Singapore (SQ) new first and business class, plus a medley of 12 F & C SQ flights
Jan 14, 2007, 1:44 pm
#48
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SUMMARY of NEW PRODUCT 77W
My thoughts on the new products are that the new first class is disappointing. Yes it is very nice, but not a big change from the existing skysuite. Some features I don’t like or thought could have been done better (eg storage of carry-ons, having a more comfortable seat mode). The IFE problem I experienced is likely just teething problem with the new system – I don’t expect it to be any less reliable than Wisemen 3000.
The new business class is very nice and a good step up from the existing spacebed. But, I’ll withhold judgement until I try out a non-bulkhead seat as I think the experience in those could be quite different to the bulkhead seat.
SQ has introduced significant increases in costs on 77W flights (eg surcharges on the specific flights for *A and other RTW products, double Kris Flyer mileage for awards and upgrades) and restricted availability of discounted paid booking classes and awards. Clearly they feel the products are so much better than the competition that they can do this. I am not so sure, and while I still have a choice (ie while the 77W roll out is still in early stages) it won’t be an automatic decision on my part to take the 77W flights.
My thoughts on the new products are that the new first class is disappointing. Yes it is very nice, but not a big change from the existing skysuite. Some features I don’t like or thought could have been done better (eg storage of carry-ons, having a more comfortable seat mode). The IFE problem I experienced is likely just teething problem with the new system – I don’t expect it to be any less reliable than Wisemen 3000.
The new business class is very nice and a good step up from the existing spacebed. But, I’ll withhold judgement until I try out a non-bulkhead seat as I think the experience in those could be quite different to the bulkhead seat.
SQ has introduced significant increases in costs on 77W flights (eg surcharges on the specific flights for *A and other RTW products, double Kris Flyer mileage for awards and upgrades) and restricted availability of discounted paid booking classes and awards. Clearly they feel the products are so much better than the competition that they can do this. I am not so sure, and while I still have a choice (ie while the 77W roll out is still in early stages) it won’t be an automatic decision on my part to take the 77W flights.
Jan 14, 2007, 3:17 pm
#49
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Was the PTV screen problem in bad in C as it was in F?
Jan 14, 2007, 6:15 pm
#50
Join Date: Jan 2006
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Nice Reports
Nice reports. Just a couple of questions;
1) From the time you left Auckland to the time you arrived, how many days had elapsed?
2) If you don't mind me asking, how much $ was this itin? And did you book all sectors out of AKL?
FWIW, out of HKG, the 77W flights to SIN in J or F are the same price as the other flights. However, discounted Y fares are not applicable to the 77W flights. I have a M+ award ticket booked in Feb/March which includes a SIN-HKG sector in Y on the 77W so i'll report on that later!
1) From the time you left Auckland to the time you arrived, how many days had elapsed?
2) If you don't mind me asking, how much $ was this itin? And did you book all sectors out of AKL?
FWIW, out of HKG, the 77W flights to SIN in J or F are the same price as the other flights. However, discounted Y fares are not applicable to the 77W flights. I have a M+ award ticket booked in Feb/March which includes a SIN-HKG sector in Y on the 77W so i'll report on that later!
Jan 14, 2007, 9:48 pm
#51
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Interesting stuff! Loads of detail ^
So between leaving Auckland and arriving back at Auckland how much of it was spent outside and aircraft or the airport?
So between leaving Auckland and arriving back at Auckland how much of it was spent outside and aircraft or the airport?
Jan 15, 2007, 2:13 am
#53
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Jan 15, 2007, 2:49 am
#54
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Many thanks for another comprehensive review - didn't quite catch the part about having only 30m between planes to shower yourself with DomPerignon in the lounge ?
Jan 15, 2007, 3:42 pm
#55
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Thanks for all the thanks.
From memory the screens in business aren't widescreen format so no don't have the problem of first.
Almost 4 days of travel. There were several tickets involved including some unused bits of tickets.
Correct. I think this was my longest trip solely in airports/onboard planes (depending on whether the visit to airport Mariott at Newark counts as staying in the airport or not during the double inaugural worlds longest flight SIN-EWR-SIN plus extra flights), although I hadn't set out deliberately to do this. If it hadn't been so cold and gloomy I probably would have gone into Paris - I brought small euro change with me in preparation.
No thanks - I don't think I have the patience to write properly. My reports tend to be a stream of conciousness from memory rather than something I plan out.
From memory the screens in business aren't widescreen format so no don't have the problem of first.
Jan 15, 2007, 4:00 pm
#56
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Jan 16, 2007, 12:43 am
#57
Join Date: Jul 2002
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According to the crew, in each F, only 2 bottles of Krug will be on board, and more Dom. The reason is that according to the surveys, majority SQ F pax prefer Dom. 
SUMMARY of NEW PRODUCT 77W
My thoughts on the new products are that the new first class is disappointing. Yes it is very nice, but not a big change from the existing skysuite. Some features I don’t like or thought could have been done better (eg storage of carry-ons, having a more comfortable seat mode). The IFE problem I experienced is likely just teething problem with the new system – I don’t expect it to be any less reliable than Wisemen 3000.
The new business class is very nice and a good step up from the existing spacebed. But, I’ll withhold judgement until I try out a non-bulkhead seat as I think the experience in those could be quite different to the bulkhead seat.
SQ has introduced significant increases in costs on 77W flights (eg surcharges on the specific flights for *A and other RTW products, double Kris Flyer mileage for awards and upgrades) and restricted availability of discounted paid booking classes and awards. Clearly they feel the products are so much better than the competition that they can do this. I am not so sure, and while I still have a choice (ie while the 77W roll out is still in early stages) it won’t be an automatic decision on my part to take the 77W flights.
My thoughts on the new products are that the new first class is disappointing. Yes it is very nice, but not a big change from the existing skysuite. Some features I don’t like or thought could have been done better (eg storage of carry-ons, having a more comfortable seat mode). The IFE problem I experienced is likely just teething problem with the new system – I don’t expect it to be any less reliable than Wisemen 3000.
The new business class is very nice and a good step up from the existing spacebed. But, I’ll withhold judgement until I try out a non-bulkhead seat as I think the experience in those could be quite different to the bulkhead seat.
SQ has introduced significant increases in costs on 77W flights (eg surcharges on the specific flights for *A and other RTW products, double Kris Flyer mileage for awards and upgrades) and restricted availability of discounted paid booking classes and awards. Clearly they feel the products are so much better than the competition that they can do this. I am not so sure, and while I still have a choice (ie while the 77W roll out is still in early stages) it won’t be an automatic decision on my part to take the 77W flights.
Well, I do like the seat and the bed, and most of all the new china. The bed linen is so soft.. and the PJs is great. But, yes, I don't like the fact that there is no overhead bin. Overall cabin seems too cramp. The F in the nose of 744 does feel much more spacious. And you have seen me with my carry-on. Thus 77W in F is not a good choice for my carry-on habits. 
The best improvement s definitely on the business class seats. But again, after 45 minutes on that C cabin, I recalled, I wish I would rather be in F cabin.
The salt and pepper snowman is cute. But I don't like the new china in C at all. Looks so cheap! 
And yes, I agree with the you that the changes in KF redemptions as well as the surcharges related to this 77W, indeed do not make me doing full rerouting just to catch 77W. I am pretty happy with my SQ11/12 in the old SkySuite.
But, overall, I must say, both SQ new C and F are still ahead from the other airlines, IMHO. But indeed, it's still not perfect.
Jan 16, 2007, 4:45 am
#58
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Well I was away sampling the delights of old F in SQ this weekend and only got to read these reports today.
Fabulous reporting again by KiwiFlyer. It is nice to know there are people out there that do nuttier flying things than I
So far from reports and people I have spoken to it is a 4 out of 4 thumbs down for new F on SQ. I wonder if the powers that be in SQ are eliciting feedback from customers on the new seats and if they are getting worried?
Fabulous reporting again by KiwiFlyer. It is nice to know there are people out there that do nuttier flying things than I
So far from reports and people I have spoken to it is a 4 out of 4 thumbs down for new F on SQ. I wonder if the powers that be in SQ are eliciting feedback from customers on the new seats and if they are getting worried?
Jan 16, 2007, 9:20 pm
#59
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Fabulous report! Thanks for sharing.
I must say I'm a bit disappointed though with the new F/C review. Well perhaps disappointed is the wrong word. It's hard to live up to the expectations created by the SQ public relations machine as I've discovered in the past. But it still beats most of the competition on most days. I wonder if they'll ever release an award seat for United Mileage Plus members on one of the newly configured aircraft.
I was not aware that Singapore Airlines did the "sit in first class, get business class service" thing when F was unoccupied. Interesting.
Looking forward to the next adventure.
I must say I'm a bit disappointed though with the new F/C review. Well perhaps disappointed is the wrong word. It's hard to live up to the expectations created by the SQ public relations machine as I've discovered in the past. But it still beats most of the competition on most days. I wonder if they'll ever release an award seat for United Mileage Plus members on one of the newly configured aircraft.
I was not aware that Singapore Airlines did the "sit in first class, get business class service" thing when F was unoccupied. Interesting.
Looking forward to the next adventure.
Jan 20, 2007, 6:23 am
#60
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: ZRH
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Posts: 3,254
SUMMARY of NEW PRODUCT 77W
[...]Some features I don’t like or thought could have been done better (eg storage of carry-ons, having a more comfortable seat mode). [...] The IFE problem I experienced is likely just teething problem with the new system
[...] and while I still have a choice (ie while the 77W roll out is still in early stages) it won’t be an automatic decision on my part to take the 77W flights.
[...]Some features I don’t like or thought could have been done better (eg storage of carry-ons, having a more comfortable seat mode). [...] The IFE problem I experienced is likely just teething problem with the new system
[...] and while I still have a choice (ie while the 77W roll out is still in early stages) it won’t be an automatic decision on my part to take the 77W flights.
I found the seat to be very hard. The sitting position is not very comfortable and IMO the seat tends to be too large...
I found the bed to be too small as well. Ok I'm tall (1m92), but I had the feeling that I had a longer bed in BA's J product...
I've never flown old F, but will try to book myself on old F on my next SQ F flights. Oh well, I just remembered that my next F leg SIN-ZRH is the new F as well...