BACKGROUND In October last year, SIA introduced new seat products across all classes. This has yet to debut on any services other than the B777 used from Singapore to London, however. The fleet of B777s are next in line to receive the product, but Subhas Menon, regional vice president of SIA in South West Pacific, recently revealed to Business Traveller Asia-Pacific that the seat upgrade will not be retrofitted onto the existing A380 fleet for “another few years”, since grounding them will be costly. This aircraft featured the old product, and looks set to do so for the next few years.
CHECK-IN When I arrived at Sydney Airport Terminal 1, queues were minimal, and I was checked in on the “suite” counter (SIA’s first class equivalent), where my window seat request was duly accommodated.
THE LOUNGE The new Silverkris lounge was due to open two days after I passed through, so we were instructed to use the Air New Zealand lounge next door. The lounge was surprisingly large and well equipped, and did not feel congested despite having to accommodate the extra SIA passengers. The wifi was fast and efficient, and all gate boardings were broadcast – something I really appreciate.
BOARDING This was punctual (at 1145) and again I was filtered through the “suite” counter. After crossing the aerobridge and embarking directly to the upper deck, I was guided to my seat, 26K, near the back of the cabin. Departing from sunny summertime Sydney I did not have a coat, nor did I need to stow anything in the overhead compartment since the seat has plenty of storage around it.
THE SEAT The old seat model does seem a little dated now compared to the new SIA product and newer seats from competitor carriers. The blanket doubled up as an extra pillow, and the noise-cancelling headphones were so effective and comfortable that I even kept them on while sleeping. The footrest, however, was a little awkward being to the right side of the seat in front, and at a bit of a slanted angle (perhaps the effect of wear and tear rather than design).
WHICH SEAT TO CHOOSE? A window seat offers greater privacy. A seat nearer the front would allow for even faster disembarkation, so I suppose that is preferable, even though I was quite happy in my seat further back.
THE FLIGHT We didn’t push back from the terminal until 1220, and then it was at least another 20 minutes before we actually took off. Before the meal, I wearily agreed to give up the coveted un-contactable cloud-level status and assented to a free trial of the inflight wifi, which usually costs up to S$19.95 (US$15.9). After a somewhat cumbersome registration process it worked quite well, but was restricted by a MB limit. The food, meanwhile, was excellent – a succulent “trilogy of salmon” starter was followed by Indian butter chicken with spiced vegetables and pilaf rice, and meant I could barely finish my apple and rhubarb crumble.
One of the crew had to assist me with retracting the tray table and making the seat into a bed, both of which are not as straightforward as the modern traveller might be accustomed to. The IFE offered good variety but had a dark screen and subjected you to mandatory adverts. The bed, though a lie-flat, felt like it was a bit of an odd shape and at a slightly off angle, but I still slept well. We were served a “refreshment” a few hours before arrival, which was a rather inedible beef burger.
ARRIVAL Changi Airport welcomed us for a timely, smooth landing and we disembarked without incident. I made my way to the transit gate, but not before picking up my complimentary S$20 (US$16) voucher to spend in the terminal – a Christmas promotion from SIA and Changi.
VERDICT Service was impeccable, the food was (mostly) of a high standard, and the seat – albeit old – did the job. With such a good experience onboard this flight, the new product is undoubtedly worthy of investigation.
Tested by
Alex Andersson
Departure time: 1215
Flight time: 5 hours
5 minutes
Plane typE
A380
CONFIGURATION
1-2-1
SEAT WIDTH
30in/76cm
SEAT PITCH
76in/193cm
SEAT RECLINE
180 degrees
PRICE
Internet rates for a return business class flight on board the A380 from Sydney to Singapore in March start from
A$4,179 (US$3,735).
CONTACT
www.singaporeair.com
