AFF Review: Singapore Airlines A380 Business Class (SYD-SIN)

[AFF Editor]

Singapore Airlines A380 Business Class Review is an article written by AFF editorial staff:

Singapore Airlines A380 Business Class Review

Singapore Airlines flies from seven Australian cities to Singapore, including 3-4 times per day from Sydney. In fact, as of this week, Singapore Airlines

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

You can leave a comment or discuss this topic below.

 

[SYD]

I had a similar experience on the same flight a bit over a week ago. Heading to LHR, the check in staff only glanced at my vax certificate and moved on quite quickly.

I did note that the e-Gates were back open - even with the obvious issue of face masks, but the software has been updated to prompt you to remove mask! Security in SYD, although not busy was a bit manic. I had two attendants trying to do the “random” check while another was looking for a non-existent cigarette lighter… oh well.

The SYD lounge was very busy but that should improve with NZ Lounge reopening.

I found the new A380 seat far superior to the original one and the current 777 seat on my connection.

For F&B, “Book the cook” is open a week or two in advance and provides a vastly larger selection than on board. We’ll worth checking out!

My flight also arrived early - about 40mins but the SK Lounge was the only lounge - so also heaving with transit / departing PAX. Again, hopefully this improves when the A* Gold and 1st Lounges reopen.

 

[Melburnian1]

I've not been subjected to the 'pineapple juice' laugh on QFi, but what brings a wry smile is when many Aussies refer to QF as 'the (or our) national airline').

During COVID-19, QFi mostly only operated flights when subsidised by the Coalition's Federal Government, unlike a wide range of foreign airlines including NH, PR, QR, SQ, UA, UL and others that continued to fly here unsubsidised. UA even took out full page newspaper ads about two or three months ago to remind us of that.

In company with quite a few other Asian carriers, SQ is a great airline, concentrating on terrific service rather than political correctness. It doesn't give that nauseating 'welcome to country' rubbish one must bring earmuffs to avoid on QF.

No wonder almost 70 per cent of people using international flights in and out of Australia travel with other than QFi/JQi.

The quicker that nations and airlines remove pre-flight 'testing' - pointless when a virus is endemic - and abolish mask-wearing in airports and in flight, the sooner international passenger numbers will start approaching what they were a few years back (although it won't be instant).

Great that Mattg enjoyed his flight.

 

[Lukestro]

I've flown with Singapore Airlines (just economy though) and always found their service to be terrific. On one flight, I ordered a JD and coke, and when I was halfway through my first, the attendant came over and asked if I wanted another. And so and so that repeated until I could drink no more.

 

[Denali]

Interesting there was no menu card so the crew had to recite for each pax, I would have thought they would have done it on the screen for you to select/info goes directly to the galley.

Im also reminded how much I hate the SQ side bed position to get your feet into the cubby hole.

Thanks for the report, seems they are making efforts and thats appreciated. I hope to book some reward flights for next year soon and looking forward to flying SQ again.

 

[RB]

Thanks for the write-up. Just last night we managed to book a SQ A380 flight as part of a Velocity J booking-got to wait til Feb 2023 to get back to it

 

[Melburnian1]

Interesting there was no menu card so the crew had to recite for each pax, I would have thought they would have done it on the screen for you to select/info goes directly to the galley.

You may have missed Mattg saying:

"...In-flight menus were available via the in-flight wifi system, but as previously mentioned, this did not work at the start of the flight. Later in the flight, I was able to access the menus..."

 

[Denali]

You may have missed Mattg saying:

"...In-flight menus were available via the in-flight wifi system, but as previously mentioned, this did not work at the start of the flight. Later in the flight, I was able to access the menus..."

I read that but I got the impression that you couldn't order via the screen but could only read the menu on the screen. Maybe OP can come back and confirm if you can use the screen to order as well? But it wasnt available at the start of the flight, which is a fail from SQ.

 

[dajop]

During COVID-19, QFi mostly only operated flights when subsidised by the Coalition's Federal Government, unlike a wide range of foreign airlines including NH, PR, QR, SQ, UA, UL and others that continued to fly here unsubsidised.

That is not completely true. Whilst not being subsidised to fly specific sectors, several (if not all) of these airlines did receive assistance from their governments or sovereign wealth funds (in case of SQ, which received a huge capital injection from Temasek, Singapore's sovereign wealth fund). Presumably QR was getting assistance to maintain flying when loads were non-existent as well, although it is very murky the line between QR and .gov.qa anyway.

 

[bussyboy]

Thanks for the review! Looking forward to an upgrade to J on the A380 from BOM-SIN in a few weeks...

But i have to ask - why didn't you book the cook?

 

[AFF Editor]

But i have to ask - why didn't you book the cook?

No particular reason - Book the Cook is a great service but I just didn't feel the need to use it on this occasion. I was very happy with the food provided from the regular menu.

 

[stm1sydney]

Great review and great airline. It does put QF to shame. Why would anyone choose QF over SQ?

 

[dajop]

No particular reason - Book the Cook is a great service but I just didn't feel the need to use it on this occasion. I was very happy with the food provided from the regular menu.

Of course, if you didn't want to BTC, but wanted to secure your selection from the regular menu this can be also pre-ordered up to 7 days in advance. Sometimes though potluck is the best option!

 

[LCC]

We flew SQ business ZRH-SIN-SYD on a rebooked Swiss RTW ticket last week. I thought I was being clever pre-ordering meals on the first sector and BTC on the second on the SQ website, which seemed to accept my order against my booking ref. However once we started the trip they had no record of the order, I am guessing it was because we were on a Swiss fare? But annoying because on the first sector we were seated at the back of business and of course by then they had run out of the 2 best of the 3 main course choices when I got to order (online menu was not available either until end of flight). Luckily my husband's side of the aisle got to place their food order 15 minutes before my side otherwise he would have also been stuck with the fish dish which he wouldn't be able to eat due to a severe fish allergy! My other half also asked for a cappuccino from the specialty coffee breakfast menu and was told there would be a charge!!!!! so he just ordered and received the standard coffee only to then have a cappuccino magically appear at no charge....

 

[Denali]

Just checking I read this correctly, flying SQ J and he was told he would have to pay for a cappuccino? Sounds like the Hilton Diamond coffee fee at Breakfast

 

[LCC]

Yes, thought this was ironic given the gentlemen on the aisle closest to me polished off the best part of two bottles of white burgundy (good for him!) during the course of the flight and they want to charge hubby for a cappuccino, anyway in the end they didn't charge. My TA has since advised they have experienced reluctance from the SQ crew to provide a specialty coffee, maybe it is more work for them, but then why offer it on the menu?

 

[auriga]

Charging for coffee on SQ is the weirdest thing I have heard in quite a while!
I find that rather difficult to believe TBH

 

[dajop]

Charging for coffee on SQ is the weirdest thing I have heard in quite a while!
I find that rather difficult to believe TBH

Wondering if there was some sort of communication error. Never heard of SQ charging for any beverages in business class.

 

[LCC]

Wondering if there was some sort of communication error. Never heard of SQ charging for any beverages in business class.

I know, we figure we can dine out on this one for a while to come, we were both shaking our heads when she came out with this doozy. Maybe the staff member normally services premium ec/economy and they charge those customers? As I say she did come back proactively with the "free" cappuccino after my hubby had finished his plain coffee and I think she even offered him another one after that so maybe she got a lecture from the cabin supervisor if he realised what had happened?

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Nope confusion for sure with any charge for any onboard F & B - 100% guarantee that

Now clearly if you are in Y you cannot ask for Krug from R or F cabin - but if it is on menu in the cabin you are seated you will not be paying for it

Now getting access to menus currently is the hard part - you can only view online menu via a web site which you can only access if the WiFi is working which IME is nowhere near reliable enough

Edit: Just checked with MEL Station Manager absolutely NO WAY any pax is ever asked for payment for onboard F & B - I think confusion / misunderstanding reigns here.

I have had plenty occasions where I needed clarification from Crew when I didn't quite hear clearly - and that was BEFORE masks on ALL Crew onboard so I can easily see how this could happen