At the Airport

Check-in

Singapore Airlines Flights flying from Singapore to Bangkok departs from Terminal 2 of Singapore Changi Airport. Singapore Airlines occupies rows 1 to 3 in the terminal with row 1 dedicated to First and Business Class passengers. Row 2 is dedicated to passengers travelling under Group Travels. Passengers flying with Singapore Airlines on Economy Class uses row 3 to check-in, where most of the counters are designated for passengers who have performed self-service printing of boarding passes and tagging their out luggage from the kiosks available. Only two counters are open for passengers who require assistance with their check-in. As the counters service all destinations operated by Singapore Airlines, there was a queue at the internet check-in baggage drop off counter. However, my friend has attained Gold Elite status with Singapore Airlines, we were able to check-in at one of the two counters for KrisFlyer Elite Gold members in Row 1 and we only waited for less than 5 mins.

KrisFlyer Gold Lounge

As a KrisFLyer Gold member, my friend can bring one guest with him into the KrisFlyer Gold Lounge. KrisFlyer Gold Lounge is located on level 3 of Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 2, just before the entrance to SilverKris Lounge. The KrisFlyer Gold Lounge is decked in an earthy tone that gives a feeling of classiness and makes passengers feel relaxed. The fact that the lounge was not busy with passengers adds to the sensation of relaxation in the lounge. KrisFlyer Gold Lounge is not as big as the SilverKris Lounge next door and the food selection is somewhat limited, however, they are tasty and is sufficient to fill one’s stomach. There is a fridge with beverage selection next to the main buffet area, stocked with soft drinks and juices.

Singapore Airlines operates several aircraft types between Singapore and Bangkok. For this flight, we flew with Singapore Airlines B787-10 which is one of the newest aircraft in the Singapore Airlines fleet.

The Cabin

Singapore Airlines B787-10 has a two-class configuration, capable of carrying up to 337 passengers with 36 Business Class seats and 301 Economy Class seats. Economy Class is split into two sections. All seats in Economy Class are arranged in the 3-3-3 configuration. The seats in the Economy Class cabin are generally decked in light grey fabric with some seats in light blue. The use of purple and orange mood lighting used during boarding makes the cabin looks bright and refreshing.

The lavatories in the Economy Class cabin are located in the mid and the aft part of the aircraft. The lavatories are no bigger than those found onboard other Singapore Airlines aircraft. The use of mirrors in the lavatory makes the lavatory looks larger than it actually is. Singapore Airlines is perhaps one of the few airlines that stocked their Economy Class cabin lavatories with amenities such as toothbrush, combs and razors on top of the handsoap. Passengers can also find hand lotion and Eau de toilette in the lavatory. Singapore Airlines installs sensor-activated tap and toilet flush making the use of the lavatory more hygienic.

The Seat

The seats onboard Singapore Airlines B787-10 features their new Economy Class seats. The seats in Economy Class cabins are very comfortable with a pitch of 32″ and width of 17.5″. The legroom in the seats is very good, adding more comfort for the 2-hour flight time to Bangkok. Seat recline button is found on the armrest.

Most of the seat features in the Economy Class seats can be found on the panel in front of each seat, making it look very clean and well designed. It has everything that a passenger needs for their flight. There is a small compartment below the TV screen that allows passengers to stow small items such as mobile phones or the earphones that the airlines provide for the In-Flight Entertainment System. Tray tables can be folded into half and are large for Economy Class standards, capable of allowing passengers to do some work on their laptops. The seat reading light is situated on the ceiling above the seat.

There is a cup holder in every Singapore Airlines Economy Class seats making it convenient for passengers to place their cups into while not deploying the tray table. Flight attendant call buttons and switches for the reading light can be found on a small panel on the bottom left of the TV screen. The USB charging port and headphone jacks are located next to the call buttons. There is a small coat hook in each Economy Class seat. On top of the USB charging port, Singapore Airlines is thoughtful enough to install a universal power plug for every two seats for passengers to charge their lifestyle devices, conveniently located under the armrest in front of the passengers.

The seat pocket is large enough for passengers to store their iPads. There are two other smaller pockets in front of the main seat pocket, which I find useful to put small items like a passport. The main seat pocket contains the usual inflight magazines such as Singapore Airline’s travel magazine – SilverKris, the in-flight entertainment catalogue – KrisWorld, and the in-flight duty-free catalogue – KrisShop.

In-Flight Entertainment

Each Economy Class seat onboard Singapore Airlines B787-10 comes with an 11’1″ personal TV with touchscreen function. The touchscreen function is very responsible and is the only way passenger can control the In-Flight Entertainment system. There is no IFE controller found in the seat since IFE controls can be done on the TV. Singapore Airlines’ KrisWorld has an extensive library of entertainment options, arranged in easy to navigate menus. KrisWorld has the latest blockbuster movies from Hollywood as well as regional movie titles. Scrolling through the KrisWorld is similar to how one would scroll through on their tablet, passengers can swipe left or right to get to the type of entertainment option they desire and click on the large icon to launch the movie or TV show they want to watch.

Meal

Meal service commenced about 30 mins into the flight. Flight attendants went around distributing dinner together with drinks. Passengers were given the option of Char Siew Rice of Green Curry Chicken with fried rice. The Char Siew Rice I opted was very tasty and the pork meat was very tender and well marinated. The rice is a tad hard. I did not like the Quinoa and Vegetable that was served as an appetiser was less to be desired. The Mango pudding dessert is good though.

Service

Service onboard this Singapore to Bangkok flight onboard Singapore Airlines in Economy class was good. Despite being a busy full flight, service onboard Singapore Airlines Economy Class was not compromised. Flight attendants are seen offering help to passengers with their carry-on luggage during boarding. Meal service was done with a smile. As soon as the seat belt sign was turned off, one of the flight attendants approached my friend and me to inform us that they have taken note of our food allergies and told us the options for dinner before the meal service run. After taking our preference, the flight attendant emerged from the galley with our food ahead of the rest of the passengers. When requested for a can of coke to share with my friend and the flight attendant happily hand us the coke and even asked if it is sufficient for the two of us.

Afterthought

Singapore Airlines new Economy Class product on the B787-10 is very good. The seats are very comfortable and the legroom is generous for Economy Class. The IFE menu is very easy to navigate via the touchscreen function on the TV and the touchscreen is very responsive. There are loads of entertainment option on KrisWorld that kept me entertained throughout the 2-hour flight to Bangkok. Interactions with the flight attendants were rather minimal as this is a full flight. Despite that, service is always done with a smile. This short flight with Singapore Airlines is quite enjoyable.