Well it has to be a positive with SQ aircraft ... we took Scoot down to MEL a couple of weeks ago and I assume due to the engine issues it took a very easterly route (close to DRW) and took an hour longer than all other flights to MEL +/- 24 hrs from the flight including a Scoot 787 flight 14 hrs earlier.

Edited

I flew TR3/SQ8122 a couple of days ago. It was hard to find too much information about it before flying it so I thought I’d recap the experience here since it appears that this has been going on now for nearly a year. We were booked in scootbiz, so I can’t speak to the experience in economy. For about $520 per person, it was a pretty excellent experience. I may try to add some pictures after we download all of our vacation pictures.

I noticed that Scoot appeared to stop selling TR2 and TR3 on a rolling basis about 3 weeks or so in advance throughout December, and so I monitored our flight. About three weeks prior, they stopped selling it. Two and a half weeks before the flight, I received the e-mail from Scoot about the charter. As others have mentioned, it noted no IFE and lifting of the ban on bringing outside food. Rather ridiculously, the email said that changes would be allowed up to a week before the flight by calling in, but only upon paying a change fee and the difference in fare. I guess this is more liberal than Scoot’s ordinary and apparently very harsh no-changes policy, but barely.

We were four travelling together on two different bookings and I couldn’t figure out any way to view the reservation on line – either on Scoot’s website or SQ’s – so I tried calling to see if they could keep our seats together. Scoot said that would have to be requested at check in.

We used a car service from our hotel in Sydney, and the driver used an app to figure out whether there were flight delays and to figure out where to drop off, and said he couldn’t see our flight. We asked to be brought to Singapore’s check in area, because that’s what the e-mail said. When we got to the airport, our flight also wasn’t on any of the monitors, either as a TR or SQ flight. The SQ desks were easy enough to find, though, but they directed us to a separate area away from the regular SQ queues – pretty close just around the corner. Staff were wearing Singapore Airlines uniforms but they enforced all the Scoot conditions like luggage allowance, etc. (As an aside, I had a funny conversation with the agent who checked us in. She asked us how long we were staying in Singapore. I said 2 days. She noted that since we were from USA flying one way from Sydney to Singapore, there was a good chance the Singapore immigration officer would ask us for written proof of return to the United States. I noted that we were flying SQ from Singapore to the USA in a couple days and asked whether she might be able to print us something. She said words to the effect that “I am Scoot.” I started to say something and she saw me looking at her Singapore Airlines badge, and sort of mumbled, “well, today I am Scoot.”)

Our seats mapped over to pretty equivalent what we had reserved on Scoot so that was good. Tickets were on SQ business class stock. I asked about whether we could use the lounge. She said no. I was going to test it, but we ended up getting 4 good seats together in the Amex lounge so I saw no reason to leave there.

Boarding was easy and efficient. All gate crew were in Singapore uniforms and seemed to have SQ sensibilities and service attitudes. We were on the regular 772, not the ER, so the seating was 2-2-2 in the reclining seats, no lie flat. Still, I found the seats to be fine for the flight, and probably significantly better than Scootbiz, though I can’t say for sure. TR3 is a day flight and so the absence of lie flat wasn’t that important but it would be more significant for TR2, the night flight from Singapore, I think. I was overall happy with the flight, though there was something funky going on with the cabin pressure. I could feel it more than usual and an unopened bag of chips that we brought was bursting at the seams due to unequal pressure inside and outside the bag. There were a couple of little kids on the plan who were really miserable I think maybe with the pressure.

After the safety video, they turned off the IFE and the electrical outlets did not work. We had charged up our devices and had a couple of spare chargers so this was fine. We knew in advance to download entertainment. So, all good. There was a small blanket at each business class seat.

The flight itself was a bit surreal. The forward galley was completely empty and deserted. The crew didn’t even sit up there. All service was from the galley between the two business class sections. The lav near the forward galley was open, though, and one time I went up there to see one of the pilots basically returning to the cockpit from the lav.

The meal was served immediately after reaching cruise altitude. Those who had reserved vegetarian or special meals got stickers put on their seats and all were served first. Everyone else was given a choice between chicken curry or beef stew. I had the chicken. It was ok. It was a single plate with some packaged cheese and crackers, a roll, and a salmon looking appetizer (I didn’t eat it). Beverages were limited to water or juice. After the meal service, which lasted maybe an hour into the flight, the crew essentially just hung out in the galley talking to one another and brought trays of pre-poured water and juice around every once in a while.

None of the little Singapore touches were present, but for an 8 hour flight the seat was plenty comfortable and it was a nice ride. Arrival was in T2 at what appeared to be a Scoot station and baggage came quickly. Immigration was severely backed up at T2, but that isn’t Scoot’s issue.

When I bought the tickets, they were a third of the price as SQ, BA or QF business class. I feel like it was a really good deal in how it worked out. Happy to answer any questions.