SINGAPORE - BOMBAY SQ First Class - Sept 2003
Jan 26, 2004, 1:47 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Mumbai, India
Posts: 12
SINGAPORE - BOMBAY SQ First Class - Sept 2003
Singapore – Bombay September 2003
First Class 1A
9V-SQE (I think) Boeing 777-312
The Airport
After a short and uneventful flight from Hong Kong, finally Changi International swept into view. Two short bumps, a shudder and the blast of the Rolls Royce Trent engines in reverse, and our grand entry to Singapore was heralded!
Disembarking was a breeze, not for the economy passengers I imagined, I made my way to the fabulously famous Silver Kris First Class Lounge. An oasis of calmness, I soon transformed into a vast area of many FC passengers totally in disarray waiting for their connections. Since I had a 3 hour wait, I decided to console my self with a coupe of champers… and lo and behold what else would SQ serve in its lounge, BUT an iced glass of KRUG Grande Cuvée! Two coupes down, I drudgingly hauled myself to the gate! If anyone had said Singapore Airlines is organized on its India Flights… ha ha ha ha … what’s organized in having 300 people lined up, all highly-strung and agitated and waiting to board?!
Opposite the newly-inaugurated flight to Bangalore was also boarding at the parallel gate … and a lot of passengers did get mixed up in the queue. The highlight of my long wait was seeing a glimpse of BA 15(?) to Sydney blur past as she rotated off to Sydney… oh well something is better than nothing … I guess.
The Flight … Dom Pérignon OR KRUG?
1A the hallowed seat … A swarthy Sikh gentleman occupied the seat next to me … no sidle chit chat, or small talk… he just had 5 Johnnies on the go and then snored off to the la la land of dreams … during the course of the flight he did burp and pass wind on seemingly endless occasions…thank god for noise-canceling headsets!
The boarding was long…and I mean long! We were 30 mins behind schedule. Pushback, the irritating safety video and off into the deep blue sky.
Singapore Airlines FAs have, I imagine the best line in the world … “…Champagne…of course Meester Variavah (Variava) … you would like Dom Pérignon or KRUG?” Those magic words to send anyone into the stratosphere…!!!
The in-flight dinning soon began…
The Dinner …
Canapés
Satay
With onions, cucumbers and spicy peanut sauce
Appetizers
Chilled Malossol caviar
With Melba toast and condiments
Hot smoked apricot flavored salmon
With salad and pickles, dill dressing
Soup
Chicken Consommé with quail eggs
Cream of pumpkin soup with
Sri Lankan crabmeat dumpling
Salad
Fine mesclun leaves
Coriander vinaigrette
Yoghurt dressing
Main Course
*Samundri Kadai
Seafood with mushroom and potatoes masala
Tempered cauliflower, chickpea and pinenuts pilaf
Stewed Lamb shank in red wine
Served with sautéed morel mushrooms,
Fava beans and mashed potato
Pan-fried chicken in three-peppercorn sauce
with roasted vegetables and new potatoes
*Paneer ka khagina
grated cottage cheese in coconut, potato
with cashewnut, spicy red kidney beans
with mushroom saffron couscous
Cheese
Selection of cheese with garnishes
Fresh fruit
A selection of fresh fruit
Dessert
Green tea ice-cream served with
Red beans compote and sesame tuile
From the bakery
Oven fresh rolls
With a choice of extra virgin oil or butter
Garlic bread
Hot Beverages
Freshly brewed coffee
Espresso or cappuccino
Selection of tea
Pralines
To end on a sweet note
The Wine List
Champagne
Dom Pérignon 1995
KRUG Grande Cuvée
White Wine
Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese 1997, Dr. Loosen
Chablis Premiere Cru “Les Beauroys” 1998, Domaine Laroche
Red Wine
Pommard Premier Cru 1996, Labouré-Roi
Château Pichon Longueville “Comtesse de Lalande”, 1997
Port
Grahams 20-Year old Tawny Port
Phew! Imagine stuffing 18 persons with all that in 2 hours, which was what the 3 FAs had too do! Food as always is excellent out of Singapore but god-awful out of Bombay, hence I have not deemed it fit to report on it!
The in-flight entertainment was a re-run of the Bombay – Singapore sector, so there was not much to watch. The Boeing 77-300s don’t have the individual sleeper suites like BA or the SQ MEGATOPS but offer adequate comfort.
Landing and immigration was a nightmare … but then again when isn’t it ever in Mumbai?
More reports will follow soon ….
NB: Definitely use the “BOOK THE COOK” Services … the food is very good indeed!!!
First Class 1A
9V-SQE (I think) Boeing 777-312
The Airport
After a short and uneventful flight from Hong Kong, finally Changi International swept into view. Two short bumps, a shudder and the blast of the Rolls Royce Trent engines in reverse, and our grand entry to Singapore was heralded!
Disembarking was a breeze, not for the economy passengers I imagined, I made my way to the fabulously famous Silver Kris First Class Lounge. An oasis of calmness, I soon transformed into a vast area of many FC passengers totally in disarray waiting for their connections. Since I had a 3 hour wait, I decided to console my self with a coupe of champers… and lo and behold what else would SQ serve in its lounge, BUT an iced glass of KRUG Grande Cuvée! Two coupes down, I drudgingly hauled myself to the gate! If anyone had said Singapore Airlines is organized on its India Flights… ha ha ha ha … what’s organized in having 300 people lined up, all highly-strung and agitated and waiting to board?!
Opposite the newly-inaugurated flight to Bangalore was also boarding at the parallel gate … and a lot of passengers did get mixed up in the queue. The highlight of my long wait was seeing a glimpse of BA 15(?) to Sydney blur past as she rotated off to Sydney… oh well something is better than nothing … I guess.
The Flight … Dom Pérignon OR KRUG?
1A the hallowed seat … A swarthy Sikh gentleman occupied the seat next to me … no sidle chit chat, or small talk… he just had 5 Johnnies on the go and then snored off to the la la land of dreams … during the course of the flight he did burp and pass wind on seemingly endless occasions…thank god for noise-canceling headsets!
The boarding was long…and I mean long! We were 30 mins behind schedule. Pushback, the irritating safety video and off into the deep blue sky.
Singapore Airlines FAs have, I imagine the best line in the world … “…Champagne…of course Meester Variavah (Variava) … you would like Dom Pérignon or KRUG?” Those magic words to send anyone into the stratosphere…!!!
The in-flight dinning soon began…
The Dinner …
Canapés
Satay
With onions, cucumbers and spicy peanut sauce
Appetizers
Chilled Malossol caviar
With Melba toast and condiments
Hot smoked apricot flavored salmon
With salad and pickles, dill dressing
Soup
Chicken Consommé with quail eggs
Cream of pumpkin soup with
Sri Lankan crabmeat dumpling
Salad
Fine mesclun leaves
Coriander vinaigrette
Yoghurt dressing
Main Course
*Samundri Kadai
Seafood with mushroom and potatoes masala
Tempered cauliflower, chickpea and pinenuts pilaf
Stewed Lamb shank in red wine
Served with sautéed morel mushrooms,
Fava beans and mashed potato
Pan-fried chicken in three-peppercorn sauce
with roasted vegetables and new potatoes
*Paneer ka khagina
grated cottage cheese in coconut, potato
with cashewnut, spicy red kidney beans
with mushroom saffron couscous
Cheese
Selection of cheese with garnishes
Fresh fruit
A selection of fresh fruit
Dessert
Green tea ice-cream served with
Red beans compote and sesame tuile
From the bakery
Oven fresh rolls
With a choice of extra virgin oil or butter
Garlic bread
Hot Beverages
Freshly brewed coffee
Espresso or cappuccino
Selection of tea
Pralines
To end on a sweet note
The Wine List
Champagne
Dom Pérignon 1995
KRUG Grande Cuvée
White Wine
Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese 1997, Dr. Loosen
Chablis Premiere Cru “Les Beauroys” 1998, Domaine Laroche
Red Wine
Pommard Premier Cru 1996, Labouré-Roi
Château Pichon Longueville “Comtesse de Lalande”, 1997
Port
Grahams 20-Year old Tawny Port
Phew! Imagine stuffing 18 persons with all that in 2 hours, which was what the 3 FAs had too do! Food as always is excellent out of Singapore but god-awful out of Bombay, hence I have not deemed it fit to report on it!
The in-flight entertainment was a re-run of the Bombay – Singapore sector, so there was not much to watch. The Boeing 77-300s don’t have the individual sleeper suites like BA or the SQ MEGATOPS but offer adequate comfort.
Landing and immigration was a nightmare … but then again when isn’t it ever in Mumbai?
More reports will follow soon ….
NB: Definitely use the “BOOK THE COOK” Services … the food is very good indeed!!!
Jan 26, 2004, 4:02 pm
#3
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Exile
Posts: 15,660
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by BA747-436:
Singapore – Bombay September 2003</font>
Singapore – Bombay September 2003</font>
Welcome to Flyertalk from a fellow MUMBAIkar.
Jan 27, 2004, 1:39 am
#4
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Once Seattle...then DC....now CDG.
Posts: 4,059
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by B747-437B:
Just curious where this city "Bombay" is located?
Welcome to Flyertalk from a fellow MUMBAIkar.</font>
Just curious where this city "Bombay" is located?
Welcome to Flyertalk from a fellow MUMBAIkar.</font>
Anyways... to the BA747.. - good trip report and welcome to FT!
Jan 30, 2004, 12:05 pm
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: East Ester, Alaska
Programs: Alaska Million Miler, United Million Miler, Wyndham Rewards Diamond, Choice Hotels Diamond
Posts: 12,148
Welcome to FlyerTalk, BA747-436.
Thanks for your trip report, and of course the menu transcripts. I've only gotten to fly Singapore's First Class once, between Sydney and Singapore. Alas, it was 1987, and there were no suites or PTVs. There was caviar and DP however.
[Edited to correct confusion with BA menu transcript. I need stronger coffee!]
[This message has been edited by Seat 2A (edited Jan 30, 2004).]
Thanks for your trip report, and of course the menu transcripts. I've only gotten to fly Singapore's First Class once, between Sydney and Singapore. Alas, it was 1987, and there were no suites or PTVs. There was caviar and DP however.
[Edited to correct confusion with BA menu transcript. I need stronger coffee!]
[This message has been edited by Seat 2A (edited Jan 30, 2004).]
Jan 30, 2004, 12:18 pm
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Mumbai, India
Posts: 12
If I remember correctly British Airways untill 1999 infact served Caviar as a "Caviar Service" on the Bombay-London (LHR) Route. Unfortunately it was discountinued 2000 onwards... Hopefully BA has returned to its senses and hopefully serve Caviar and re-introduce KRUG Brut, Grande Cuvée on its Mumbai-London-Mumbai Flights to compensate for its disgraceful "FIRST" Lounge in Mumbai ---
That crap lounge doesnot have a smoking area or even a toilet!!! If you wish to use the facilites, you have a long walk, and a flight of stairs to use the Business Class Lounge on the lower level!
Hopefully thinks will look better when i fly to Europe in April '04!!!
If you per chance get the menu with Caviar et al ... and if its not to much trouble, please send along a menu. Thank You ...
Have a great flight!
That crap lounge doesnot have a smoking area or even a toilet!!! If you wish to use the facilites, you have a long walk, and a flight of stairs to use the Business Class Lounge on the lower level!
Hopefully thinks will look better when i fly to Europe in April '04!!!
If you per chance get the menu with Caviar et al ... and if its not to much trouble, please send along a menu. Thank You ...
Have a great flight!