At the Airport

Singapore Changi Airport

Since travel picked up post-pandemic, Singapore Airlines has started to relocate all their regional flights from Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 3 to Singapore Airport Terminal 2 since late 2023. Singapore Airlines occupies several rows in Terminal 2, all located in the centre of the terminal. While Row 3 mainly serves Business Class and Elite Gold members, check-in counters at Row 5 serve passengers flying in Economy Class. There are several self-check-in kiosks for passengers, and the ground staff will try to push as many passengers to use them as possible. We had an early flight departing Singapore to Penang, and while the queue was short (there were only 2 other groups ahead of us), we waited for around 10 minutes to be serviced. This could be due to the fewer counters opened for check-in as the airline is trying to encourage passengers to use the self-check-in kiosks. At check-in, the ground staff serviced us with a smile and processed our check-in efficiently. He briefed us on the boarding time and the location of the boarding gate.

Penang International Airport

Singapore Airlines operates six counters in Penang International Airport from counters 13 to 18, located to the right of the terminal. The nearest door to the counters is Door 4 of the terminal building. Of the six counters, one serves Business Class passengers, three counters dedicated to Economy Class passengers, and two counters are set up for passengers who require assistance. Despite checking in about 2 hours before the scheduled departure time, there was no queue at the Economy Class counters. The ground staff at the airport was very efficient and checked us in within 5 minutes of arriving at the counter. Despite being a small airport, there are shops on both the land and air sides of Penang International Airport for last-minute souvenir shopping. Singapore Airlines boarded passengers in an organised manner. Passengers occupying the rear of the plane were further split into three queues, with passengers sitting at the window side being boarded first, followed by those in the middle and the aisle side. The ground staff at the boarding gate religiously ensured that passengers in the correct group were queued in the line and by their designated queue.

The Aircraft

Singapore Airlines used the B737-800 NG inherited from its sister company, SilkAir, when the two airlines merged to ply between Singapore and Penang. These older-generation aircraft are slated to replace the newer B737-Max 8 from Sep 2024.

The Cabin

The Economy Class cabin on Singapore Airlines B737-800 NG looks bright and airy. The light colour of the seats brings some vibrancy to the cabin. Blue mood lighting during and throughout the flight complements the seat colour and lifts one’s mood while flying in the older aircraft.

Economy Class passengers use the two lavatories located at the back of the aircraft. The B737-800 NG lavatory is a tad small, but bright lighting and mirrors eliminate any feeling of claustrophobia. The hardworking cabin crew keeps the lavatories very clean throughout the flight. Singapore Airlines is perhaps one of the few airlines worldwide that provides amenities such as dental kits in its lavatories.

The Seat

Singapore Airlines B737-800 NG has 162 seats onboard, 12 in Business Class and 150 in Economy Class. Economy Class seats are arranged in a 3-3 configuration, each with a pitch of 30″ and 17″ wide. These seats can recline up to 3″ to provide comfort for passengers. I must say the legroom in the Economy Class is very good for a regional older product. The padding in the seats makes it very comfortable for the short hop between Singapore and Penang.

I find the tray table fitted in each Economy Class seat is on the smaller side; it got a little cramp when placing the food and drinks on the table. As with most Economy Class seats, the only storage space afforded to passengers onboard Singapore Airlines B737-800 NG is the seat pocket in front of us. The seat pocket on this aircraft is rather small, and it felt quite full after fitting my Nintendo Switch and a power bank. Other than the reading light, each Economy Class seat is also fitted with an individual air vent, which is rare on Singapore Airlines flights. Controls for the reading lights and call attendant buttons are located on the ceiling above each seat.

Inflight Entertainment

As this is an older aircraft, it does not come fitted with any inflight entertainment system. The aircraft is fitted with drop-down screens mounted onto the ceiling, predominantly used to show the aircraft’s safety videos. However, these screens malfunctioned for both legs, resulting in the cabin crew performing manual safety briefings. There is also an old-school radio channel on the armrest of the seat. As Singapore Airlines did not supply any headphones for this short flight, I did not test to see if these channels were still functioning. Due to its age, Singapore Airlines B737-800 NG aircraft are also not fitted with any Wifi onboard.

Refreshment Service

As this was a short 1 hr plus flight, I was quite surprised that Singapore Airlines served each Economy Class passenger a light snack. Refreshment service commenced about 20 minutes after taking off.

SIN – PEN

Due to the short flight time, there was only one option for this leg of the flight. We were served Four-Cheese pizza in a box during this leg. The thick-breaded pizza was served warm and tasted decent, sufficient to fill one’s stomach temporarily. Due to the short flight time, the pizza was distributed alongside the drink service.

PEN – SIN

Similar to our outbound flight, only one snack option is available for this leg. We were served Margherita pizza on this leg. This pizza tasted a little bland, but it was good enough to fill my stomach. Due to the melted cheese during reheating, I find it messy when eating out of the box. Again, drinks are served with the pizza due to the short flight time.

Service

Despite the short flight time, service onboard this one-hour-plus flight was amazing. The cabin crew smiled and greeted passengers as we boarded the aircraft. They were seen helping passengers locate their seats. The short flight time did little to affect the quality service we received onboard. Despite the short flight time and immense pressure to distribute the snacks and complete meal service, the cabin crew was still seen smiling. The refreshment service did not come across as being rushed. The short flight time also allowed me to observe a great deal of teamwork portrayed by the cabin crew. The cabin crew were observed working as a team to complement each other and ensure the snack was distributed to all passengers in good time.

Deborah, a particular cabin crew member, made a good impression on me. We met Deborah during the PEN—SIN leg, where she was seen helping passengers find an empty overhead bin and stow their carry-on luggage in it. Deborah was also seen patrolling the cabin during boarding and distributing children’s amenities to the kids flying onboard. She came across as cheerful and welcoming.

Afterthought

Despite being an older aircraft inherited from the former SilkAir, Singapore Airlines B737-800 NG was comfortable and afforded me great legroom. I was not too bothered by this short flight’s lack of entertainment options. Service was great onboard this short flight. Despite being under intense pressure to complete the service, the service rendered by the cabin crew did not come across as rushed. They still maintained their composure and serviced with a smile.