Kiwi Flyer

SINGAPORE to MELBOURNE (SIN-MEL) on Singapore Airlines A380-800 in suites (first class)

I’ve been looking forward to this flight for a long time. After more than 2 years in service I still had not flown the Singapore Airlines A380 in first class, their best onboard product. If I’d wanted I could have flown the A380 on the flight from Melbourne to Singapore also. I didn’t because (a) the schedule didn’t work as nicely meaning a more rushed transit in Singapore, and (b) by selecting flights operated by two different aircraft instead of the same one I eliminated the (fairly low) risk of picking the wrong pair of flights – the near certainty of getting a single A380 flight won out over the chance of getting a pair of A380 flights with a risk of getting none.

Singapore Airlines are still making it difficult to get into suites class. They are not available for awards or upgrades, and are very expensive to fly on a paid fare (eg around the world first class fares are not eligible). Until such time as they relax the availability (and surely they must soon as the number of alternative longhaul flights on Singapore Airlines operated by 747 diminishes), this is likely to be my only A380 Singapore Airlines first class flight.

I was determined to make the most of it, despite my exhaustion.

Kiwi Flyer

Our gate was close to the lounge and there was not much of a queue at security. Boarding was a little late in starting but I’d timed it perfectly arriving at the gate just as first class, business class, PPS and star alliance gold boarding was announced.

My Lufthansa-issued boarding pass worked fine at the barcode scanner. We had a triple airbridge with a security officer manning the exclusive first class airbridge to prevent plebs from entering the first class haven! This is great – on so many airlines the pre-departure routine in a premium cabin is heavily disrupted by hordes of passengers traipsing through on their way to a lower cabin. In some places you also get lots of glares and stares from these passengers whilst supping a beverage and relaxing in style, which is a bit off-putting. None of that here.

A menu, pajama, slippers and amenity kit are handed out. I notice the cologne in the amenity kit has changed from my flight just a few days ago! No headset until after take-off for safety reasons, which annoys me as I have gotten so used to, and spoiled by, gate to gate IFE on Air New Zealand and also on Emirates.

Kiwi Flyer

Singapore Airlines
Suites (First Class) menu
Singapore to Melbourne
November 2009

Dinner Menu

Shahi Thali

"A tantalizing taste of India"

Baked pistachio lamb chop with fruit yoghurt salsa and mint chutney

Nizamat khani kofta curry, jheega sindudurgh, diwandi handi, corn kadhi and tomato pulao
Chicken kofta with apricot in mint cream, tamarind prawn, vegetables in nutty gravy, spiced corn and tomato rice

or

Tandoori broccoli with fruit yoghurt salsa and mint chutney

Lucknowi kofta curry, diwani hindi, aloo ananas, corn kadhi and tomato pulao
Paneer kofta with apricot in mint cream, vegetables in nutty gravy, potato with sour pineapple, spiced corn and tomato rice

Served with Indian breads, papadum, chutneys, salad, yoghurt and lassi

Chickoo halwa with ice cream and stewed fruits


Appetisers

Chilled malossol caviar
With melba toast and condiments

Rock lobster with cauliflower panna cotta and lemon vinaigrette

Soups

Chicken broth with assorted baby vegetables

Fish maw and Chinese Yunnan ham soup

Salad

Salad of baby spinach, arugula and green frissee garnished with sun dried tomato and olive
Balsamic and virgin olive oil dressing
Japanese style creamy sesame dressing

Main Courses

Chicken Kiev
Breaded chicken breast stuffed with herb butter served with green pea puree, gratinated potato

Stir fried beef with ginger and spring onions served with braised beancurd and steamed rice

Penne arrabiatta served with arugula and seared salmon fillet

Potato gnocchi with sauteed ceps mushrooms, arugula lettuce, shaved parmesan cheese, creamy basil pesto

Desserts

Warm chocolate cake with Haagen Dazs Belgian chocolate ice cream

Cheeses

Selection of brie, mild cheddar, true blue and smokey pepper cheeses served with garnishes

Fruits

Fresh fruits in season

Finale

A selection of gourmet coffees & fine teas served with pralines


Continental Breakfast

To Start With

A choice of apple, tomato or freshly squeeze orange juice

Fruits

Fresh fruit plate

Starters

Choice of cereals or yoghuirt
Cornflakes with milk or Birchermuesli
Plain or fruit yoghurt

From the Bakery

Breakfast pastries and bakery with preserves - honey
Croissant, brioche, banana bread, bitter chocolate danish and whole meal loaf

Finale

A selection of gourmet coffees and fine teas


Champagnes and Wines

Champagnes

Dom Perignon 2000
Named after the monk in charge of the cellars in the Abbey of Hautvillers at the end of the 17th century who is credited with having "invented" Champagne. Cuvee Dom Perignon has an almost mystical reputation. According to the brilliant winemaker-in-chief Richard Geoffroy, quality is based on harmony, a perfect blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes where nothing is lost and everything comes together. The 2000 vintage shows the proof of this to perfection.

Krug Grand Cuvee
Founded in Reims in 1843, the House of Krug is now managed by the 5th and 6th generations of the Krug family. Rigourous selection and care go into every detail of the "multi-vintage" Grande Cuvee, which offers a magical combination of aromatic complexity, power and finesse with a long, lingering finish. Krug is the ultimate experience in champagne.

White Wines

Petulama Chardonnay 2006 Adelaide Hills, Australia
The Adelaide Hills is one of Australia's most exciting new cool climate regions. And being cool, the Chardonnay from this region is far more refined and elegant than wines from warmer sites. The grapes for this wine were harvested from seven "distinguished sites" in the Piccadilly Valley sub-region of the Adelaide Hills. The grapes were puicked and fermented in French barriques. The wine has wonderful fruit purity combined with minerality and light acidity. Produced by Andrew Hardy, Petulama certainly deserves its iconic status in Australia.

Rudesheimer Riesling Spatlese 2006 Rheingau Balthasar Ress
The family-owned Ress Estate dates from 1870 and is one of the most important in Germany's famous Rheingau region. Above the little town of Rudesheim on the river Rhine the Riesling vines grow on steeply terraced south-facing slopes, whose rocky barren soils originating from quartz and slate always provide outstanding natural ripeness and concentration. Showing a lemon yellow colour, white flower aromas with a hint of honeysuckle and fresh limes, soft summer fruits on the palate and a refreshing acidity that balances the touch of sweetness, the 2006 vintage, small but of excellent quality, is now simply delicious.

Red Wines

Chateau Cos d'Estournel 2004 Saint-Estephe
With 65 hectares of superbly situated vineyards that adjoin those of Chateau Lafite-Rothschild in neighbouring Pauillac, Cos d'Estournel is recognised as the leading estate in Saint-Estephe. The wine is known for its intense classic Cabernet Sauvignon fruit blended with carefully selected Merlot to provide a rich roundness on the finish. Deep black cherry red, with aromas of crushed summer berries, the succulent concentration of flavour on the palate is now beginning to open up to show the quality and finish of the excellent 2004 vintage.

Mr Riggs The Gaffer Shiraz 2005 McLaren Vale, Australia
Mr Riggs also known as Ben, has been making wine in McLaren Vale for over 21 years. His Mr Riggs Shiraz is one of the most exciting in the region. It is rich, ripe and full bodied and despite being matured for 12 months in French Oak barrels, it has a fruit purity that fully expresses the region in which it has grown. The wine is named in honour of Ben's great-great-great-grandfather who was known as The Gaffer, a colloquial term for the boss or foreman.

Port

Dow's 20 Year Old Tawny Port, Portugal
Dow possesses some of the finest vineyards in the Upper Duoro and is one of the oldest names in the history of Port, dating back to 1798. The beautifully balanced Tawny Port is carefully matured over 20 years in wooden barrels known as "pipes" before being bottled. Light tawny in colour, showing mature raisiny fruit aromas with hints of honey. It is rich and nutty on the palate, with a wonderful balance, a clean crisp finish and a soft lingering aftertaste.


Cocktails

Featured Mix

Tropical Sparkle
A refreshing-yet-fruity blend of lime cordial and 7-Up, with orange and tomato juice

Cocktails

Silver Kris Sling
One of our special touches made with gin, Cointreau and orange and pineapple juice, topped with champagne

Alspritzer
A sparkling mix of vodka shaken with apple juice and 7-Up

Solitaire Dreams
A cool concoction of rum, pineapple juice and Sling mix, topped with ginger ale

Sunrise Breezer
A refreshing blend of sake and bitter lemon

Sweetness in Darkness
A unique mix of red wine and a splash of Coke

Vodka Flush
A tantalizing drink of vodka, apple juice and bitter lemon, topped with 7-Up

Apple Bliss
A tantalizing refreshment of apple juice and bitter lemon mixed with 7-Up

Awaiting the Golden Dawn
A healthy, refreshing mix of pineapple, tomato & orange juice

Tropical Fizz
An invigorating concoction of pineapple juice and bitter lemon

All-time Favourites

Singapore Sling
Synonymous with the Lion City since the early 1900s, this classic cocktail is made with dry gin, Dom, Benedictine, Cointreau, cherry brandy, Angostura bitters and Grenadine, mixed with lime & pineapple juice

Screwdriver
A classic concoction of vodka and orange juice

Fruit Spritzer
A simple yet delightfully refreshing mix of apple juice and 7-Up

Orange Cooler
A light tangy drink created from orange juice and ginger ale with a touch of lime cordial

Appetising Aperitifs

Campari

Dry Vermouth


Spirits

Spirits

Macallan 12 years old Single Malt Whisky
A time-honoured distillation process and the traditional skills of master craftsmen create a satisfyingly complex single malt characterised by a full-bodied flavour with hints of dried fruit and spice

Cognac XO - Hennessey

Johnnie Walker Blue Label

Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey

Bombay Sapphire Gin

Absolut Vodka

Bacardi Superior

Liqueurs

Cointreau

Baileys Original Irish Cream

Beer

Victoria Bitter


Beverages

Gourmet Coffees

Enjoy the invigorating aroma and rich flavour from our selection of the finest brew.

Brazil Santos Bourbon
A smooth, nutty coffee with a balanced body and clean aftertaste

Colombian Supremo
A good, all-rounded coffee with a light body and a smooth, clean aftertaste

Jamaican Blue Mountain
Often called the champagne of coffee, this full bodied classic is rich in aroma and flavour, yet perfectly balanced.

Kenyan AA Kilimanjaro
A medium-bodied coffee with a sharp, intense flavour and rich aftertaste

Specialty Coffees*

Brewed Coffee
Our exclusive blend of coffee, freshly brewed

Cafe Royal
Lightly sweetened coffee with a touch of XO brandy

Espresso
A single shot of premium coffee, the gourmet's choice

Cappuccino
An all time favourite, espresso enriched with an abundance of foamed milk

Cafe Latte
Mild espresso topped with steamed milk and a dash of foam

Cafe au Lait
A double espresso topped with steamed milk

Decaffeinated Coffee
A full-flavoured alternative without caffeine

Mocha
A delicious combination of coffee, milk and chocolate

Other Beverages

Chocolate
An ideal treat of smooth rich cocoa and milk

Ovaltine
A nutritious chocolate malt drink

Milo
A nutritious drink for that extra energy

International Teas*

Royal Darjeeling
An exquisite black tea that develops remarkable overtones of ripe apricots

Nuwara Eilya OP Ceylon
An Orange Pekoe black tea renowned for its light and generous complexity

Earl Grey
A legendary classic blend of black tea richly infused with the finest TWG Tea bergamot

English Breakfast Tea
A timeless classic black tea with an invigorating full bodied and robust flavour

Singapore Breakfast Tea
An exclusive TWG Tea blend of green tea, black tea, vanilla and spices that boasts a sweet, lingering aftertaste

Paris-Singapore Tea
A distinguished green tea blended with fragrant cherry blossoms and red fruits

Alfonso Fruit Tea
A magnificent alliance of black tea, rare mango and a secret combination of TWG Tea fruits and flowers

Moroccan Mint Tea
A perfect blend of delicate green tea and stong Sahara mint

Chamomile
Soft and soothing chamomile flowers yielding a golden, caffeine-free cup

Decaffeinated Earl Grey
A caffeine-free black tea alternative infused with TWG Tea bergamot

Asian Teas*

Indian Masala Tea
Fragrant traditional Indian herb tea with a hint of spice

Japanese Green Tea
Delicate aroma with a fresh clean taste

Chinese Teas

Jasmine
An aromatic green tea, scented with jasmine flowers

Oolong
A smooth tea featuring a distinctive fragrance of orchids

*Available hot or with ice

Mineral Water

Sparkling

Still

Fruit Juices

Apple

Orange

Pineapple

Tomato

Soft Drinks

Bitter Lemon

Coke

Coke Light/Coke Zero

Ginger Ale

7-Up

Milk

Full Cream

Low Fat

*Available hot or with ice

Kiwi Flyer

Before I write up the next bit, here is my comparison of A380 first class products between Emirates, Qantas and Singapore Airlines.

view

I loved this comparison report, thank you ^
Btw, nice meeting you and having a brief chat on the bus from TLS, I sort of feel like I've been (very briefly) part of this TR

Kiwi Flyer

There's more detail in the link above, but basically the hard product is very nice. An enclosed suite with comfortable bed & seat. Some well thought out touches (lights, cubby holes, etc). Nice wide table. Nice large hi definition screen.

Is it so much better than the 77W first seat (in itself very nice) as to warrant both higher fares and more restrictions on both paid & award bookings? Not in my opinion. It is an incremental improvement. Yes, the A380 suites are far far far better than anything in first by US Airways (or United) for example, to me that in itself is not a good enough reason to block redemptions and upgrades. After all even the old 747 first class product is also far far far better than anything in first by US Airways.

The load was very light in first. We had 4 passengers, so I was offered the chance to switch seats if I chose. I thought about replicating SQFG's double suite trick - taking the two middle seats and have one converted to a bed and the other to a seat for greater convenience, and a truly enormous amount of space.

I was pleasantly surprised to see an Indian feast on the menu. It all read as delicious, so I opted to take full advantage of this oddity. That rather changed my normal drink selection so I opted for a few glass of bubbly first, and a small delay in starting the meal.

I deliberately used the word feast in the title of this thread. One of the things I love about real first class travel is the ability to eat when you want, and at the pace you want. There really is no limit in how long I spend savouring the meal - it is entirely up to me. One sign of a great crew is that they pick up quickly the pacing you'd like and tailor the service to match. Sometimes you want to eat in a hurry and then go straight to sleep. Other times, like this flight, you want to enjoy every mouthful and glass and literally spend hours over the meal.

I got my wish. Woohoo.

Kiwi Flyer

Some hours later I finished eating and was settling in with a nightcap or two. The IFE crashed mid movie, but with plenty of spare suites I simply hopped into another one and super fast forwarded to where I'd reached and resumed watching. The crew closed the suite doors for me so they wouldn't disturb whilst going back and forward in the aisle.

Next thing I realise is a gentle tapping on my shoulder. It is 30 minutes until landing and do I want a quick breakfast? I had the hot towel to refresh, and a couple of drinks.

The IFE on my original seat had been fixed as well, if I wanted to switch back to that seat.

While I prepared myself for arrival I noticed a passenger needing oxygen had been moved into a rear suite. I thought perhaps this was positioned for a quick disembarkation. Where we diverting? No, still flying to Melbourne.

We had some nice views of Victoria and Melbourne - hot and dusty even at this early hour of the morning. The start of what seems to be a very long hot summer this year.

We taxiied into our gate at the end of the pier. The ill passenger was indeed rushed off the aircraft (I hope he recovered okay) whilst we waited in our seats. I don't know why but probably one in 10 of my flights to Australia results in a wait for quarantine staff to check/assist ill passengers, a much higher proportion than in any other arrival country. Perhaps Australia has stricter notification rules and penalties?

Regardless, the 15 minute wait did nothing to wipe the smile off my face. I confess I had been worried about overexpectations, but this really was the best flight I'd had in a long time. As I walked up the airbridge I wondered how I'd get through the several hours until the next flight - a combination of being blissed out, severely sleep deprived and longish transit time is a recipe for falling asleep and missing a flight. Fortunately I've had lots of experience with awkward middle of the night transits to draw on.

Kiwi Flyer

Thanks. It was nice meeting you too.

Kiwi Flyer

MELBOURNE transit

I raced off down the pier, glad to be walking again. Still sleepy I was on auto-pilot mode, through the duty free shop, right for the elevator to departures, through security without any incident, through another duty free shop, down the pier, through another shop to the elevator down to the dungeon and the Air NZ lounge.

I had no boarding pass and at Melbourne international terminal there is no transfer desk. Furthermore Air NZ had decided not to have boarding pass printers or check in terminals at the lounge, thus I could not check in either. Showing my card and merely being here was good enough for the bouncer to accept I was on the flight I said I was. She took my passport and went off somewhere (one of the gates?) to check me in.

In the meantime I had a shower to try and revive me a little. Ugg. This lounge has copied the Qantas practice of storing towels at reception rather than in the shower rooms. The shower didn't really work and I felt I was running on fumes. I had a few espresso shots and some juice and hopped on a computer.

My passport was returned with the comment I could pick up my boarding pass at the gate.

Hopefully email and FT will distract me and keep me from falling asleep. It worked, barely. When I noticed the time I headed out very early for boarding. I figured I could pick up my boarding pass before the gate gets busy (it wasn't so early that there would be no agent at the gate) and then perhaps do some shopping.

We had gate 11 which is on the lower level so I went up one level and then through the passage beside the Qantas business class lounge - much easier than going up to departures, around to the gate and then down the escalator.

Sure enough at the gate there agents - one manning the desk dealing with a gentleman with a passport issue and two others at the boarding pass machines. It appeared boarding would begin shortly, and so it did while I waited at the desk. It took the agent 20 minutes to deal with the gentleman and turned out to be a simple case of ticket using middle name instead of first name. By the time I reached the desk boarding was almost complete, I had no time for shopping, and yes I got caught in a big queue in the airbridge.

So much for priority boarding and having a non-rushed pre-departure routine.

Kiwi Flyer

MELBOURNE to AUCKLAND (MEL-AKL) on Air New Zealand 777-200ER in business premier class

As I took my seat I noticed the cabin was mostly full. I took a proferred pre-departure drink and started up a movie.

One thing I find interesting to watch on airlines is whether the treatment varies depending on if you have status with them or not. Since my NZ*E status wasn't linked to the booking, as far as the crew were concerned (except perhaps for one guy who remembered me from other flights) I wasn't a frequent Air NZ flyer. So, this flight I got questions about if I knew how to operate the IFE (a little pointless since I'd already started watching something before departure when the question was asked), or the seat. I noticed the crew were less chatty than normal, although perhaps that was because the cabin was reasonable full. Normally I get my meal order taken before other passengers but today it was just by seat row. It didn't matter - I got the meal choice I wanted.

I didn't want to sleep too much on the flight since it arrives in the afternoon. Despite my exhaustion I managed to keep awake for lunch, some drinks, and the movie, before drifting off the last hour of the flight. Perfect.

As we taxiied in I could see a Qantas a/c which had recently arrived temporarily blocked from its gate due to a departing a/c. If we pull in first that means shorter immigration queues. We did pull in first, at a gate at the end of the pier, but then wasted 15 minutes waiting for the airbridge. A long walk to immigration during which I powered past lots of people. Immigration was processing very quickly and when I reached customs there was no queue (it seems most passengers on the other flight had luggage to collect) so I was soon outside.

Kiwi Flyer

Air New Zealand
Business Class menu
Australia to New Zealand
November 2009

Lunch

Starter

Kawakawa cured salmon
with citrus jelly, chive potato salad

Main Course

Cabernet braised beef
with sage and kumara gnocchi, Savoy cabbage, onions and bacon

Pan fried snapper
with olive, fennel and tomato compote, wilted spinach and linguine pasta

Mexican spiced chicken
with tomato sweetcorn salsa, mixed bean and feta salad and coriander dressing

Dessert

Gourmet dessert
of black Doris plum and creme fraiche ice cream and cookies and cream ice cream with chocolate and almond wafer

Cheese Plate

Fine New Zealand cheese and preserved fruit

Hot Drinks

Freshly brewed or decaffeinated coffee, tea, herbal tea and hot chocolate

Wine

Our wine list showcases some of the best wine New Zealand has to offer – from a country that celebrates its zealous passion for producing top quality wines.

The premium wine selection onboard this flight has been chosen by our wine consultants : John Belsham of Foxes Island Wines, Kate Radburnd of CJ Pask Winery and Jim Harré, nationally recognised wine judge. The fine wines served on this flight have been chosen to complement today’s menu style. Your crew will be happy to discuss the selection and help you choose wines to accompany your meal.

Spirits

Glenfiddich Malt Whisky
Chivas Regal Blended Whisky
Jack Daniel’s Black Label
Gordons Gin
42 Below Vodka
Courvoisier VSOP
Coruba Rum
Ron Bacardi Superior

Port and Liqueurs

Portuguese Port
Grand Marnier
Baileys Irish Cream

Beer

A selection of beer featuring Steinlager Pure, Speight's Gold, Heineken and low alcohol lager

Soft Drinks

Mineral water, orange juice, apple juice, tomato juice, cranberry juice, pineapple juice, cola, lemonade, L&P (sparkling lemon drink), tonic water, ginger ale, diet cola and diet lemonade

NewbieRunner

If you watch this "missed approach" at Toulouse from cockpit video you'll find it was less than 50 feet, more like 20 feet!! It certainly looks like 20 feet!

Kiwi Flyer

Corrected - thanks

Seat 2A

I generally like to wait until the end of these installment reports before actually reading and commenting on them. Indeed, many of them I never get around to reading if the writer takes too long between installments. Yours always seem to move along at a fairly decent clip, so I'll never miss out on one.

Feasts, indeed! As one who views inflight meal service as a form of tasty entertainment on long international flights, I particularly enjoy your taking the time to transcribe the many menus and wine lists involved. Most writers will not take the time to do this, but then perhaps inflight meals mean little to them. More likely they're just lazy. In any event, thanks again for yet another First Class effort. The combined flights described in your many TRs may well be more than many FTers will fly in their lifetimes! Welcome Home! ^^

vecta

Just read this from start to finish, awesome TR Kiwi Flyer, as always.