Tried & Tested

Scoot B777-200 business class

28 Feb 2014 by Clement Huang

CHECK-IN Scoot operates out of Terminal 2 at Singapore Changi Airport. Upon arrival at 2245, I proceeded to the Scoot check-in area, where there was a designated counter for passengers travelling on the airline’s premium cabin, ScootBiz. I was promptly allocated my seat, and my luggage was checked in (there‘s a 20kg checked baggage allowance). Everything was completed by 2300.

LOUNGE One of the optional “frills” Scoot offers its premium passengers is access to the SATS Premier Lounge. Available for S$39 (US$31), I chose to go and enjoy the lounge as my flight was at 0150 and I had time to spare. It is on level 3 of the departure transit area, next to the SIA Silverkris Lounge. The SATS facility was spacious and comfortable. There weren’t a lot of people in there at that late hour, and I helped myself to a decent array of hot and cold food. The lounge offers a dedicated wifi connection that was much faster than the terminal-wide service.

BOARDING I left the lounge at 0125 and made my way to Gate E22. As is normal at Changi Airport, the security area is located within each gate. It took me just over five minutes to clear security, and I was through to the boarding hall at 0135. Seeing that other passengers were already going through the aerobridge, I went directly into the business class line to board the plane. I was shown my seat, 12C, which was quite close to the aircraft’s entrance. A small bottle of mineral water was served as soon as I sat down.

THE SEAT The ScootBiz seat model is similar to premium economy offerings on full-service carriers. The seat configuration in this cabin is 2-4-2. The amenities are basic – with a retractable tray table attached to the armrest, and controls at the side of the seat that are used to request assistance from staff. There are no personal entertain-ment screens attached to the seat, as in-flight entertainment is offered via mobile tablets and laptops. The 8 inch recline is quite generous for a low-cost offering, though this pales in comparison to the flatbed business class seats on Air Asia X. However, it is more than acceptable for a 3-hours-15-minute flight.

WHICH SEAT TO CHOOSE There are only four rows of seats in the ScootBiz cabin. I would recommend the aisle seat on a two-seat window row, so as to allow easier access to the lavatories situated at the nose of the plane. Seats C and H on row 12 and 14 would be ideal. While the front row does offer slightly more legroom, they are nearer the noisy lavatories and galley.

THE FLIGHT We pushed back from the terminal slightly behind schedule at 0200, and made our way to the runway. It took a further 20 minutes or so before we took off.

ScootBiz passengers are provided a complimentary meal with beverages, which can be selected online prior to the flight. Scoot offers an in-flight menu with both Asian and international favourites. Having tried the recommended Beef Goulash on the flight towards Singapore, I decided to try something cold and went with the Ham & Cheese Croissant combo. This was served with a can of coke and a bag of crisps. The meal was pleasant, if a bit bland. This could, however, have been due to the effects on the taste buds at high altitude.

The generous amount of legroom and space between each individual row allowed me to fully recline my seat without interrupting the person behind me. However, an annoying thing was that the cabin lights remained on throughout the entire flight, which affected my ability to sleep. An amenity kit with eye mask, pillow and blanket costs S$22 (US$17.34) when purchased in-flight. Moreover, service was slow, and my food tray was left unattended until just before descent.

As mentioned, in-flight entertainment is streamed via wifi to mobile tablets and laptops. Having prepared my iPad beforehand, I was hoping to catch the critically acclaimed Singaporean film, Ilo Ilo. However, to my disappointment, I was told that I had to have the “Gogo Video Player” app installed on my iPad in order to gain access to any of the entertainment content. As I did not have it, I was unable to take advantage of the ScootBiz offering. Scoot does rent out tablets for S$20 (US$16), but I chose not to fork out the extra cash.

ARRIVAL Descent was announced at approximately 0510, and we touched down at Hong Kong International Airport at 0540. The cabin staff welcomed the arrival with Scoot’s signature phrase “Let’s get outta here!” and we disembarked the aircraft at 0545, five minutes ahead of schedule.

VERDICT A timely, and fairly comfortable flight, which despite some flaws remains a very successful premium “no-frills” offering.