Jermyn

Part 1: LHR-SIN SQ J 77WN

Usually when embarking on long haul trips in premium cabins, on a new carrier, I have weeks of anticipatory buildup.

In this instance though I had barely enough time to gather my thoughts after the previous week's RTW.

Still, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't excited to try SQ for the first time. SQ is a carrier whose name has long been synonymous with excellence and I was very eager to see if the airline could deliver.

Moreover, there still haven't been a huge number of TRs on the new J product - featured on the latest delivery of Boeing 777-300ERs (better known as the 77WN). When you see a TR with a limited number of photos it is almost like a teaser, a trailer, it builds curiosity within you.

I went to the airport straight from the office, nothing unusual there, I always do my best to maximise holidays with night flights. However, given that this trip was only going to last 5 days, I packed a single carry on for a long-haul to Asia.

I love the new Terminal 2 at Heathrow. The scuplture that greets you at the entrance is absolutely phenomenal. I've said it before and I'll say it again, if you're going to commission artwork for a new airport terminal this is a fundamentally superior way to spend the money than the Qatari bear.


I'm not going to lie; as I strode up to the J class check in with my bizarre itinerary, issued on El Salvadoran ticket stock by an airmiles program based in Colombia, with the intent of flying to China on a Singaporean airline - with nothing but hand luggage, I felt supremely badass.

At this point in time there was no SQ lounge and I had already tried the LH, AC, UA and Plaza options in the past. I already knew which lounge was best and headed straight there - Plaza Premium. It was a bit of a relief knowing that I could actually lounge in the lounge as opposed to rushing through for some action paced gorging and photographing


The Plaza lounge has a very comfortable atmosphere. If you want noise and action you can have it. If you want quiet you can have that too. There is a very large variety of food and drink, including plenty of snack items and bottles/ cans that can be taken on board with you. Power sockets are plentiful, the showers are powerful and everything is clean and very tastefully designed.

If I was designing a third party lounge, I don't think I'd be able to come up with a huge number of improvements.


Singapore Airlines SQ319
London Heathrow (LHR) - Singapore Changi (SIN)
Duration: 12hrs
Aircraft: Boeing 777-300ER (New Fleet)
Seat: 11A (Business Class)


There was a slight 20 minute delay to our flight (as usual Google updated me about this long before the gate agents had a clue) but soon enough, the efficient boarding process had us all onboard.

I was lucky enough to secure seat 11A which is in the front row of business class, in a 2 row mini cabin of 8 seats in a 1-2-1 configuration, exactly like F.

Pre-suites SQ had trouble in differentiating its premium cabins, with the latest product on the 77WN the "problem" returns. Which is why you can understand their drive to eliminate F entirely on the A350.


My first impression of the cabin?
I was utterly blown away.

The space is much more private and welcoming than BA F on the 744 a few days earlier. The layout was actually more similar to JL F and in some ways, such as the location of power sockets and storage, I prefer SQ J. The sleekness of the design definitely trumps JL's spartan and utilitarian F offering.

I was immediately offered food and drink menus and asked for my choice of PDB, as well as having my jacket taken. This is a far cry from a number of other airlines I've flown in J where you get either water or juice, picked from a large tray as your PDB.


SQ's J drinks menu is absolutely out of control. Talisker 10? The Isle of Skye's nectar is a finer drop than most carriers load in F. Also quite an extensive cocktail list given that BA's crew have been known to struggle when asked for the one single cocktail they offer in J

I opted for a glass of the Taittinger, I was hoping this flight would have some Bolly loaded but you can't have it all I guess! The champagne was brought to me individually and poured at my seat.


Having heard how good some of the options can be and more importantly not wanting anything too heavy after a week of non-stop eating (and more sure to come in the days ahead) I pre ordered Lobster Thermidor from SQ's Book the Cook program.

Whilst she was setting my table the FA asked if I'd ordered Lobster ex-LHR before. I told her that I hadn't and that this was in fact my first ever flight on SQ.

She was very excited to hear that this was my first SQ flight and made conversation about other airlines, asking me how I thought SQ compared. I told her that I was loving it so far and this really seemed to make her day.

In any case she told me that I had chosen very well. In fact all the FAs had gathered in the galley to admire my lobster before serving it, due to its high degree of magnificence.

I was fairly sure that there was a degree of hyperbole at play but smiled and went along with it, rubbing my hands in excitement.

Then she placed this armoured behemoth of the seas in front of me...


Thankfully SQ didn't cut corners on the engineering of their tray tables. That thing could have tipped over Fred Flinstone's car with ease.

The flavour was sweet and rich and the meat was enormously plentiful, the claw meat had clearly been added back into the chopped tail to add to the indulgence.

The vegetables were also perfectly cooked and still slightly crunchy. The entire dish was leagues ahead of the rubbery lobster and frozen peas and tomato that you're served when you pre-order the lobster thermidor on TG F.

Once I'd finished, the FA came over to ask if the lobster was as good as it looked.

"Better," I said.
"I'm so glad to hear it. I hope you left some room for dessert."
"Oh I'm not sure I'm really full."
"Why don't I just bring one over and you can try it, I promise you don't have to finish it!"
"OK you've convinced me" (yeah I know, I'm weak)


The meal service as a whole was truly spectacular. It was not of the calibre of NH F but short of that, it was one of the best meals I've ever had in the air.

The service was a perfect mix of professional and friendly.
Every dish was spectacular in its execution.
The table and glassware was of a high quality.
Refills were proactively and frequently offered.

Would I have preferred Krug to Taittinger? Yes. Is Krug a fundamental pre-requisite of a decent meal? No.

After the meal I spent some time watching a movie whilst in bed mode.


During the night time portion of the flight I got a couple of refills on my tea. It seems that on SQ it is vey easy to get trapped in a vicious cycle. Each time I went to the bathroom, as I walked back to my seat, Fiona the delightful second shift FA would ask if there was anything she could get me.

Much like the dessert conversation I'd had with her colleague during the meal. It was very hard to resist. She would always make it seem like a fantastic idea to drink more tea, maybe have a biscuit, or some chocolate, perhaps some whisky to help me sleep etc.

So that is my one complaint about SQ. The FAs are so unbelievably nice and eager to ensure you have a good time, that you end up eating and drinking more than you intended to


Nonetheless I was able to get a good 6 hours of sleep and woke up at that special moment when most other people are still sleeping.

I really enjoy being up before everyone else on a longhaul flight. The atmosphere is very tranquil, you can hear some light clinking of trays as breakfast preparations are made but FAs have generally not had anyone new to speak to for a while and will happily make you a coffee and chat for a while. If you're really lucky you'll get a chance to experience an airborne sunrise, although on this flight I'd missed the opportunity by a good few hours. North/ South flights are the best for that.

Not wanting to bother the FAs with endless coffee requests during the breakfast service, I had a couple of fantastic double espressos in advance of the morning meal.


Breakfast was great. Far too often it is treated as an afterthought by other carriers, not only in J but even in F. SQ has gone for premium ingredients, espresso based coffees and multiple courses, with the option to pre-order numerous main courses. The only carrier that comes close in J is BR.

All too soon the familiar sight of hundreds of shipping tankers came into focus; we were approaching Singapore.


This was something of a bittersweet moment. I genuinely did not want the flight to end. The service was just so unbelievably next level, I could have stayed in that cabin for a week without losing interest.

On the other hand, I couldn't help thinking, 'If J is this good, how unbelievably ridiculous will F be?'

SPOILER ALERT: HIGHLY RIDICULOUS.