Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Community > Trip Reports
Reload this Page >

A First trip in First to the Far East! LHR-SIN-BKK-MXP, SQ and TG (pics)

A First trip in First to the Far East! LHR-SIN-BKK-MXP, SQ and TG (pics)

Old Apr 5, 2008, 5:05 pm
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Programs: BA
Posts: 3,890
Arrow A First trip in First to the Far East! LHR-SIN-BKK-MXP, SQ and TG (pics)





(Disclaimer: I don’t pretend to be a good photographer, and some of the photos are admittedly poor as I didn’t not want to use the flash onboard, or even on the ground…)

One evening in mid-February, I was doing some work admin and paperwork when I noticed that I had three days of annual vacation leave that would expire at the end of March. Not wanting to let any of it go to waste I decided to treat myself to a short-break… Europe perhaps? Dubai? East Coast USA? No, Singapore and Bangkok! In four days!! Routing details:

LHR-SIN SQ F
Two nights: InterContinental Singapore
SIN-BKK SQ F
Two nights: The Oriental Bangkok
BKK-MXP TG F
MXP-FRA LH C
FRA-LHR LH C

This trip would be my first time in the Far East, first time on Singapore Airlines and first time on Thai Airway! A trip of First Class Firsts

So, a four night trip to the other side of the world… Crazy? Oh yes. Stupid? Probably. Worth it? Definitely….


Tuesday 25 March
SQ321 LHR-SIN
Dep 2205, Arr 1835 (+1)
Boeing 747-400
First Class, Seat 2F


I spent the Tuesday morning working from home on a few conference calls and putting the final few bits and pieces in my luggage, before heading off to our office very close to LHR T4 at about 1300. The rest of the day in the office seemed to drag as I counted down the minutes to my 1715 taxi to LHR T3. Now it’s only a 10 minute journey to the airport, meaning planned arrival some four and a half hours before departure… crazy! Well no, not today. Not when as an SQ F, *G and Priority Pass Card passenger I have the luxury of no less than six lounges! Namely: Singapore Airlines First Class, Singapore Airlines Silver Kris, Ikea (SAS) London, Air Kuwait Oasis, Servisair, and of course the magical Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse. So in four and a half hours I planned to check (and report) on them all!

1715 finally arrived and into the cab to LHR where we immediately encountered a major traffic jam on the outer perimeter road. Whilst traffic at LHR can be bad, the driver and I agreed it was most unusual for this part of the road to be so clogged up. After ten minutes of going literally nowhere and seeing a number of police and ambulance vehicles whizz past, we turned around and instead took the A312 to Jolly Waggoner’s roundabout, left onto the A4 and joined the tunnel to T123 at the old concorde roundabout. Central LHR traffic was predictably bad and after taking the T2 shortcut, I finally arrived at T3 around 1800. No problem… I still have four hours until the flight!



Both the SQ C and F desks were busy with economy passengers, but after a couple of minutes I was called forward to the C desk where the check-in agent gracefully apologised that I had to wait “so long”! She checked me in very quickly and at my request only checked my bag through to SIN despite there being an onward connecting flight on the ticket. The magical red SQ F boarding pass in hand I headed up the escalator to departures which was busy busy busy. I needed to pick-up my pre-ordered currency from Travelex which was typically right at the other end of the terminal past the entrances to Fast Track and normal security. Now, I’ll go off track here to have a whinge… pre-booked currency, you’d think it’d just be a simple (and more importantly quick) job to collect the currency and go. How mistaken I was. It took the lady over ten minutes to find my booking on the system, find the pre-counted currency, do something with my credit card, re-count the currency, check something with a colleague, re-count the currency, and then re-count the currency again as she gave it to me. However, the Thai Baht were in 1,000 denominations despite me stating small bills online. Perhaps just to amuse myself, I asked her for some smaller notes… to which she… (yes, you guessed it), re-counted the currency, changed it for smaller notes and once more re-counted the currency back to me. What a farce!! Would have been faster and easier for me just to go to the desk and buy the cash directly! Humph.

Anyway, I took a chill pill and realised I had three and a half hours of lounge pleasures to come, followed by twelve hours of SQ F. What was there to be stressed about?! Off to security, which those of you that regularly use LHR T3 will know can be very hit and miss. Today it was the latter… at 1815 they were restricting access airside to those with flights departing 2030! This was causing some quite heated disagreements at the entrance to security where the self-righteous BAA fluorescent yellow jackets were dictating their self-written laws.

Well, I wasn’t having any of this and ‘delicately barged’ my way to the entrance to Fast Track where I just walked through ignoring the yellow jackets. I did get stopped but the person just wanted to confirm I was entitled to Fast Track access and not the time of my flight. Ten minutes later I was through security (having left my laptop in its bag, ^ BAA) and into the T3 Shopping Mall known as airside. Let the lounge-hopping begin…

First off to the Virgin Clubhouse, which I had toured once before but never actually used. If I had to choose one word to describe the lounge? AWESOME! I have been lucky enough to experience the BA T4 Concorde Room, Lufthansa First Class Terminal, Singapore T3 First Class Lounge, Bangkok Thai First Class Lounge (the latter two on this trip), and its truly hard to rate the Clubhouse anywhere other than joint top… It is oh so different to the FCT. The Clubhouse is uber-modern with a swimming pool/Jacuzzi, hairdresser, spa, dining room, roof-top garden, pool table and much more!! Selection of pics below…









Upon arrival I was offered a tour of the facilities which I declined, but did leave my hand luggage at the door and headed to the spa to book a facial for 2030 (time now 1830). I then headed to the deli where the staff created a custom-made salad for me! Now where to sit and eat my salad? Which zone?! It was off to the relaxation zone lit with cooling sky blue lighting and extraordinarily comfy leather chairs! A glass of champagne was duly ordered and I laid back and thought to myself can life get any better?! I also took the opportunity to call my Mother and a few friends on one of Virgin’s many provided telephones. Impressed to see that calls were not restricted and national / mobile calls were OK. ^ Virgin.

Half an hour later and I had no time to waste as it was time to go lounge hopping! A walk through the zoo…



… and I found myself at the entrance to the Ikea lounge. The receptionist politely reminded me that a) SQ had their own lounge here and b) I was flying First Class and this was only a business class lounge, however when I told her I just wanted to have a look she was more than happy for me to enter and explore. The lounge is based on two floors with a surprisingly good food/snack offering. When I was there it was very busy, but I imagine at a quieter time this lounge would be very nice.








Given its location, right at the entrance to the T3 gate area, I imagine most *G members use this lounge rather than the SQ C lounge which is out the way down towards gate 1. Five minutes later and it was time to head off there…

It was now about 1930 when I presented myself at the SQ F lounge.




I was shown to the left and entered the F lounge (the C lounge is to the right of reception and up the stairs) which was absolutely empty, apart from two very bored-looking ‘hosts’. They perked up as soon as I entered and seemed genuinely happy to see somebody in their lounge! I chatted with the gentleman about the differences between here and the Clubhouse, he described it as being “Funky, but very Americanised” whereas his lounge was “refined, and more of club”. I thought this was a very fair assessment. However there can be no denying that the SQ F lounge is just a rectangular room with plenty of chairs and tables. It is effectively a waiting room, where as the Clubhouse is in my opinion, an experience. I wonder how many SQ F and J passengers never go to the clubhouse as they are unaware of the privilege? I only knew about it through FT and certainly no SQ member of staff at LHR told me about it. Perhaps that’s for the best? Anyway, I did notice that n comparison to the Clubhouse there were no telephones provided by SQ in the lounge, apart from one fax machine with a sticker on it saying no outbound calls. Very stingy SQ, for an F lounge. SQ. Anyway pics below of the F lounge and the hot food available (rubbish when one compares the availability in the VS Clubhouse: http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/tridi...cm4-590746.pdf).







I planned now to visit the two T3 Priority Pass lounges, but as it was now pushing 2000 and I wanted to have a shower before my facial I decided to head straight back to the Clubhouse. Servisair Lounge vs Virgin Clubhouse… Humm, a bit like a big Chocolate Cake vs Celery! Yuk.

The VS receptionist remembered me and invited me straight in, where upon I left my shoes for shining with the man by the door (lovely chap), and headed to the spa suite for a shower…






… Which was in fact a steam and normal shower in one. Having never had a steam shower before, I found it slightly odd but ultimately calming and relaxing. This was duly followed by a lovely twenty five minute facial, which included a really pleasant chat with my VS masseuse who has worked for Virgin for 10 years, five years of which as one of their on-board masseuses. Anyway, following that I lounge about on one of the chairs that dangled form the ceiling (very cool) and at 2125, I collected my shoes and hand luggage and set off for T3 Gate 19.

On arrival at the gate area I found a long queue stretching out past the toilets and almost to the next gate. Now without meaning to sound snobbish here, I hadn’t blown a huge amount of airmiles on First Class to stand in a long queue just to get into the gate area! So, I made my way past the queue and arriving at the front a member of staff who was dealing with a wheelchair Business Class passenger saw my red First Class BP and just left him on his own and greeted me at the gate entrance by name and escorted to the BP check inside the gate. Excellent service, though I did feel bad for the disabled man!

I had timed my lounge departure well as just as I entered the gate area, the call was made for First and business class passengers to head down airbridge 1 to door L1. With great excitement (and perhaps a little trepidation) I slowly walked down the airbridge to my home for the next twelve hours. Trolley bag in my right hand, BP and passport in my left hand I approached the Singapore Airlines Boeing 747 Megatop for the very first time. I had arrived.

Photo of my aircraft (pic taken at SIN):



And before I even stepped onto the plane, one of the stewards had somehow seen the seat number on my BP from some five metres away, greeted me “Good Evening Mr MCS?, and taken my hand luggage from me. The leading stewardess (wow, I could look at her all day!!) showed me to my seat followed by the stewards who started to stow my hand luggage in the overhead locker. Wow, it was like having personal maids and butlers! The cabin was still empty, so I took the opportunity to snap some pics before the 8 other passengers made it onboard.






The load this evening was eight of twelve, with 1B, 2D, 3F and 4F all remaining empty, this was perfect for me in 2F as it meant I had the whole of the front right of the cabin to myself.

Then came the moment I had dreamed of occurred, and perhaps I should change my handle to… “Dom Perignon or Krug Sir?”. Well, having never I tried either I asked if I could do a blind testing! The steward thought this was a great idea and offered me glass 1 and glass 2 (original names, ey?). Well I can confirm that I officially prefer glass 1 which was… Krug! I found it had a more pleasant taste, and also the DP was way too sparkling for my liking. With that, the Dom was removed and my glass of Krug was never left less than half empty!

Blind Testing:


Krug and Roasted Nuts:



The crew then came round with my Salvatore Ferragami Amenity Kit, Givenchy Pyjamas, and noise cancelling headphones (which I declined as I have my own pair of Bose QC2s). The man in a grey jacket, who introduced himself as the Inflight Supervisor welcomed me onboard and confirmed I had a Kosher meal booked, but also presented me with a leather-bound menu in case I fancied choosing anything from their options as well. This was a very nice touch, as other carriers including BA F and UA F have said to me in the past that I can only have from the main menu if no other passengers chose my option first. Whereas SQ simply told me to have whatever I liked, when I liked, and even both if I preferred! The menu contents is below:

SUPPER

Appetisers
- Duckliver terrine with date chutney and fig
- Rock lobster and avocado tartare garnished with baby lettuces and cherry tomoato
- (KSML: Selection of smoked fish with fruit)

Soups

- Cream of Jerusalem artichoke soup with procuitto ham and chives
- Double- boiled chicken soup with ginseng

Salad
- Caesar Salad

Main Courses
- Salmon fillet with crushed green peas and pea cream, carrot and new potatoes
- Roasted beef fillet served with morel sauce, roasted assorted vegetables and gratinated potato
- Indian style chicken tikka in masala spices with braised lentils and cumin rice
- Stir fried prawns in preserved black bean sauce served with seasonal vegetables and fried noodles
- Roasted vegetables and ricotta cheese lasagne with tomato coulis and arugula salad

Desserts
- Warm apricot frangipane in chocolate tart with vanilla ice cream and raspberry

Cheeses
- Assorted cheese platter served with dried fruit, grapes, nuts and cracker

Fruits
- Fresh fruits in season
LIGHT BITES

Noodles
- Fish ball noodle soup

Sandwiches
- Assorted savoury finger sandwiches
- Roasted vegetables and houmous wrap

Snacks
- Cashew, almond or macademia nuts
- Potato chips
- Chocolate bar
- Cereal
- Assorted Walkers Biscuit
- A selection from the fruit basket
- Assorted cheeses with garnishes
BEFORE TOUCH DOWN

Juices
- A choice of apple, tomato or freshly squeezed orange juice

Fruits
- Fresh fruit plate

Starters
- Choice of cereals or yoghurt

Entrees
- Rice porridge cooked with prawns, scallops and sliced fish and topped with Chinese cruellers
- Braised egg noodles with soya flavoured chicken, leafy greens and mushroom
- Bubble and squeak
- Fresh eggs with grilled ham or smoked salmon, slow roasted vine and ripened tomato, sautéed mushrooms

From the bakery
Assorted breakfast pastries and bread with butter, jam, marmalade or honey
DRINKS

Champagnes
- Dom Perignon 1999
- Krug Grande Cuvee

White Wines
- Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2006 Marlborough
- Meursault Les Clous 2005 Bouchard Pere et Fils

Red Wines
- Chateau Cos d’Estournet 1999 Saint- Estephe
- Mr Riggs The Gaffer Shiraz 2005 McLaren Vale, Australia

Port
- Graham’s 20 Year Old Tawny Port Portugal

Cocktails
- Fruit Spritzer (Mix of the Month)
- Silver Kris Sling
- Daiquiri
- Jubilee Lining
- Kris in Love
- Rumba
- Skyhigh
- Apple Bliss
- Awaiting the Golden Dawn
- Tropical Fizz

All- Time Favourites
- Singapore Sling
- Solitaire Dreams
- Tropical Sparkle
- Orange Cooler

Appetising Aperitifs
- Campari
- Dry Vermouth

Spirits
- Macallan 12 years old single malt whickey
- Cognac XO – Hennessy
- Johnnie Walker Blue Label
- Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey
- Bombay Sapphire Gin
- Smirnoff Red Label Vodka
- Bacardi Superior

Liqueurs
- Cointreau
- Bailey’s Original Irish Cream

Beer
- Tiger

Gourmet Coffees
- Brazil Santos Bourbon
- Colombian Supremo
- Jamaican Blue Mountain
- Kenyan AA ‘Kilimanjaro’

Tea Selection
- Pure Ceylon Tea
- Earl Grey
- Darjeeling
- Camomile
- Decaffeinated Tea
- Fruit Tea
- Japanese Green Tea
- Chinese Jasmine Tea
- Mint Tea

Speciality Coffee
- Brewed Coffee
- Café Royal
- Espresso
- Cappuccino
- Café Latte
- Café au Lait
- Decaffeinated Coffee
- Mocha

Other Beverages
- Chocolate
- Ovaltine
- Milo

Mineral Water
- Sparkiling
- Still

Fruit Juices
- Apple
- Orange
- Pineapple
- Tomato

Soft Drinks
- Bitter Lemon
- Coke
- Coke Light
- Ginger Ale
- 7- UP

Milk
- Full Cream
- Low Fat
I started to explore the AVOD system which I can report back as being truly amazing. A huge screen, and so many different things to watch / play! I duly watched many programs including: Alvin & The Chipmunks (for old time’s sake!), House (x2), Numb3rs, Criminal Minds as well as playing Super Mario Bros, again for old time’s sake!!


After take-off, the seat-belt sign was switched off very quickly and the crew literally jumped into action (I heard their seatbelts unclip!). I was presented with another glass of Krug and was asked if I had made my selections for dinner. I had, and requested the Kosher starter followed by the Ceasar Salad and the Vegetarian Pasta. Photos are all below, including one of the Houmous and Vegetable Wrap which I requested half-way through the flight.

F Tablecloth (look closely!!)


Placesetting:


Bread:


Starter:


Salad:


Main Course:


Mid-flight Wrap:




I enjoyed the food immensely and after everything was cleared away, I sat back watching a movie, thinking how lucky I was to had found FT which had ultimately led me to collecting airmiles and allowing me to go on this trip.

About 30 minutes after the food had been cleared, I got up for the toilet. One member of crew asked me if I’d like my seat turned into a bed, which I kindly accepted, and another stood by the toilet (there are 2 for maximum 12 F passengers) and opened the door for me. This was one of the small points of service that for me differentiated SQ F from other carrier’s F product. I returned to find a very inviting bed with under-sheet, duvet and fluffy pillow! As the cabin was pitch black I refrained from taking a photo, as without flash it would have been pointless, and with flash would have been unfair of my other F peers.

I lay in bed, watching movies and although trying not to fall too deeply asleep as arrival time in SIN would be early evening, I fell fast asleep for a good six hours. This is certainly the longest I’ve ever slept on an aircraft. ^^

The rest of the flight seemed to go very quickly, including breakfast which I went for the continental option, and only remembered to take one pic… sorry!



As the flight drew to a close, all the crew came up individually and thanked me for flying with them, which I felt was a very nice touch. The leading stewardess took my clothes form the cupboard and asked me if I was ready to change… I said I’d be a couple of minutes as I was just packing up a couple of things (including ‘liberating’ the F menu still in its leather binder!!). When I did make my way back to change, the stewardess manually unlocked one of the toilets and told me my clothes were hung up inside! This was incredible service and really summed up SQ for me!

We landed slightly early and as I left the aircraft I realised that had been far and away the best flight of the 160ish I’ve ever taken. I noticed we’d parked next to one of the three A380s…



The final example of classic SQ service was as I walked to immigration at Singapore, I saw one of the F stewards run past me with a shopping bag which he re-united with one of the other F passengers who had obviously left it onboard. Simply superb.

Singapore Airlines First Class… officially amazing!
More Champagne Sir? is offline  
Old Apr 5, 2008, 5:06 pm
  #2  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Programs: BA
Posts: 3,890
Report and pics from the InterContinental Singapore to come...

(As well as SIN-BKK on SQ F and BKK-MXP on TG F)
More Champagne Sir? is offline  
Old Apr 5, 2008, 5:20 pm
  #3  
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: MFE / SAT
Programs: UA Premier Silver, Hyatt Platinum, Marriott Silver
Posts: 3,681
Great report so far.
OPFlyer is offline  
Old Apr 5, 2008, 5:25 pm
  #4  
 
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Singapore
Posts: 2,314
A wonderful, wonderful trip report so far More Champagne Sir?!

As a fellow Diamond Club member, I am very pleased that you had an enjoyable experience on board Singapore Airlines' First Class to Singapore!

I look forward to the next leg to Bangkok!
Singapore_Air is offline  
Old Apr 5, 2008, 5:52 pm
  #5  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Soon to be LEGT
Posts: 10,928
Fantastic report! Keep it up! ^
graraps is offline  
Old Apr 5, 2008, 6:08 pm
  #6  
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Birmingham, West Midlands, UK
Programs: Mucci, BMI*G, M&M SEN, FB Gold, PC Plat, Father of GhettoIFE
Posts: 3,972
More Krug Sir?... you're making me jealous!

Looing forward to the rest of the report! ^
Kevincm is offline  
Old Apr 5, 2008, 6:11 pm
  #7  
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: HAM
Programs: LH (*gold) / EK / Flying Blue / BMI (*silver)
Posts: 335
What an impressive start of an impressive trip(report). I´m waiting for more....
mijugo is offline  
Old Apr 5, 2008, 7:49 pm
  #8  
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Dallas, TX
Programs: Bonvoy Titanium, Hyatt Globalist, Hertz Gold
Posts: 1,380
wonderful start to the report. I agree the Virgin Clubhouse looks amazing! I had to giggle about the GA leaving the disabled man to assist you!! lol!
TravisMT81 is offline  
Old Apr 5, 2008, 10:24 pm
  #9  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 23,999
Excellent stuff so far, can't wait for more!^
lucky9876coins is offline  
Old Apr 6, 2008, 12:36 am
  #10  
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: London, UK
Programs: AA 2MM - PLT, BA GGL, SPG Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 6,221
Nice report MKS?, I am looking forward to the rest of the report.
Moomba is offline  
Old Apr 6, 2008, 1:14 am
  #11  
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: TSV, Australia
Posts: 2,401
Very good read so far. Thanks.
camsean is offline  
Old Apr 6, 2008, 1:37 am
  #12  
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Midwest
Posts: 94
Great report. Love the details. Can't wait to read more.
Sibons is offline  
Old Apr 6, 2008, 1:47 am
  #13  
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: JNB
Programs: Air France Platinum - Qatar Airways Gold
Posts: 1,659
Fantastic TR! It looks like we'll have 3 TRs for the price of 1... Waiting for the next installment... ^
Falco Peregrinus is offline  
Old Apr 6, 2008, 2:05 am
  #14  
 
Join Date: May 2001
Location: RNO, NV, USA.
Programs: UA 2MM
Posts: 5,038
Great trip report!

Perhaps you could clarify for me, does SQ F allow you access to the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse? I'm confused because VS is not *A.
restlessinRNO is offline  
Old Apr 6, 2008, 2:12 am
  #15  
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Scotland
Programs: BA, BD, AF, LH, AA, EK, Hilton, ICHG, SPG
Posts: 1,500
Great stuff, MCS? ^

I booked my first *A redemption just a few days ago, for January next year, and it involves SQ F. Can't wait now!

Last edited by Steady-EDI; Apr 6, 2008 at 8:55 am Reason: Missing letter!
Steady-EDI is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.