Wiirachay
Dec 30, 01, 6:04 pm
BKK-SQ-SIN-SQ-BKK in economy class
Ticket:
Tour package that included two nights at the Hilton hotel, breakfast buffet included, hotel/airport transfer, and a city tour. I let my cousin in Thailand handle this booking for me.
BKK Airport Terminal 2
I usually depart on NW at 0600, so the people are so tired and dead. However, BKK is sure different during the day! People were alive and energetic. Unlike MNL, anyone can come in; however, in order to access the check-in booths, you must have your check-in luggage X-rayed. Unlike other airports, BKK security uses luggage straps to mark that your luggage has been X-rayed.
Once inside, there are no ropes for the check-in area. You just walk to the appropriate check-in booth. At first, I stood in a very long line. Then, I realized that I was in a tour group line. The three economy class stations didn’t have that many people. It would have been nice to have a single queue for the three economy class stations. But then again, there were not that many people.
Check-in was quick and a breeze.
Check-in process: A-
After clearing immigration, I wanted to go to the CIP shared lounge (I’m a 3-month NW WorldClub member), but I was traveling with my parents and my cousin. So, someone would not be able to get in. It turned out that my father and cousin bummed around the duty-free shops. I just bummed around the entire airport.
Boarding @ BKK
The concept is interesting. I think BKK stole the idea from SIN or AMS. All stores are before the security check but after immigration. Each gate has its own waiting room that can accommodate a load of B744 passengers. The ceilings are high and the chairs are comfortable. The room is typically opened 1h 10m before the schedule departure. Once you enter the room, you immediately present your boarding pass and ticket. The ticket is collected and the boarding pass is run through the computer. So, all you have now is the boarding pass stub. I take it that once you enter the room, you can’t leave.
The gate is roped off, with signs on the rope posts with signs mentioning premium class passengers and elite members. Note that boarding hasn’t begun yet.
More passengers are still entering the room until the initial boarding call. Thirty minutes go by and it’s time to board the premium passengers and elite passengers. Unlike my experience in JFK and NRT, only the appropriate passengers board. After 10 minutes, it’s time for me to board. The ropes and signs for premium passengers are then removed. There are agents at the gate entrance, but they only control the flow of the traffic. No boarding pass stubs are checked. I guess this prevents congestion in the jetway. (Temperatures there can be high since this is BKK!) Nice procedure and very efficient! I bet this would cost too much to implement in the US.
SQ0063 BKK-SIN Seat 44D B744 ETD 1115
The aircraft was nicely decorated with Christmas decorations in the Y cabin. The Y class bathroom had amenities only found in the J class cabin on CO and NW.
It’s been a while since I’ve sat in Y class in a B744, and my childhood memories were brought back hearing the flaps go down and up and the engines roar.
The seat pitch seemed generous compared to the US carriers. My guess is that it was 34 inches. The headrests were nice, and the cloth on the headrest was real, i.e. it was not disposable. Same went for the fluffy pillow. No blanket on this flight. There was a nice footrest attached to the seat in front of me. Not at all did I feel cramped like cattle during this flight. The entertainment system was excellent. Like on CO, the audio/video/light control unit is removable. I played Dr. Mario on this flight. Flight attendants warned us that although movies would be shown, they can’t be completed since the flight is too short. I couldn’t believe the vast selection of audio and video.
Flight attendants addressed passengers as “sir” and “ma’am” throughout the flight. Meal service began first with the handing out of hot towels. These were real, warm face towels! Then, came bar service. You had a choice of the usual plus wine and other alcoholic drinks. This was free!!! Finally, came meal service. Passengers had a choice between fish and chicken. I took the fish. It was a bit salty, but the rest was okay. Overall, nothing surprising with the food.
Food was served towards the end of the flight. My guess is that the back of the aircraft was served first. Three hundred passengers to serve food to in 2 hours is certainly quite a feat!
Crew Service: A
General cabin service procedures: A+
Food: A-
Entertainment: A+
Seat comfort: A
SIN Arrival
This was one nice airport! Immigration was friendly. There was even candy on the booth! Baggage claim was quick. What was funny is that outsiders can look inside to see the arriving passengers claim luggage and clear customs. There was no customs form to full out at all. To “clear” customs, you just walk under the appropriate sign: nothing to declare or goods to declare. One or two customs officers are just walking back and forth under the big nothing to declare sign. There is an X-ray machine and table before some plants in the middle of exit paths. Quite simple! US airports have seemed like a fortress for international arrivals. I guess when you have caning for vandalism, hanging for drug trafficking, fines for smoking, and it’s an island nation, I guess there’s nothing too much to worry about.
SIN Airport Terminal 2 Departure
The check-in area is similar to Bangkok. Given the dominance of SQ, you go to the appropriate check-in island based on your departing flight. I felt that the check-in luggage inspection process was way too sketchy. There are no X-ray machines! You just place your luggage on a tiny conveyor which bring it to a small table, and a person with a tiny device just pokes at it for a few seconds and then places a sticker. Yikes! I pray that SIN has automated X-ray machines “behind-the-scenes” like in Europe. But once again, if you attempt to do anything wrong in Singapore, you’d be dead before you even reach the airport, literally. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif
Like Bangkok, there were no ropes after the security check. However, SQ agents directed you to the next available check-in station. Like in BKK, the process was quick and painless.
Check-in process: A
After immigration, the entire airport is like a lounge! There is an area to watch sports, news, etc.. Each seat has its own speakers, so there is no noise pollution inside the airport. A netsurfing station also exists. It has an infrared port for people with laptops (LAN cards provided) and another area for people who don’t have laptops. Of course, this is a fee-based service. There is a 24-hour food court on the second floor. Duty-free stores are plentiful.
I let my parents and my cousin go to the duty-free stores while I checked out the entire airport. I wandered over to terminal 1 to see that there is a fee-based pool, fitness center, and hair salon! Wow! Also, there is a transit hotel (yes, located past immigration) that includes the pool and fitness center. The price was cheap too!
Boarding @ SIN
As mentioned above, boarding is just like BKK. However, each room requires you to clear security before presenting your boarding pass and ticket to the agent. Kind of a funky arrangement. However, I guess security breaches are minimal this way (and there is nowhere to run to!) Wait a minute, shall I call this, practical? The boarding room had TVs around. I watched 30 minutes of Dexter’s Lab to keep myself amused. I still wonder what happens if you enter the room at the earliest time, and 10 minutes later, you need to use the restrooms, and boarding hasn’t started yet. Once again, the room started to fill up, but there were so many seats. Glass separated the room from the terminal, so I didn’t feel caged in.
SQ0974 SIN-BKK Seat 38D B777 ETD 2030
Like before the plane was nicely decorated. Bathroom contained the same amenities. This time, there was a menu. It listed what was being served and the two options for the main entrée. The menu also had a listing of all the drinks served.
Although this was only a two-class plane, the seat was just the same as the previous flight. Seating was 3-3-3. This time, a blanket was included.
I got my meal about 20 minutes after take-off. Quite quick! I had a choice between Japanese-style beef and shrimp with pasta. I took the latter. Delicious! Dessert was sweet leche flan. Unlike the first flight, meals were served first, then came the bar service. Being too impressed with SQ’s service, I ordered the sweet Manhattan (alcoholic). The flight attendant wrote my order down, telling me that it had to be made in the galley. Throughout the meal service, flight attendants were checking if anyone wanted refills on their coffee, tea, water, or whatever else. I got my Manhattan 10 minutes after my dinner tray was collected.
Uh oh. It seemed like SQ wanted to get me drunk. The glass was half-full when served. I’ve tried this drink once in a bar near my college campus. It wasn’t strong and tasted sweet. However, SQ had a different idea of this drink. When I drank it, it was sweet, followed by a STRONG taste of alcohol! There was no way that I could finish this drink by the end of this short 1h 43m flight and remain sober. I then ordered some tea to complement (dominate?) the drink. Getting too frustrated, I only could enjoy the drink so much that I ran to the bathroom to make the glass near 5% full. (No one saw me in the act.) Before landing, the flight attendant collected my empty teacup and nearly empty alcohol drink container. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif
An excellent flight! Luggage came quickly at the baggage carousel.
Crew Service: A+
General cabin service procedures: A+
Food: A+
Entertainment: A+
Seat comfort: A
The Big Picture
I often use the term “cattle class” to refer to economy class whenever I fly on NW over the Pacific. SQ’s economy class doesn’t merit this term. I wonder what’s in store for SQ’s business class.
I’d like to try Y class over the Pacific; however, I’m not sure if the seat comfort is adequate for me, considering that I’m used to J class seats over the pond. But certainly, the service and food would be great.
SQ treats Y class passengers as customers, not like cattle in previous my experiences in Y class in other carriers. Might I add that they make their Y class passengers feel welcomed! In other carriers, I felt like I was the enemy when I sat in Y.
I’m under the impression that if you can’t afford or don’t want to pay for premium class service, SQ still gives great service for being a customer. I think they view premium as a plus or addition on top of an excellent base service. At least on NW, I view premium service as regular service; with base service as “sorry, sucker; take it or leave it”.
Overall: A+
Suggestions
Teach NW some lessons on how to treat Y class passengers and how to design seats for Y class passengers. (NW has 32 in pitch; no in-seat videos; no footrests. Shall I say, minimal?)
Market “economy class” as “main cabin”. There is nothing “economy” about their Y service.
Once again, I’m prevented from taking SQ back to the USA because of my elite status. Out of BKK, SQ is even cheaper than NW in J class!
- Pat
Stay tuned:
BKK-NRT NW J class (still have to fly)
NRT-EWR-DTW CO J class (still have to fly)
[This message has been edited by Wiirachay (edited 12-30-2001).]
Ticket:
Tour package that included two nights at the Hilton hotel, breakfast buffet included, hotel/airport transfer, and a city tour. I let my cousin in Thailand handle this booking for me.
BKK Airport Terminal 2
I usually depart on NW at 0600, so the people are so tired and dead. However, BKK is sure different during the day! People were alive and energetic. Unlike MNL, anyone can come in; however, in order to access the check-in booths, you must have your check-in luggage X-rayed. Unlike other airports, BKK security uses luggage straps to mark that your luggage has been X-rayed.
Once inside, there are no ropes for the check-in area. You just walk to the appropriate check-in booth. At first, I stood in a very long line. Then, I realized that I was in a tour group line. The three economy class stations didn’t have that many people. It would have been nice to have a single queue for the three economy class stations. But then again, there were not that many people.
Check-in was quick and a breeze.
Check-in process: A-
After clearing immigration, I wanted to go to the CIP shared lounge (I’m a 3-month NW WorldClub member), but I was traveling with my parents and my cousin. So, someone would not be able to get in. It turned out that my father and cousin bummed around the duty-free shops. I just bummed around the entire airport.
Boarding @ BKK
The concept is interesting. I think BKK stole the idea from SIN or AMS. All stores are before the security check but after immigration. Each gate has its own waiting room that can accommodate a load of B744 passengers. The ceilings are high and the chairs are comfortable. The room is typically opened 1h 10m before the schedule departure. Once you enter the room, you immediately present your boarding pass and ticket. The ticket is collected and the boarding pass is run through the computer. So, all you have now is the boarding pass stub. I take it that once you enter the room, you can’t leave.
The gate is roped off, with signs on the rope posts with signs mentioning premium class passengers and elite members. Note that boarding hasn’t begun yet.
More passengers are still entering the room until the initial boarding call. Thirty minutes go by and it’s time to board the premium passengers and elite passengers. Unlike my experience in JFK and NRT, only the appropriate passengers board. After 10 minutes, it’s time for me to board. The ropes and signs for premium passengers are then removed. There are agents at the gate entrance, but they only control the flow of the traffic. No boarding pass stubs are checked. I guess this prevents congestion in the jetway. (Temperatures there can be high since this is BKK!) Nice procedure and very efficient! I bet this would cost too much to implement in the US.
SQ0063 BKK-SIN Seat 44D B744 ETD 1115
The aircraft was nicely decorated with Christmas decorations in the Y cabin. The Y class bathroom had amenities only found in the J class cabin on CO and NW.
It’s been a while since I’ve sat in Y class in a B744, and my childhood memories were brought back hearing the flaps go down and up and the engines roar.
The seat pitch seemed generous compared to the US carriers. My guess is that it was 34 inches. The headrests were nice, and the cloth on the headrest was real, i.e. it was not disposable. Same went for the fluffy pillow. No blanket on this flight. There was a nice footrest attached to the seat in front of me. Not at all did I feel cramped like cattle during this flight. The entertainment system was excellent. Like on CO, the audio/video/light control unit is removable. I played Dr. Mario on this flight. Flight attendants warned us that although movies would be shown, they can’t be completed since the flight is too short. I couldn’t believe the vast selection of audio and video.
Flight attendants addressed passengers as “sir” and “ma’am” throughout the flight. Meal service began first with the handing out of hot towels. These were real, warm face towels! Then, came bar service. You had a choice of the usual plus wine and other alcoholic drinks. This was free!!! Finally, came meal service. Passengers had a choice between fish and chicken. I took the fish. It was a bit salty, but the rest was okay. Overall, nothing surprising with the food.
Food was served towards the end of the flight. My guess is that the back of the aircraft was served first. Three hundred passengers to serve food to in 2 hours is certainly quite a feat!
Crew Service: A
General cabin service procedures: A+
Food: A-
Entertainment: A+
Seat comfort: A
SIN Arrival
This was one nice airport! Immigration was friendly. There was even candy on the booth! Baggage claim was quick. What was funny is that outsiders can look inside to see the arriving passengers claim luggage and clear customs. There was no customs form to full out at all. To “clear” customs, you just walk under the appropriate sign: nothing to declare or goods to declare. One or two customs officers are just walking back and forth under the big nothing to declare sign. There is an X-ray machine and table before some plants in the middle of exit paths. Quite simple! US airports have seemed like a fortress for international arrivals. I guess when you have caning for vandalism, hanging for drug trafficking, fines for smoking, and it’s an island nation, I guess there’s nothing too much to worry about.
SIN Airport Terminal 2 Departure
The check-in area is similar to Bangkok. Given the dominance of SQ, you go to the appropriate check-in island based on your departing flight. I felt that the check-in luggage inspection process was way too sketchy. There are no X-ray machines! You just place your luggage on a tiny conveyor which bring it to a small table, and a person with a tiny device just pokes at it for a few seconds and then places a sticker. Yikes! I pray that SIN has automated X-ray machines “behind-the-scenes” like in Europe. But once again, if you attempt to do anything wrong in Singapore, you’d be dead before you even reach the airport, literally. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif
Like Bangkok, there were no ropes after the security check. However, SQ agents directed you to the next available check-in station. Like in BKK, the process was quick and painless.
Check-in process: A
After immigration, the entire airport is like a lounge! There is an area to watch sports, news, etc.. Each seat has its own speakers, so there is no noise pollution inside the airport. A netsurfing station also exists. It has an infrared port for people with laptops (LAN cards provided) and another area for people who don’t have laptops. Of course, this is a fee-based service. There is a 24-hour food court on the second floor. Duty-free stores are plentiful.
I let my parents and my cousin go to the duty-free stores while I checked out the entire airport. I wandered over to terminal 1 to see that there is a fee-based pool, fitness center, and hair salon! Wow! Also, there is a transit hotel (yes, located past immigration) that includes the pool and fitness center. The price was cheap too!
Boarding @ SIN
As mentioned above, boarding is just like BKK. However, each room requires you to clear security before presenting your boarding pass and ticket to the agent. Kind of a funky arrangement. However, I guess security breaches are minimal this way (and there is nowhere to run to!) Wait a minute, shall I call this, practical? The boarding room had TVs around. I watched 30 minutes of Dexter’s Lab to keep myself amused. I still wonder what happens if you enter the room at the earliest time, and 10 minutes later, you need to use the restrooms, and boarding hasn’t started yet. Once again, the room started to fill up, but there were so many seats. Glass separated the room from the terminal, so I didn’t feel caged in.
SQ0974 SIN-BKK Seat 38D B777 ETD 2030
Like before the plane was nicely decorated. Bathroom contained the same amenities. This time, there was a menu. It listed what was being served and the two options for the main entrée. The menu also had a listing of all the drinks served.
Although this was only a two-class plane, the seat was just the same as the previous flight. Seating was 3-3-3. This time, a blanket was included.
I got my meal about 20 minutes after take-off. Quite quick! I had a choice between Japanese-style beef and shrimp with pasta. I took the latter. Delicious! Dessert was sweet leche flan. Unlike the first flight, meals were served first, then came the bar service. Being too impressed with SQ’s service, I ordered the sweet Manhattan (alcoholic). The flight attendant wrote my order down, telling me that it had to be made in the galley. Throughout the meal service, flight attendants were checking if anyone wanted refills on their coffee, tea, water, or whatever else. I got my Manhattan 10 minutes after my dinner tray was collected.
Uh oh. It seemed like SQ wanted to get me drunk. The glass was half-full when served. I’ve tried this drink once in a bar near my college campus. It wasn’t strong and tasted sweet. However, SQ had a different idea of this drink. When I drank it, it was sweet, followed by a STRONG taste of alcohol! There was no way that I could finish this drink by the end of this short 1h 43m flight and remain sober. I then ordered some tea to complement (dominate?) the drink. Getting too frustrated, I only could enjoy the drink so much that I ran to the bathroom to make the glass near 5% full. (No one saw me in the act.) Before landing, the flight attendant collected my empty teacup and nearly empty alcohol drink container. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif
An excellent flight! Luggage came quickly at the baggage carousel.
Crew Service: A+
General cabin service procedures: A+
Food: A+
Entertainment: A+
Seat comfort: A
The Big Picture
I often use the term “cattle class” to refer to economy class whenever I fly on NW over the Pacific. SQ’s economy class doesn’t merit this term. I wonder what’s in store for SQ’s business class.
I’d like to try Y class over the Pacific; however, I’m not sure if the seat comfort is adequate for me, considering that I’m used to J class seats over the pond. But certainly, the service and food would be great.
SQ treats Y class passengers as customers, not like cattle in previous my experiences in Y class in other carriers. Might I add that they make their Y class passengers feel welcomed! In other carriers, I felt like I was the enemy when I sat in Y.
I’m under the impression that if you can’t afford or don’t want to pay for premium class service, SQ still gives great service for being a customer. I think they view premium as a plus or addition on top of an excellent base service. At least on NW, I view premium service as regular service; with base service as “sorry, sucker; take it or leave it”.
Overall: A+
Suggestions
Teach NW some lessons on how to treat Y class passengers and how to design seats for Y class passengers. (NW has 32 in pitch; no in-seat videos; no footrests. Shall I say, minimal?)
Market “economy class” as “main cabin”. There is nothing “economy” about their Y service.
Once again, I’m prevented from taking SQ back to the USA because of my elite status. Out of BKK, SQ is even cheaper than NW in J class!
- Pat
Stay tuned:
BKK-NRT NW J class (still have to fly)
NRT-EWR-DTW CO J class (still have to fly)
[This message has been edited by Wiirachay (edited 12-30-2001).]