FN-GM

@Bluesky the baggage allowance in SQ Y has gone up to 30KG. I also don't think you DXB and SIN airports was fair. I don't think the shops are as high priority as say how easy it is to connect. SIN wins hands down in that category.

aster

SIN is the best airport I have every travelled through bar none. Not sure 24h stores are important if there aren't flights going on 24h.

redvelvetmartinis

SQ, hands down. I don't like a 3-3-3 config anywhere, much less in J.

Also, the seats on SQ are much wider, and for someone who likes to toss and turn in their sleep and takes plenty of red-eyes, SQ hits all the right spots for me.

I'm surprised people are saying that the SQ crew at robotic and hardly strike up conversations. It hasn't been my experience at all.

geminidreams

I maintained gold on Emirates for 8 years however the last 2 years mainly been flying Singapore and star alliance. Reality is most people fly economy however when flying J emirates lounges are much better than SQ, you can get into a lounge in Dubai as Silver, Silver in SQ has almost no benefits. My wife flew Brisbane to Moscow and return as silver on EK and was upgraded on 3 of the legs. Never see that on SQ. If I can get a business seat on EK for a modest premium or through an upgrade because they have more seating then I can live with that. Changi is an average airport. I don't like T3 at Dubai because the shopping interferes with getting to gates. In the last 2 years the one thing I have enjoyed about SQ is the flights are usually half full in economy. Makes it much more relaxing. Don't know how long that will last though.

aster

Now that's a good one.

djjaguar64

The difference is clear and evident, no upgrades for it's FF's let alone Star Golds, but possible upgrades for it's FF's on EK. This in no way dilutes the quality and ambience of J or F classes. SQ is just stubborn, get with the times SQ or be left behind!!!

geminidreams

Im trying to think of better airports than Singapore and realise I don't like any airports particularly. But to put Singapore into perspective the lounges aren't great, there are some very long walks to gates and far too many idiots on Segways and golf carts thinking they are on special missions that everyone must scatter for. I don't go through the airport to shop Im just transiting and I don't eat at the restaurants or sit at the bars. I believe the hotel is reasonable but never stayed there, I like the Orchid garden but only been through T2 once in 2 years, the butterfly garden is pleasant to visit once and the transit movies are interesting but Im rarely there long enough to justify dropping in. So as a FF I rate my experience mainly on lounges and Dubai is better. Better food, drinks, space, a silver lounge and a number of good value lounges that can be entered by credit card membership or a small fee, all of them better than what is the equivalent at Changi.

djjaguar64

I betcha, Ulaan Bataar has a great airport with de-lovely lounges.

geminidreams

Only sat in the UB lounge once. Last trip was first time as star gold and didnt bother to request a lounge pass. I guest its main positive feature is its 10 seconds walk from immigration to the departures and a further 2 min walk to the furthest gate. I did get to experience SQs lounge in Perth on Wednesday. It is not nearly as nice as the Emirates lounge in Perth. Food was OK but lighting is poor, seating basic and was very hot, even the staff were complaining.

5DMarkIIguy

SQ Y >>> EK Y. EK Y, especially during boarding, is like a zoo. And they pack them like sardines. They are also talking about 11 across for A380 in the near future. Yikes!

SQ J >>>>>>>>> EK J. Not even close.

SQ F = EK suite.

SQ suite is unmatched.

Services
Best of SQ >> best of EK
Worst of SQ >>>>>>>>>>> worst of EK. With SQ, you know it's going to be ok. With EK, it's a mixed bag and could be horrible.

Food
SQ = EK.

Drink
SQ > EK

IFE
SQ > EK


If in F, I can do either, but with preference to SQ. Anything else, SQ all the way.

RAV1

I agree with the general sentiment which seems to be that SQ is generally better than EK when comparing across Y, J and F. I've been a loyal SQ customer for >6 years (3+ with *G) but switched over to EK earlier this year for one reason only - upgrades.

I fly international long-haul (8+ hours) 5 - 6 time a year, mostly work related and due to company policy it's only on Y; With EK, I get upgrades ~25% of time and also have lounge access in DXB with only Silver (they didn't status match so far) - this outweighs by far the consistency offered by SQ as i have only got upgrades <5% of the time.

The other advantage of SQ/*G was benefits while flying domestic when visiting US (3 bags free, etc.) , maybe i should do a combination of EK and sign up for Agean for maintaining *G.

roverkt

Flew on EK yesterday for the first time from MEL to SIN and have to agree that SQ is still better in terms of cabin crew polishedness and consistency.

On EK, I witnessed various crew dig their nose and scratch their head. And when they bumped into me while whizzing through the aisle no one apologized. Also it took some getting used to re the Arabic announcements. My question was how many of the passengers actually understand that language to make its use compulsory.

Even more silly was how they rattled off the long list of languages the various crew on board spoke, first in the Arabic announcement and then in English. If you didn't understand either language how are you supposed to know such options were available? Plain mind-boggling.

The crew was more "human" but at times that made them look folksy.

Also took QF from SIN-MEL boy that flight was just depressing.

SingaporeDon

Fixed by SQ now. Well done SQ!

aster

I wonder how both airlines will react to someone showing up with 32kg. Emirates will likely try to shake them down for extra cash, especially since they'll harass someone in F over 2kg as well!

rathin100

Having just flown 4 sectors on SQ from DEL to OZ 3 in J, one in F, I have to say that

SQ BEATS EK hands down -- if flying 777 -- on the following criteria:

(1) Seat in both classes -- in F (not suites) by a whisker, but still certainly a notch superior.
(2) Cuisine in both classes
(3) Lounges -- in both classes for outstation.
(4) Ease of getting a nice seat and baggage handling -- in both classes
(5) Quality of hub airport
(6) Transit experience -- in both classes
(7) Ambience in the premium cabins -- in both classes, this I think in large measure due to the fact that the cabins are not stuffed with op-ups like EK

And obviously *G (if your are smart and pick the right card) is way better than EK Skywards plus if you fly in premium cabins you can become something called PPS for free. Not sure what this entails in terms of perks but I signed up for it.

About the same:

Priority boarding experience
Service in J unquestionably superior on SQ though EK is very very good. On F Id say about the same.

EK is superior in:

(1) IFE -- no question

(2) Free car service -- does not affect me and, I imagine, many premium cabin pax though from previous discussions on the EK board I recognise that this is a valued benefit for a particular market segment (professionals and small businesses)

(3) For hub Id say SQ and EK comparable in J in F I quite liked the private room but amenity for amenity I thought maybe EK is better. but the overall SIN experience is much better than DXB with this rude airport and UAE ground staff, crowds, bused transits and chaotic non A380 premium boarding


SO SQ beats EK hands down (and for the record I thought also CX on all the above criteria and also MH on all the above criteria except service, which on MH is as good, sometimes even better IMO)


On A 380 EK does have the bar and better seats in J so Ill wait to make up my mind when I fly SQ to SYD in December... otherwise its my preferred airline flying East of Suez from now on!

^