AUCKLAND to SINGAPORE (AKL-SIN) on Singapore Airlines 777-200ER in business, refitted regional seats
I managed to stay awake until boarding in the early hours of the morning. The lounge was empty except for staff clearing up so I thought I'd somehow missed hearing the boarding call. The monitors showed "boarding" but that doesn't mean anything because in Auckland the status is auto-timed based on departure time and not updated for actual boarding status. Since it was only about 30 minutes to departure I figured I had somehow missed the call and left for the gate. When I arrived, boarding had not yet commenced.
The flight was oversold however upon boarding there were 2 empty seats in business class. I guess they either no-showed or were moved onto Air New Zealand's late night departures to Shanghai or Hong Kong. The passenger beside me was across the aisle from these free seats and while I was thinking hmmm would be nice to switch and get some more space he moved across.
Pre-departure drinks a choice of champagne, water or orange juice. Headphones, menu, socks and eye mask were handed out. A hot towel. Drinks order and asked if we wanted to have supper and/or breakfast (i.e. do we want to be woken for either meal if asleep). This flight is quite a long red-eye (10:30) and so my choice of meals depends on what I am doing afterwards - if visiting Singapore I might skip supper and have breakfast, if continuing on a short flight I may have supper and skip breakfast or have breakfast if awake and nap on the next flight, and if continuing on a long flight I prefer to have supper and skip breakfast in order to spread my sleep budget across 2 longhaul flights.
The post take-off drink was quickly served despite the seatbelt sign remaining on, but the cabin crew were soon ordered to take their seats. No turbulence occured and about 90 minutes later meal service resumed, albeit minus any hot drinks for the seatbelt sign remained on and SQ has for the past few years had a policy of no hot drinks if seatbelt sign is lighted.
I watched a movie before supper, and part of another during meal service before I fell asleep. The seatbelt sign had been on all that time with no turbulence. When I awoke as breakfast was being served the seatbelt sign was on (still or again), with no turbulence felt, and came off only briefly about 45 minutes before landing. I skipped breakfast and asked for a couple of kenyan coffees in the brief interval in which hot drinks were allowed so as to awaken properly.
We landed on time.