btang

We all know the tremendous value of US Airways Dividend Miles, especially the 90,000 miles award from North America to North Asia. With the recently announced merger with American Airlines, the days before the award chart is devalued are numbered. So what better way to celebrate the end of a frequent flyer program and embrace the prospects of the next great deal than to travel one last time in Business Class. Of course, what better way to incorporate all four of Asia’s best Star Alliance carriers(especially ANA, which has recently won the prestigious ATW Airline of the Year Award) in the itinerary than a round trip, albeit indirect one, to Hong Kong for the summer.



It was unfortunate that in mid-February, ANA cancelled all its 787 flights up till the end of June. Disheartened, I was forced to switch to the normal San Francisco flight operated by the 777-300ER. It’s not exactly a downgrade, but I was really looking forward to flying on the new jet. Ah well… You can’t always get what you want. Certainly I hope to fly on the 787 one day, but that I know will not be with US Airways miles. Anyways, sit back, relax, and enjoy the trip report.


Table of Content

SFO-NRT All Nippon Airways NH 7 Business Class

The Sushi or Soba Dilemma: Narita Terminal 1 South Transit

NRT-ICN Asiana Airlines OZ 105 Business Class

Oppa Incheon Style: Lounge Hopping between Star Alliance Lounges

ICN-SIN Singapore Airlines SQ 603 Business Class

Siu Mai Feteshization: Singapore Airlines Silver Kris Lounge

SIN-HKG Singapore Airlines SQ 860 Business Class

Extra: Short trips around the Pearl Delta Region

Extra: Conrad Macao, Sands Cotai Central

Extra: Robuchon au Dome, Macao

HKG-BKK Thai Airways International TG 607 Business Class(new)

Non-first class transfer: BKK Transit and the Royal Silk Lounge Concourse C(new)

BKK-NRT All Nippon Airways NH 916 Business Class(new)

btang’s recommendation: What to do with a 6 hour transfer in Tokyo(new)

NRT-SFO All Nippon Airways NH 8 Business Class(new)

End of Flying in Style: So what’s next?

btang

I have flown this route many times before, and as always check in was friendly and courteous. One thing I noticed was that Star Alliance Gold Members were no longer able to check in at the First Class line, which was a bit disappointing but nonetheless expected. The general rule of thumb for Star Alliance carriers is that Gold members can check in at the Business Class line. Luckily, I did not have to wait for long and was warmly welcomed to the desk. The entire process was largely painless, and I was presented with my boarding passes in no time.



Security was a complete zoo. For a second, it almost seemed as if the priority line was longer than the normal lines. Oh the joy of everyone being elites these days! After security, I went on to double check the opening time of the Singapore Silver Kris Lounge, before heading on to the United Club to spend a little bit of time. As always, the lounge was nothing to write home about, adequate with bare minimum food and drinks, not to mention that today it was definitely jam-packed. It was funny overhearing a slight remark from a passerby, “ I thought this was supposed to be an exclusive club, doesn’t look so exclusive to me”.

At exactly 10:45, I dashed out the United Club and headed to the Silver Kris Lounge. What a sight! There was already a line forming in front of the lounge waiting for it to open. I guess it’s no longer a “secret” anymore. Most of the people in the lounge were *G, just like me, and a quick glance revealed the fact that most were United elites. Food was amazing in comparison to the bananas and apples at the United Club. I put together a little bit of everything and headed back to my seat to check my email for a little bit before the flight.



A little bit before scheduled boarding time, I left the Silver Kris Lounge and headed on towards the gate. Again, it was a mad house. I never understand why ANA has to have 2 first class lines and only 1 business, there are only 8 passengers at most for the former, and possibly up to 100 for the latter if counting Star Alliance Gold Members and ANA’s own members. The lines were long, but fortunately the staff members were very well organized.




Stepping onboard this 777 again, it felt like home. Warmly greeted at the door as if I had just returned after a long day’s work, the FA’s offered to show me to my seat. I declined the kind offer as I could find my seat just fine. Immediately after arriving at my seat, another flight attendant helped me put my bag on the overhead bins. I felt bad about this but I couldn’t refuse yet again. It is this genuine willingness to help make a passenger’s flight just a bit more comfortable and relaxing that really separates a good set of crew apart from just an average standard service delivery bunch. A choice of sparkling wine or chilled green tea was offered, as well as an assortment of international newspaper prior to departure.



For some odd reason, a Cardigan was placed on my side table.



(Lufthansa A380)


ANA 007 departed the gate 3 minutes behind schedule, but a short taxi and we were off towards the skies. Leveling off at 34,000 feet, I was approached by the FA and presented with a pair of pajamas as I had previously requested before take off. The fabric of the clothes was not as comfortable as the one’s offered by Qatar, but it will suffice.




Menus were distributed, but I didn’t really need to take a look at what was on offer, as the entire menu was already posted on the website months in advance. As usual, I went with the Japanese course, but was skeptical whether I would get the choice since my seat was 13A and 85% of the cabin seemed like Japanese nationals. Just as I suspected, the FA who came around to take my meal order apologized profusely about the lack of the Japanese meal, I jokingly replied, “I fly ANA and not United for the Japanese meal”. I was slightly disappointed, but she offered rice, miso soup and Japanese pickles to go along with the meal so I’m not too unsatisfied. In addition, she promised that I have the “right” to the Japanese meal in the second service, I had a good laugh, especially the way she said it, truly wonderful service.

Canapés and drinks were offered first as usual, and it was disappointing to see the same stuff offered as last May. Seriously, they need to have some variety in their offerings. Not only this, for as long as I could remember, they offered the beef fillet as one of the main options. But in all fairness, the canapés were very tasty.



Up next was a prosciutto salad and asparagus appetizer, which was not pretty bland and not that great. I have always refrained from steak in the air, whether it be in economy or business. It is just so hard to reheat but not overcook it. On this instance, ANA delivered a nice juicy medium rare steak, exactly how I like it. Coupled with rice, miso soup and Japanese pickles and it was divine. Desert was a coffee and vanilla ice cream combination and it was pretty good as well.






I was really tired after lunch, and because I wanted to try to set my time clock to adjust to Asia’s time, I unconsciously fell asleep even before the tablecloth was cleared away. I woke up again, almost 6 hours into the flight, to find that relaxing scent cards were placed at my side table as well as Japanese arrival custom forms. Feeling a little unsatisfied, I decided to try the udon noodles. It was surprisingly very delicious and the broth was nice and hot.




I couldn’t sleep anymore and so I watched Ocean’s Eleven and a little bit of Forrest Gump. From time to time, one of the crew stopped by and asked if I needed to refill my drink, Aromatic Kabosu. Asking the flight attendant to no avail, it’s apparent that even they don’t know what the exact recipe of the drink is, trade secrets haha.



Messy table lol

My previously ordered Japanese meal set was delivered at exactly 1:30 hours before landing. Finally, a chance to taste a Japanese meal on ANA and it certainly did not disappoint. Fish was perfect seasoned and grilled, and the various Japanese appetizers were very delicious. As customary, the lead FA came around and greeted each passenger. When asked how my flight went, I spoke of nothing but words of praise. She once again apologized for the lack of meal choice (which must have been the 6th time since the beginning of the flight), and was surprised that I still have 3 more flights to go before my final destination.


(Just before landing)


Landing just after 3:25 p.m., it was only a short taxi before our aircraft arrived at Gate 54. There was only a slight delay with the aerobridge but nothing too serious. As I stepped out the aircraft, the humidity instantly hit me despite the temperature-controlled terminal. It’s a “warm” reminder that I’m back in Asia.

aviatorzz

Great report so far! Looking forward to the rest.

airbus320

Thanks for the first part of what looks to be a great TR.

btang

The dilemma of transferring at Tokyo for me is always the same: Sushi or soba? Should I give up the good sushi at Sushi Kyotatsu or the delicious bowl of tempura soba noodle at the ANA lounge? Since I was feeling a little hungry, I decided to have both. Problem Solved.




Transfer security lines today were short, and in no time I was able to head on over to the ANA lounge near Gate 52. This lounge has probably been reviewed hundreds of times here on Flyertalk and so I don’t want to bore you with yet another detailed review. All I have to say is that the old lady manning the noodle bar did so in such a military fashion. With the endless stream of hungry passengers, she managed to call out every single order in a very calm manner all while handing out number chips. I don’t speak Japanese, but the way she called out the order was like a beautiful symphony in my ears. But don’t be mistaken, as she spoke perfect English.







With about an hour and a half to go before departure, I decided to venture out and see if I can buy some sweets and Japanese delicacies for my family. With the devaluation of the Japanese currency, everything seems so cheap nowadays as compared to a year ago. After browsing around for a little bit, I decided it was time to have dinner at Sushi Kyotatsu. I decided to order the regular sushi set, along with a piece of uni and chutoro. As expected, it was very delicious. There is a difference between utility sushi and a work of art, and although this is not the best sushi restaurant I have been to, it is very good for an airport restaurant.



The Gate 42 area was starting to liven up at around 40 minutes before departure, and so I was able to approach the gate counters and print out my boarding passes. Seeing as there was still 30 minutes left, I decided to go into the ANA lounge near gate 42 and get something to drink whilst working on this trip report for a little bit.

UA_Flyer

Excellent! I cannot wait to see the rest!

HangukStyle

Nice, looking forward to the rest of this report as well!

btang

When OZ 105 was ready for boarding, Business Class and Star Alliance Gold Passengers were invited to board first. Seeing as there was no queue at all for the priority lane, I went ahead and boarded so I could enjoy the first class seat a little longer. Stepping onboard the aircraft, a smiling flight attendant lead me to my seat 2K. This is my favorite seat on the 747 and I reserved it months in advance. Newspapers and a choice of preflight beverage were offered as usual, and as the doors were closed, the entire first class cabin was full with the exception of the seat in front of me that needed maintenance. I didn’t check the business cabin on the upper deck, and economy seemed like 65% full. Flying time was a quick 2 hours and 10 minutes.





Not that great noise canceling headset




Jetlagged and pretty stuffed from all the food that I had consumed, I requested only the appetizer and a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon. The salad with mozzarella cheese was uninspiring and on the dull side, but I wasn’t expecting much anyways for this short flight. I tried to get some sleep so I could at least stay awake during my transit in Incheon, and I managed almost an hour’s worth. Service was efficient and friendly, but the thing I like Asiana over ANA is that the flight attendants are in general more proficient in English, and that makes it less stressful for me to talk to them.


Cabin just before landing



The approach into Incheon was quite turbulent, and the plane was shaking so violently that I had to hold on to my wine glass. Touchdown at Incheon was on time, but the amount of fog surprised me that for a second I was concerned my Singapore bound flight would be delayed. The thing I love Asian carriers is that they draw the curtains to allow business or first class passengers to disembark first, a nice gesture to avoid the hoards of people trampling over others to get off the plane as soon as possible.

btang

Seoul has one of the world’s best airports, and I expected nothing less than a swift, friendly and painless transit experience. This time was no exception, and I was able to reach the concourse terminal in less than 25 minutes. Originally, I had wanted to go to a bit of lounge hopping first starting with the Asiana lounge and then over to the new Silver Kris lounge. Unfortunately, there was only an hour or so left after checking in at the transit desk, plus I wanted a shower, so the Silver Kris Lounge it was.




It wasn’t particularly challenging to find the location, as banners were erected to ensure that people could easily follow the directions towards the lounge. The lounge was not particularly big, with room for 80-90 guests. At this time of the day, the lounge was largely empty, and even up until my departure, there were less than 10 people at any given time.



First order of business was the shower. When I last transited in Seoul, the shower room in the Asiana business lounge was not too great, the water pressure was not strong enough and the room was showing wear and tear. Since the Singapore Airlines lounge had only recently opened, everything was still in top condition.




After the quick shower, I also took the opportunity to check out what was on offer at the food and drink station. There were three hot dishes, teriyaki salmon, Chinese stir-fried chicken and some odd Korean noodle dish, in addition to a hot oven with crispy samosa and spring rolls. On the other side was an assortment of salad and sandwiches. Drink options were adequate with Moet champagne offered, so not too shabby. The view of the tarmac was excellent, and the workstations all faced towards the glass windows. One thing I noticed was that there was a discrete entrance that connected the lounge to the restaurant next door. I’m guessing that’s probably where they’ll put people when the lounge is overcrowded.





Around 10 minutes before scheduled boarding time, I left the lounge for a short walk to the gate area, just when the ground crew were finishing up last minute paperwork prior to commencement of general boarding. Right on time, gate agents announced that they were priority boarding business class passengers and PPS club members, but no mention of boarding for Star Gold and Krisflyer Gold, perhaps this is SQ’s new way of treating their somewhat but not so valuable guests.

ORDnHKG

When did that SQ lounge open in ICN ? I thought since the original SQ lounge at main concourse closed almost 10 years ago I would never see it come back.

From the SQ flyer, I assume *G flying non SQ won't have access ? And even KF gold has to fly SQ in order to gain access ? That's crazy, I hope it is not a future trend of SQ lounges.

btang

The SQ lounge opened I think in January. I believe *G's have access, since the lounge was empty, I doubt the lounge dragons would deny these requests.

btang

I just love my seat 14H, it's the best seat in the house on this route in my opinion. It's neither too close to the galley in front, nor is it too close to the bathroom at the back. Luckily, tonight's flight was relatively empty in the business cabin, but the same cannot be said about the economy cabin, I would guess it's 85% full. I was certainly happy to board yet another Singapore Airlines flight. Not concerned with whether I would get a good set of crew or whether the food would be good, I knew beforehand that service would be delivered in consistency with that of my past flights.




The moment I stepped on the plane, I was immediately swarmed by the Singapore Boys and Girls, first inquiring whether I need help with putting my carryon in the overhead bins, followed by a choice of pre-departure beverage(a la First Class). I requested a class of champagne to start, as well as a copy of the Straits Times to pass time whilst waiting for the other passengers to board. Tonight the business cabin was served by a charming Korean and two native Singaporeans. However, there was definitely no difference in the service quality. As I was settling in, the "Korean" flight attendant came over and presented the menu for the flight. She took the time to explain the choices, as well as the option of having the meal as a late supper or early breakfast.



Sleeper Service Menu

For a longer stretch of undisturbed rest, we are pleased to offer you meal service options specially timed to suit your preferences. Whether you would like your meal to be served soon after take off or two hours before arrival, simply inform our crew and leave the rest to our care.

Main

Walnut bread with smoked salmon and cucumber salad with vinaigrette and potato chips

Korean style grilled short rib of beef, seasoned vegetables and steamed rice

Scallop dumpling noodle soup
Egg noodle in rich pork broth garnished with scallop dumplings and vegetables

American Breakfast
Yogurt, Crepe with scrambled egg and chive, chicken sausage, roasted tomato and potatoes

Bread Selection with preserves

Continental Breakfast
Assorted bread with preserves

Your meal will be served with a selection of sliced fresh fruits

Finale

Gourmet coffees and selection of fine teas

I wanted to eat right after takeoff so I could sleep as much as possible right up till initial descent. This request was of course obliged and I went with the Korean short ribs along with a glass of Singapore Sling after takeoff.

In the meantime, more passengers boarded and when the doors were shut, the business cabin was only less than 1/3 full, with the seat next to me vacant, more personal space for me, Yay!

I nodded off just before takeoff, and took a short nap prior to the commencement of meal service. When I was conscious once again, my previously ordered drink and a bowl of warm mixed nuts were already placed on the side table. I thought the Sling was slightly too sweet for my acquired taste. I was really tired, and luckily I did not have to wait too for long for my table to be set and my meal delivered. It tasted pretty good though I must say. After my late dinner, I quickly reclined the seat next to me to get some much needed sleep. I have not had a proper sleep since arrival in Tokyo, and I was absolutely exhausted. Woke up around 35 minutes before landing, I requested for a last glass of orange juice before landing.





All in all, nothing outstanding, service was discrete but friendly. I really liked the fact that they came around before takeoff and offered to prepare any drink request, instead of carrying the usual tray of juice, water and champagne.

SQ 603 touched down at Singapore Changi Airport 5 minutes ahead of schedule, and a quick taxi led us up to the gates in Terminal 2, which slightly irritated me because I would have to trek all the way back to Terminal 3, but I took comfort in the fact that transiting in Singapore is one of the most painless in the world, so I wasn't really too upset.

btang

Landing into Singapore on a warm summer morning, the humidity and heat was imminently apparent. I hustled into the air conditioned terminal, which was much more comfortable. First order of business was to get my boarding pass. The lines were initially not too long, but as time passed on, more people congregated behind me. Apparently the couple being attended to were trying to cancel their ticket and issue a new one with little success. Standing in the priority line was of little use, as there was only one agent manning all the counters. Two men behind me began to get irritated, as they were trying to get on the 7 a.m. flight when there was only 30 minutes left. The lone agent began to sense that those in line were getting disgruntled and tried desperately to call for more help. It didn't seem like the couple in front were going anywhere, and so I just decided to leave and print it out in the Silver Kris Lounge.

The wait for the Skytrain to Terminal 3 was not particularly long, and in no time I was up the escalator and walking over to the lounge. The entire boarding pass printing process was quick, why was I initially so persistent to get my boarding pass in Terminal 2? Anyways, I immediately wanted to get a shower, but unfortunately all the stalls were taken, seriously?




I had to wait for a little while until one was vacant and cleaned by the attendant. I really like these shower rooms because the water pressure is as good as always. Feeling refreshed, I went back into the main lounge area to find somewhere to sit and put my carryon. I then wanted to try a little bit of the breakfast on offer. Nothing interested me really, except for the Siu Mai. I took a few pieces, along with some other Chinese breakfast goodies. My oh my, they were absolutely divine. Here's a little advice: dip it with the chili sauce on offer, it tastes so much better. I couldn't resist and helped myself with two more plates of those intricate Siu Mai.





And some more Siu Mai



The lounge was not too busy, with many pairs of seats vacant, but the really good ones along the windows were all occupied. The one thing I really hate about this lounge is that there are virtually no power plugs, most people had to put their laptops on the floor because their connecting wires are not long enough. Whoever designed the lounge should have done their homework.



I didn't dwell in the lounge for too long, because I suddenly remembered that my parents really like the lapiz from Bengawan Solo. What a bummer, the only shop after immigration is located in Terminal 2, and so I had to take the Skytrain back and forth. With about 10 minutes to go before scheduled boarding, I decided to go through security and double check to see if my bags had made it through.

SFO777

Great report, great pics. When do we get the btang best dressed Fter fashion show?

putongo

Yes, awaiting to hear of the ongoing portions of your journey with baited breath.... can't wait!

p

P.S. Loving this TR!