777W vs. A388 First Suites
Jul 16, 2022, 2:45 pm
#62
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 876
1A and 1F are often blocked, but ca pre-assign if you are PPS.
If the flight is not full, they can do their best to accommodate your need.
Was once in 1F and agreed to swap with a passenger in 2A, so they could experience the double bed. I believe it was a life time experience for them.
My best experience with SQ in new suite was a flight from LHR to SIN.
Being the only passenger in the cabin, I was allowed to utilise 3 suites. 1A for dinning, work and entertaining and 1F & 2F for sleeping.
SQ made the right move to reduce the capacity of suite.
It was often around half full in the old suite on most of the routes. Only experience full house on SQ322 once.
If the flight is not full, they can do their best to accommodate your need.
Was once in 1F and agreed to swap with a passenger in 2A, so they could experience the double bed. I believe it was a life time experience for them.
My best experience with SQ in new suite was a flight from LHR to SIN.
Being the only passenger in the cabin, I was allowed to utilise 3 suites. 1A for dinning, work and entertaining and 1F & 2F for sleeping.
SQ made the right move to reduce the capacity of suite.
It was often around half full in the old suite on most of the routes. Only experience full house on SQ322 once.
Jul 17, 2022, 2:27 am
#63
Join Date: Apr 2005
Programs: Hyatt Lifetime Globalist, SQ PPS Solitaire
Posts: 3,600
Flying Suites in the early days felt special: every pax had to pay full fare R and no upgrades or mileage redemptions. My first flight to Tokyo was 12 out of 12; full house.
Jul 17, 2022, 5:24 am
#64
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 876
My engagement with SQ in First are always on European flights, often LHR and CDG, occasionally FRA, MAN and MXP(when they still operated with F), less frequently PVG, PEK, HND and HKG.
Aug 15, 2022, 11:41 pm
#65
Join Date: Jun 2022
Location: Singapore
Programs: Krisflyer PPS, Air NZ Gold. QF Gold, Marriott Bonvoy Platinum
Posts: 55
Reporting back ... lo and behold, maybe I jinxed it. The experience was awkward indeed. I was first to board and getting to 1F, I noticed the partition was lowered, and I knew it was a full flight.
Lead stewardess came to me and said “you were aware of the seat changed, right?”. As no one had approached me at all before, I told her I was not, to which she then politely asked if I could move to 3F to accommodate a couple traveling together and I replied back that I was happy with my originally assigned seat. She very rapidly understood and I asked her to raise the partition before the other passenger arrived to avoid any uncomfortable situation.
A few minutes later, when I was already settled in, bags stored and sipping the Krug, Ms 2F knocks on my suite door, sans mask. She said “Hi, my name is Ms. 2F (respecting privacy here) and I understand the flight attendant explained the situation”. I said, yes, she did, but I am happy with my seat and 3F has too much noise and light from the galley. Ms 2F rolls her eyes to me and leaves.
For the next few minutes there is chat between 2F/3F and the flight attendants saying that I didn’t want to move because of light, as if I was not even there.
Never saw them again until we landed.
I think this is very poor taste, and it was exactly what I was trying to avoid. I think the worst part is that the cabin crew just assumed I would change seats and had the double suite prepared without even consulting me. Not the way to go, in my opinion...
Lead stewardess came to me and said “you were aware of the seat changed, right?”. As no one had approached me at all before, I told her I was not, to which she then politely asked if I could move to 3F to accommodate a couple traveling together and I replied back that I was happy with my originally assigned seat. She very rapidly understood and I asked her to raise the partition before the other passenger arrived to avoid any uncomfortable situation.
A few minutes later, when I was already settled in, bags stored and sipping the Krug, Ms 2F knocks on my suite door, sans mask. She said “Hi, my name is Ms. 2F (respecting privacy here) and I understand the flight attendant explained the situation”. I said, yes, she did, but I am happy with my seat and 3F has too much noise and light from the galley. Ms 2F rolls her eyes to me and leaves.
For the next few minutes there is chat between 2F/3F and the flight attendants saying that I didn’t want to move because of light, as if I was not even there.
Never saw them again until we landed.
I think this is very poor taste, and it was exactly what I was trying to avoid. I think the worst part is that the cabin crew just assumed I would change seats and had the double suite prepared without even consulting me. Not the way to go, in my opinion...
Aug 16, 2022, 1:01 am
#66
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Singapore
Programs: CX Gold, Krisflyer PPS, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Platinum
Posts: 738
Sadly the same thing happened to me last week flying out of Changi. I boarded and was being escorted to my 1F seat when quickly the lead steward approached to say that my seat has changed to 3F. I asked why as I had specifically chose my seat well in advance when I booked given the feedback on 3A and F seats. She then had an uncomfortable look on her face and said OK you can keep your seat. Having seen these posts before, I asked her if there is couple who had been promised the seat please do not make this uncomfortable for me and let them know to not to approach me directly to swap. Overheard some discussions about 3 mins later when 2/3F boarded, but annoyingly 2 min later Mr 2F/3F approaches my suite to ask to swap just as steward came with my drink. I just looked at the steward who then escorted him away. Overheard further talk by steward essentially "passenger has every right to stay in his seat etc etc". SQ should be better at sorting all this out way before boarding.
Aug 16, 2022, 1:38 am
#67
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Sydney, NSW
Posts: 842
So I'm struggling to know what to do. We've flown new suites before (SYD-SIN) but there is Advantage availability on the day we want to travel from LHR-SYD (first leg is A380, the other leg 777). It's a whole lot more points than our current business saver but new suites for a fairly decent leg really is enticing me...
Aug 16, 2022, 3:15 am
#68
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Zurich / Singapore
Programs: LH SEN, BA Gold, SQ TPPS, Accor Diamond
Posts: 626
Sadly the same thing happened to me last week flying out of Changi. I boarded and was being escorted to my 1F seat when quickly the lead steward approached to say that my seat has changed to 3F. I asked why as I had specifically chose my seat well in advance when I booked given the feedback on 3A and F seats. She then had an uncomfortable look on her face and said OK you can keep your seat. Having seen these posts before, I asked her if there is couple who had been promised the seat please do not make this uncomfortable for me and let them know to not to approach me directly to swap. Overheard some discussions about 3 mins later when 2/3F boarded, but annoyingly 2 min later Mr 2F/3F approaches my suite to ask to swap just as steward came with my drink. I just looked at the steward who then escorted him away. Overheard further talk by steward essentially "passenger has every right to stay in his seat etc etc". SQ should be better at sorting all this out way before boarding.
Aug 16, 2022, 4:01 am
#69
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 7
I would encourage you to feed this back to SQ (apologies if you have alr done so). While I am all for karma etc and it is always nice to see people enjoying the double bed e.g. as a once in a life-time experience, you should not be made to feel uncomfortable or the "bad person" for sticking to the seat which you had originally booked. As mentioned before, this can easily be addressed on the ground with no further discussion needed on board. Easier for you, easier for the crew, and the other pax know what to expect.
Aug 16, 2022, 4:13 am
#70
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Sydney, NSW
Posts: 842
At the risk of getting torched here, I'm just going to mention that I actually think that a person that refuses to relinquish e.g. 1F so that a couple can enjoy the double suite *should* be made to feel uncomfortable. We don't need to rehash all of this but, put simply, the end result is that two people's experience is diminished instead of one. I get the "I reserved the seat first" argument, so I don't think that anyone should be forced to switch, but it's a matter of kindness. If you refuse to switch, you can fairly be labeled as unkind or "not nice," standing on technicalities instead of just doing the right thing. Anyway, that's my thinking. If I have 1F and a couple asks me to take 3F so they can have the double, I wouldn't hesitate to agree. It's not like 3F is roughing it.
Aug 16, 2022, 4:34 am
#71
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: UK
Programs: SQ TPPS (24), Qatar Platinum, IHG Diamond Elite RA, ACCOR Diamond, Bonvoy Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 95
Sadly the same thing happened to me last week flying out of Changi. I boarded and was being escorted to my 1F seat when quickly the lead steward approached to say that my seat has changed to 3F. I asked why as I had specifically chose my seat well in advance when I booked given the feedback on 3A and F seats. She then had an uncomfortable look on her face and said OK you can keep your seat. Having seen these posts before, I asked her if there is couple who had been promised the seat please do not make this uncomfortable for me and let them know to not to approach me directly to swap. Overheard some discussions about 3 mins later when 2/3F boarded, but annoyingly 2 min later Mr 2F/3F approaches my suite to ask to swap just as steward came with my drink. I just looked at the steward who then escorted him away. Overheard further talk by steward essentially "passenger has every right to stay in his seat etc etc". SQ should be better at sorting all this out way before boarding.
Regrettably, no one can stop a passenger from approaching you directly, though, but the prerogative is still yours as to whether you agree to moving, or not. I had a similar issue (albeit on a 77W) just 3 days back as my wife and I were seated in 1C/D and another couple at both window seats - the female passenger was trying to insist that they had chosen seats 1D/F which I know to be untrue. Anyway the male passenger then spent much of the flight stomping across the cabin to his partner's seat, deliberately, to vent his frustration, which interrupted our sleep, but we just chose to ignore it.
Aug 16, 2022, 4:35 am
#72
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Zurich / Singapore
Programs: LH SEN, BA Gold, SQ TPPS, Accor Diamond
Posts: 626
At the risk of getting torched here, I'm just going to mention that I actually think that a person that refuses to relinquish e.g. 1F so that a couple can enjoy the double suite *should* be made to feel uncomfortable. We don't need to rehash all of this but, put simply, the end result is that two people's experience is diminished instead of one. I get the "I reserved the seat first" argument, so I don't think that anyone should be forced to switch, but it's a matter of kindness. If you refuse to switch, you can fairly be labeled as unkind or "not nice," standing on technicalities instead of just doing the right thing. Anyway, that's my thinking. If I have 1F and a couple asks me to take 3F so they can have the double, I wouldn't hesitate to agree. It's not like 3F is roughing it.
I am not sure you fully understood my point. I think it is fair if a couple want to have the seat.
People can ask nicely and that’s a different thing. (I am getting the impression some of the posters mentioning this had to deal with some attitude, but I cld be wrong). Happy to oblige. It’s the expectation tt of course you wld switch which seems presumptuous. If this is solved on the ground at check in etc, you wld avoid the confrontation as humans react differently in these situations.
Making people uncomfortable tho for a seat is never ok. Just my opinion. Some people have preferences (as is the case with row 3, due to some people not liking the noise or light pollution from the galley) and we have to respect tt. Otherwise, SQ shld only allow couples to book the combo seats.
Aug 16, 2022, 4:43 am
#73
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: UK
Programs: SQ TPPS (24), Qatar Platinum, IHG Diamond Elite RA, ACCOR Diamond, Bonvoy Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 95
At the risk of getting torched here, I'm just going to mention that I actually think that a person that refuses to relinquish e.g. 1F so that a couple can enjoy the double suite *should* be made to feel uncomfortable. We don't need to rehash all of this but, put simply, the end result is that two people's experience is diminished instead of one. I get the "I reserved the seat first" argument, so I don't think that anyone should be forced to switch, but it's a matter of kindness. If you refuse to switch, you can fairly be labeled as unkind or "not nice," standing on technicalities instead of just doing the right thing. Anyway, that's my thinking. If I have 1F and a couple asks me to take 3F so they can have the double, I wouldn't hesitate to agree. It's not like 3F is roughing it.
Aug 16, 2022, 2:58 pm
#74
Join Date: Apr 2005
Programs: Hyatt Lifetime Globalist, SQ PPS Solitaire
Posts: 3,600
I would second what itadakimasu is saying: the flimsy curtain doesn’t stop noise and I understand everyone who wants to go for uninterrupted sleep. For most regular F flyers that’s the main reason to travel in the front.
Suites 1A and 1F are much more versatile due to the much larger food print and you have many more seating options. I don’t like starring at the passenger in the opposite suite and only in 1A and 1F can you recline the seat when facing the bed.
I prefer 1A and 1F by a huge margin over the other suites and I am always happy when I get one.
Suites 1A and 1F are much more versatile due to the much larger food print and you have many more seating options. I don’t like starring at the passenger in the opposite suite and only in 1A and 1F can you recline the seat when facing the bed.
I prefer 1A and 1F by a huge margin over the other suites and I am always happy when I get one.
Aug 16, 2022, 6:40 pm
#75
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: LAX/NYC
Programs: Bonvoy Ambassador, HH G, BR Diamond/*G, BAEC Gold, Hertz PC
Posts: 567
Ya, I agree with the sentiment of retaining the 1A/F seat without feeling uncomfortable. For a lot of us frequent fliers, getting good sleep is one of the foremost reasons we book F/J so we can hit the road running. We don't always have an extra day on arrival to sleep things off. I frequently book a specific routing / timing to get both the correct seat assignment and aircraft.
If someone really wants the row 1+2 pair and it is truly that important to them that it will make or break their trip, they should have booked the flight on a date where it is available and booked those seats from the start.
If someone really wants the row 1+2 pair and it is truly that important to them that it will make or break their trip, they should have booked the flight on a date where it is available and booked those seats from the start.