This review focuses on my inflight experience in the Singapore Airlines Suites Class. Singapore Airlines Suites Class is only found on their A380 aircraft, with each passenger given a cabin instead of a standard seat. Singapore Airlines flies from Singapore to London four times a day. Two of these four daily flights were serviced by the super jumbo A380-800, featuring the renowned Singapore Airlines Suites Class. The other two flights were serviced by the B777-300ER, which was installed with spacious seats.

The Cabin

Singapore Airlines Suites Class cabin occupies the forward upper deck of the super jumbo A380-800 aircraft. There are six suites arranged in a 1-1 configuration. The Suites Class cabin feels very cosy and intimate, decked with earthy tones matched with silver doors and beige walls. Singapore Airlines Suites Class cabin is laid with sand colour carpet that is consistent with the colour scheme of the entire cabin. The flower motifs on the ceiling and the doors of each suite were consistent with the theme we spotted in The Private Room (click here to read about my review of The Private Room). The Suites Class cabin resembles the private cabins onboard sleeper trains, which gives Suites Class passengers some form of privacy. The cut holes on the cabin doors, in the shape of a flower design, somewhat reduce the privacy we got in the Suites Class cabins.

There are two lavatories at the front of the aircraft catering to the six Suites Class passengers. Despite not being fitted with showering facilities found in the A380s of Emirates or Etihad, the lavatories onboard Singapore Airlines A380 Suites Class are equally luxurious. The lavatory on the right is the bigger of the two. With the dark brown wooden furnishing and the beige walls alongside the grey flooring and a marble sink countertop, the lavatory exudes a sense of luxury. The sink in the lavatory rivals that in the bathroom of a 5-star hotel. The right lavatory is large enough for Singapore Airlines to install a vanity table between the toilet and the sink, which comes with a posh leather stool. On top of a regular mirror, there is even a magnifying mirror for passengers to glam up before disembarking. Decked with a leather cover doubling as a seat, even the toilet feels luxurious. There is plenty of space in this lavatory for passengers to change into the Lalique pyjamas provided to Suites Class passengers. Singapore Airlines did not skim on the amenities in the Suites Class lavatories. The lavatories are filled with amenities such as dental kits (different from those offered in Business Class lavatories), sanitary napkins, razors and foam, and a hairbrush. Singapore Airlines also stocked their Suites Class lavatories with Lalique amenities like eau de toilette, facial mist and body lotion.

The lavatory on the left was smaller but no less luxurious. It carries the same luxurious design of dark wooden cabinet panels, beige walls, and grey flooring as the larger lavatory. Similarly, the toilet is covered with leather, which can double as a stool. Passengers using this lavatory can still find it spacious to change in and out of their pyjamas. This lavatory still provides the same amenities as the larger lavatory. The only difference is that the left lavatory has no vanity table, and the toilet can be immediately seen when one enters the lavatory. This lavatory has sufficient mirrors for passengers to put on their make-up.

The Suite

Regarding the Singapore Airlines Suites Class, it isn’t very meaningful to talk about seat pitch as the Suites Class passengers occupy a cabin onboard. Despite being in the same class, not all suites have the same size. The biggest are the foremost Suites (1A and 1F), about 5m²; the smallest (3A and 3F) are the aftmost Suites measuring 3.3m². I occupy the middle Suite (2A) with 4m² of real estate. Suites 1A and 2A (and similarly (1F and 2F)) can be combined to form a double bed. Each Suite is fitted with both a chair and a bed. The interior of the Suite gave me a soft and cosy feel, with the use of light shades of brown and beige colour schemes on the walls and the carpet. Using leather to furnish parts of the walls enhances the luxe vibe in the Suite. The walls of the Suite were printed with floral designs that enhanced the luxurious vibe and did not come across as being too loud or over the top, consistent with the design language of the cabin.

A side table, furnished tastefully with a vase of orchid, sits by the entrance of the Suite. The flight attendants use This side table to place our drinks or snacks without needing to deploy the table. Other than being the side table for the convenience of passengers, the side table is where the large table in the Suite is stowed during take-off and landings. The table is solid and huge, providing tons of space for Suites Class passengers to work on their laptops and for the cabin crew to serve the multi-course meals during the flight. The table can be swivelled for passengers to get in and out of the seat without stowing it away. The lighting further enhances the sense of comfort and cosiness of the Suite. There are two reading lights, one above the chair in the corner of the Suite and another above the bed, that provide soft, warm lighting for passengers to read on the chair or the bed. Another reading light is strategically placed above the side table to illuminate the entrance and side table. Each Suites Class passenger is treated to two window panels to look out into the sky from their bed. These window panels come with two-layered electronic control shades for passengers to control the amount of natural light they want to let into the cabin.

The Seat

The seat was the first thing that caught my eye when I entered my Suite. Decked in soft brown leather with thickly padded cushioning, the seat is very comfortable. An oversized pillow is placed onto the seat to provide passengers with greater comfort, especially in reclined mode. The seat measures 35″ wide and can recline up to 45°. During boarding, the seat is adjusted to face the front of the aircraft. The seat in the Suites Class onboard Singapore Airlines A380 can be swivelled to face the window or the TV. We are required to swivel the seat to face the front for take-offs and landings. The calf rest of the seat can only be deployed when the seat is swivelled to face the TV or the front of the aircraft (the green light on the control panel would light up to indicate calf rests can be deployed). Swivelling of the seat is controlled electronically via the control panel built into the left side of its armrest or the tablet provided in the Suite. I find the soft leather of the seat very comfortable, and I could sit on it for prolonged periods (just not at 45° recline) when I am not in bed. There are two power sockets that came fitted with USB-A charging outlets in the Suite, one at the side of the side table at the entrance of the Suite and another on the storage cubby by the window.

The Bed

Singapore Airlines Suites Class features a bed in the Suite on top of the comfortable seat. The bed was folded into the wall when we boarded the aircraft. The cabin crew would deploy and make up the bed for us after the breakfast service. Each bed in the Suite measures 27″ wide and 76″ in length. Singapore Airlines uses Lalique bedding for the bed. I found the bed was very sturdy, lacking in terms of comfort. The mattress padding was a tad thin and lacked cushioning. The two pillows that came with the bed were too soft for my liking. I like to sleep with my head raised, but sleeping on the pillows feels like my head is sinking into the pillows. I napped on and off for the 14½-hour flight from Singapore to London. I thought the duvet provided was comfortable, but it does a very good job of keeping us warm.

Storage Spaces

There is no lack of storage space in the Suites Class onboard Singapore Airlines. Besides the pockets and shelving on the bulkheads and the seat, there is a small wardrobe by the door. Due to the slim design of the wardrobe, a limited amount of things can be stowed here. There is space in the wardrobe for passengers to hang their jackets. Singapore Airlines places three hangers in the wardrobe, which is slightly excessive. When hanging my jacket, I noticed it had already taken up ¾ length of the wardrobe. The bottom part of the wardrobe allowed me to stow away my backpack. On top of the hanging rod is another shelf perfect for stowing smaller items for easy access. To enhance the wardrobe’s storage capacity, Singapore Airlines fitted a small pocket on the wardrobe door, where the cabin crew placed the Lalique slippers and socks.

More storage is fitted into the bulkhead of the Suite. The three leathered cubby holes fitted on top of a cabinet-like structure by the bulkhead next to the seat, on which the Singapore Airlines crew placed the amenity kit and the headphones, provided some space for storage. However, due to the shallow design of these cubbies, I thought they could only be used to store smaller items such as mobile phones, passports and perhaps make-up pouches. There is another mirror fitted onto the lid of the middle cubby hole, which I guess these cubby holes are designed to store make-up pouches. Singapore Airlines designed an open shelving space with a single leather strap beneath the cubby holes. I am unsure what can be stored here, as I did not find any of my carry-ons fitted into this space. A fourth cubby hole is fitted on the bulkhead where the bed is placed. I knew it was there but only discovered how to open the cubby lid when we were about to reach London.

The literature pocket is fitted onto the bulkhead behind the seat (when facing forward), which affords limited space for storage. Due to the slim design and the placement of the seat pocket, making it somewhat difficult to access, I found little use of the literature pocket for storage.

The Amenities

Sitting in the in-suite vanity area is a Lalique amenities kit. This kit that we received in the Suites was for male passengers. The amenities kit, presented in a leather Lalique pouch, was well stocked with lip balm, hand lotion and facial mist. It even comes with a bottle of eau de toilette. There is a separate amenities for female passengers by Lalique as well. Suites Class passengers were also offered Lalique pyjamas, which were very soft and comfortable, and Lalique branded slippers.

Inflight Entertainment

In terms of hardware, Singapore Airlines fitted a 32″ HD touchscreen TV in the Suite. The TV can be swivelled with a touch of a button either on the seat or from the tablet to face the passengers when sitting on the seat. The picture quality was excellent on the HD TV, which produced sharp images and was very pleasing to obtain entertainment from. Another small TV in the forward Suites (1A and 1F) allows passengers to watch TV during landings and take-offs. Due to the placement of the seat and the requirement to face forward, passengers will not be able to use the 32″ TV during these periods of the flight. There are two IFE controllers in the Suite; a smaller one is stowed in the seat’s armrest, which I found very intuitive to use. The other IFE controller is via tablet in the Suite.

As part of the entertainment offerings, Singapore Airlines supplies its Suites Class guests with Bang & Olufsen noise-cancelling headphones, which I find very comfortable to use due to the thick padding. The two headphone jacks in the Suite, one next to the bed and another on the side of the seat, allowed passengers to use the supplied headphones without the wire daggling all over the place. Singapore Airlines loads the KrisWorld, their inflight entertainment system, with many options to keep guests entertained. There is something for everyone, from the latest Hollywood blockbusters to cinematic classics to TV shows and even games. The menu of KrisWorld is very easy to navigate, creating a positive user experience. Singapore Airlines also has complementary wifi onboard for its Suites passengers. However, the network was a bit slow, and for most of our flight, we could not connect to wifi to surf the internet.

The Food

I was very well fed by the cabin crew in Suites Class. The catering tasted delicious and hardly tasted like airline food. A cabin crew came over to my suite to take order of my welcome drink the moment I settled into the Suite. I asked for Krug, which the cabin crew returned with a bottle and poured into the champagne flute before me.

Breakfast

Breakfast was served shortly after we reached cruising altitude. The meal started with the cabin crew taking orders for drinks. I opted for Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee, which was aromatic and flavourful. After the table was set up, fresh fruits were served as an appetiser. The fruits tasted fresh and juicy, especially the watermelon and honeydew. I pre-ordered the Nasi Lemak from Singapore Airlines’ Book-the-cook service. The rice was fragrant, and I could taste the coconut flavour in the rice. Though well seasoned, the fried chicken wasn’t as crispy as I would like. The sambal chilli that came with the rice was divine; it is mildly spicy and adds a punch to the coconut-flavoured rice. There is a menu of light bites between meals in the Suites Class. I wanted to try the carrot cake but was too full from the breakfast and the laksa I had earlier at The Private Room that I had to skip the light bites—in between, I asked for warm nuts to munch on while watching a movie.

Dinner

Dinner service began about 9 hours into the flight. The meals were beautifully presented and tasted great. I could see the ingredients used were of high quality. Dinner service begins with Singapore Airlines’ satay service. I am a huge fan of their satay and requested a double portion from the cabin crew. The chicken on the satay was tender and succulent, but the satay sauce was a tad too thick. At the same time, I requested my favourite mocktail – Midsummer Breeze, introduced to me by the Leading Stewardess from my Male to Singapore flight. The mocktail is thirst-quenching and refreshing.

The next course, the appetiser, served is the Osetra Caviar. This was my first time having caviar, and the first taste I got from the first bite of the fish roe was saltiness. But after some time, the taste of ocean freshness dominated my palette. The caviar was served with an assortment of garnishes and some mini pancakes. When paired with these garnishes and the pancake, the caviar tasted delicious. After the caviar, the cabin crew brought the second appetiser, which I opted for, the tomato soup. The soup was flavourful, and I could taste the tomato flavour bursting in my mouth. The soup was topped with cheese toasted, which complemented the soup perfectly. As my soup was being served, another cabin crew brought the bread basket for me to choose from. I wouldn’t say no to the garlic bread, which Singapore Airlines serves as one of the tastiest garlic breads in the sky.

Seeing my empty glass, the cabin crew offered another Midsummer Breeze, and I requested Coke instead. Next up was the course – Hokkaido Scallop and Atlantic Salmon- beautifully presented in exquisite china. The main course comes with two pieces of grilled salmon and two pieces of grilled scallops sitting on a bed of couscous and some greens at the side. The salmon was perfectly done, and the seasoning was spot on. The scallop was also done perfectly, tender and not chewy. The proteins were well complemented by the couscous. The cabin crew cleared my plate and asked my choice of desserts. I asked if ice cream was served in the other cabin classes (ice cream was not on the menu for the Suites Class). After checking, ice cream was not served, but the cabin crew recommended the Chocolate and Earl Grey Cream. I went with her recommendation, which turned out to be very tasty. The Chocolate and Earl Grey Cream has the texture of a mouse but the shape of a cake. I could taste the Earl Grey used for the dessert, and the taste was not too overpowering. The dessert also did not taste overpowering sweet. At this point, I felt full and had to reject the fruit platter the cabin crew offered.

Service

The service on Singapore Airlines Suites Class was nothing but excellent. The cabin crew was warm and friendly and, most importantly, came across as sincere and genuine. We were taken care of by the Inflight Manager Lee Chuen Thim, Chief Steward Kueh Joo Tong, Leading Steward Rahaizad and Leading Stewardess Sharifah. The cabin crew warmly greeted us, and Sharifah ushered us to our Suite. She gave us a brief on the facilities in our Suite and recommended using the larger lavatory on the right. As we were settling into our Suite, Sharifah returned and presented us with our Lalique pyjamas, while Rahaizad came by with our order of Krug champagne. As we sipped our champagne, the inflight manager welcomed each passenger flying in Suites Class today.

Throughout the flight, I interacted with Sharifah the most. She was very caring and went all the way out to ensure we were comfortable and well taken care of. I saw her patrolling the cabin consistently to check if we needed anything (I could see her looking into the Suite), and she was always ready to assist us. No request is too troublesome for Sharifah, who was observed to strive to fulfil the requests. Sharifah would always volunteer extra drinks and anything we wanted to eat without us having to ask for it. She even offered to make up our bed after the breakfast run so that we could rest. When I asked if I could walk around both decks of the aircraft, Sharifah volunteered to show me around. She was very knowledgeable about the configurations in the A380 aircraft and even pointed to the best seats in each cabin class as we walked through. Sharifah was very sociable and very pleasant to talk to.

Comparatively, my interactions with Rahaizad were limited (perhaps due to their shift cycle). Despite the limited interaction opportunities, Rahaizad was sincere and constantly looked out for us. We were equally well taken care of by Rahaizad when Sharifah was on her rest cycle.

Afterthought

Singapore Airlines Suites Class was comfortable to fly in. The hardware of the product was great, giving us a lot of space to stretch and rest during the long 14½-hour flight from Singapore to London. The seats in the Suite were very comfortable to lounge in, work or watch movies on the 32″ HD TV. Though I find a tad uncomfortable, the bed still afforded us some good rest. Besides having solid hardware, the service rendered by the cabin crew was exceptional. Sharifah took care of me well during the flight and went all out to fulfil my requests. She constantly looked out for us and ensured we had a great flight. The hardware and the service make flying Singapore Airlines Suites Class so memorable.