wildyorkie

SQ versus UA and LH

I fly monthly to FRA either from IAD or JFK. I have recently used UA and LH for the IAD flights, and SQ for the JFK flights. I always fly with a business colleague, and although we fly coach, we pay extra for extra legroom seats on UA and SQ (not available on LH).

UA charges $97 extra for each flight segment for Economy Plus seats, while SQ is only $50.

Unlike LH and UA, SQ does not allow you to print your boarding pass for this route.

Unlike LH's and SQ's 747's, the UA 777-200's have just 2 pairs of Y seats on the left and right sides of the aisles (but 5 abreast in the middle row). However, both LH and SQ have several two abreast pairs of seats at the tail end.

SQ and LH have satellite phones, which I have had to use once on LH ($600/hour). SQ, unlike LH, has phones in every seat and costs about a 1/3 less per hour.

The Y class food on LH and UA is appalling - even when I order a special meal - LH and UA use the same catering at FRA. LH and SQ give free drinks.

I ordered a seafood dinner on SQ, and I thought the fish was chewy but bland and the veggies were overcooked. I also had a little bit better luck with the Hindu non-veggie meal, but any low end Indian restaurant could beat it.

The service on SQ is more attentive, the snacks, foods and drinks are more frequently served, and they check the lav's constantly. The lavs in Y class have toothpaste, toothbrushes, combs, perfume and toilet water - the kind you splash yourself with, intentionally. But SQ class lavs have longer lines, and people congregate in the area in front of the exits, which is annoying if you have paid for an extra legroom seat there. They also serve delicately steamed washcloths at the beginning and end of the flight.

SQ has the best selection of inflight entertainment, but I usually don't use it very much, because I either am trying sleep or talk business.

Despite the complaints I have read about the SQ 747-400 interiors being worn, they did not appear that way to me.

*** One major advantage with SQ Y fares is that it much easier getting a low priced fare close to a departure date, and unlike LH and UA, the low fares stay the same day to day (at least within two weeks of departure), whereas with UA or LH they change all the time. SQ does not award any KrisFlyer points for their lowest fare tickets. I travel of behalf of a not for profit foundation, so I am careful about travel expenses.

On my last SQ flight into JFK, the 747-400 impacted so hard that the exit light covering dropped from over the door.

I'm flying SQ out of JFK on Sun Aug 9 and will return on the 14th. And then two days later I'm off to Shanghai PVG from EWR on CO. I look forward to flying with the same enthusiasm as I have for a trip to the dentist.