TOKYO NARITA to SINGAPORE (NRT-SIN) on Singapore Airlines 777-300ER in first
By the time I wandered down from the lounge to the gate boarding was nearly completed. Another low load in first and great service once again.
Our meal and drink orders were taken while on the ground but we were warned the first couple of hours there may not be any service due to reports of significant turbulence. That is a long time between drinks
I can't say I'd noticed any turbulence on the flight into Tokyo a few hours earlier, but maybe the pilots had managed to avoid it or conditions have worsened since?
There was a minor glitch as we taxiied out when first class got the business class short video on how to convert the seat into a bed and vice versa. Oops.
The first part of the flight had almost no turbulence - maybe a (singular) light bump every 20 minutes or so. We had no service initially, and then just drink service - cold drinks only. With announcements every few minutes (in English and Japanese) apologising for the lack of service. It is a shame that they seem to be so risk averse as to cut back on service. Eventually nearly 3 hours into the flight, still no bad bumps yet, and with no indication that seatbelt signs would be switched off any time soon, meal service was started (but no hot drinks).
I ate a little and quicker than normal, before switching to the adjacent empty seat which had been made up into a bed for me. The lack of hot drinks meant I was "forced" to drink some more bubbles while resting until I eventually drifted off about 90 minutes before landing. (The seat belt sign was on the entire time I was awake, and you guessed it - no bumps of any significance.)
I was woken up shortly afterwards to return to my seat because all service is suspended and everyone must prepare for landing, a full hour before expected arrival time, due to anticipated turbulence. Grrr. There were no bumps in that last hour. Perhaps it was all a ruse to hide a massive catering shortage?
We had several circuits before landing and so arrived somewhat late. Our gate was in T2 (rather than the more usual T3) because the next flight with this aircraft is to India. As we taxiied in I saw an Air NZ 767 at a remote stand and an Air NZ 747 at a gate. I wonder what the charters were for?