To the airport, and Singapore Airlines First class facilities at Changi airport
When it was time to check out of the hotel I was asked if I needed a taxi.
I said I did and my luggage was immediately taken and after I had checked out and paid my bill a taxi was waiting outside ready to leave with all my luggage loaded.
I was thanked a last time for staying at the Regent hotel before the car door was closed, the service was really superb until the very end.
The taxi driver already knew I was going to the airport so he just asked which terminal.
I told him “Terminal 2, Singapore Airlines”. He looked at me again, the way I was dressed, and the hotel I had just checked out from and asked “first class?”.
Wow, that's quite a direct question! A little bit embarrassed I answered “yes”.
Well I knew Singapore Airlines had a special entrance at terminal 2 for first class passengers (and apparently so did he), and that’s where I wanted him to stop, so I would have had to tell him sooner or later anyway.
I checked out of the hotel at noon, I tried to get a late checkout since my flight was not leaving until 3 pm, but it was unfortunately not possible as they were fully booked the following night.
So I had to check out at noon and with a quick taxi ride to the airport (around 20 mins) I arrived at the airport almost three hours before departure. Well not the end of the world with a first class ticket.
The taxi stopped at the Singapore Airlines first class drop-off area at terminal 2 just before the main entrance, there was a large sign there marked “Singapore Airlines First class / Solitaire”.
Just after the taxi had stopped a man opened the door and asked me if I was flying Singapore Airlines in F that day, after I had confirmed I was he immediately started offloading my luggage while I paid the taxi driver.
He loaded my luggage on a trolley and then escorted me inside the terminal to the Singapore Airlines first class check-in room.
Inside the room I was greeted by a friendly woman who asked for my ticket and passport and then asked me to sit down in a nice armchair while they took care of all check-in formalities for me.
A few minutes later I was checked in and the agent approached me with my boarding pass, baggage receipts and passport. I was also given an immigration form for Malaysia and an invitation to use the fast-track immigration in Kuala Lumpur.
I exited the check-in room through another door where there was a man checking boarding passes for first class passengers from the first class check-in room.
After he had checked my boarding pass I found myself standing right in front of the passport control which was as quick as always in Singapore.
Overall the whole check-in process was completely hassle-free, very smooth, and I didn’t even have to touch my luggage at the airport, everything was taken care of for me.
Great service!! Well done!! ^ ^
Pics
The Singapore Airlines First class drop-off area outside terminal 2
The entrance to the SQ First class check-in room (sorry about the poor quality)
Inside the Singapore Airlines First class check-in room
Thai Airways Royal Orchid lounge, Singapore
With way too much time before departure (still well over two hours) I took the skytrain over to terminal 1 to stretch my legs a bit and do a bit of lounge hopping, I knew there was a Thai Airways lounge in terminal 1.
It may sound a bit strange to go there flying SQ in F, but there was actually another reason why I wanted to get over to terminal 1 and the Thai lounge, since I am passing Bangkok later on I wanted to ask about the complimentary limousine transfer, if it was still available.
The female lounge agent was a bit surprised I wanted to enter the lounge, especially when she noticed I was in SQ F, but she was very friendly and told me I was most welcome to use the lounge.
Unfortunately she didn’t know anything about the transfer in Bangkok.
The Thai Airways lounge was very empty, only two people inside so plenty of space.
The lounge was OK, not spectacular in any way, but I have no complaints about it either.
They had a good self-service buffet with sandwiches and hot snacks and plenty of drinks, so not too bad after all I guess!
I spent 20-25 minutes in the lounge, they had an internet computer with free access, so I took the opportunity to check my e-mails.
The lounge attendant was just as friendly when I left as when I came, she thanked me for my visit and wished me a nice flight.
Pics
The entrance to the Thai Airways Royal Orchid lounge
Inside the lounge
The self-service buffet area
Singapore Airlines First class lounge, Singapore
I took the Skytrain back to terminal 2 and went to the Singapore Airlines lounge located on the first floor above the departure hall.
There were two young women standing at the entrance checking boarding passes, and with my first class boarding pass I was obviously directed to the first class lounge.
The first class lounge was very large, and not at all crowded this afternoon. I had no problems finding a seat or even a whole table to myself.
The buffet area is very large, most impressive, there really is plenty plenty to eat. Lots of hot food, sandwiches, different cheeses, ice cream, fresh fruit and probably lots of other things.
There is also a bar in the lounge, but it does not open until 3.30 pm so it was closed when I was there. They still have alcohol available at the buffet though, but it’s at the bar you’ll find the real stuff, including free champagne.
Since I had not eaten any lunch yet I had some food from the buffet and a glass of wine. There is so much (proper) food available that you can basically have lunch/dinner in the lounge and skip eating onboard.
Afterwards I had some ice cream, fresh fruit and a cup of coffee.
I also had another thing I wanted to sort out in the lounge, I wanted to book “Book the cook” for an upcoming flight, so I asked a lounge attendant and she directed me to the customer service desk in a separate room just by the entrance to the first class lounge.
I spoke to a customer service representative there who told me she could definitely help me to book it.
I had a printout from the SQ webpage with all the food options, but she actually had a small booklet with all the dishes available and even photos of all the dishes, there was one booklet for Raffles class and one for First class.
She gave it to me and asked me to have a look, I had already decided what to order, but I almost got seconds thoughts seeing all the delicious food inside.
I finally decided to stick to my original choice, but I have kept the booklet as a souvenir.
The woman said she had to make a phone call to arrange with the meal, so she took my ticket details and asked me to come back 15-20 minutes later to check that everything was OK.
I spent some time in the business centre where they had several internet computers with free internet. I visited the customer service desk just before leaving the lounge and the woman confirmed my meal had been ordered.
By now the monitors showed “gate closing” for my flight, but I knew all too well not to trust the monitors so I did not rush to the gate and even stopped for some last-minute shopping before going to gate.
And just as expected, boarding had not even started at the gate.
Pics
The entrance to the Singapore Airlines lounges
Inside the First class lounge
Plenty of seats in the lounge
The very large self-service buffet area
Lots of food available
The bar, plenty of alcohol!
Late lunch in the lounge
Fresh fruit, Häagen Dazs ice cream, and coffee
Singapore-Kuala Lumpur, flight SQ 112 operated by Singapore Airlines
Departure: 15:15
Arrival: 16:10
Aircraft: Boeing 777
Class: First Class
Seat: 12K
The Singapore-Kuala Lumpur route is a bit strange since they offer economy class and first class but not business/Raffles class on these flights.
So it’s a good and cheap way to experience the SQ first class service (well, on the ground at least), but passengers with business class tickets or RTW tickets in C will end up in economy on these flights, which may be a bit unfair.
Two passenger bridges were in use at the gate, one for first class passengers and one for economy class passengers leading to the appropriate aircraft doors.
First class passengers could board at their leisure so I walked straight onboard the plane where I was greeted by a smiling Singapore Airlines flight attendant.
The aircraft had a two-cabin layout with Raffles class seats used as first class seats (although they change the headrests etc). The first class cabin had a 2-3-2 configuration.
I got a bit confused with my seat assignment, I had 12K, so I started walking down the aisle only to be stopped by a flight attendant who noticed I was going the wrong way, it turned out the first row of the cabin was actually row 12, so I was seated in the very first row.
My jacket was taken and I was offered a pre-departure drink, but only soft drinks on this flight.
The flight to Kuala Lumpur was quick, only 40 minutes, still they managed to perform a proper meal service in first class.
There was a choice between salmon and chicken sandwich onboard, tablecloths were also laid out on the tables and the meal was served on proper first class china (although on a tray).
I had the salmon to eat, quite good, but of course the meal service was nothing remarkable.
The flight attendants also served tea, coffee and soft drinks, no mention of alcohol though.
It is still amazing that they managed to do all of this (and quite well!) during only 40 minutes, and the first class cabin was completely full as far as I could see.
The service was really as good and attentive as it could get, and they even had time to offer more drinks before we started out descent to Kuala Lumpur.
Very impressive!! It was fascinating to see how much they managed to do during only 40 minutes with good coordination. ^
We landed at Kuala Lumpur International airport (or just KLIA) right on time.
All the international gates (or most of them at least) are located in a satellite building in the middle of the apron, so you have to take an automatic train to get to the main terminal and the baggage reclaim.
In Singapore I also got an invitation to use the fast-track immigration at KLIA which I also made use of, I was actually processed at the diplomatic counter and was through immigration within two minutes
It took quite some time before the baggage delivery started, but at least the priority tagged luggage came out first.
In the arrivals hall there were people waiting for me, ready to take me to downtown Kuala Lumpur in style.
Time for an even more fantastic hotel experience in a really spectacular hotel! But more about that in the next instalment…
Pics
Welcome onboard SQ 112 to Kuala Lumpur!
The First class cabin onboard the Boeing 777
Light meal to Kuala Lumpur
The baggage hall at Kuala Lumpur airport