Flying SQ in times of Covid - experiences
Mar 4, 2021, 10:21 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Virginia City Highlands
Programs: Nothing anymore after 20 years
Posts: 6,900
Flying SQ in times of Covid - experiences
If you recently (after January 2021) had a flight on SQ, would you mind sharing your experience? The occupancy of the plane/cabin, route, class, inflight service (if any), rules/requirements for pax, overall experience.
Last edited by invisible; Mar 5, 2021 at 1:10 am
Mar 7, 2021, 9:34 am
#2
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 4
Recently flew SIN-LAX. About 40 pax in total with about 10 in J, just a few in PY and the rest in Y.
US now requires a pre-departure COVID test so had to do that before the flight and show documentation at check-in.
Wearing a mask is required throughout the flight except during meals/beverage. Cabin crew wear masks+safety googles and serve meals with gloves.
I was in J and not much in terms of service in order to minimize contact with cabin crew and passengers. Didn't think the food quality was that great compared to before. Everything is served in a tray rather than courses.
Rather uneventful flight and everyone just kept to themselves.
US now requires a pre-departure COVID test so had to do that before the flight and show documentation at check-in.
Wearing a mask is required throughout the flight except during meals/beverage. Cabin crew wear masks+safety googles and serve meals with gloves.
I was in J and not much in terms of service in order to minimize contact with cabin crew and passengers. Didn't think the food quality was that great compared to before. Everything is served in a tray rather than courses.
Rather uneventful flight and everyone just kept to themselves.
Mar 8, 2021, 9:20 am
#3
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: California
Posts: 463
Recently flew SIN-LAX. About 40 pax in total with about 10 in J, just a few in PY and the rest in Y.
US now requires a pre-departure COVID test so had to do that before the flight and show documentation at check-in.
Wearing a mask is required throughout the flight except during meals/beverage. Cabin crew wear masks+safety googles and serve meals with gloves.
I was in J and not much in terms of service in order to minimize contact with cabin crew and passengers. Didn't think the food quality was that great compared to before. Everything is served in a tray rather than courses.
Rather uneventful flight and everyone just kept to themselves.
US now requires a pre-departure COVID test so had to do that before the flight and show documentation at check-in.
Wearing a mask is required throughout the flight except during meals/beverage. Cabin crew wear masks+safety googles and serve meals with gloves.
I was in J and not much in terms of service in order to minimize contact with cabin crew and passengers. Didn't think the food quality was that great compared to before. Everything is served in a tray rather than courses.
Rather uneventful flight and everyone just kept to themselves.
Mar 24, 2021, 2:19 pm
#4
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Gozo, Malta
Programs: BAEC, QF.
Posts: 362
I'd be interested in any replies here too; hoping to fly on SQ from BCN - SIN - AKL in May/June.
Also, can I only request to book certain seats in Y if I book directly with Singapore Airlines? As opposed to a slightly cheaper online fare broker?
Also, can I only request to book certain seats in Y if I book directly with Singapore Airlines? As opposed to a slightly cheaper online fare broker?
Last edited by studyolic; Mar 24, 2021 at 2:24 pm Reason: Had another thought.
Mar 25, 2021, 1:16 am
#5
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Singapore
Programs: QF LTG, SQ EGTP, Bonvoy LTG
Posts: 4,847
Flew MEL-SIN, SQ 228 late January. Class: Economy ++. (economy with 2 empty seats beside me and empty rows both in front and behind me) 
Business class ~50% full, Economy about 30 pax. Noticeable difference on this flight is single meal service (in both classes) vs pre-COVID which always had a main meal after take off and pre-landing light snack/light meal. Uneventful, and being an Australian originating flight no drama for disembarkation as Australian originating pax are free to roam about SIN on arrival. Landed at a B gate, all immigration is at the A end, so a walk to reach immigration, and then off to COVID test, but other than that, the main difference was an empty airport pre-departure with almost nothing open airside and a luxurious absence of fellow passengers in economy.
Business class ~50% full, Economy about 30 pax. Noticeable difference on this flight is single meal service (in both classes) vs pre-COVID which always had a main meal after take off and pre-landing light snack/light meal. Uneventful, and being an Australian originating flight no drama for disembarkation as Australian originating pax are free to roam about SIN on arrival. Landed at a B gate, all immigration is at the A end, so a walk to reach immigration, and then off to COVID test, but other than that, the main difference was an empty airport pre-departure with almost nothing open airside and a luxurious absence of fellow passengers in economy.
Mar 31, 2021, 2:45 pm
#6
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Auckland, NZ/New York, NY/ATL
Programs: DL DM MM, BIS 2.4MM, EK Gold, SQ Gold, Marriott Gold, HH Gold,
Posts: 5,222
Im flying IST-SIN-AKL soon in J on the A350, Ive got Ive got 19K on both flights. Can someone remind me the rule/how long before the flight for snagging 11A/K? Im only a silver with SQ.
Apr 1, 2021, 11:12 pm
#7
Join Date: Mar 2008
Programs: SQ TPP
Posts: 125
I think it is 48 or 24 hours prior to the flight when you could usually check-in on-line but not entirely sure. How are you getting into NZ? Do you have a hotel slot for quarantine already? What test(s) do you need before boarding? I assume you are only transiting SIN at the airport.
Apr 2, 2021, 7:52 am
#8
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 2,279
96hrs during normal time. Now not sure got any changes or not. You can try log in at 96hrs before flight depart to check.
Apr 6, 2021, 9:04 pm
#9
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: LAX
Programs: UA 1K MM, AS MVPG, SPG PLAT 100
Posts: 1,497
Flew LAX-SIN on SQ37 last week of March in J. Pretty uneventful (except for one pax, read further). Check in staff at TBIT were great, informed me that someone had selected seat across from my reserved seats in Row 19 but Row 22 completely empty so they moved us back there. Luckily the pax on Row 19 was coughing like crazy and I expressed my concern to FA who kept me updated on their protocol but said pax had been double vaxed (as am I) but was just suffering from dry throat but they had taken pax's temp and would continue to do so and if cough persisted and/or temp rose they would be sent to quarantine area in back of A359. Was glad to be 3 rows behind (even with lesser legroom), even if not sick because the coughing was annoying as heck -- loud enough to hear over QC35s, 3 rows back.
Food was okay, served on a single tray. Chicken with noodles snack was honestly better than the first main (a dry Japanese-ish salmon for supper) but second meal was a particular good omelette.
Was transiting in Changi -- slapped with a bracelet, temperature taken and then marched thru terminal to the THA. Amazingly was told to walk single file through terminal to THA and socially distance from my 11 year old son, boy those Singaporeans love their dumb inflexible rules.
Food was okay, served on a single tray. Chicken with noodles snack was honestly better than the first main (a dry Japanese-ish salmon for supper) but second meal was a particular good omelette.
Was transiting in Changi -- slapped with a bracelet, temperature taken and then marched thru terminal to the THA. Amazingly was told to walk single file through terminal to THA and socially distance from my 11 year old son, boy those Singaporeans love their dumb inflexible rules.
Apr 7, 2021, 1:26 pm
#10
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: NYC
Programs: HH Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 694
Was transiting in Changi -- slapped with a bracelet, temperature taken and then marched thru terminal to the THA. Amazingly was told to walk single file through terminal to THA and socially distance from my 11 year old son, boy those Singaporeans love their dumb inflexible rules.
Apr 7, 2021, 1:43 pm
#11
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: LAX
Programs: UA 1K MM, AS MVPG, SPG PLAT 100
Posts: 1,497
Not a lounge, just a separate area of THA where staff will microwave certain items you can order from your smartphone or tablet. Dont even dream about being able to wander thru the terminal, instead you are marched through like a prisoner to/from THA and then summoned to rejoin the march when your departing flight is called.
Apr 7, 2021, 7:25 pm
#12
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Singapore
Posts: 2,317
Apr 7, 2021, 9:45 pm
#14
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: CGK/LAX
Programs: KF,JMB, OZ, SPG,AA,UA,AS
Posts: 1,163
Was transiting in Changi -- slapped with a bracelet, temperature taken and then marched thru terminal to the THA. Amazingly was told to walk single file through terminal to THA and socially distance from my 11 year old son, boy those Singaporeans love their dumb inflexible rules.
Apr 12, 2021, 12:50 am
#15
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Bangkok
Programs: TG ROP Gold, SQ KF Gold, Marriott Ambassador Elite, Accor ALL Plat., Shangri-La Jade, GHA Plat.
Posts: 127
Flew BKK-SIN in J class yesterday.
46 pax, including 16 in J class.
I booked the cheapest Y fare, and when offered a bid for J, I selected the minimum amount (300 SGD) and got it approved.
Two *A lounges still open in BKK: TK and TG. BR and SQ are closed for now.
Soft and hard service still good during the flight, no crazy restrictions compared to other airlines (normal cutlery, champagne served as usual, pillows still there). The obvious difference is that everything is on a single tray, which I don't really mind. It was a truly nice experience and the staff was awesome, as usual. I didn't feel they were obviously refraining from interacting with pax. Quality of catering also was seemingly unaffected.
Conversely, arrival in SIN is more chaotic than usual. Long queue at immigration, and because I have opted out of SDF for my SHN, I was pulled aside to get my electronic wristband issued. Not a very graceful experience in that corner. COVID test was relatively OK, but the whole experience feels a little bit amateurish. The worst is the dedicated transport booking through Strides, you have to spell out your name over the phone (in 2021, seriously? No online info pre-fill option?) which is a hassle for long names like mine and you're told to wait up to 45 minutes. Fortunately, the taxi arrived in 20 minutes.
46 pax, including 16 in J class.
I booked the cheapest Y fare, and when offered a bid for J, I selected the minimum amount (300 SGD) and got it approved.
Two *A lounges still open in BKK: TK and TG. BR and SQ are closed for now.
Soft and hard service still good during the flight, no crazy restrictions compared to other airlines (normal cutlery, champagne served as usual, pillows still there). The obvious difference is that everything is on a single tray, which I don't really mind. It was a truly nice experience and the staff was awesome, as usual. I didn't feel they were obviously refraining from interacting with pax. Quality of catering also was seemingly unaffected.
Conversely, arrival in SIN is more chaotic than usual. Long queue at immigration, and because I have opted out of SDF for my SHN, I was pulled aside to get my electronic wristband issued. Not a very graceful experience in that corner. COVID test was relatively OK, but the whole experience feels a little bit amateurish. The worst is the dedicated transport booking through Strides, you have to spell out your name over the phone (in 2021, seriously? No online info pre-fill option?) which is a hassle for long names like mine and you're told to wait up to 45 minutes. Fortunately, the taxi arrived in 20 minutes.