Singapore Airlines B777-200 (Config.3) Business
Back to Forum- This topic has 20 replies, 9 voices, and was last updated 27 Mar 2014
at 00:44 by IanFromHKG.
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pelorusParticipantThis was an overnight flight Auckland-Singapore on a non-retrofitted 777-200 – that is old seating.
The cabin decor was old and tired and the seat is not lie flat so terrible for trying to sleep on a 10 hour overnight flight.
Why does SQ allocate its oldest plane to this long-haul route – they have only 5 of these left in the fleet.
Perhaps they regard New Zealand as a third world country.
The TV screens are small and the picture fuzzy.
I would never fly this route again on SQ except on a 777-300ER.
1 Mar 2014
at 05:57
SpeedybirdParticipantThey also use them on the Cape Town/Johannesburg to SIN flights.. Another really long flight.
It’s unbelievable that an airline like Singapore Airlines would have such major inconsistencies in its long haul biz class offerings.
4 Mar 2014
at 09:58
AMcWhirterParticipantThe piece I wrote about differing SQ business class products in the magazine a few years ago mentioned the fact that the airline classifies Australia and NZ as regional, not truly long-haul, destinations. It’s also worth noting that SQ has a monopoly on this particular route.
But there is some good news for the future. Matters will improve following the recent JV signed with Air NZ which will see SQ upgrade its offering. SQ plans to bring its A380 onto the Auckland route.
5 Mar 2014
at 12:49
SpeedybirdParticipantAMcWhirter: thanks for the info, although I do find it odd they think they can get away with classing NZ as “regional” considering the flight to Auckland is over 10 hours long. If that’s not long haul, what is?
Secondly, as I pointed out, they use the same “medium /short haul” airplanes and configuration on their South African flights. Again over 10 hours. I think the real reason they do this on these routes is because they don’t face stiff competition as you said.
It’s surprising since SQ pride themselves on the quality of their hard and soft products, and customers pay a premium as a result. They need to address this since airlines like Etihad are challenging them for their crown as THE best airline. Etihad have consistency across their fleet with direct aisle access in all biz class long haul, something SQ do not (since they are using these regional planes on long haul flights).
It might not make sense for them to upgrade these planes to their long haul biz class seats (which lets face it are ridiculously spacious), however they could opt for something like CX’s reverse herringbone biz class seat which is proving very popular with other airlines, with Air France and Air Canada being the latest to adopt it (along with AA and QR to name a few).
5 Mar 2014
at 13:12
pelorusParticipantThanks. Yes I see this announced last week. But it seems a bit of a cheek for SQ to classify a 10 hour flight as regional rather long haul – and to deliver such a poor product. Thai is a lesson on how to lose customers through an inconsistent product.
My connecting flight in Singapore was a two hour one to Bangkok – in a sparkling A330 with a fully flat bed !!6 Mar 2014
at 03:40
JohnHarperParticipantWhile the spacebeds are now at least ten years old I must admit I still rather like them. I’ve never had a problem sleeping on the angled seats and the spacebeds are far bigger and more adaptable than some of the full flat seats that have come along since.
I agree it is time SIA got their act together particularly with regards to Australia and New Zealand, if a regional flight can be about ten hours then maybe we will see BA offering CE to the east coast of the US!
6 Mar 2014
at 08:43
AMcWhirterParticipantpelorus – Agreed. That’s why I wrote the piece in question following negative feedback from readers.
What complicates the situation further in the case of Australia is that SIA mixes its plane types in the case of Sydney and Melbourne. It means you have to choose your flights carefully otherwise you might find yourself on a “refitted B777-300” or a B777-200 rather than an A380 or B777-300ER.
In the case of Singapore-Melbourne, SIA operates no fewer than four different plane types: A380, A330, B777-300 and B777-300ER.
For Singapore-Sydney there are three different plane types: A380, B777-200 and B777-300.
It is not always easy to avoid the “downgrade” in product. For example, someone flying London-Singapore-Sydney, wanting the best connections and choosing SQ321/SQ221 will fly on an A380 right the way through. But if you opt for SQ317/SQ211 then it’s an A380 as far as Singapore followed by that “refitted B777-300” for Singapore-Sydney.
6 Mar 2014
at 12:52
peklorusshandParticipantAnother SQ business class flight BKK-SIN on a Boeing 777-200. Yet another seating type – old blue semi-reclining, seats 2-3-2 configuration and a fuzzy old TV screen. Another poor product.
When will they sort out their “regional” business class product ?
10 Mar 2014
at 21:52
JohnHarperParticipantAgreed, these seats are about fifteen years old. I guess they will remain as long as those 772s remain in the fleet but they are only used on what I will term local flights since on SIA regional includes Australia and NZ. You do only see these seats on services up to abou three hours so if you compare them to the seats on offer in Europe on similar services they are excellent. They are also slightly better than the ones CX offer which are not even electronic.
11 Mar 2014
at 10:28
IanFromHKGParticipantIn fairness, CX are introducing a new regional business class. The retrofit of the fleet is due to be completed by the end of this year. All my recent regional flights have featured the new seats, which are extremely comfortable (although the tables are a bit wobbly).
12 Mar 2014
at 02:05
alanortonParticipantThere is definitely a hint of pot luck in travelling intra Asia in J. My last 2 CX flights have both had the old J seat, and this on the SIN-HKG route. Can only speak from personal experience, but it is quite annoying to get this when previous regional SQ flight was near on a flat bed, with bells and whistles etc.
Sure similar is true comparing old SQ with new CX…14 Mar 2014
at 09:48
IanFromHKGParticipantWell, pot luck or careful planning 🙂
CX do fly a surprisingly wide variety of aircraft on that (and some other) routes, and I suspect the same is true for SQ. If you choose your flights carefully you can get the new long-haul seats on the 77W – but they also fly A330s (which could be regional or long-haul, I’m not sure – the latter have the new long-haul seats as well), the old long-haul seats on a 747, or regional seats on a 772 or 773!
14 Mar 2014
at 10:28 -
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