Excellent Experience on Singapore Airlines Long Haul cattle class
 

My first time flying Singapore Airlines. I was using my own money, not an employers nor FF miles. For an unexpected fare of $675 R/T, it was an easy choice. . They lived up to their well deserved reputation. Traveling in cattle class was actually enjoyable. Like the good old days, almost. I was not surprised to read that they lost money on their most recent quarter. I think my fare barely covered fuel and insurance, looking at the itemized pricing. .My outbound flight was LAX to NRT to SIN on SQ11, then changing planes to continue to CGK. Returning I went DPS to SIN, with a 10 hour layover, then SQ8 via Seoul.

BTW although I usually try to book direct with airlines, I could not get that fare on Singapore, but had to use Expedia. However I was able to select seats in advance and the Singapore agents spoke to me for free... and put in a request for window seats. Closer to my travel date I was able to confirm and manage my seats on the Singapore website. This was a pleasant contrast with my experience with LAN/LATAM. The only website issue I had was that I couldn't cancel a special meal requestfor the return leg... I had made one with my original checkin but found out the regular meals looked better. After a bit of whining the cabin attendants let me switch to regular meals anyways. On my DPS-SIN leg I was virtually the last seat served lunch.... I refused the fish option after opening the lid, and they brought me and 3 other passengers a chicken entree from one of the other classes, I think?

The DPS to SIN flight was full, NRT to SIN leg was quite full (no empty middle seat), but on LAX to NRT and the entire LAX -ICN-LAX trip my row still had the empty middle seat. The discount fare did not earn my FF miles. Cabin baggage was one piece only, plus a 'personal item'. The cabin bags seemed only closely monitored on the SQ11 flight out of LAX. Bags were checked all the way through and arrived intact.

The outbound flight left on time but arrived in NRT an hour late due to headwinds. We were escorted through the terminals to make our connections in NRT and SIN (I had been assured that Singapore is very good at this). They held the flights for transferring passengers. The flight into CGK also arrived late.

The airplanes used were on the long haul flights were Boeing 777-300 ER_4 class configuration.I found them fairly comfortable for economy seats... I have short legs, fortunately. I was able to reach the foot rest which adjusts up.. nice touch for the shorter customer base. The seat back entertainment systems are 11 inch tablets and worked well, with a great selection..I watched a LOT of movies when not napping. All seats have USB recharge plugs. I liked the design of the seatback pockets..several cubbies. And we even got an amenity kit... sleep sox and toothbrush kit.but an eyemask and earplugs weren't included. The lavs had combs, more toothbrush kits also. Food was frequent, and good with at least two selections per meal..I enjoyed the Korean meals on the leg via Incheon. . I tried a Singapore Sling for one beverage but it tasted like adult Koolaid.

Changi Airport for the 10 hour layover was a deliberate choice. I visited the Butterfly Garden, had some seafood noodles in the Transit mall food court "Singapore Food Street". I collected my $20 voucher which I used at TWG teas. (It could have been used toward a nap room or shower and snacks at the Ambassador Transit lounge). I also took the free City Sights Tour (the 6 pm slot was full when I arrived, but there was space on the 7:30 pm slot). We had two stops, one at the Gardens by the Bay for the light show and the second at the waterfront near the Merlion. WiFi is free inside the terminal with a password obtained by scanning your passport...but it's spotty. I had to walk around to find a connection. I also used the leg/foot massage seats..look for them!

Thank you so much for posting this. You did get a food deal on that ticket price. You say you didn't earn any miles. Is this a reflection of the new super basic fare structure that so many airlines are now moving to?

You're speaking my language - I flew SIA for seven years to/from Perth to Colorado, via Singapore, NRT/ICN and LAX/SFO.

My favorite airline ever, but we paid a heck of a lot more than you did - the flight from Perth to Singapore alone was about $1,000.

Thanks for the report, it's good to hear a nice review on coach travel.

julies, The flight included meals (lots of them), alcohol, and baggage so it wasn't really one of those new fare structures. OTOH it seems many airlines are changing their mileage programs to make it harder to earn miles from flights.. sometimes it's based on your fare, not the miles flown for example.

I've had difficulty redeeming miles so have moved toward putting most purchases on a CC that just rebates cash.

Very good to hear and not too surprising as Singapore air is always ranked way up there.

I am glad you had a chance to see some of th city too. We spent 5 days there last yr. before our cruise and loved it.

I was surprised that they flew to NRT first rather then their home base.

As this airline is basically a source of national pride and you mentioned how they lost money I wonder if the govt, props them up.

I believe in the past they flew nonstop LAX to SIN,and may still do from SFO. We seem to be losing nonstop flights from the west coast, in general, for long haul flights. Often they will keep either LAX or SFO but not both.

<<As this airline is basically a source of national pride and you mentioned how they lost money I wonder if the govt, props them up.>>

They are a publicly listed company, really well run with a great reputation for having new aircraft, great entertainment, superb service etc. For years they have been a very profitable airline but as with many other airlines, the Middle Eastern airlines have been taking away their traditional high yielding business passenger with even bigger and better amenities

Its a similar story with Cathay, who have just announced major job losses, I don't doubt they'll both turn it around

<<As this airline is basically a source of national pride and you mentioned how they lost money I wonder if the govt, props them up.>>

They are a publicly listed company, really well run with a great reputation for having new aircraft, great entertainment, superb service etc. For years they have been a very profitable airline but as with many other airlines, the Middle Eastern airlines have been taking away their traditional high yielding business passenger with even bigger and better amenities

Its a similar story with Cathay, who have just announced major job losses, I don't doubt they'll both turn it around

BTW Garuda was also excellent for internal flights,the company that has done a good job of turning things around, apparently. Their terminal in Jakarta is so much nicer than the one used by the other domestic airlines.

Warm Sunday greetings from our home of Singapore to the OP, mlgb - and thank you kindly for posting such a thoughtful review of "our" SQ, Singapore Airlines. Have loved flying that airline for over four decades, initially as youth with my parents and siblings, to present day business travel. (Will be flying SQ for work later this week via SQ32, non-stop service from SIN to SFO - with return via SQ31. So appreciate those efficient non-stops for meetings.)

And, enjoyed your impressions of our Changi airport. Some wondrous friends and colleagues work at that ever-evolving institution.

Thanks again, mlgb; best wishes from Singapore,

robert

Thanks Robert, your friends and colleabues have a lot to be proud of, as do all Singaporeans. If only I could handle the weather better.

For June 2016 alone, the Cebu Pacific Air group flew 1.6 million passengers, up by 8% from the 1.5 million passengers flown in the same month in 2015.

http://cebupacific-air.net/