Airline Reviews

[Airline Review] – Singapore Airlines A380-800 (SQ308) – Suites Class, SIN – LHR (22 Dec 23) Part 1: The Ground Experience – The Private Room and First Class Lounge

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Flying Suites Class on Singapore Airlines means we would get pampered from the ground experience to the flight. This post focuses on the ground experience, and Part 2 will focus on my inflight experience. The excellent experience started with our exclusive access to The Private Room, the lounge only open to passengers flying on Singapore Airlines First and Suites Class.

Singapore Airlines First Class Check-in Reception

First Class Check-in Reception

All Singapore Airlines A380-800 aircraft depart from Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 3. Passengers flying in their Suites Class can check in at the First Class Check-in Reception Lounge, located right before Door 1 of the airport terminal. The First Class Check-in Reception Lounge makes passengers feel as though they are flying from a private airport. The lounge was elegantly designed and exuded a sense of luxury and exclusivity. The moment our ride pulled up at the door, staff welcomed us while the porter took care of unloading our luggage from the trunk of our ride. We were ushered into the check-in counter by the staff, who took our passports and handed them to another ground staff member at one of the eight check-in counters. The only flaw of these check-in counters is only one chair. The check-in process was efficient, and the friendly staff gave us directions to the dedicated immigration clearance channel and the lounge. The dedicated immigration channel is just behind the Singapore Airlines First Class Check-in Reception Lounge.

Singapore Airlines Lounges
Entrance to the First Class lounges

Singapore Airlines Exclusive The Private Room

The Private Room signage at the entrance

The Private Room is Singapore Airlines’ coveted lounge, exclusive to passengers flying on Singapore Airlines First Class or Suites Class; passengers with status or flying First Class on partnering airlines are not admissible to The Private Room. Due to the exclusivity, the lounge feels quiet and very private. Passengers to The Private Room would pass through a tunnel adorned with bronze walls that opened up to a large earthy-toned main lounge area. A large chandelier made up of crystal flowers fills a circular patterned ceiling at the reception area of the lounge, illuminating a marble top table. The main area in The Private Room comprises the lounging and dining area. The lounging area occupies most of the real estate in The Private Room, decked out in sky blue carpet. The lounging area houses leather couches and armchairs, mainly in the centre and right side of the lounge, where larger parties sit. The left row of The Private Room caters to smaller groups or individuals with a view of the Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 3 airside. There are power sockets dotted around the lounging area of The Private Room.

The centrepiece of The Private Room

The dining area in The Private Room is characterised by marble flooring and white and black chairs tucked into the back of the lounge. There are seatings catering for any group size. Sitting in the dining area feels like dining in an upscale restaurant. There are no buffet tables in The Private Room; we were presented with a menu, and a staff would take our orders. The breakfast options were a tad limited. However, there is a great selection of beverages, including freshly squeezed juices. We ordered the Lobster Laksa; while the flavour of the broth was tasty, I found the lobster tail to be a little tough.

The shower facilities and toilets are situated after the entrance of The Private Room. There are four shower suites in The Private Room, with suite #4 being the biggest amongst all. The luxurious decor and light grey marble tiles with white lighting make the shower suite feel like the bathroom of a 5-star hotel instead of an airport lounge shower stall. The walk-in shower has a handheld and a rain shower head. Singapore Airlines provided passengers using the shower suite in The Private Room with COMO Shambhala shower amenities that smelled great and kept my skin feeling soft. On top of the shower amenities, other bath amenities commonly provided in 5-star hotels are also available in the shower suite.

The Private Room has four private resting cabins for the passengers to nap while waiting for our flights. Each cabin is furnished with a bed, an armchair and a work desk. The brown and blue theme in the main lounge extends into these soundproof cabins, giving it a very cosy feel. We could control the amount of mood lighting that aids in relaxation while resting in these cabins. I like the Tempur bedding installed in the cabin, which is designed to reduce the fatigue passengers feel during our time in the air. There is a “zero gravity” mode in the bed that gently “vibrates” one to sleep. It is very comfortable and effective in reducing aches and pains. The sky-blue leather armchair is equally comfortable to sit on; with several reclining angles, one can also easily fall while sitting in the body-hugging chair. The marble-top desk tucked by the wall provided a space for passengers wanting to do some work. The only flaw I spotted in the sleeping cabins is the existence of a window panel, which does not seem to provide privacy for cabin users.

Singapore Airlines First Class Lounge

Singapore Airlines First Class Lounge entrance

We took a quick tour of Singapore Airlines First Class Lounge, which is open to passengers travelling in First Class on Star Alliance carriers and status members. The Singapore Airlines First Class Lounge is located between The Private Room and the SilverKris Lounge, sharing the same entrance as The Private Room. Singapore Airlines First Class Lounge looks classy and sophisticated from its entrance, which is laid with light grey marble tiles that match the cream-coloured walls. The brown-coloured wooden walls in Singapore Airlines First Class Lounge gave it a cosy feel. At the end of this corridor, a round bar was spotted. This is where passengers can order spirits, wines and cocktails from the bartender. The bar is adorned with the same floral patterned lighting we saw in The Private Room.

The cosy and classy vibe flows into the main part of the lounge, decked in light grey marble tiles with light brown walls and topped with a dark brown ceiling. The first look of the First Class Lounge gives one a relaxing feel despite being rather full during my visit. About â…” of the lounge space is seating space for passengers to rest and relax while waiting for their flights. The main dining space, resembling a restaurant, occupies the centre of the lounge. Decked in light grey tiles, plenty of dining tables cater mainly to two passengers in this part of the lounge. The location of the dining area gave passengers the convenience of accessing food. The lounging area mainly occupies the forward part of the First Class Lounge, demarcated by dark brown carpeting and black armchairs. Despite the armchairs being very comfortable, the proximity between the chairs might make relaxing challenging. There seem to be limited armchairs to cater to the number of passengers using this part of the lounge. During our visit, the Singapore Airlines First Class lounge was packed. More lounging areas are flushed to the wall toward the lounge entrance, just before the bar. This area, while quieter, offers little privacy to its users.

Food is served in a semi-buffet style at the counters to the right of the First Class Lounge. Unlike The Private Room, there are no staff taking orders at the table. Passengers in the First Class Lounge are to grab their choice from the buffet table. There is a section of food on offer that is made to order. I like how the ingredients are displayed at the buffet table for passengers to view. A section of pre-prepared food, consisting mainly of dim sum and congee, is served in a buffet style. Further into the lounge, fruits and sandwiches are displayed in the chiller. There is also a table of bread where passengers can help themselves. The food offered is probably the same as that in The Private Room, except for table services. Singapore Airlines First Class Lounge is significantly more crowded, which can hamper relaxation. I also did not see any empty seats around, which is a far cry from The Private Room.

Service

The ground services are a mixed bag. On the one hand, we had excellent service at the check-in reception, where staff stood ready to help passengers. The check-in staff was very efficient in processing our check-in and was generous with information about the location of the gate vis-a-vis the lounge location. The Private Room service was good. The moment we arrived at the entrance, we were escorted into the lounge and handed over to the waiting staff in the dining area, who promptly presented us the menu and took our orders. Most of the staff at The Private Room know how to treat a guest. However, the service by the staff at the reception in The Private Room came across as subpar. Her attention was not on the passengers but rather on her computer. We had to wait for her to finish whatever she was doing on the computer before she would turn her attention to us. Her tone also came across as rude when enquiring about the cabins. The service in the First Class lounge was somehow lacking. There were no staff around to welcome or assist passengers with looking for a seat. If not for the “First Class” signage, I would have thought this was one of the paid lounges. One point to note: Singapore Airlines does not provide escort services from check-in to gate. This meant we had to stand in the long queue for security screening at the gate. There are no separate queues for premium passengers here.

Afterthought

The ground experience for Singapore Airlines was good. The first contact with the First Class Check-in Reception set the tone for the service we would enjoy in the skies. The dedicated check-in area was private, and the staff were warm and friendly. The Private Room was a great place to be before boarding. The quiet lounge was relaxing and comfortable. The amenities in The Private Room were top-notch. The service was lacking in the First Class Lounge, with no staff insight to assist passengers in the packed lounge. The second part of this review will focus on the inflight experience with Singapore Airlines A380 Suite.

[Airline Review] – Cathay Pacific A350-1000 (CX658/CX657) – Economy Class, SIN – HKG (10 Nov 23) / HKG – SIN (13 Nov 23)

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Cathay Pacific A350-1000 aircraft

I last flew with Cathay Pacific, Hong Kong’s flag carrier, over 20 years ago. I combined the reviews since the aircraft type and experience were the same for both legs. The Economy Class seat was comfortable with its thick padding, and the onboard entertainment was comprehensive to keep me entertained for the flight. The food portion was mediocre, and the service was lukewarm.

Check-in

Singapore Changi Airport

Cathay Pacific, along with Korean Air and Vietnam Airlines, are the few full-fledged airlines flying out of Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 4. Terminal 4 mainly services regional budget carriers such as Air Asia, Jetstar, VietJet, etc. Despite the upgrade to eliminate the budget feel in Changi Airport Terminal 4 to look like the other three terminals, utilising technology to reduce human interactions and shorten the queue for check-in and immigration process, the terminal feels like a step down from the other terminals due to the reduced shopping and food offerings. Cathay Pacific check-in counters occupy Row 6 in the terminal building. Most counters are self-serviced check-in counters, with two manned counters helping passengers check in their luggage. We used the staffed counter, and although the queue was short, the wait time was around 10 mins. The check-in experience was smooth, and the ground staff was efficient. We received a warm welcome from the ground staff and a friendly reminder that the gate where our flight would depart is a fair walk from immigration in Terminal 4.

Cathay Pacific departs from Gate 19 from Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 4

Hong Kong Chek Lap Kok Airport

Cathay Pacific check-in counters are located in Rows B and C in Hong Kong International Airport Terminal 1, on the left side of the airport terminal. While Row B is dedicated to First and Business Class passengers, Row C is dedicated to Premium Economy and Economy Class passengers. Despite the several self-service kiosks for passengers to self-check in, the ground staff were not pushy in getting passengers to do self-check-in. The wait at the check-in queue moved quickly as almost all the staffed check-in counters at Hong Kong International Airport were manned. We only waited for 5 minutes to get our bags checked in. The staff at the check-in counter seemed more task-oriented, with a lack of welcomes, but she was fast in processing our check-in. The ground staff only provided information about the boarding gate and time and did not give us further information on how to get to our boarding gate. Fortunately, there are signs everywhere in Hong Kong International Airport Terminal 1 that make locating our boarding gate a breeze.

Cathay Pacific departs from Gate 49 at Hong Kong International Airport Terminal 1

The Aircraft

Cathay Pacific uses several aircraft types to service the Singapore to Hong Kong route. Our aircraft type changed from A330-300 to B777-300 to A350-900 to A350-1000 since our booking. Finally, the airlines assigned the A350-1000 for both Singapore and Hong Kong legs.

The Cabin

Cathay Pacific’s A350-1000 has a three-class configuration: Business, Premium Economy and Economy Class. The 334 seats are spread throughout the aircraft, with 46 seats in Business, 32 in Premium Economy, and 256 in Economy Class. The Economy Class cabin is further segregated in the forward and rear sections. The Economy Class cabin onboard Cathay Pacific looked clean and bright, owing to the white lighting used during boarding. The huge logo at the door and Cathay Pacific’s signature green colour draping its Economy Class seats contributed to the Cathay Pacific brand identity the moment I entered the Economy Class cabin. Other than the airline’s signature green colour, a darker hue of green was used on the seats’ headrest. The ambience in the Economy Class cabin changed during the flight, where orange and light blue mood lighting was used.

Lavatories are found between the two Economy Class sections and to the rear of the aircraft. There are two more upfront at the Premium Economy Cabin to serve passengers in that cabin. The lavatory felt smaller than the likes onboard Singapore Airlines’ wide-body aircraft. These lavatories were brightly lighted, giving out a refreshing look. The sink is pretty sizeable, and I like the motion-activated tap. Cathay Pacific only armed their lavatories with hand gel, lotion and hand soap. Other amenities, such as dental kits, were nowhere to be found, probably due to the short flight time. The amenities in the Premium Economy cabin lavatories were slightly better, where I found Brandford branded hand lotion and hand soap on top of those in the Economy Class lavatory. The cleanliness of the lavatories was questionable, and I was met with sticky lavatory floors on both flights.

The Seat

Seats in the Economy Class cabin onboard Cathay Pacific A350-1000 are arranged in a 3-3-3 configuration. With a seat pitch of 32″, width of 8″ and the thick padding Cathay Pacific used on these seats, I find the seats very comfortable for the 4-hour flight. The 6″ recline felt like a cradle that enabled me to get some snooze onboard. The extra thick padded headrest contributed to the comfort of the seat. The legroom is very generous on Cathay Pacific’s Economy Class seats, where I had a good amount of gap between my knee and the seat in front. The legroom is so good that I was able to straighten my legs. Only one button controls the decline of the seat fitted on the armrest. The rest of the controls, like the attendant call button and reading light, are done via the touchscreen personal TV.

Cathay Pacific uses a bi-fold design on its tray tables, which allows passengers to use the table without fully deploying should they need space to place smaller items. I find the size of the tray tables to be similar to those found in any other airliner. Cathay Pacific was thoughtful enough to cater a small indent on the tray table, in both folded and fully deployed mode, for passengers to place their drinks on.

There is quite a fair bit of storage space for the Economy Class seat. The seat pocket is of a good size where passengers can stow larger items. I like the inclusion of a small netted pocket in front of the seat pocket for passengers for smaller items, where I mainly used to stow my mobile phone. Besides the seat pockets, Cathay Pacific also fitted a small cubby under the personal TV, providing additional storage space for its Economy Class passengers. Although this cubby was originally designed for passengers to place their tablets, I found using it to stow my mobile phone adequate. However, this cubby is a tad narrow in that I could not close it when placing my mobile phone. A cup holder is designed onto the “door” of this small cubby, giving passengers additional space to place their drinks without deploying the tray table.

Inflight Entertainment

Every Economy Class passenger flying with Cathay Pacific is treated with an 11.6″ touchscreen personal entertainment system. No IFE controllers are fitted on the seats, instead, the IFE system is controlled via the touchscreen function on the IFE TV. I encountered no lagging issues while operating the IFE TV’s touchscreen function. The entertainment options are intuitively organised, and the movie options are further organised into new movies, Asian cinema, Hollywood hits, and TV box sets. Cathay Pacific supplies its Economy Class passengers with overhead headphones that produce decent sound quality and are good enough to get the job done. The A350-1000 aircrafts have Wi-Fi facilities, but Wi-Fi is not complimentary on Cathay Pacific. Rates started from USD3.95 for messaging functions.

Meal Service

Meal service on both legs commenced about 1 hour after take-off. Flight attendants sprung into action, pushing their trolley carts down the aisle and distributing food. Flight attendants did one round of snack and drink distribution on the flight from Hong Kong to Singapore, which was not seen in the Singapore to Hong Kong leg. Cathay Pacific did not distribute any inflight menus for Economy Class passengers, nor were the menus found in the IFE system.

SIN – HKG

We were given two meal options: Fish or Beef for this leg of the flight. The fish option included rice and vegetables; the beef was served with pasta and broccoli. I opted for the beef option, while my friend chose the fish option. The beef was drowned in a brown sauce, and the almond-looking pasta was not too dry. Meals were served with a barley salad (which is not to my liking) and a small fruit platter. Chocolate Haagen-Dazs ice cream was distributed separately from the main meal. I found the meal to be of a good portion, but the taste was rather mediocre.

HKG – SIN

The meals on the Hong Kong to Singapore leg were much tastier. For this flight, we were given the option of chicken with mashed potato and broccoli and pork with rice. I opted for the chicken, which I find quite flavourful and not too dry, and the mashed potato was well cooked. My friend opted for the pork option, which was equally tasty. Meals came with ham salad and a small fruit platter. We were given Berries-flavoured Haagen-Dazs ice cream for dessert, served together with the main meal. I thought the catering out of Hong Kong tasted better, although the presentation was a tad messier.

Cathay Pacific Economy Class meal presentation

Service

SIN-HKG

The service onboard Cathay Pacific in Economy Class was lukewarm. Pursuers came across as unapproachable, and requesting items such as blankets or drinks seemed like a chore. There were no smiles or greetings from passengers when we boarded the aircraft. The flight attendants were not seen helping passengers with their luggage. We were left on our own to sort out our seating and carry-on storage. The only times we spotted cabin crew on this 4-hour flight were limited to pre-flight and pre-landing safety checks and once each for meal distribution and tray collection. Cabin crew members were not seen diligently patrolling the cabin.

HKG – SIN

The onboard service on this flight was better than our flight to Hong Kong. At the door, a male flight attendant – Jack- warmly greeted us. It is a pity that Jack is assigned to service the Premium Economy Class cabin. When I requested a cup of Coke from Jack after my trip to the lavatory, Jack immediately dropped whatever he was doing and focused on my request. The flight attendant assigned to my section was seen smiling constantly during meal service. She was also seen patrolling the cabin several times after meal service, on top of the pre-departure and pre-landing checks. I witnessed her helping another passenger with overhead luggage storage issues by locating and shifting his hand carry over to a nearby compartment. Flight attendants were seen going around the cabin looking for status members and introducing themselves to these members. Despite paying lip service, I thought this was a good gesture in allowing these status members to feel recognised.

Afterthought

Cathay Pacific has very good Economy Class hard products. The seats are very comfortable, and the legroom is superb. The inflight entertainment system is loaded with entertainment options, with a very responsive touchscreen personal TV. However, I find the service to be generally average and inconsistent. On one flight, we got a set of flight crew who were diligent and made one feel welcome flying with the airline; on another flight, we had a set of crew who did not seem to be happy working for the airline. While I am fond of the hard product, I am not a fan of the service onboard.

[Airline Review] – Singapore Airlines B737- 8 MAX (SQ431) – Business Class, MLE – SIN (30 Aug 23)

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Singapore Airlines B737-8 Max flying us from MLE to SIN on the tarmac

At The Airport

Check-in

There is only one single row of check-in counters at Male International Airport. Singapore Airlines check-in counters occupy four leftmost counters in the terminal building, with two counters dedicated to Business Class and the other two for Economy Class passengers. Lines are clearly marked for Business and Economy Class passengers with Singapore Girl standees and overhead monitors. There wasn’t any queue at any counters by the time we arrived at the airport. The check-in was pretty swift, and the friendly ground staff presented us with our boarding passes and separate lounge invitation passes and gave us directions to the immigration and the lounge. Male International Airport has dedicated fast-track queues for Business Class passengers at the immigration counters. We did not have to wait long before clearing immigration, which was also done efficiently.

Entrance to Male International Airport

Lounge

Male International Airport is a very small airport. There is only one lounge serving all passengers flying Business Class on all the airlines departing the airport, including Singapore Airlines. Leeli Lounge is located right after the duty-free area in the airport and has a seating capacity of 150 pax. As the airport was not busy during our visit, we had no problems finding a spot in the lounge. Leeli Lounge exudes a comfortable and relaxing vibe thanks to the soft colours of the chairs matching the earthy tone around the lounge. It is a great place to chill with a cold drink while waiting for our flight. The lounge seating comprises armchairs and small side tables, which can be a hassle for eating. Catering was lacking at Leeli Lounge despite the menu stating quite a substantial offering. Choices for food are somewhat limited. As Maldives is a Muslim country, there are no alcoholic drinks served at the lounge.

Leeli Lounge is the only lounge at Male International Airport

The Aircraft

As of this writing, Singapore Airlines uses its B737-8 Max for day flights and A350-900 for evening flights from MLE to SIN. We took the Singapore Airlines B737-8 Max for this flight back to Singapore.

Singapore Airlines B737-8 Max up close

The Cabin

Singapore Airlines B737-8 Max has a small Business Class cabin with only 10 seats. I thought the Business Class cabin felt refreshing. The use of white on the walls and black seats with a slight touch of orange and ash grey made the small Business Class cabin look airy, spacious and classy. The pilots used different mood lighting during the various phases of the flight. I like the nozzle installed on each seat’s ceiling, allowing passengers to regulate their preferred temperature. The small Business Class cabin feels like a private jet when the curtains are drawn.

There is only one lavatory behind the cockpit in the Business Class section of the aircraft, which suffice to serve the 10 passengers in Business Class (there were only six of us in the cabin on this flight). The lavatory is on the small side but functions as it was meant to do. The cabin crew diligently kept the lavatory clean and tidy throughout the flight, and all the amenities were neatly placed. Singapore Airlines provided additional Penhaligon amenities such as hand lotion, face mist and eau de toilette on top of the fabric handkerchiefs in their Business Class lavatories. What I liked about Singapore Airlines is that they are probably the few airlines in the world that fully stocked their lavatories with amenities such as dental kits and shavers, even in their Economy Class lavatories.

The Seat

The 10 Business Class seats onboard Singapore Airlines B737-8 Max are arranged in a 2-2 configuration with a 1-1 seat in the centre (which I called the throne seats). Each seat has a pitch of 44″ and measures 21″ wide. All Business Class seats can recline 180°, allowing passengers to turn it into a flatbed. For this trip, I was able to snag one of the two middle-row throne seats. The Business Class seats are very comfortable with their thick paddings, providing excellent cushioning for the 5-hour flight. The Business Class seat is so spacious that I had three window panels to view out from the seat. The seats can also be configured into a lounge mode, which makes dining and watching movies very comfortable. When converted to bed mode, I find the head position to be a tad too low. Perhaps I had not been able to figure out the optimal recline to get comfortable with one pillow. When lying down, I had to get another pillow for the right height for my head. But once the pillow situation had been resolved, the thick paddings in the seat made lying down so comfortable that I could get a 2-hour wink. The seats offer great privacy due to their fold-in wing design, especially when the seat is fully reclined into bed mode. The seat control buttons are located on the inside of the armrest next to the aisle, easily accessible in any seat mode. Unlike the widebody aircraft, the seat controls onboard the narrow-body B737-8 Max are a little different. The seat controls feel scaled-down compared to those in their widebody aircraft, with pseudo-touchscreen buttons dedicated to the footrest, upright mode (for take-offs and landings), forward seat movement, and lighting. It took me a while to get used to operating the seat control buttons.

The throne seats onboard Singapore Airlines B737-8 Max Business Class in the centre row of the cabin have more storage space than the couple seats. The storage on the 2-2 seats is limited to the seat pocket under the personal TV and the small side pocket in the centre console between the two seats. The pocket under the TV has a retractable feature, which can stow smaller items such as passports or mobile phones. The side pocket where the additional reading light, a hook for headphones and a USB charging outlet can be found offer limited storage space. In addition to these storage spaces, the throne seats are fitted with an enclosed small cabinet on the aisle side of the console for passengers to store larger items. Apart from the cabinet, an open shelving found at knee level in the window side of the seat offers passengers more storage space. Due to the slanted design of the foot well, the cabin crew advised not to stow our carry-ons in the foot well during take-offs and landings.

There are more charging outlets in the throne seat compared to the couple seat. Besides the USB charging outlet under the headphone hook, the throne seats are also fitted with a universal power outlet and an additional USB charging point on the window side of the seat. There are two side tables on either side of the throne seat. The side table on the aisle side is designed with a depression for passengers to place their glasses on. I find the side table on the window side perfect for placing items like laptops (when not during take-off and landings), pillows and blankets. I would be cautious not to place smaller items here. The tray table is found on the console on the aisle side. With a push of a button, the tray table pops out vertically, which can double as a privacy divider. I thought the bifold tray table was quite large for a narrow-body aircraft, allowing passengers to work on their laptops while not dining.

Inflight Entertainment

Each Business Class seat has a 16″ LED Personal TV for passengers to obtain entertainment from Singapore Airlines’s KrisWorld. I like the menu design of KrisWorld, which makes scrolling and searching movies or TV shows very easy to navigate. KrisWorld offers a huge selection of entertainment, from the latest Hollywood Blockbusters to TV shows, keeping passengers entertained. When the seat is in upright or lounge mode, watching on the eye-level TV feels comfortable. However, I found the TV position in bed mode to be a tad too high, as the TV was not designed with a tilt function. Despite that, I was still able to watch movies while lying down.

Selection of entertainment from KrisWorld can be made via the touchscreen on the TV or the touchscreen IFE controller stowed under the aisle side armrest. I like the mobile phone-like design of the IFE controller, which makes it very intuitive to use. Other than displaying the progress of the movie I was watching, the IFE controller can also be used to display the flight progress while a movie is being played on the TV. The attendant call button and a light switch for the reading light on the side of the seat can be controlled by the IFE controller, while the overhead reading light is activated via the button on the ceiling above the seat. Singapore Airlines provided Business Class passengers with noise-cancelling headphones, which are very comfortable and effectively blocking ambient noise. I find myself having to remove the headphones whenever the cabin crew comes around and speak to me.

The Food

I like how Singapore Airlines maintained a physical menu booklet for its Business Class passengers. Shortly after take-off, the cabin crew sprung into action to serve passengers warm nuts and beverages. Another half an hour later, the meal service began. We were served Prawns with Lemon Scented Oil for appetiser. The salad was refreshing, with the Lemon oil not overpowering, and the prawn tasted fresh. While digging into the appetiser, another cabin crew offered us the bread options. I always find the garlic bread served onboard Singapore Airlines very tasty. Shortly after we finished the appetiser, the cabin crew came around, serving us the main course. For this flight, we had four options for the main course. I opted for the Lamb Korma, which is cooked to perfection. The Lamb Korma matches the puffy Tomato Rice very well. It is not too spicy, and the taste is not too overpowering. Initially, I thought we had to choose from the three dessert selections on the menu. I was quite surprised that Singapore Airlines served all three dessert options to its passengers. I like the Ile Flottante, which is light and complements the vanilla sauce very well. The almonds that came with this dessert gave the extra crunch. The fruits served were sweet and refreshing. As I am not a cheese person, I skipped the cheese platter (partly due to being full at this point). Overall, I thought Singapore Airlines had strong catering out of Male International Airport for this flight.

Service

The service onboard was outstanding! We were warmly welcomed by the Leading Stewardess – Alicia, and Flight Stewardess – Sin Li, serving Business Class passengers. Despite working on a turnaround flight, both Alicia and Sin Li were ready to make us feel comfortable. All Business Class passengers were very well taken care of by Alicia and Sin Li for the duration of the flight. Both cabin crews were seen patrolling the cabin often and checking in with passengers if we required more drinks. Soon after we were settled in, Sin Li sprung into action, serving pre-departure drinks while Alicia went around the cabin, confirming or taking orders for the main course. Alicia also took note of my food allergens when she came around to confirm my choice of main course. Serving drinks in glasses and warm nuts were nicely presented in a small porcelain bowl, making the experience feel premium.

Alicia and Sin Li were seen introducing each course of the meal to every passenger during meal service. Alicia even went the extra mile to caution me that my choice of main course might contain my food allergen, as she couldn’t make out the texture when she pre-tasted the option. Alicia even went the extra mile by serving me a salmon steak, considering I might not have eaten much. As my friend is also allergic to prawns, Alicia took the initiative to serve him smoked salmon instead of prawns for the appetiser. I like how Sin Li recommended the food she deemed tasty to passengers, which came across as sincere and human. When deciding what to drink (other than coke), Sin Li recommended me to try out one of their Mocktail – Midsummer Breeze, which I liked very much as it was refreshing. When spotted my glass empty, Sin Li immediately replaced it with another glass of Midsummer Breeze. Overall, Alicia and Sin Li took care of us well despite having worked 5-hours for the flight from Singapore to Male.

Overall

I immensely enjoyed this flight from MEL to SIN. The Business Class seats on Singapore Airlines B737-8 Max were very comfortable, thanks to the thick cushioning used for the seats. The seats were so comfortable that I managed to doze off for 2 hours during the flight. I recommend choosing the middle-row throne seats when flying on Singapore Airlines B737-8 Max, as it provides more privacy and storage space. The impeccable service rendered by Alicia and Sin Li made the flight enjoyable. Their thoughtfulness and attention to detail are what made this flight memorable. I hope to see them again on my upcoming flights with Singapore Airlines.

[Airline Review] – Singapore Airlines B737- 8 MAX (SQ432) – Economy Class, SIN – MLE (26 Aug 23)

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Singapore Airlines B737-8 Max on the tarmac

At the Airport

Singapore Airlines flight to Male flies out of Singapore Changi from Terminal 3 building. There are several check-in rows dedicated to Singapore Airlines. Row 6 in the middle of the departure hall is dedicated to all Singapore Airlines Business Class passengers. Row 7, located right behind Row 6, is dedicated to passengers flying on Premium Economy Class and KrisFlyer Elite Gold members. Row 3 is designated for all Singapore Airlines passengers flying in Economy Class, with self-service and over-the-counter check-ins. We attempted to queue for the over-the-counter check-in. However, the queue did not seem to be moving after waiting 5 mins in the queue. Too few counters were opened to service the number of passengers checking in. The self-service check-in was fast and easy. However, there were insufficient ground staff to help passengers when we faced issues.

The Aircraft

Singapore Airlines deploys the B737-Max 8 and A350-900 aircraft between Singapore and Male. The airline used to have three daily flights serving Singapore and Male. However, this has been reduced to two flights recently.

The Cabin

Singapore Airlines B737-8 Max has 144 seats onboard in two cabin classes, with only 10 seats in Business Class and 134 in Economy Class. This Singapore Airlines single-aisle Economy Class cabin looked refreshing and spacious with the blue and white mood lighting during boarding and disembarking, matching the grey and turquoise colour fabrics for the seating. I like how the pilots use mood lighting to calm passengers. Halfway through meal service, we met into turbulence. The pilots immediately switched on the blue lighting to complement the white lighting to calm passengers.

There are only three lavatories on board serving all 144 passengers. The two lavatories in Economy Class are located at the back of the aircraft. The lavatory onboard felt cramped, and the mirrors did not seem to help in making the space feel any bigger. Despite the small size, unlike other airlines, Singapore Airlines provided toothbrushes in their lavatory on top of the usual hand soap. The cleanliness of the lavatory was questionable, and it seems that the cabin crews on board this Singapore Airlines flight did not bother to keep it clean for this 5-hour flight. Moreover, the trash bin latch in the lavatory came apart, and the cabin crew was not even proactive in finding a sticky tape solution to fix the situation.

The Seat

The Economy Class seats onboard Singapore Airlines B737-8 Max are arranged in a 3-3 configuration, each having a seat pitch of 30″, 17″ wide and capable of reclining 3″. The seats are uncomfortable for this 5-hour flight from Singapore to Male. The cushioning was terrible, and I could feel the metallic structure of the seat about halfway through the flight. Singapore Airlines did not provide any pillows on the seat, making being stuck on the seat for prolonged hours torturous. To make matters worse, the air conditioning onboard was very weak despite having individual air nozzles.

Aside from the comfort of the seat, I like the clean design, which only has one reclining button at the side of the armrest. All other functions, such as the attendant call button and the reading light, were fitted on the bulkhead above the seats. Each Economy Class has a sizable tray table, sufficient for passengers for our meals and drinks. I like the inclusion of a depression on the tray table, where we can place our drinks without having them move around during the flight. The seat pocket was relatively standard, and unlike its twin-aisle aircraft, the seat pockets onboard Singapore Airlines B737-8 Max only had one huge compartment, which means passengers would have to dig deep into the seat pocket for smaller items (such as the provided earbuds) placed inside the seat pocket.

Inflight Entertainment

Each Economy Class seat onboard Singapore Airline B737-8 Max is fitted with a 10″ touchscreen personal TV that provides entertainment through KrisWorld to passengers during the flight. The touchscreen on the personal TV was very responsive, which made the IFE controller redundant, so Singapore Airlines did not fit IFE controllers in their Economy Class seats. Economy Class passengers were given earbuds (which we can take home after the flight) to use with the IFE. The earbuds were pretty good and comfortable to wear for the 5-hour flight. I thought Singapore Airlines did a great job organising the entertainment options on KrisWorld in an intuitive and easy-to-use format. The numerous entertainment options, ranging from the latest Holywood blockbusters to timeless classics, were arranged in categories, making searching for the movies or TV shows we wanted to watch very easy. Headphone jacks and USB charging outlets were found underneath the personal TV.

The Food

The catering provided for this flight was a hit and a miss. I like how Singapore Airlines eliminated the awful and difficult-to-eat takeaway boxes and provided more meal items in its Economy Class. Each Economy Class passenger was given an appetiser, a main meal, a dessert and a bread bun. Two choices of proteins were made available to Economy Class passengers on this flight – Chicken with noodles and Fish with potatoes. I opted for the chicken with noodles, and the chicken was flavourful and tender, but the noodles were dried up. My friend opted for the fish and commented the fish tasted awful and was very flaky.

Service

The service on board this flight fell short of the high standard that Singapore Airlines came to know about. Cabin crew were seen blocking the aisle during boarding, creating an unnecessary jam during the flight’s busiest time. The only time we were given smiles was during boarding when the pursuer greeted each passenger and handed out earbuds. Otherwise, smiles from this set of cabin crew were a rare commodity; most of the time, they did not even bother to smile or maintain eye contact with passengers, especially the female pursuers taking care of the section where I was seated. This set of cabin crew did not even bother to check in with our allergens, unlike those on my previous experience with Singapore Airlines. Meal service, however, was done in an efficient and well-oiled manner. The cabin crew sprung into action, distributing snacks and water about 45 minutes into the flight. The main meal was served about 1 hour after snack service. Despite being a 5-hour flight, the cabin crew did not bother coming around the cabin to serve more drinks. Drinks seemed to be provided on a request basis. The cabin crew were also not seen patrolling the cabin often to clear trash or to check if passengers were comfortable. They were only seen walking around during meals and the mandatory take-off and landing checks. Service onboard seemed rushed, as though the cabin crew wanted more time to rest in the galley.

Overall

Singapore Airlines B737-8 Max was a disappointing experience. The seat was poorly cushioned and was not comfortable for this 5-hour flight. To make things worse, the cabin was warm, as though the pilots skimmed on the air conditioning to save fuel. Service by the cabin crew felt rushed, with most of them wearing poker faces throughout the flight. The presence of the cabin was kept to a minimum, as though they wanted more time to rest.

[Airline Review] – Singapore Airlines A350 – 900 (SQ713) – Business Class, BKK – SIN (14 Mar 23)

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Singapore Airlines A350-900 that took us from BKK to SIN

At the Airport

Check-in

Singapore Airlines occupies half of the check-in counters in Row K, right smack in the centre of the massive Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport departure hall. As with other airlines, Singapore Airlines segregated the queues for the different cabin classes. Four counters are dedicated to Economy Class and two for Business Class passengers sharing with KrisFlyer Elite Gold members. Even though we were three hours plus early than our scheduled flight time, the friendly ground staff welcomed us with the biggest smile anyone could find at the airport. Our check-in was done expeditiously, and we were handed our boarding passes within minutes. The friendly ground staff gave us very clear instructions on our boarding gate and boarding time, at the same time, invited us to use the recently reopened SilverKris Lounge at Concourse D. Passengers flying on Singapore Airlines (or any airline) can use the fast track immigration located at Row A, next to the Thai Airways check-in counters. There was no queue at the fast-track counters, and we could whizz through immigration in no time.

Royal Orchid Lounge

As Singapore Airlines is a Star Alliance member, we could use any Thai Airways Royal Orchid Lounge scattered throughout Bangkok Suvarnabhumi. The nearest Royal Orchid Lounge is right after the fast-track immigration counters, and this is where we headed first. The Royal Orchid Lounge seems to be refurbished recently, it differed from what I remembered pre-pandemic. The newly renovated lounge feels more posh and relaxed. The first thing that welcomed us as we walked through the entrance to the Royal Orchid Lounge was a bar serving up all sorts of cocktails and alcoholic drinks (it is a pity that they do not serve the Thai Airways signature drink – Violet Bliss). The Royal Orchid Lounge clearly distinguishes the dining area from the lounging areas. The dining area is located nearer to the buffet tables that come with proper tables and chairs for passengers to dine comfortably. The lounging area, furnished with armchairs and a side table, is located towards the centre of the lounge. The flora feature walls tastefully decorate the lounge and function as barriers between lounge chairs, creating a semi-private space for passengers to relax (instead of staring awkwardly at each other). Unfortunately, the buffet selection at the Royal Orchid Lounge is a tad disappointing. There is very limited food available in this lounge, we were only given a choice of four hot food items to choose from. While I applaud Thai Airways for catering a section for Halal passengers, I think they can do better than offering only plain rice in their Halal section. Lucky for us, we were not too bothered about the limited food selection at Thai Airways Royal Orchid Lounge as we wanted to check out the recently reopened Singapore Airlines SilverKris Lounge.

SilverKris Lounge

Singapore Airlines recently reopened its SilverKris Lounge in Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport, which was closed due to the pandemic. The SilverKris Lounge is located in Concourse D, in the centre of the airport airside. There is clear signage throughout the airport leading passengers to the SilverKris Lounge. The SilverKris Lounge is very classy and functional in design, with most of the seating dedicated to dining and a small section for lounging. There are more options at the buffet table in the SilverKris Lounge, consisting of food from Thailand and Singapore. I was pleasantly surprised to find Singapore Airlines’ signature satay in the SilverKris Lounge in Bangkok, which was not even offered in the SilverKris Lounge in Singapore. The food at the buffet was tasty, and the diligent lounge staff were constantly seen topping up the food. The SilverKris Lounge is a great place to chill out before a flight and is not too crowded. I like the SilverKris Lounge in Bangkok better than the Royal Orchid Lounge we visited.

The Aircraft

Singapore Airlines uses mainly the A350-900 and B787-10 to fly between Bangkok and Singapore. Occasionally, Singapore Airlines might deploy their A350-900 long-range aircraft, configured with Premium Economy seats (the airlines will not sell these Premium Economy Class seats instead these seats were sold as extra legroom seats) for this short 2 hr flight. The aircraft we flew today is the version of A350-900 that was configured for medium-haul flights with regional Business Class seats.

The Cabin

Singapore Airlines A350-900 medium-haul aircraft is fitted with only two cabins with 40 Business Class seats and 263 Economy Class seats. The 40 seats in Business Class are split into two sections, with 28 seats in the forward cabin, the larger cabin and 12 seats in the smaller rear cabin. Singapore Airlines uses an earthy tone in its Business Class cabin, giving passengers a calm and relaxed feel. In addition, the use of appropriate mood lighting colours during different phases of the flight helps passengers feel more relaxed throughout the flight. The 1-2-1 seat configuration in Singapore Airlines’ regional Business Class product gives all passengers direct aisle access.

Mood lighting during landing

There are three lavatories, one located up front right behind the cockpit and another two between the two Business Class sections, serving all 40 passengers in Business Class. In terms of size, the Business Class lavatories on Singapore Airlines A350-900 are no different from that in Economy Class. However, Singapore Airlines differentiates its Business Class lavatories from Economy Class by fitting them with brown leather backsplashes on the bulkhead. The patterned flooring also gives the Business Class lavatories a more premium feel. Singapore Airlines is one of the few airlines that packs its lavatories with amenities for guests’ convenience, even in Economy Class. In Business Class, Singapore Airlines packs its lavatories with more amenities to differentiate it more than that from Economy Class.

The Seat

Singapore Airlines regional Business Class seats have a seat pitch of 60″ and measure 28″ wide, providing its passengers with excellent legroom and enhanced privacy despite not having a door, thanks to the cacoon seat design. More privacy is afforded to the couple seats in the centre and those by the window. A large fluffy pillow and thick premium blanket are placed on the seat, waiting for me to use when I board the aircraft. Singapore Airlines regional Business Class seats feature a 180° lie-flat bed which I could comfortably catch a wink in the short 2 hr flight from Bangkok to Singapore. The seats come with several handy modes programmed into the seat control buttons on the side of the seat. I like these control buttons as they allow me to switch the seat from the most upright position for take-off and landing to an angled lounge mode perfect for binge-watching movies, to the lie-flat mode for me to catch a nap. Besides the seat controls, Singapore Airlines also included light controls and attendant call buttons on the touch-panelled seat control buttons.

A large solid table is stowed under the IFE screen. With a push of a latch, the seat table pops out in its storage mode, which is half the size of the table. Passengers who do not need the large table can use it in its storage mode. The seat table folds out to its dining mode, which is twice the size of its storage mode. The seat table does not feel wobbly and is perfect for dining and working on a 16″ laptop. Under the IFE screen is a footwell, which is meant for passengers to stretch their feet into when the seat is deployed in its bed mode. Singapore Airlines fully used the space under the footwell by leaving it empty to double up as a space to stow carry-on or for passengers to place their shoes.

There is no lack of storage space on Singapore Airlines’ regional Business Class seats. There is a small cabinet at the side of each side for passengers to stow smaller items like mobile phones and passports. The small sliding door installed at the cabinet ensures the items inside remain secure and out of sight. Within the cabinet, passengers can find an international power socket and two USB charging outlets, making it very convenient for passengers to get juice for their devices. A hook next to the cabinet creates space for passengers to hang the headphones provided by Singapore Airlines when not in use. Singapore Airlines designed the space by the cabinet as a side table, which doubles up as a cocktail table, for passengers to place small items on. I thought the biggest flaw with the Singapore Airlines regional Business Class seats was the placement of the seat pocket. The seat pocket is placed at the lower corner of the seat on the back of the seat in front. Passengers wanting to access the seat pocket must unbuckle their seat belts and stretch for it. The seat pocket seems to be meant only for Singapore Airlines to place in-flight magazines and safety cards as it is too shallow (and tight) to fit in anything else.

Seat pocket contents

In-Flight Entertainment

Singapore Airlines fits its Business Class with a large 18″ LED touchscreen TV. The LED TV can be tilted downwards so passengers can still watch the numerous options on KrisWorld lying down on the flatbed mode of the seat. The entertainment options on KrisWorld are laid out in an intuitive menu for passengers to browse and select from hundreds of shows, from the latest blockbuster movies to TV shows and even games. KrisWorld can be accessed via the touchscreen function on the TV or via the mobile phone, like IFE controller found under the seat controls at the side of the seat. Singapore Airlines supplies noise-cancelling headphones to its Business Class passengers. These headphones effectively cancel out the ambient noise from the aircraft cabin and are comfortable to put on, thanks to the thick cushion padding ear cups. Passengers flying on Singapore Airlines are given free wifi to do simple web browsing. Instead of having to be a KrisFlyer member to gain access to complementary wifi, Business Class passengers are automatically given free wifi even if they are not enrolled on Singapore Airlines’ loyalty programme. The wifi is stable, but the slow connection speed only means passengers can use it to browse social media, check emails or chat.

Meal Service

It seems that Singapore Airlines is returning to pre-pandemic meal service. As soon as we were settled in our seats, the cabin crew came around to serve pre-departure drinks to all passengers in Business Class. We were given options of champagne, orange juice and plain water. As I was torn between champagne and orange juice, the cabin crew got me to try their newest cocktail – Bellini. However, as I am not a drinker, I did not quite like the strong alcoholic taste in the cocktail and went back to orange juice.

I was offered a Bellini cocktail and an orange juice as pre-departure drinks.

Passengers flying in Business Class can choose their meal among the three options months before the flight. Unfortunately, Singapore Airlines does not offer its signature “Book the Cook” service for flights originating from Bangkok. I opted for the Indonesian Fried Rice, while my friend chose the Pan Fried Salmon. Due to the short flight duration of 2 hrs, the appetisers, desserts and main course are served at one go on a tray. As we had pre-ordered our meals from the Singapore Airlines app, we got our food before the rest of the passengers. After the meal was served, another cabin crew came around, giving us the choice of bread. I had to go with Singapore Airlines’ signature Garlic Bread. Of the three courses of the meal served, I thought only the appetiser was tasty. The Indonesian Fried Rice I had was disappointing in taste and presentation. I thought the presentation of the meal did not enhance its appetising appeal, the fried rice looked haphazardly splattered on the china, and the vegetables looked like a mess. The grilled chicken tasted blend, the fried rice tasted like plain steamed rice, and the vegetable was overpowered with spiciness. The sticky pudding dessert looked like some mouldy bread, but I tasted the dessert nonetheless. The pudding was too sweet for my liking that I had to wash the taste with Coke. My friend also commented the Pan Fried Salmon he opted for tasted bland and dry.

Service

Service on Singapore Airlines Business Class was exceptional. The excellent service started the moment I boarded the aircraft. Despite being the last passenger to board the aircraft, the cabin crew assured me we still had plenty of time to taxi. The cabin crew showed me to my seat and ensured I was comfortably settled in. Another cabin crew offered me pre-departure drinks, introducing Singapore Airlines’ latest cocktail, Bellini. When told I do not drink too much, the cabin crew offered me another glass of orange juice in case I was not too fond of the cocktail. Before taking off, the cabin crew – Stephanie stopped by every seat under her charge to introduce herself to all the passengers she would be taking care of during the flight.

I brought to the attention of another cabin crew that my seat was not cleaned properly (there was trash in the seat pocket and stains on the table). The cabin crew apologised profusely and immediately sprung into action to get the situation sorted out. The cabin crew was seen checking in to ensure I was comfortable in my seat. As I pre-booked my meal, a cabin crew confirmed that my selection did not contain the allergens I indicated in Singapore Airlines’ database. The meal was served pipping hot by Stephaine when we reached cruising altitude, while another of her colleague came by shortly for drink orders. Despite a full flight, I find cabin crews onboard made an effort to check in with passengers if we required anything else.

Towards the end of the flight, a passenger sitting across from me started to make noise about the requirement to submit an online arrival card in Singapore. He kicked up a ruckus that the ground staff did not inform him of this requirement. Instead of brushing him aside, I witness Stephanie patiently helping the passenger fill out an online form while her colleagues stand in for her to conduct pre-landing checks. I overheard Stephaine volunteering to share her mobile data with him when we landed to ensure the passenger could enter Singapore smoothly. Despite it being the passenger’s fault for not checking the immigration requirements, Stephaine handled the situation with much patience and professionalism.

A Singapore Girl busy serving dinner

Afterthought

Singapore Airlines’ regional Business Class seats are very comfortable even for a longer flight time (Turkish Airlines fitted their new Business Class seats with the same product). The seat provides passengers with a lie-flat bed to catch a nap comfortably with great privacy. The IFE is intuitive to use and packed with loads of entertainment options that will be sure to make flight time feels shorter. However, I felt catering onboard was a tad disappointing, with my meal looking like a mess and my friend’s main course tasted bland and dry. I like the SilverKris Lounge at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport, it looked premium and the quality, as well as the variety of food offered, is far better than Thai Airways Royal Orchid Lounge, where Bangkok is their home base. The service we received onboard Singapore Airlines was impeccable. The cabin crew were friendly and helpful. They ensure all Business Class passengers feel comfortable despite being a full flight.

[Airline Review] – Singapore Airlines B787-10 (SQ708) – Economy Class, SIN – BKK (9 Mar 23)

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Singapore Airlines B787-10 that flew us from SIN to BKK

At the Airport

Check-in

Singapore Airlines recently shifted its South East Asian departure flights from Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 3 back to Terminal 2. The terminal partially re-opened after some refurbishment to only a handful of airlines flying out of Singapore. Passengers flying on Singapore Airlines can use the self-check-in kiosks in the centre of the terminal or the check-in counters in Changi Airport Terminal 2 in Rows 7 to 9. In addition, KrisFlyer Elite Gold members and passengers flying in Premium Economy Class can opt to use the in-person check-in at Row 8. The warm and friendly ground staff greeted us at the check-in counter and efficiently processed our check-in. Soon, we found ourselves whizzing through the automated immigration gates and walking at the airside of the Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 2 building.

KrisFlyer Gold Lounge

One of the perks for KrisFlyer Elite Gold members is the use of the KrisFlyer Gold Lounge. There are KrisFlyer Gold Lounges in both Terminals 2 and 3. As we had errands to run in Terminal 3, we used the KrisFlyer Gold Lounge at Terminal 3 instead. The KrisFlyer Gold Lounge in Terminal 3, also recently re-opened after some renovation, is spacious and airy, thanks to the high ceilings and glass panels that allow lots of natural light in. There is a good mix of seating for passengers to relax and for dining. The crowd was thin at the time of our visit to the lounge, and we had no trouble selecting the seat we wanted. Although the KrisFlyer Gold Lounge is not located next to the windows, we could still do some plane spotting and watch planes landing or taking off. The catering in KrisFlyer Gold Lounge is not as extensive as those in the SilverKris Lounge, serving Business Class passengers. The lounge mainly serves up local and Asian cuisines during breakfast timing, alongside some pre-wrapped sandwiches. Despite the limited food selection, we found Singapore Airlines’ signature Laksa in the KrisFlyer Gold Lounge.

Entrance to the KrisFlyer Gold Lounge in Terminal 3

The Aircraft

Singapore Airlines mainly deploys A350-900 and B787-10 to ply between Singapore and Bangkok. Although we were initially booked on Singapore Airlines A350-900 aircraft, Singapore Airlines changed the aircraft type to B787-10 about two months before our flight.

We are flying on Singapore Airlines B787-10 to BKK today

The Cabin

Singapore Airlines medium haul B787-10 has 337 onboard, spreading across two cabin classes, 36 seats in the foremost Business Class and 301 in the aft two Economy Class cabins. The Economy Class cabin is further segregated into two sections, with 150 seats in the forward cabin and 151 in the aft cabin. Singapore Airlines uses three colours: brown, grey, and turquoise, for its Economy Class seats. In addition, the use of mood lighting for different moments of the flight, such as white lighting during boarding and disembarking and purple/orange lighting during the morning flight time, allows passengers to relax during the flight.

Mood lighting is used at cruising altitude.
Mood lighting used during take-off and landing

There are several lavatories dotted across the two sections of the Economy Class. Passengers in the forward section can use the front Economy Class lavatories and those between the two Economy Class cabins. Those sitting in the rear area of the Economy Class can opt to use the lavatories in the middle of the aircraft or those at the rearmost section of the plane. The lavatory onboard is not exactly the largest, but it is very functional. The mirrors in the lavatory make the space appears larger than it is. The hardworking cabin crews on Singapore Airlines constantly kept the lavatory very clean for the duration of the fight. I like the touch-free features, such as the sensor-activated tap and the toilet flush to the step-activated trash bin cover, which provided convenience to passengers and were extremely important in this endemic period. Singapore Airlines is one of the few airlines worldwide that still provides toothbrushes in their lavatories other than the standard hand soap.

The Seat

Economy Class seats on Singapore Airlines B787-10 are arranged in a 3-3-3 configuration. Each seat has a 32″ seat pitch and measures 17″ wide with a 5″ recline. Despite the very thin-looking Economy Class seats on Singapore Airlines, which do not seem to provide much cushioning, these seats are very comfortable for the short two-hour flight. In addition, the four-way adjustable headrest contributes to the comfort afforded by these Economy Class seats.

Singapore Airlines Economy Class seat
Singapore Airlines Economy Class is laid out in a 3-3-3 configuration on its B787-10 aircraft.

Legroom in Economy Class onboard Singapore Airlines B787-10 is quite good
Seats in Singapore Airlines Economy Class are thin but comfortable

Other than the seat recline button on the armrest, the controls for the ambience of the Economy Class seats, such as the reading light control and the call attendant buttons, are found under the IFE screen. I like this design as the usage is very initiative, and there is no need to struggle with the controls on the IFE controller. There is also a sizable tray table on every seat. The bi-fold designed tray table, fitted with a small mirror, allows passengers to have it down to plan smaller items during flight without obstructing too much space for moving in and out of the seats. A standalone cup holder is fitted under the IFE screen, allowing passengers to stow their cups of drinks without needing to deploy the tray table. Furthermore, the seat pockets on Singapore Airlines are designed to allow passengers to maximise the usage of these pockets and also make it easier for passengers to locate the items they placed inside the pockets. There is even a small pocket underneath the IFE screen, perfect for stowing my mobile phone, and smaller knickknacks like the IFE earplugs.

Inflight Entertainment

An 11.1″ touchscreen TV is fitted in every Economy Class seat providing entertainment for every passenger on an otherwise mundane flight. There are many entertainment options on Singapore Airlines’ KrisWorld, ranging from the latest Hollywood blockbusters to TV shows. The intuitive menu options on KrisWorld are very well organised, making scrolling through them a breeze. Singapore Airlines provides earplugs for every passenger, though some might not find stuffing things in their ears comfortable. There isn’t any IFE controller fitted on the latest B787-10, luckily, the touchscreen function on the IFE screen is very responsive to control and for passengers to scroll through the vast library of entertainment options. Singapore Airlines also provides complementary wifi for its KrisFlyer members (regardless of status) and passengers flying in Business Class or higher cabins. The wifi onboard is very stable but can only handle chats, email browsing and uploading to social media.

Meal Service

We were given two options for breakfast today – Singapore Fried Carrot Cake with Prawns and Scrambled Eggs with Chicken Sausage. I chose the Fried Carrot Cake for breakfast. I am not a fan of the take-out box design used in regional Economy Class, as it made the portion feel small and was challenging to eat from. Singapore Airlines only served its Economy Class passengers a yoghurt. The bread roll that used to come with its Economy Class meal was not served on this flight. Singapore Airlines was generous with the prawns served with the fried carrot cake. The meal was delicious and full of flavours. My friend opted for the Scrambled Eggs and found the eggs to be a tad dry and the sausage bland.

Service

Service onboard Singapore Airlines was impeccable, as always. We were greeted by the warm and friendly cabin crews. The cabin crew felt smiling under their masks and were forever ready to help passengers get comfortable for the flight. Singapore Airlines took note of my allergies and promptly came to me, introduced the menu for the flight, and assured me that there were no ingredients in the options that would trigger my allergies. They promptly took my orders and served me the meal before the main service. The cabin crew worked tirelessly to serve all the passengers and attended to their requests despite being a full flight. Despite the clear delineation of the duties of each flight attendant, cabin crews were ready to step in to help their colleagues should one be away from their station (during meal service) to top up food or handle other passenger requests not available on the food cart. The flight attendants’ felt happy in their job, which also translates to caring for their passengers.

Afterthought

Singapore Airlines has excellent hardware and service for this short flight from Singapore to Bangkok. The Economy Class seats on their B787-10 are comfortable, and the excellent IFE product provided great entertainment to passengers. The service was impeccable on this flight, despite a full flight, having to manage 301 Economy Class passengers within a short 1.5 hrs, the cabin crew worked efficiently and were always ready to assist passengers. The entire team worked like clockwork and were ready to step in to assist each other in the interest of ensuring passengers were well taken care of. Overall, I had an excellent flight experience with Singapore Airlines.

Touched down in BKK
Taxiing to the jetbridge in BKK

[Airline Review] – Turkish Airlines B737-900ER (TK1394) – Business Class, CTA – IST (9 Dec 22)

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Turkish Airlines B737-900ER that took us from CTA to IST

At the Airport

Check-in

Turkish Airlines check-in counters at Catania Airport are located together in a single file on the right of the terminal building. These counters occupy the last four counters of the row in counters 42 to 45, at the furthest right of the row of check-in counters at Catania Airport. Three counters are dedicated to Economy Class passengers, while only one services Business Class Passengers. There was no queue for both Economy or Business Class at the time we were at the airport. The ground staff came across as being impatient and demanding initially. Check-in was a tad slow as the ground staff processed our check-in one by one. After getting ready the record requirements, such as vaccine records and Singapore arrival registrations, one by one before she asked for them, the ground staff suddenly became very friendly. She diligently checked all our documents tag all our luggage, including our carry-on bags. After processing our check-in, the ground staff provided us with information on the time and gate of our flight. She even reminded us to use the fast track lane for Business Class passengers and gave us directions on where the lounge is located.

View of Mt Etna from Catania Airport
Catania Airport entrance

Turkish Airlines occupy counters 42 to 45 in Catania Airport
Counter 45 is dedicated to Business Class passengers at Catania Airport

Turkish Airlines Business Class check-in counters at Catania Airport
Airside of Catania airport
Airside of Catania airport
Airside of Catania airport

Bellini VIP Lounge

As Business Class passengers, we were entitled to lounge access. The Bellini VIP Lounge is the only lounge at Catania Airport. The lounge is on the far left, one floor above the boarding gate level, of the airport terminal, after passing through security checks. Bellini VIP Lounge is a very small lounge that can only admit 35 passengers. The catering in the lounge is limited to pre-packaged pastries and some drinks. We did not stay at the lounge for too long due to its size and limited food available.

Turkish Airlines Business Class passengers are invited to use the Bellini VIP lounge, the only lounge in Catania airport.
Entrance to Bellini VIP lounge
Bellini VIP lounge is very small, with limited seats.

Entrance to the Bellini VIP lounge
Flight information displayed in the lounge

Reception in Bellini VIP lounge
There are some business terminals in the Bellini VIP lounge for passengers who need work to be done.

View of the apron from the Bellini VIP lounge

The Aircraft

Turkish Airlines operates B737-900ER between Catania and Istanbul.

Close-up view of Turkish Airlines B737-900ER
Boarding the Turkish Airlines B737-900ER

Our flight leaves from Gate 21 at Catana Airport
There was a crowd waiting to board the aircraft
There is a separate queue for Business Class and status passengers.

The Cabin

Turkish Airlines B737-900ER has 151 seats in two cabins, with 16 seats in Business Class and 135 in Economy Class. The Business Class cabin on Turkish Airlines B737-900ER mainly uses white on its bulkheads to contrast the black-coloured seats, giving the cabin a refined and airy look. The choice of white colour also makes the narrow-body aircraft appear larger. Matched with the use of sky blue mood lighting during boarding and yellow colour during flight, the Business Class cabin feels very refreshing. Furthermore, a distinctive red Turkish Airlines logo mounted on the bulkhead separating Business and Economy Class not only reinforces the brand identity of the aircraft but also exudes a premium feel in the Business Class cabin. Seats in the Business Class are arranged in a 2-2 configuration.

Turkish Airlines B737-900ER Business Class cabin
Turkish Airlines logo mounted on the bulkhead of the Business Cabin
A subtle Turkish Airlines logo embossed onto the headrest of the seat

We are the only passengers in the Turkish Airlines B737-900ER Business Class cabin.

The only lavatory serving the 16 passengers in Business Class is in front of Turkish Airlines B737-900ER, behind the doors to the cockpit. Due to the aircraft’s size, there is little room in the Business Class lavatory on Turkish Airlines B737-900ER. In addition, the use of bright white lights and mirrors made the lavatory appears larger. Besides the Molton Brown hand soap and lotion, the lavatory did not appear to be different from that in the Economy Class cabin. Unlike some other airlines, which would display flowers or use cloth napkins. Additional amenities such as toothbrushes or paper cups are also not in the lavatory. Despite its simple and non-premium feel, the lavatory was kept clean and functional.

The mirrors in the lavatory make it look large
Lavatory door
Toilet in the lavatory

Molton Brown products are the only premium products in the Business Class lavatory.
Sink in the lavatory.

The Seat

The Turkish Airlines B737-900ER Business Class seats have a generous pitch of 43″ and measure 20″ wide. These Business Class seats are padded with thick cushioning, making sitting on them very comfortable. In addition, the use of leather, plus the individual air nozzles overhead, makes the seat feels cooler. The Turkish Airlines B737-900ER serves short to medium-haul routes; despite only being capable of reclining a further 5″, these Business Class seats still provide its passengers great comfort. The calf and footrest feature, both parts of the Business Class seats, is a mixed bag. While I find the calf rest provides greater comfort, the footrest is more of a hindrance than providing comfort. as such, I did not use the footrest.

Turkish Airlines B737-900ER Business Class seats
Turkish Airlines B737-900ER Business Class seats

Buttons to control the seat recline and deploy calfrest are found on the seat’s armrest, like any other seats on other airlines. These buttons are still very responsive to use without the need to use Hulk strength despite the age of the aircraft. The table is stowed inside the outer armrests of each seat. The sturdy table is large enough to cover the entire 20″ width of the seat, providing ample space for dining and work. I like the installation of a small cocktail table between the seats that can be put away when not in use, providing Business Class passengers additional space to place their drinks without deploying the table or balancing on the armrests and hoping it will not slide. Storage is a tad limited on this Business Class configuration. The only form of storage we had were the overhead lockers and the seat pocket in front of us. Turkish Airlines B737-900ER Business Class seats only have one overhead reading light fitted on the ceiling above the seats.

Seat control buttons
A sturdy table in the Business Cabin cabin

Cocktail table
A coat hook is found in each Business Class seat.
Headphone jacks and USB charging ports are between the two Business Class seats.

Seat pocket is the only storage space in the Business Class seats
Seat pocket contents

Turkish Airlines B737-900ER safety card
Safety video is played on the drop-down screen.
Reading lights and air nozzles in Turkish Airlines B737-900ER Business Class cabin.

In-Flight Entertainment

Turkish Airlines has an extensive IFE option for their passengers. There are tons of options for entertainment on their IFE, ranging from the latest Hollywood blockbuster to selected TV serials, games and music channels. The IFE hardware, however, feels a little dated. The 10.6″ IFE screen on Turkish Airlines B737-900ER Business Class cabin is fitted in the centre armrests. The design of the IFE arm provides more of a hindrance during mealtime as it will inevitably get in the way of the meal tray. The IFE controller on the Turkish Airlines B737-900ER Business Class product is also rather old school. Unlike its B777 and A321 counterparts, the IFE controller is mechanical and does not have the initiative touchscreen menu. Turkish Airlines provides its Business Class passengers with comfortable noise-cancelling headphones.

IFE screen on Turkish Airlines B737-900ER Business Class seats
IFE screen being deployed

The IFE controller is stowed in the armrest between the seats
Back of the IFE controller

Noise-cancelling headphones packed in a cheap-looking bag
Turkish Airlines Business Class headphones

Meal

There is only one meal service on this 3hr flight from CTA to IST. As this is a morning flight, the meal served onboard this CTA-IST leg consists of breakfast options. As soon as the seat belt signs were turned off, the cabin crew sprung into action and served us the fruit salad starter with an assortment of sides to complement our breakfast. The fruits are fresh and sweet, and the butter is tasty. I did not eat the rest of the sides that came together with the tray of food. After finishing our starter, the cabin crew followed up with our mains, from which we could choose from Cheese Bagel or Veggie Omelette. The Cheese bagel was tasty and not too hard. The savoury bagel complemented the sweets from the fruit starter. The cabin crews continually topped up our drinks from the limited drink menu throughout the flight.

Menu for Turkish Airlines Business Class catering

I opted for orange juice as a welcome drink.
I always enjoyed the Turkish coffee served onboard Turkish Airlines.

Service

Service was excellent in the Business Class on this Turkish Airlines CTA-IST flight. The superb service began when we were warmly greeted by the two cabin crews working on the Business Class cabin. The two cabin crews were very friendly and took great care of us during the flight. After the passengers were settled in, the two cabin crew went around like clockwork, one serving us pre-departure drinks and the other taking orders for breakfast. They constantly checked with us to see if we required our drinks to be topped up or additional bread during meal time. They ran the Business Class service like clockwork with a tacit understanding of what the other attendant will be doing and not get into each other’s way. The flight attendants were seen wearing a smile tirelessly throughout the flight.

The flight attendants were also seen helping us and the Economy Class passengers near our seats to find storage space with our carry-ons. My friend requested a drink, but it was delivered wrongly to me (I drank the beverage). The flight attendant realised his mistake and followed up immediately with my friend with a glass of drink and apologised. The same flight attendant was also seen heading into the Economy Class cabin to help his colleague after our meal service. Such action shows how much the flight attendant took pride in his job and his service level.

One of the friendly flight attendants serving my friends welcome drinks

Afterthought

Despite the age of the Business Class product on Turkish Airlines B737-900ER, the seats on this flight from CTA to IST were very comfortable. Our time passed thanks to the plentiful entertainment options on the IFE quickly. What made this flight enjoyable was the impeccable service by the flight attendants. We enjoyed the service and the care they rendered on this flight. This was the most enjoyable flight we had with Turkish Airlines.

Preparing to take off from Catania Airport
View of Mt Etna from the tarmac

Flying past Mt Etna on Turkish Airlines B737-900ER
Touching down at Istanbul Airport

The Turkish Airlines B737-900ER that was deployed for this CTA-IST route
In the bus transferring us from the aircraft to Istanbul Terminal

[Airline Review] – ITA Airways A319-111 (AZ1759) – Economy Class, FCO – CTA (6 Dec 22)

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The ITA Airways A319-111 in the iconic cobalt blue livery that will take us to Catania

At the Airport

Check-in

ITA Airways, formerly known as Alitalia, is the national carrier of Italy. The troubled Alitalia was previously privatised, and due to financial issues, the Italian government bailed the airline out of its financial woes and rebranded it as ITA Airways. Therefore, finding some ITA Airways planes still donning the old Alitalia livery is unsurprising. ITA Airways check-in counters are located in the centre of Terminal 1 of Rome Fiumicino Airport. Two rows of check-in counters at Row B serve ITA Airways Economy Class passengers flying out of Rome domestically or internationally. Separate check-in counters in Row A serve passengers flying on ITA Airways Business Class and status passengers with the airlines. Due to the many counters available, there was no queue at the check-in counters. The check-in process was a breeze, with the staff processing our check-in efficiently. We were given directions on the security that we had to pass through and where our gate departed. The check-in counters for ITA Airways are very conveniently located next to the security clearance that gave us access to the airside of the airport terminal.

Approaching Rome Fiumicino Airport Terminal 1
ITA Airways departs from Terminal 1 of Rome Fiumicino Airport

Entrance to Rome Fiumicino Terminal 1
Innside Rome Fiumicino Terminal 1
We found ITA Airways check-in counters
ITA Airways Business Class Check-in counters in Rome Fiumicino Terminal 1
ITA Airways has 50 counters dedicated to Economy Class passengers in Rows A and B
More check-in counters at Row B, and there were hardly any queues during check-in.

Prima Vista Lounge

As we were flying in Economy Class, we were not entitled to Lounge access. However, being a Priority Pass holder, I got my friends into the Prima Vista Lounge. The Prima Vista Lounge is located in Terminal 3, about 10 minutes from the security counters. Prima Vista Lounge is a small lounge with limited seating. Most of the seats face the apron of Rome Fiumicino Airport. We found several larger dining tables that can seat up to six passengers. The food offering is quite decent, and the food quality is good for a small lounge serving breakfast. Prima Vista Lounge serves up mainly pastry, piazza, fruits and some pasta. Prima Vista Lounge still practises pandemic measures, passengers are not allowed to pick the food themselves. Lounge staff are stationed at the food area, picking the food that the passengers request and heating them in a microwave oven before handing it over to the passengers. As the lounge is in Terminal 3, there is a 20 mins walk to get to our gate in Terminal 1 of the airport.

Prima Vista Lougne in Terminal 3
Seating in Prima Vista Lounge

Breakfast offerings in Prima Vista Lounge
At the airside of Rome Fiumicino Terminal 1
There are some interesting carts in the airside of Rome Fiumicino Terminal 1

The Aircraft

ITA Airways has two variants of their A319-111, one with all Economy Class seats and one with both European Business Class and Economy Class. Today, the aircraft ITA Airways used to ply between FCO and CTA is the version with both Business Class and Economy Class.

ITA Airways AZ1759 flying to Catania departs from Gate A68
Close-up view of the ITA Airways A319-111 aircraft

The Cabin

The two-class variant ITA Airways A319-111 used for this FCO-CTA route is fitted with six European Business Class seats, occupying the first three rows, and 63 Economy Class seats occupying the rear 21 rows of the aircraft. All seats are arranged in a 3-3 configuration, and Business Class onboard this version of ITA Airways A319-111 has the middle seat blocked out to give it a pseudo 2-2 configuration. The entire ITA Airways A319-111 cabin is decked in black and white, using white on its bulkhead and black for the carpeting and seats. The use of white colour reduces the claustrophobic feel as this is a small aircraft. As with most narrow-body aircraft, the Business and Economy Class Cabins are separated by a thin curtain. I like how ITA Airways uses warmer orange lighting in its aircraft, which seems to calm passengers during the flight. As this s a short 1hr 15 mins flight, I did not visit the lavatory.

ITA Airways A319-111 Cabin
Boarding ITA Airways A319-111
Economy Class cabin in ITA Airways A319-111

Alitalia logo can still be spotted on the bulkhead in front of the aircraft.

The Seat

Seats on board ITA Airways A319-111 are the same regardless of the class of travel. The most immediate difference between the classes is that the seats in Business Class have a middle seat blocked out, sitting only two passengers in a row. All seats, both Business Class and Economy Class are 17.7″ wide. Business Class has a slightly longer seat pitch of 31″ compared to the 30″ in the standard Economy Class. We paid an additional €12 for the exit row seats, which gave us the longest pitch of 35″ (longer then Business Class seats).

Our exit row seats at Row 10, which has the longest seat pitch on the ITA Airways A319-111 aircraft
Business Class seats onboard ITA Airways A319-111
The “normal” Economy Class seats on ITA Airways A319-111

Seats onboard ITA Airways A319-111 are clad in black leather which thick paddings, making the seat very comfortable. As we were sitting in the exit row, the legroom was excellent on this row. The set-up onboard ITA Airways A319-111 is very simple, with only one button to recline the seat. Buttons to control the overhead reading light and call attendant are on the ceiling above the seat. The seat has a very large tray table, capable of putting a 14″ laptop. The seat pocket is very simple and holds a very limited amount of items.

Exit row seat at Row 10 gave us a great amount of legroom
The seat pocket is a tad tight on ITA Airways A319-111
Not much space in the seat pockets

Seat recline button in Economy Class seats on ITA Airways A319-111
Overhead reading lights and nozzles
ITA Airways A319-111 safety card

Seat pocket contents
There is a large tray table in Economy Class seats on ITA Airways A319-111.

In-Flight Entertainment

There is an old-school channel control, seemingly meant for some radio channels and a one-pin headphone jack. I did not plug in any headphones to check if these so-called radio channels were working. No In-Flight Entertainment Systems are fitted onboard the aircraft, and the aircraft does not even have drop-down TV screens.

Old school radio control on ITA Airways A319-111
It seems ITA Airways took out the IFE that might have been installed previously.

Meal

As this is a short 1hr flight, only drinks are served onboard. However, I was asleep when the flight attendant made their rounds to distribute drinks.

Service

As this was a short flight, the interaction with the cabin crew was limited to boarding when they welcomed us onboard with a warm smile and during the beverage run (during which I fell asleep and did not interact with them). The cabin crew diligently carried out their duty onboard to ensure the safety of the passengers. They were seen doing safety demonstrations and patrolling the cabin to ensure passengers fastened their seat belts and seats were upright during pre-take-off and landing. A cabin crew also popped by our row to give us a simple brief on what to do in an emergency.

Flight attendants during the safety demo.
ITA Airways logo on the armrest of the seats

Afterthought

Our first experience onboard ITA Airways A319-111 was a pleasant one. Our positive experience started from the check-in and lasted throughout the flight. The cabin crew were friendly and seen wearing their smiles throughout the flight. The seats onboard are comfortable, and the seat pitch at the exit row far exceeds that in the Business Class cabin, giving us excellent legroom (I told my friends paying to sit at the exit row is far better value than paying twice the fare sitting in Business Class). For a short-haul flight, I thought ITA Airways did a great job.

Preparing to take-off
Reaching causing altitude

[Airline Review] – Turkish Airlines A321-200 (TK1895) – Business Class, IST- MXP (26 Nov 22)

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The Turkish Airlines A321-200 that will bring us from Istanbul to Milan today

At the Airport

As this is our transit flight, we did a check-through for this leg of our flight at our place of origin. We headed straight to the Turkish Airlines Business Lounge the moment we deplaned. The Turkish Airlines Business Lounge was quite a fair walk from the aircraft gate, and it took us about 15 mins to reach the lounge. One thing good about Istanbul airport is we did not have to go through security checks to get to the lounge. We spent our six-hour layover between flights in the Business lounge at Istanbul airport. The Turkish Airlines Business Lounge was packed with transiting passengers in the morning, we had a hard time looking for seats in the dining section of the lounge.

We met with an empty Istanbul airport when we disembarked from our previous flight.
Istanbul airport was very quiet at this hour.

Turkish Airlines Business Lounge

The Turkish Airlines Business Lounge in Istanbul is huge and uses a mix of light brown wooden colours and dark brown earthy tones (depending on which part of the lounge one is at) for its decor. The design of the lounge layout is very practical, where the main dining area, the heart of the action in the lounge, is located in the centre. Food is found throughout the lounge’s main dining area in an attempt to spread out the crowd during its peak period. Turkish Airlines Business Lounge prepared their ala minute food in the three hut-like booths in the centre of the lounge. Turkish Airlines Business Lounge has a huge selection of greens in its salad bar with numerous sauces for its passengers to customise their salad. More cooked food, in the form of carts or open kitchens, is tucked away further into the lounge. There is a small table serving coffee and tea, and even two chilled sections with desserts found in the innermost area of the lounge. Chill drinks are populated throughout the lounge for passengers to help themselves.

Entrance to Turkish Airlines Business Lounge
A Grand Piano welcomes passengers to Turkish Airlines Business Lounge
Dining area in Turkish Airlines Business Lounge

Quiet lounging area in Turkish Airlines Business Lounge
Some of the food in the Turkish Airlines Business Lounge
Some of the food in the Turkish Airlines Business Lounge

Desserts in the Turkish Airlines Business Lounge
We found Turkish Coffee and tea at this station.

Turkish Airlines Business Lounge has a section for passengers to stow their baggage securely next to the main entrance to the lounge, monitored 24hrs by several CCTVs. Passengers can find some activities to do in the lounge other than watching TV on the TV wall and relaxing on the many couches scattered throughout the lounge. Passengers who want to have some “fun” in the lounge can use the golf and flight simulators; for younger passengers, there is a play area tucked at the innermost section of the lounge. Passengers who want to do some work can use the many working pods by the lounge entrance or one of the three meeting rooms. Finally, passengers who want to nap while waiting for their next connecting flight can book their suites for resting. These suites are very limited and very popular, we were not able to secure the suits during our stay at the lounge despite Turkish Airlines’ strict rules in the issuance of the suites. Only passengers with connecting flights more than five hours can gain access to the suites.

Lockers in Turkish Airlines Business Lounge for passengers to store their luggage
Meeting Room in Turkish Airlines Business Lounge

Diaroma in Turkish Airlines Business Lounge depicting downtown Istanbul
Flying Simulator in Turkish Airlines Business Lounge

Shower facilities inside the Turkish Airlines Business Lounge are located in the same space as the suites. However, despite the many showering rooms available (there must be at least 10 shower rooms), we had to wait at least 45 mins for a shower. In addition, the concierge staff (the same staff who we could book the suites) would confiscate our boarding pass and issue us with a beeper, restricting our movement to the lounge area.

Turkish Airlines has some Private Suites for passengers to nap, but these are very hard to book
The Private suites and shower facilities are co-located in the same area in Turkish Airlines Business Lounge.

The Aircraft

Turkish Airlines deployed the narrow-body A321-200 aircraft for today’s short 3-hour flight to Milan.

Turkish Airlines TK1895 departs from Gate F4(A) today
Business Class queue at Gate F4(A)

Close-up view of the Turkish Airlines A321-200 livery

The Cabin

The Turkish Airlines A321-200 has 180 seats spread across two classes, with 16 Business class seats and 164 Economy Class seats. Seats in the Turkish Airlines Business Class cabins are arranged in a 2-2 configuration in four rows. The cabin exudes a bright and uplifting feel, thanks to the white and beige colour scheme. Turkish Airlines uses black-coloured leather for their Business Class seats, making them look very classy. A bright red Turkish Airlines logo is mounted on the cabin’s bulkhead, reminding its passengers we are flying on Turkish Airlines.

Turkish Airlines A321-200 Business Class cabin is bright and lively

Lavatory for Business Class is located at the front of the aircraft. The lavatory is a simple set-up and a tad small due to the aircraft’s size. The only amenities in the lavatory are Molton Brown hand soap and hand lotion. No other amenities like toothbrushes or even cups for mouth rinsing are found in the lavatory.

Toilet onboard Turkish Airlines A321-200
The amenities are fairly simple, with only tissues supplied in the lavatory.
Mirrors in the Business Class lavatory made it appears larger than it is
Molton Brown products are the only premium amenities in the Business Class lavatory
Lavatory in Business Class onboard Turkish Airlines A321-200

The Seat

Clad in black leather, the Turkish Airlines Business Class cabin recliner seats have a seat pitch of 43″ and a width of 19″. As with most narrow-body aircraft configurations, these seats cannot be converted into a lie-flat bed. Instead, the seats have a recline of 8.5″. Despite being unable to lie flat, each Business Class seat comes with a calf rest, and the choice of soft leather makes the Business Class seat very comfortable. On top of the reading light fitting on the cabin’s ceiling, each seat in the Business Class cabin is equipped with a separate reading light near the headrest. There are no pillows and blankets in this short-haul Business Class product. The seat pocket is located on the back of the seat in front, allowing passengers to stow small items. Due to the pandemic, only an airsick bag and the aircraft safety card are found in the seat pocket.

Business Class seats onboard Turkish Airlines A321-200
Reading lights on the Business Class seats
There are additional reading lights on the ceiling and air vent nozzles.

Seat pocket that is only large enough to stow a laptop and passport
Each Business Class seat has an individual power outlet for passengers to charge their lifestyle devices

Seat control buttons and the IFE controller onboard Turkish Airlines A321-200
Safety Card for Turkish Airlines A321-200

The tray table is hidden on the armrest of the seat. I find popping mine out a tad difficult due to the age of the aircraft. The large table covers the seat’s width and allows passengers to work on their laptops comfortably. The mechanical seat control buttons are found under the armrest, which can only recline the seat and deploy the calf rest. Other buttons, such as the call attendant and overhead reading light buttons, are found on the IFE controller.

Tray table in Business Class cabin onboard Turkish Airlines A321-200
The tray table is tucked into the armrest when not in use

In-Flight Entertainment

Each Turkish Airlines Business Class seat is fitted with a 10.6″ IFE Screen, stowed under the armrest between the seats. The IFE screen can be deployed with a push of a button. The IFE controller is found stowed beside the seat recline buttons. Similar to that found in their long-haul product, the IFE controller mainly uses a touchscreen for passengers to select their entertainment options. The touchscreen on the IFE controller is very responsive. There are tons of entertainment options on the IFE of Turkish Airlines. We could select from various shows, from the latest Hollywood blockbusters to TV shows. There is even a menu for music. However, the headphone is the biggest letdown in the IFE department of this Turkish Airlines Business Class flight. Not only are these headphones uncomfortable to use, but they also are not noise-cancellation headphones.

Turkish Airlines A321-200 is equipped with a 10.6″ IFE screen
The button that ejects the IFE screen from the centre armrest
IFE screen deployed from the centre armrest
IFE controller is very intuitive to use
Headphones packed in a cheap-looking plastic bag

Meal

Turkish Airlines has a solid meal catering for this short flight to Milan. As with other airlines, passengers only have the option of choosing from three types of main courses. Food is served on a tablecloth-laden tray with the starters and desserts. The starters look miserable, with only a few leaves and two blobs of mozzarella cheese on top of a single slice of tomato. I am not a fan of cheese and skipped the starter. For mains, I chose pasta with mint sauce which was surprisingly flavourful and not too rubbery. The mint sauce with the pasta added a punch to the plain pea pasta. The dessert was good and provided a balance to the savoury main course.

I opted for Turkish Airlines’ signature Lemonade as a pre-departure drink
Meal options onboard Turkish Airlines short-haul Business Class today
The starter is served on a tray together with sides and desserts
The mint pasta I had for this flight

Service

The service rendered by the two cabin crew in Business Class was a mixed bag. The service rendered by the older female cabin crew is nothing worthy of Business Class on this short-haul flight. She greeted passengers with the mandatory welcome in a robotic and scripted manner as if she were forced to do so. She came across as grumpy throughout the flight and was observed to provide better service to Caucasian passengers compared to their Asian counterparts. Having said that, she was seen to be patient and caring to the baby passenger sitting in front of us, constantly checking on the baby and if the mother required any help.

The other male pursuer in the Business Class cabin was seen working very hard. I can see him trying very hard to provide the service befitting a Business Class product. He was seen diligently taking orders and delivering food, patrolling the cabin and clearing the table once passengers had finished their meals. He was also seen attending to the passengers’ various requests, from bringing extra bread to ensuring passengers stayed well hydrated.

The very hardworking male flight attendant is serving my friend’s pre-departure drinks.

Afterthought

For a short-haul flight, the Turkish Airlines A321-200 is a good product. The seats in the Business Class cabin are comfortable and spacious for the short flight to Milan. The use of leather gives the cabin a premium feel, and the IFE was solid, which kept us entertained throughout the 3-hour flight from Istanbul to Milan. The catering on this flight is flavourful and well-balanced despite its simplistic plating. However, the service rendered by the female flight attendant looking disinterested in her job, was terrible. Her attitude towards passengers undermined the good effort put in by her male colleague. Overall, I thought this short flight from Istanbul to Milan was comfortable but not impressionable.

Flying out of Istanbul Airport
Flying over some European country

[Airline Review] – Turkish Airlines B777-300ER (TK55/TK54) – Business Class, SIN – IST (25 Nov 22) / IST – SIN (9 Dec 22)

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Turkish Airlines B777-300ER that flew us on the SIN-IST-SIN route

At the Airport

Singapore Changi Airport

Check-in

Turkish Airlines flying out of Singapore has their check-in counters in row 4 of Terminal 1 of Singapore Changi Airport. There are only two lines at the check-in counter one for Business Class and elite status passengers, and the other line services passengers flying in Economy class. The airlines catered to two counters for Business class and status passengers and five for Economy Class passengers. The queue for Business Class was much shorter than the Economy Class, but the line moved slowly. The ground attendant was efficient in processing our check-in bags. We were quickly given our boarding passes and briefed on the boarding time and the directions to the lounge.

Turkish Airlines check-in counters are located at door 2 of Changi Airport Terminal 1
Turkish Airlines check-in counters are located in Row 4 of the terminal building.

Two counters are dedicated to passengers flying in Business Class
Airside in Changi Airport Terminal 1

Marhaba Lounge

Turkish Airlines has no dedicated business class lounge at Singapore Changi Airport. Instead, the airline uses the Marhaba Lounge on level 3 at the airside. Marhaba Lounge serves Business Class passengers from other airlines such as Air France, Malaysia Airlines, etc. Marhaba Lounge uses a light earthy theme that exudes a sense of relaxation. The lounge is finished with light grey couches in the main lounge area that only come with a small side table, which was not ideal for eating. These seats are perfect for relaxing and eating small snacks and drinks. There are USB charging outlets between couches for passengers to charge their lifestyle devices. There is a small dining section in the Marhaba Lounge, located to the left of the entrance to the lounge. However, these dining seats are in limited quantity. Marhaba Lounge offers a very limited food selection in a buffet style. Food is constantly being topped up whenever they run low. Drinks are self-served and stored in a fridge beside the food station. Also, hot beverages such as Coffee and tea are available next to the refrigerator. I find the cleanliness of the lounge questionable Staff are only seen patrolling the lounge at what seems to be a fixed interval clearing the plates and drinks left behind by previous passengers. Despite its small size, Marhaba Lounge has showering facilities for guests to freshen up before their flights.

Turkish Airlines uses Marhaba Lounge for its Business Class Passengers

Istanbul Airport

Turkish Airlines Business Lounge

Turkish Airlines operates two lounges in Istanbul Airport; the Smiles and Miles Lounge is dedicated to status members, while the Business Lounge is dedicated to Business Class passengers. The Turkish Airlines Business Lounge is large, occupying a good amount of real estate space in the airport terminal. There is plenty to do other than munching on food and relaxing. The first thing we saw as we entered the lounge was the grand piano at the lounge entrance. The grand piano played relaxing music, giving the lounge a classy feel but helped to create a relaxing mood. The lounge flooring is decked in light brown Parque, while the ceilings use white wavy patterns, giving passengers an extraordinarily comfortable feel.

Turkish Airlines Business Lounge in Istanbul Airport

Passing the grand piano, we arrived at the main lounge area. This is where we find food, beverages, and the dining and couches for relaxing. The main dining area is located in the centre of the massive lounge, with plenty of dining tables for passengers to dine in. Even the lounge seating at the side of the main dining area has dining tables that provide additional space for passengers to dine. Food is spread across the main lounge area, serving mainly Turkish cuisines in a booth-like see-through kitchen. A huge salad bar section has an extensive menu of vegetables for passengers to customise their salad. Several more food counters offering Turkish pita and pasta are behind the salad bar. A little further down is where we found Turkish Coffee and tea station.

There is an area in the lounge equipped with pod-designed chairs fitted with computer stations for passengers to do some work. Turkish Airlines Business Lounge has three meeting rooms that can accommodate six passengers. The showers and sleeping suites are located to the left of the entrance to the lounge. Sleeping suites are available for passengers with more than 6 hr of connecting time. However, both times we were there, the suites were fully taken. The shower rooms are located opposite the suites. The white-marbled shower room is vast and has shower amenities but no toothbrushes.

The Aircraft

Turkish Airlines operates both B777-300ER and B787-9 aircraft between Singapore and Istanbul. The aircraft that leaves at night from Singapore uses B777-300ER, fitted with only Business Class and Economy Class.

Turkish Airlines departs from Gate C24 tonight at Singapore Changi Airport
Boarding Turkish Airlines B777-300ER

Turkish Airlines B777-300ER departs from Gate D16 at Istanbul Airport
Close-up view of Turkish Airlines B777-300ER

The Cabin

The Turkish Airlines 2-class B777-300ER has 349 seats onboard, with 49 flatbed seats in Business Class Cabin and 300 reclining seats in Economy Cabin. The Business Class cabin on Turkish Airlines B777-300ER looks bright and spacious due to the open design of the seats. As the Turkish Airlines B777-300ER is fitted with their older Business Class product, it gives its passengers more space but lesser privacy. The Business Class cabin is further split into the larger forward section, fitted with 28 seats and the smaller rear section, equipped with 21 seats. The use of contrasting colours of beige and black with a dash of red gave the Business Class cabin a premium feel. In addition, a huge bright red Turkish Airlines logo hangs on a grey and white patterned bulkhead at the end of each section decorating the otherwise dull bulkhead and adding a touch of premium feel without coming across as tacky.

Turkish Airlines B777-300ER Business Class cabin

There are three lavatories in the Business Class cabin onboard Turkish Airlines, one located at the front of the aircraft and two in the middle of the Business Class sections. The lavatories continued the colour scheme of predominantly beige and white with a dash of red, found in the Business Class cabin. Using a red diffuser in the lavatory gives the lavatory a premium feel. Other than the Molton Brown hand soap, lotion and facial spray, the lavatory has no other amenities. I like the use of sensor taps and step lever bin cover to reduce touch points in the lavatory.

The Seats

The Turkish Airlines B777-300ER Business Class cabin seats are arranged in a 2-3-2 configuration. Each Business Class seat is clad in black fabric with leathered headrest, has a very generous pitch of 78″ and measures 22″ wide, providing each excellent passenger legroom. The fabric material for the seat provided us with a comfortable ride and rested on the 12 hr flight. Waiting on the seat is a soft pillow, while the blanket and inflight slippers are placed on the ottoman in front of every seat. Storage space under the ottoman is meant for passengers to stow away their shoes, but it is large enough for us to stow our carry-on backpacks. Due to the pandemic, Turkish Airlines, like other airlines, reduced their In-flight literature, found in the grove between the two ottomans to the safety card and a puke bag. Other than the ottoman, I find the seat storage space to be a tad limited. A slim storage bin is found under the armrest between the seats. This is also where the universal charging outlet is located. A USB outlet and the headphone jack, which is hard to access, are located in an awkward position within the side bin storage area.

The seat controls are located on the armrest between the two seats. Despite having several modes, the only buttons that work are the ones that recline the seat into bed mode and return to an upright position. The other buttons are defective, and the massage function is also not working. A little further up the centre armrests is a small cocktail table with dedicated space for us to place our cups. The cocktail table has sufficient space to place the small plate of warm nuts served shortly after take-off. I mainly used the armrest to put my phone on, charging it while sleeping during the flight. Each Business Class seat has a large dining table, allowing passengers to do work other than dining. The table is neatly stowed under the cocktail table when not in use.

Each Turkish Airlines Business Class seat technically has only two modes, the upright take-off/landing mode and a 180° flatbed mode. As the seat has aged a lot, whatever is in between, like lounge mode, is only achievable by trial and error by playing around between the bed mode and upright mode buttons. The cabin crew will come around to make the bed for Business Class passengers by fitting a mattress topper and laying a thicker blanket. Adding the mattress topper enhanced the sleep quality onboard, as I could not feel the creases on the seat in flatbed mode. Privacy also increases tremendously when the seat is converted to bed mode. A personal reading light is also found in the seat on top of the one on the ceiling of the aircraft.

In-Flight Entertainment

Business Class seats onboard Turkish Airlines B777-300ER are fitted with an 18″ IFE touchscreen TV. Despite the distance from the seat to the TV screen, the TV screen does not come across as small. However, this also meant we could not use the touchscreen function as the distance was a tad too far. The IFE controller has a 4″ touchscreen interface that works like a mobile phone and is sensitive and responsive. The IFE controller’s menu design is intuitive, organised in large rows of three options across the screen. Besides controlling the TV screen, the IFE controller is also fitted with buttons for calling cabin crews and the overhead reading light.

All Business Class passengers are presented with noise-cancelling headphones upon boarding. The headphones’ quality is excellent and very effective in blocking out noise. However, when preparing for landing, the cabin crew will collect these headphones and replace them with a cheaper set. There are numerous entertainment options on the IFE on Turkish Airlines, ranging from the latest Hollywood blockbusters to TV shows and all genres of music. My friends and I spent hours onboard watching the many entertainment options when we were not sleeping. Business Class passengers onboard Turkish Airlines are given 1GB of free internet access. However, internet access is a tad slow and can only be used to text messages and post photos on Instagram, streaming youtube videos will take forever.

Turkish Airlines provides 1GB of internet for its Business Class passengers.

Meal

The food served onboard Turkish Airlines Business Class was excellent. The food tasted flavourful and fresh, hardly like airline food. Meal service on both legs begins with warm nuts and drinks while the crew prepares our choices of dishes. I was surprised that Turkish Airlines gave us options for all three courses of the main meal, which is quite rare. On board other airlines, passengers were given choices only for the main course. The cabin crew started by laying out our table with silverware and Turkish Airlines’ signature LED candlelight for their candlelight dinner in the sky.

Pre-departure drinks served on the SIN-IST route
We had Turkish Airline’s signature lemonade as pre-departure drinks on the IST-SIN route.

SIN-IST

Dinner

For this flight, I chose Mozzarella & Grilled Vegetables for starters. The vegetables were juicy and lightly seasoned. As we thought that was the only appetiser, we were served Sichuan Chicken Soup next, and this was just for the starters. The chicken soup is flavourful and not overpowering. For the main course, I opted for the Rosemary Chicken Breast. The chicken breast is tender and juicy, and I can taste a hint of rosemary used to cook the chicken. The sides that come with the main did not disappoint. They are moist and crunchy. My friend opted for the Grilled Salmon, which is moist and flavourful. For dessert, I opted for Brownie with Chocolate Sauce. The brownie was warm and delicious. My friend opted for the Traditional Turkish Dessert, which we thought was a tad too sweet. After dinner, the cabin crew turned down the lights for passengers to rest. Passengers who are not sleepy can help themselves to the snacks and drinks in the pantry between the Business Class cabins.

Breakfast

Breakfast service started about 2 hours before landing. Even the 2-course breakfast was served course by course. First, the cabin crew came around and laid the tables with tablecloth and silverware and bowls of cheese, yoghurt and chicken breast slices. Soon after, they returned to serve fresh fruit salad as a starter, which the rockmelon and honeydew were sweet and juicy. For the main course during breakfast, I opted for crepe with blueberries. The crepe was delicious when paired with the vanilla sauce and was divine. My friend opted for the Mushroom Omelette and commented it was moist and puffy.

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Late Dinner

For this flight, I opted the Turkish Mezze for starters. Maybe it is my taste bud, I only ate the turkey (or it might be chicken) and what appears to be tuna. I left the other items on the plate almost untouched. Our pumpkin soup came shortly after the Turkish Mezze was served. The pumpkin soup was flavourful and went very well with the bread. I requested extra croissants from the cabin crew, who was very efficient. I chose the fish wrapped in some cooking paper for the main course. The presentation was not the best, but the fish was moist and delicious. I went with the Apple Strudel for dessert. The Apple Strudel has a nicely baked crispy crust, and the vanilla was like icing on a cake. The dinner was delicious.

Breakfast

The 2-course breakfast began with bowls of yoghurt, spread, salad, and a plate of cheese and turkey breast. I only had the turkey breast, which is delicious and moist. I opted for scrambled eggs for the main course, which is still runny and warm. I highly recommend trying the Turkish Coffee with breakfast, as it perked me up after 5 hrs of sleep onboard.

Service

Turkish Airlines Business Class service varies between our outbound and inbound flights. However, despite the difference in service standards, Turkish Airlines always welcomed their Business Class passengers with welcome drinks.

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Service is not the best on this leg of the flight. The cabin crew working in the Business Class cabin came across as cold and robotic. Their service felt scripted, and the crew didn’t portray any warmth or sincerity. They were not seen helping passengers, and requesting items like drinks and wet towels (for me to wipe off the stain on my seat) took forever and felt like a chore to them. The cabin crew was not seen smiling a lot, and most of the time, other than meal times, they were seen gathering at the galley chit-chatting. The cabin crew will not even nudge if they are in the passengers’ way talking amongst themselves. During meal time, we were not served bread. When we asked for bread, the meal pursuer reluctantly came to our aisle and pointed the basket to us without even bothering to introduce the bread they offered. Drinks are not served unless asked. The cabin crew during this flight felt uninterested in making their Business Class passengers feel welcome.

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Despite the subpar service we received on the outbound flight from Singapore, the crews on this inbound flight were excellent. They were warm and personable, making every passenger feel welcome onboard this flight. The cabin crew were attentive and observant, and most importantly, they poured in their heart to ensure passengers felt comfortable. This set of crews was friendly, always wearing a smile on their faces no matter how tired they were, and seemed to be forever on standby, ready to respond to any requests by the passengers. They were seen plying around the cabin during boarding, preparing and serving pre-departure drinks to passengers when we settled into our seats. The cabin crew worked like clockwork after the seatbelt sign was turned off, busy preparing meal service after take-off, ensuring meal service was done in the shortest amount of time to maximise passengers’ rest time. The male pursuer working at my aisle diligently ensured that our glasses were never empty, and when we requested additional bread, he would always come back with a basket without us having to wait too long. The service we received on board was outstanding, and the crew made us want to fly Turkish Airlines again. This set of crew is the best we met on our four legs with Turkish Airlines.

Turkish Airlines’ sky chef taking orders from passengers

Afterthought

Despite the ageing Business Class product and some buttons not functioning, the seats on Turkish Airlines B777-300ER are very spacious and comfortable. We had a great sleep during the 12 hr red-eye flight. The food served on both legs was excellent; it tasted more like restaurant food than airline food. The lounge in Istanbul was amazing, except the wait for a shower took quite some time, and the queue for the suites for resting never ended. The service onboard was heaven and earth on both legs of our flight. We had a set of crew who seemed like they were doing their bare minimum for our outbound flight, yet during our inbound flight, we had a crew who ensured that their passengers felt comfortable. Turkish Airlines is a viable option when flying from Singapore to any European destination.

Approaching Istanbul
We are near Singapore