On the monstrosity… I mean, the 772 
I was the last passenger to boarding in the 12-seat F cabin, and thankfully the adjacent seat remained free. The cabin crew for F consisted of the IFS, LSS and LS. Immediately, I realised I didn’t like the LSS as much as the one on SQ16, but then again her predecessor was a hard act to follow to say the least. This LSS was less refined, less smiley and lacked warmth, although she remained professional throughout. The IFS on the other hand was a welcome change from the previous flight where I felt the IFS did very little and seemed just bossy – this one was much more talkative, much warmer and seemed genuinely pleased to be serving the passengers. And because the LS served the right hand side of the cabin mainly, I didn’t get to speak to him until later on in the flight, and he turned out to be very charming and chatty.
Now, the seat – well, just as the seats on OZ were from the previous generation, so were these. There was no in-seat power, the IFE system was pre-Wisemen 3000 (so no AVOD) and the screen quality was… well, what can I say, after using the 23-inch HDTV screen on the 77W? It was just simply depressing! My seat 2A was pretty decent for legroom, although my perception would have altered
considerably if 1A was occupied, as I was to find out later on in the flight. Basically, 2A and 2K are total disasters if both 1A and 2B (or 1K and 2J) are occupied, because the row 1 seats recline too much and there’s no room to get out. And moreover, it’s different to Y-class because you can recline quite far back with the legrest up, so it would be a lot of hassle for the row 2 aisle passengers to move out for you. Row 1 is also not great because row 2 passengers end up looking into your sleeping space and can even potentially drop stuff on top of your face if they’re not careful. So, in conclusion, the only desirable seats are row 2 aisle seats unless it’s a very quiet flight with lots of free seats. I could definitely see that people would be majorly hacked off if they were expecting the 744 (or worse, a 77W) on a long-ish flight like FRA and end up with this regional configuration.
In terms of the seat itself, it was really getting on a bit and felt like it’s just about holding up. The table on the non-hinged end would always hover about 1cm above the resting place on the centre armrest so it always wobbles if you exert force on it. The electronic controls are nice and, unlike the 77W, the legrest actually extends to a useful length (probably the only positive point for the 772!)
The menu and the headset were handed out. I also received a pair of the sockettes (the slippers that resemble a pair of socks) and the eye shades – the eye shades were the upgraded version that have been around with the 77W. Drink orders, as well as orders for the meal, were taken and the IFS gave me the good news that my lobster managed to be loaded in time.
I made a concerted decision to eat and drink a healthy amount (so, not very healthy then!) so that I can easily fall asleep when I reached Singapore at the transit hotel. So I made a good start of it by opting for a glass of Dom before take-off. The IFS came round with the bottle and poured me a glass, which I savoured until the cabin was being readied for take-off. After turning off all the cabin lights (which made looking outside very easy), we taxied to the runway and took off.
After a few minutes, we reached cruising altitude and the seatbelt sign was turned off. Then warm nuts were served (and unlike the tacky mix on OZ, these were high quality cashews and macadamia nuts) alongside my order of Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee. I couldn’t believe that I was hungry for my fourth large meal of the day, but I was – so I ended up finishing all the nuts. Then the LSS came round to set the tables and the meal service started.
The Menu
dinner from Hong Kong to Singapore
international selection
appetizers
Baked scallop with chilli veloute on a bed of sautéed mushrooms
Tian of lobster with avocado and lotus root
Chilli mango coulis and basil oil
soup
Cream of spinach with roasted herb green asparagus
salad
Butter lettuce heart with baby cress and cherry tomato
Balsamic and virgin olive oil dressing
Thousand Island dressing
main courses
Grilled fillet of beef in peppercorn sauce with vegetables and potatoes
Unagi Donburi
Grilled Japanese style eel with pickles, miso soup and steamed rice
Chicken and abalone noodle soup
Egg noodles in rich chicken broth garnished with poached chicken, sliced abalone and vegetables
Eggplant parmigiana with tomato sauce, basil oil, wild rocket and shaved parmesan cheese
dessert
Warm dark chocolate fondant with vanilla ice cream, raspberry coulis
cheese
Selection of cheese with garnishes
fresh fruit
A selection of fresh fruit
from the bakery
Oven-fresh rolls
with a choice of extra virgin olive oil or butter
Garlic bread
beverages
Freshly brewed coffee
Espresso or cappuccino
Selection of tea
Soya Bean Milk
(Sweetened/Unsweetened
pralines
To end on a sweet note
Specially prepared meatless selection
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shi quan shi mei (十全食美)
- “a complete and perfect Chinese culinary experience”
cold xiao chi
Scallop with pomelo salad
Chicken with cold noodle salad
Spring roll with “ma lan” root
Roast beef with chilli oil
cuisine from the wok
Sweet and sour prawn
Steamed chicken with flower mushroom
Wok fried pork with ginger and spring onion
Leafy greens in oyster sauce
from the paddyfield
Choice of steamed rice or porridge
soup
Cantonese pork broth with beancurd, gingko nuts and barley
a sweet note
Warm almond delight with sesame dumplings
selection of Chinese teas
Pi Lo Chun, Jasmine, Oolong, Tie Guan Yin, Long Jing
Exclusively created by Yeung Koon Yat of Forum Restaurant, Hong Kong
Drinks List
Spirits
Macallan 12 years old Single Malt Whisky
Cognac XO – Hennessy
Johnnie Walker Blue Label
Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey
Bombay Sapphire Gin
Smirnoff Red Label Vodka
Bacardi Superior
Premium Ginjo Sake Tamanohikari
(Available on flights to and from Japan
Liqueurs
Cointreau
Baileys Original Irish Cream
Choya Umeshu
A traditional Japanese fruit liqueur enjoyed straight or on the rocks
(Available on flights to and from North Asia)
Beer
International Selection
Champagnes
Dom Pérignon 2000
Krug Grande Cuvée
White Wines
Reichsgraf Von Kesselstatt Piesporter Goldtropfche
Riesling Kabinett2005 Mosel-Saar-Ruwer
Beaune Du Chateau Premier Cru 2006 Bouchard Pere Et Fils
Meursault Les Clous 2005 Bouchard Pere et Fils
Red Wines
Chianti Classico 2001 Castello Di Brolio
Chateau Leoville-Poyferre 1999 Saint-Julien
Port
Dow’s20 Year Old Tawny Port Portugal
(Tea and Coffee selections omitted)