A short Premium Economy Review

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Hi All,
Just flew SQ222 SYD-SIN in Premium Economy.

Since being introduced to Suites by Cove and Cruiser Elite some time ago, I've not flown anything else for a long time (a single economy leg in 2013 was my last right turn after boarding).
Circumstances have meant that I'm forced to pay for this trip, and thus have found a decent PE/Y fare SYD-SIN-HKG and return, with the final leg into Sydney being in economy.
Am sitting in Krisflyer Gold Lounge in SIN, after having arrived a couple of hours ago on SQ222, operated by a 77W.

This may seem hard to believe, but PE wasn't bad at all.
The seats are wide enough for my (ahem) average frame, and the legroom ample for my 1.83m height.
There are a few little nooks and crannies for storage, and a quite usable bin on the rear of the seat in front.

My jacket was taken by one of the ever-delightful Singapore girls and I settled in with a blanket and pillow provided.
The IFE has improved since my last flight, which was on the A380, and offered a good selection of movies, TV and other miscellaneous items, and to top it off you get a decent pair of noise cancelling headphones. Of particular interest to me (especially during the landing manouvres) was the "out the window" view on the flight tracker. A stylised graphic of the route ahead is presented, overlaid with flight instruments. Really well done and lots of fun for a geek like me to watch during descent.

I had ordered Book the Cook for my meal, and I'm glad I did, as the butter chicken with jalfrezi was quite tasty. Food service began with a drink not long after take off (on-time), after the ubiquitous hot towel - which I always find amusing as I see people struggle with the dilemma of "face first or hands first?".
The selection of wines and champagne is, as you would expect, lower on the quality scale than in the J or F sections, but still adequate. My only complaint with the meal was that the bread rolls seemed a bit stale.
Dessert was hokey pokey ice cream.
After a round of tea and coffee, and a little later a bottle of water, the passengers are left alone to their ipods, ipads or IFE until about 2 hours before landing. A choice of noodles or quiche lorraine in frittata style is served as  refreshment before landing.

The flight passed quickly with a couple of movies and documentaries on the IFE, and we were soon heading into SIN about 30 minutes early.

The Good: Typical SQ service, good quality comfortable seat, good IFE (unless you are in a bulkhead row). Not strictly in PE , but the business class cabin had some unobtrusive Christmas decorations up, which I thought was a nice touch as I walked through.
The Bad: The five or six solid bangs in the head from Y passengers as they made their way down the aisle, slightly stale rolls, how I feel knowing I can't get into SK lounge and a nice shower before my 8:20am departure tomorrow. Transit hotel here I come.
The Ugly: The gentlemen in 31C, who, it would appear, wants to relive his misspent youth with long hair and low-slung jeans. I wouldn't normally comment, except that I spent two very uncomfortable periods with his butt-crack about two inches from the side of my head while he packed and unpacked his carry-on

Verdict: As a paid passenger for a change I was pretty happy with the product and the flight experience. I have two more PE legs to look forward to then I'm back to Y for the long haul home. I chose 32D as my seat and I think it is a good seat if you, like me, enjoythe aisle. If you are travelling on SQ in PE on a 777, then may I suggest that the bulkhead seats, while offering marginally more legroom, have the IFE mounted on the bulkhead, making the touchscreen all but useless, and the window seats in row 31 have no windows, although they have excellent legroom and their own flip up screens.

Regards, Peter
 
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Thanks for sharing your experience. It's good to know there's options if I need to pay for a ticket.
 
Since I flew the second leg of my PE journey to Hong Kong today I thought I'd share a few differences, and this time I took a few pics.
Yesterday was on the 77W (777-300ER), and today was on the A380.
Biggest difference was the in-flight Entertainment.
Gone is the touch screen and fluid controls of the 777, and back to the handheld controls on the A380. At least the passengers in the bulkhead rows are no worse off than the rest of us (except the additional distance to the screen).
Another nice flight on SQ, shorter this time at just over 3.5 hours, although the service wasn't quite as sparkling as the flight yesterday.
Again the seat was comfortable and my face was thankfully never subjected to the bumcrack treatment on this flight.
Some photos to follow.
Regards,
Peter
 
Thanks Peter! Nice to know what it's like in the forward cabin.

I sat in the bulkhead of Y on an A380 SIN-HKG and very much enjoyed watching the PE pax get acquainted with their seat. They look fairly comfortable for PE, and seem to deliver the 'better than Y' promise well.

Still, I know that feeling – not having access to the SKL is a real downer after any flight into SIN. Come on VA, get your act together and give us WPs access!
 
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I have to agree. The Krisflyer Gold lounge is a bitter disappointment after time in SKL and TPR. But frankly I was happy to just get a cup of tea while I waited for my room in the transit hotel.
 
Sorry if i have missed this information somewhere on the post but i would love some more info on the PE/Y fare SYD-SIN-HKG as i possibly have a trip in May for a gaming expo in Macau.

Thanks
 
Hi stickshaker,
I paid about $2700 for it, but it was a very last minute booking.
SYD-SIN-HKG-SIN in PE
SIN-SYD in Y

I'm still sitting on some pics - which I have to shrink down as they are all huge.
Regards,
Peter
 
.... Any comments as to the quality of the terminal transit hotels?

Alby

I prefer T1 Transit as its more bunker like and quite. I had a room at T3 once that overlooked planes parked at the gates and at first I thought cool! But I heard all the PA announcements and golf cart beeping. Going to try T3 again in April but requested a rear/quite room and pack earplugs just in case. Also going to try T2 Transit for the first time soon (I usually book T1 and then move from terminal to terminal as needed).
 
Is there enough room for passenger in front to recline all the way ?
 
Peter,

Did you think both meals in the one flight were specific to PE?
In the past I have flown BA, Cathay and Air France PE and normally one course is always the standard economy meal.
Drink service is always the same choice as well.

Rare
 
Try using this handy little piece of software. Will resize and rename all of the pictures that you ask of it : Easy Thumbnails | Fookes Software
Thanks for the TR. Any comments as to the quality of the terminal transit hotels?

Or use Google Picasa - which both organises, and can batch export in shrunken sizes.

On the Transit Hotels in SIN - they are basic, small, but do the job -- T2 and T3 are branded Ambassador... T1 (which has a pool as well) - has recently rebranded to Aerotel (operated by Plaza Premium) and had a full refurb -- thus if you can get availability T3 is probably the nicest.

--

As for the SQ PE seats - while I know orange is a minor colour of SQs, everytime I look at those seats they just scream Jetstar to me..
 
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No SQ Y+ into Melbourne, therefore not interested. But will be when the A380 with Y+ come to town.
 
On the Transit Hotels in SIN - they are basic, small, but do the job -- T1 and T2 are branded Ambassador... T3 (which has a pool as well) - has recently rebranded to Aerotel (operated by Plaza Premium) and had a full refurb -- thus if you can get availability T3 is probably the nicest.
Minor clarification as probably just a typo here - Transit Hotel in T1 is Aerotel with pool attached - T2 and T3 still Ambassador. Never stayed in T1 but both the T2 and T3 ST hotels are fine for a quick kip and a shower.
 
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