite seat controls.

The seat is comfortable but not remarkable in that aspect. It can recline all the way into the position pictured below but that’s it. So for people who like to be able to lie fully flat in a seat, they’ll have to pull out the bed for that to happen.

Singapore A380 first class suites seat reclined.

The Singapore Suites beds

The new Singapore suite beds didn’t feel much different from the old ones. The beds are very firm but still comfortable mainly because you can stretch all the way out. I think it’s very special that you can share a true double bed in Singapore Airlines and still get window views with the new cabin and that’s what makes these suites stand out.

I took a peak at some of the single suites and while it still seemed like a great experience to fly in those, I think the double suites offer an entirely different and more spacious feel.

Singapore A380 first class suites bed.

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New lavatories

One area that Singapore lacked in previously was that the lavatories on the A380s were small and unimaginative. This time, they are spacious and elegant. I really wish Singapore had chosen to go with a shower but these lavatories are still comfortable and relaxing spots to freshen up.

Singapore A380 first class suites lavatory.

The one glaring omission

The one glaring omission of these suites is that you can make eye contact with your neighbors during take-off/landing and when dining. Pretty much any time you have your suite door open, they’ll be right there across from you.

The solution is to obviously keep your door closed but that makes getting service for drinks and dining more problematic. This privacy issue doesn’t even happen in many business class products so I was a bit disappointed to see it here.

Privacy is a bit of an issue on the new suites.

Overall impressions

My overall impressions are that this is an exceptional product. The service on here was outstanding once again and the dining was also fantastic (much more about those later). My expectations were actually exceeded by the experience and I was left overwhelmingly satisfied by the new product. 

Get 1,000 Singapore Miles for Free (For New Members)

Singapore Airlines is offering new members who sign up for its frequent flyer program, Singapore KrisFlyer, 1,000 miles for free. This promotion ends on March 31, 2018 and you can sign-up for the promotion here. 

Note that you will be given a promo code that you will have to use in order to get the free 1,000 miles.

Sign up now and automatically receive 1,000 KrisFlyer miles. Simply enter the promo code stated in your email when completing the KrisFlyer application.

You can redeem your miles immediately by shopping on KrisShop.com or mixing them with cash to pay for flights on Singapore Airlines and SilkAir.

Why you should be interested in Singapore

Singapore Airlines is a member of the Star Alliance. They offer some of the best premium products out of any airline and I’m not sure their service can be beat by many, if any, airlines.

Singapore Airlines is also one of the few programs that is a transfer partner of all of the major rewards programs, including: Citi ThankYou Points, American Express Membership Rewards, and Chase Ultimate Rewards. So racking up Singapore miles is very easy.

1,000 miles won’t get you very far with Singapore but it’s nice to get a little chunk of miles for free, especially when it only takes up a few seconds of your time.

Terms and conditions

Here are the full terms and conditions:

  • This Promotion commences on 22 January 2018, 0000hrs and ends on 31 March 2018, 2359hrs (GMT+8).
  • This Promotion is only applicable for KrisFlyer membership sign-ups on singaporeair.com and SingaporeAir mobile app.
  • 1000 KrisFlyer miles will be awarded for every successful sign up using the promo code as stated in the email.
  • Promo code must be entered at the time of enrollment. Request for insertion of promo code will not be accepted after enrollment is complete.
  • All new members must sign up for KrisFlyer membership by 31 March 2018, 2359hrs (GMT+8) to be eligible for the bonus KrisFlyer miles.
  • Each eligible KrisFlyer member is entitled to receive only one award of 1000 KrisFlyer miles and each individual should hold only one KrisFlyer membership account.
  • Transfer of KrisFlyer miles from one member’s account to another member’s account is not permitted. The KrisFlyer miles will take about 4 to 6 weeks to be credited into the member’s account.
  • The KrisFlyer miles awarded under this Promotion are valid for a period of 3 years from the date on which it is credited into the recipient’s KrisFlyer account, following which they shall expire and no extensions will be permitted. For the avoidance of doubt, KrisFlyer miles awarded which have not been used by the end of such validity period will expire and shall be deemed null and void.
  • The use of KrisFlyer miles to redeem an air ticket is subject to seat availability at the time of reservation or ticket issuance and must be used in accordance with the terms and conditions of the KrisFlyer program.
  • The use of KrisFlyer miles to redeem merchandise on KrisShop.com is subject to stock availability at the time of purchase and must be used in accordance with the terms and conditions of the KrisFlyer program.
  • Redemption with KrisFlyer miles is not available for inflight KrisShop purchases. Taxes, delivery charges, import duties and postal clearance charges cannot be paid using KrisFlyer miles. Taxes, delivery charges, custom duty and postal clearance charges are applicable for home delivery, and varies between countries. Any customs duty, postal clearance and other customs-related charges, if applicable, will be borne by members and paid directly to the respective custom and/or courier upon receipt of items.
  • By participating in the Promotion, the participant agrees to comply with and be bound by these Terms & Conditions. Non-compliance with or breach of these Terms & Conditions may result in the participant being disqualified at any stage of the Promotion.
  • Any collection, use and disclosure of participants’ personal data will be strictly in accordance with SIA’s Privacy Policy (available online at http://www.singaporeair.com/en_UK/privacy-policy/). Participation in this Promotion is bound by the Terms and Conditions of this Lucky Draw, SIA’s conditions of use of website and SIA’s Privacy Policy (available online at http://www.singaporeair.com/en_UK/privacy-policy/). Participants consent to the collection, use and disclosure of their personal data to third parties for the purpose of facilitation of the Promotion.
  • Singapore Airlines reserves the right to vary these terms and conditions or terminate this promotion without prior notice at its sole and absolute discretion.
  • KrisFlyer, Singapore Airlines, SilkAir, KrisShop and Scoot terms and conditions and policies apply.
  • For enquiries, please contact KrisFlyer Membership Services at KF_contact@singaporeair.com.sg

H/T: MilesQuest

Singapore Reveals New A380 Business Class Seats!

Last weekend, Singapore officially revealed their new cabins for their new A380s. I’ve already shared my thoughts on the new first class suites but this article will focus on the new business class seats. 

More seats but more privacy

Singapore maintained the 1-2-1 layout but they went from 66 seats to 38 seats in the same space. Normally, that type of seat increase within the same area would have me concerned about loss of privacy and cabin space, but Singapore already had so much extra space on board their A380s that I didn’t think it would be an issue.

Despite the higher concentration of seats, Singapore actually appears to have raised the privacy levels on these new business class seats. The new seats have a futuristic-pod look to them that allows passengers to sit or lie deeper into their shell of a seat and therefore have more privacy.  To me, these new business class seats look stunning. I was already a fan of the seats currently found on the A350 (and some others), but these seats look extra sharp and even more modern.

I was sort of hoping that Singapore would jump into the business class seat race with Qatar and Delta, but I still do think these seats look great.

Narrower seats

These new seats are going to be more narrow.The new seats will be 25 inches wide which is three inches less wide than business class found on other aircraft like the A350 and five inches more narrow than what is currently found on the A350. That sounds like a major downgrade but the Singapore business class seats were already so ridiculously wide that I don’t think space will become an issue. According to Singapore, the new business class seats will also have the same amount of pitch at 55 inches (though some have stated 50 inches).

The biggest question mark for these seats is how much room will we have for our legs/feet?

It looks like there might be a little more room based on some of the photos I’ve seen but I can’t quite tell just yet. I was honestly a little disappointed that Singapore didn’t take a major overhaul and do away with forcing customers to sleep diagonally but I assume that can still be avoided with the bulkhead seats.

New beds

Singapore really changed a lot about their business class when it come to the bedding.

For one, you no longer have to pull down your seat and pull out a bed. This is a huge improvement for people who don’t like to bother with getting out of their seat and packing and unpacking a bed. The new seats will recline into a fully lie flat position with a total length of 78 inches.

The one thing that I don’t think anybody truly expected from Singapore was a double bed. The interior rows will now be able to form an entire double bed. This is a cool concept but snuggling up in a double bed in non-suites does feel a little odd to me. I’m sure some won’t mind but it would feel a bit odd to me. If you’re not up for the snuggles, the interior seats do come with a privacy divider that can be pulled up.

The business class A380 cabin will be divided into three sections: 50 seats, 20 seats and 8 seats. Since Singapore moved the first class suites up to the second deck, the entire A380 upper deck will consist of only premium cabins. And as I already wrote, Singapore will not include a bar or lounge area on the new A380 to the disappointment of some.

The new seats will also have the new IFE from Singapore. This new IFE allows passengers to choose movies and shows via an app and have those ready to go when you arrive at your seat. I believe that if you have a connecting flight, the IFE will even pick up from where you left off previously. The new screens in business class will also be pretty big at 18 inches.

Final word

I think that the new Singapore business class seats look fantastic. I love that they did away with having to pull down your bed and while I do have privacy concerns for the double bed, it’s still a cool concept. The biggest unknown for me is how improved the space for legs and feet will be on these seats. Hopefully it will be a big improvement from prior versions but I’m not sure I’m convinced of that just yet.

The New Singapore Suites Officially Revealed!

Singapore officially revealed all of their new A380 cabins today and they look very impressive (though there are some potential shortcomings). I’m going to focus on the new first class suites in this article but the new business class looks very impressive to me also! So here’s a look a the new suites. By the way, the photos that leaked earlier this week were in fact the new Singapore Suites as many of us believed.

The new hard product

I’m still a little underwhelmed with the new Singapore Suites. Maybe I set my expectations too high, but I really envisioned a more visually stunning product. I’m not a huge fan of the “clinical” look of these suites, as they do resemble a dentist’s office and are a large departure from the cozy train cabin feel that I loved so much about the old Singapore Suites. They don’t look horrible, they’re just not where I thought they would be.

I do think the shared suites look fantastic, though. In the old Singapore Suites you didn’t really have any room when the double bed was made but now you’ll still have plenty of room to roam around.

I think the ridiculous amount of space will be a unique feature of these cabins. One of the coolest features about the Etihad Apartment for me was being able to move around and go from chair to bed as I pleased inside of a spacious suite. Having that type of real estate and privacy to go along with that will help differentiate this first class product from many others.

I think the swiveling chair is a cool concept though it does seem like something that’s just asking for technological troubles. It can swivel 270 degrees, so it’s pretty cool to be able to swivel in order to face your desired direction. You can see how the seat works here. 

It looks like the suites have two monitors. One is the main TV which is a huge 32″ HD TV (touch screen) and the other is a smaller screen that I think is used when in the take-off/landing position?

There is also a small vanity area where you can store and easily retrieve small items and also place your drink.

One big draw back is that I don’t see a way to share a dining experience face-to-face with these seats. That’s something that I know a lot of others loved about the old first class suites so it’s too bad to see it go.

Singapore did a great job with the lavatories as they look exceptional judging by the photos.

One of the two is larger than the other and has a small vanity table and comes with amenities like moisturizers. Singapore’s decision not to install a shower is disappointing but we’ve known for a long time that their research indicated that their prime customers didn’t care to have that. Still, I can’t help but think about how much that shower experience would add, as I think showering in the sky is truly something special.

The biggest disappointment to me is that Singapore will not have a bar or even a lounge area. I was convinced that Singapore would have one and that they would be able to nail the concept but again, the focus groups apparently didn’t indicate that these were wanted.

Overall, I think that the new suites will still be an amazing flight experience. Combined with Singapore’s soft-product (discussed more below), occupying these suites will probably be one of the most comfortable and enjoyable flying experiences in the world.

I just wish the suites had a little more visual “pop” to them. I wasn’t expecting Emirates style bling (and wouldn’t even want that) but I was hoping to see something more on par with the older Singapore Suites. This new look is impressive but it’s just not the same type of work of art as the older Suites design, if you ask me

Now, here are some details via Singapore Airlines related to the upgrades for the soft product.

Bedding

  • Each of Singapore Airlines’ Suites will feature a plush mattress bedding, two pillows and a fluffy cotton duvet, complete with embroidery crafted by the French luxury brand, Lalique.
  • This will be complemented with a stylish sleeper suit, slippers, eyeshades and socks.

Amenity Kits

  • Suites customers on selected flights will receive an amenity kit with toiletries and perfumes or a unisex kit containing lifestyle items, specially designed and created under the co-brand partnership with Lalique. Each of the separate his-and-hers amenity kits will consist of a fragrance, lip balm and a specially designed pouch. In addition, the ladies’ set includes a face moisturiser and hand cream while the men’s set includes a body lotion and aftershave balm.
  • The unisex kit containing lifestyle items is designed as a collectible item, featuring a Lalique candle, scented soap, lip balm and body lotion. For a limited period only, the lifestyle kit will also include a miniature ornamental crystal fish from Lalique. The design of all three amenity kits will be refreshed regularly.

Lavatories

  • Suites customers can freshen up in the two stylishly-furnished lavatories with a special citrus-scented facial mist, body lotion and fragrance by Lalique.

Dining

  • To further enhance the culinary experience, Suites customers will dine with Wedgwood serviceware and Lalique-designed crystal glassware. With every meal complemented by a selection of fine wines and champagnes specially put together by a panel of wine experts, customers will be spoilt for choice.
  • As part of Singapore Airlines’ commitment to enhancing sustainability practices, Suites customers can look forward to meals created by the International Culinary Panel (ICP), featuring more sustainable ingredients and fresh local produce. The new menus will be initially introduced to Suites customers on selected routes, and progressively made available in other classes.

In-flight entertainment

  • Customers flying on the new A380s entering Singapore Airlines’ fleet in the coming months will be offered even greater control over their in-flight entertainment (IFE) experience with the launch of myKrisWorld, a new IFE interactive feature. This personalised IFE experience includes features which are new in the industry, making the Airline the first to offer these to our customers. Such features include content recommendations based on customer preferences and viewing history, and KrisFlyer members being able to bookmark and resume content, as well as customise and save preferences on myKrisWorld for subsequent flights.

Final word

I’m sure once you factor in all of the upgrades in the soft product with the amazingly spacious new Suites, this will still remain one of the top first class experiences available. Having a full (true) double bed is still something that very few airlines have so it’s still something special (and now you have even more room to enjoy it). Still, there’s a small part of me that wishes there was a little more… imagination found in these new suites.

Photos of New Singapore First Class Suites Leaked!

We’re only a couple of days away from Singapore’s official reveal of their new A380 cabins, which will consist of new first class suites, business class seats, and even new premium economy and economy seats. However, it looks like some images from the new first class cabin have leaked. Via Flyertalk and SQTalk, we now can see several images of what likely will be the new first class suites!

And as much as I hate to admit it, I’m honestly sort of underwhelmed….

The photos

Let’s take a look at the photos (which I’ll be happy to take down upon SQ requests).

The first couple of photos show the full interior of a single suite. The biggest thing that sticks out is that there’s a separate bed from the seat. It looks like the seat likely swivels around, too. The image below doesn’t look bad but the suite has a very “dentist-room” look and feel to it. It sort of has a slightly futuristic look going on too but has an overall bland look to it that is much different from the charming Singapore Suites that came out in 2007.

Another issue is that the seat looks a bit narrow, almost resembling a premium economy seat. I’m sure the seat is very comfortable but it does look a tad narrow, especially considering how wide Singapore loves to go with its seats. This also makes me wonder how far back the seat will recline, as some seats like the one found in the Etihad Apartment don’t recline as far back as many would prefer, resulting in a less comfortable experience.


You can see what looks like a tablet below, so I think that they are going to integrate IFE into a tablet-controlled system and who knows… maybe you’ll even be able to request service through it? All of the photos have the beds out so I’m really wondering if you’ll be able to fold up the bed against the wall, as it would seem odd to have the chair facing the bed with no room for your legs.

This next photo shows what many of us wanted to see: another double bed set up! It looks like they are going to keep this set-up with at least a couple of the new suites. Notice the large TV screens on the right and what I think is a tablet in the middle of the screen. There also looks to be a mini vanity mirror behind the seat. I doesn’t look like you’ll be able to dine across from another in the suite, though that issue might be somewhat remedied with a small lounge.

And then there’s this leaked map below of the A380. It shows a lot of things going on right outside of the first class cabin. I’ve got to assume that that are will consist of some type of bar or lounge area but it’s difficult for me to tell. It also looks like the business class seats might still have footwells at an angle based on the map but that is still speculation. It’s worth noting that the Singapore business class seats will be more concentrated than prior A380 models.

Lastly, the lavatory in the front of the first class cabin looks huge! We know Singapore will not have showers but the given the size of that room, you’ve got to think that it might be a little spa-like or something similar.

I keep reminding myself that this is not the official release and these are images probably taken on a cell phone in office lighting conditions so the product isn’t exactly being seen in its full glory. Although the suites do look very sterile and bland compared to the old Singapore Suites, it’s possible that they might not look that way when they are fitted inside the plane with proper lighting, etc.

I will say on the bright side that these suites look huge. I can only imagine how big they feel when they are shared with another passenger and the partition is down. We also haven’t seen the full cabin yet. I’m going to hold off my judgment until we get to see the full cabin officially revealed later this week but my initial reaction unfortunately is not the blown-a-way excitement I was anticipating.

Singapore Announces First Route with New First Class Suites

I’ve been watching the new Singapore Suites developments over the past year like a hawk. I was originally worried we wouldn’t see them this year when Singapore failed to reveal anything about them before the end of Q2 (as they had said they would) but in September they stated that they would reveal the new suites on November 2, 2017.

Another important detail has emerged regarding the suites and we now know what route will be the first to be serviced by the new A380 that will have the new first class suites (and other new cabins in business class, premium economy, and economy). The route will be SQ 231/232 that serves Singapore (SIN) and Sydney (SYD) beginning December 18, 2017.

The announcement came via Singapore Airlines:

The first of the A380s with the new products will operate daily from 18 December as flight SQ221, departing Singapore at 2040hrs and arriving into Sydney at 0740hrs the following day. It will return as flight SQ232, departing Sydney at 1215hrs and arriving into Singapore at 1735hrs. Additional destinations for the new products will be revealed in the coming months.

There were signs pointing to this flight being the “chosen route” over the past few months and so for those of us who have followed things closely, this is not a surprise whatsoever. I’m not sure when the second route will be announced or when service will begin but it’s been speculated that the second route will serve London (LHR).

We won’t know exactly what these new suites and business class cabins will look like or what they will feature until November 2, which thankfully is now only one week away. However, we do have some ideas on what to expect.

We did recently see some conceptual renderings from whom we believe is the designer of the new suites but nothing has been verified so far. I wouldn’t be surprised if the cabin looked similar to those illustrations, but I still don’t think those are the actual renderings for the cabins. I’m expecting some truly elegant, industry-leading suites and hopefully a complete overhaul on the business class seats that provide better leg room for all passengers (and not just the bulkhead seats). I also really hope to see some type of bar or lounge on board.

If you want to book these new cabins you need to get on it ASAP. Saver availability for the first class suites is going to be near impossible to find but Standard Awards at 150,000 will be much easier to find. It’s possible that the redemption price could shoot up (like what happened when Suites were first announced) so you might want to book now and ask questions later.

H/T: OMAAT

United Now Showing Singapore Awards

Back in 2013, United pulled Singapore awards from the United website, so that you could still book United awards but you would have to call in to make those bookings (which wasn’t always a smooth process). However, as of today, Singapore Airlines awards have returned to United’s website making it much easier to book these awards.

The big caveat is that the same booking policies apply that limit Singapore’s award inventory available to Star Alliance partners. For example, on many long haul flights and those served by the A380 it has been virtually impossible to use Star Alliance partners like United or Aeroplan to book Singapore business class or first class seats.

This is still in effect but you can find premium awards on routes served by the 777, such as the SIN -> SYD route below.

Overall, having Singapore awards show up on United’s website is nice but it’s not that exciting given the limitations imposed for premium cabins. Personally, I’m still not crazy about the fact that you can’t book many premium awards with Star Alliance partners but I suppose that it does work out for many of us. Singapore award availability would be much tougher to come by if it were open to all Star Alliance partners. I’m not sure how much worse availability would be considering how easy it is to earn Singapore miles via credit cards (Chase, Amex, and Citi) but I’m sure it would be worse.

H/T:  AT101

Is This Singapore’s New First Class Cabin?

The anticipation continues to grow for the new Singapore Suites that will be announced November 2, 2017 (around the same time Emirates will reveal their new first class cabin). Given how high Singapore raised the bar back in 2007 when they revealed their new Singapore Suites, expectations are very high for this new cabin.

The Singapore Suites Cabin released in 2007.

However, Singapore has been very quiet about the new suites although we’ve seen small details leak here and there.

Here’s what we know (or at least suspect) to be true so far:

  • The first class suites will be moved from the lower deck to the upper deck of the A380 making the entire upper deck full of only business class and first class
  • There will only be six or eight suites in first class (down from 12) but the suites will be bigger
  • There’s a possibility of one oversized suite (like the Etihad Residence)
  • There will not be a shower
  • We’re not sure about a bar or lounge
  • The first flight is expected to be between Singapore and Sydney (possibly flight SQ 221)
  • The next route will likely be between Singapore and London
  • Some expect the flights to be in operation as early as the turn of the new year in 2018, though it could take longer.
  • There will also be a new business class, premium economy, and economy and those will eventually be retrofitted to other A380s.

User pulvardon on SQ Talk pointed out that when you go to the website for Pierre Jean Design Studio (designer of the original Singapore Suites and the presumed designer for the next suites), there are some interesting images found in the Singapore tab.

These images do not actually show any of the suites but they do show an extremely elegant bar and lounge area. Here are the photos.

The first photo shows a bar area with two trays of towels, a representation of the cabin pre-departure, I guess. Notice how wide open the spaces are and how elegant everything is from the ceiling to the storage compartments, along with the floral decor.

Next is an image of a table in the lounge area, which looks similar to Emirates’ new bar and lounge areas. I think it’s pretty cool what they’ve done with the window shades and the candle-like lamp on the table.

The next image shows another angle of the booth along with what looks like a self-serve counter complete with a small book collection. It also looks like you can sneak a peak at the doors of some suites through the entry way, though they don’t reveal much.

And then there’s another shot of the bar area but this time it’s loaded with some snack options and a couple of bottles of champagne.

There’s still no way of knowing if this represents the new Singapore first class cabin. In my opinion, the images look too “conceptual” to be the actual new cabin and Singapore would be too on top of things to allow their designer to leak their new cabin. Others have also pointed out that the windows don’t necessarily line up with how the new A380 upper decks will be designed. Still, if this conceptual rendering is any indication of the elegance that the new cabin will offer, I’m sure we will all be overly impressed.

H/T: OMAAT

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