SQ A380 J SIN to HKG

[markis10]

I have been looking to try the SQ A380 in J for sometime and an opportunity came up last weekend, with Avianca miles redeemed for a seat on SQ856 to HKG. SQ have two A380 configs, with this flight being operated by the aircraft that has J across the entire upper deck, so I was keen to compare it with QF.

Check in was qucik and efficient and I was soon in the Silver Kris lounge in T3 keen to have breakfast, as I left the hotel at 6AM and took the SMRT for $2.10!
Had to laugh at the comment on Foursquare by one poster saying it was easily the best lounge they had ever been in, I suspect it was a small sample.

 

[markis10]

I settled on some Breakfast, the dumplings being a highlight.

 

[markis10]

In the interest of taking one for the AFF team I did some research into what liquid breakfast options were on offer:





I also noted the Business centre, plenty of Macs, no printer:

 

[markis10]

Soon it was off to the gate for boarding, using a gate which had shared holding facilities with a few others:

 

[markis10]

It was a quick priority boarding experience then upstairs to an empty J cabin.



My seat for the next 4 hours - 22K



After landing I was keen to find out the aircraft age, it seemed quite worn and clearly showing signs of wear and a lack f clear with cleaning:





I am hoping it was food stains rather than the leftover effects from turbulence and an upset stomach.

 

[markis10]

Looks like the app is downsizing the photos a bit much, here is a close up:

 

[lovestotravel]

That's a shame, hope SQ starts to look after their older A380's a little more as the new J/F product is not even slated to go into them

They can be up to 5 years old and will have to fly another 5+ years without a refit ?

 

[markis10]

The menu:

 

[markis10]

More of the menu.

 

[markis10]

And what I chose:









The croissant was reported missing on arrival to the police, there is clear evidence in the photo of its existence, my stomach is the prime suspect. I was not sure how I would like the Mango Brûlée, suffice to say on tasting it went quicker than the croissant, very nice.

 

[markis10]

The seat over the four hours I found something that was hard to get used to, its so wide you tend to favour one corner to another, I could just not get comfortable. The IFE was OK, however the PC power and USB ports are clearly not designed for todays environment, both USB ports are not 2.1A compatible for iPAD charging, so I took out my Apple charge and it would not work with the PC power point in the seat.

About that time I noticed in the Duty Free catalog this product for SGD $39 and hit the call button:

Within ten minutes I had it and lo and behold, it worked on the PC power point and charged my iPAD at full speed.

KRISSHOP - SINGAPORE AIRLINES

Think I found my new never lose gadget for USB charging.

 

[markis10]

Soon it was time to land, which was very smooth. I had not been to HKG for a while, and don't remember seeing so many Gulfstreams and Global Expresses, this shot is about 10% of them, maybe there was a bizjet owners junket in HKG!

 

[markis10]

Summary:

Value - For $600 worth of points - OK.

What I liked.

The food - excellent and a good example of what can be done when you take breakfast seriously, for a western option in Asia it was great.

Priority Boarding - worked well

Lounge - Good food selection, but busy, hardly the best IMHO.


What I did not like.

The service - had to ask for a Champers top up three times - never offered without request. Compared to my VS flight after this one, no comparison, a bit of a worry when a British airline can beat SQ in that department - the plane was 50% in J.

The seat - hard to get comfortable in, and as previously mentioned needed a clean, or a bit of love. I am now happy to fly regional J ex BNE, I think its just as good, the seat more comfortable and I am not missing much, of course this was not an overnight flight where the A380 will shine, but as I have day options ex SIN to BNE I will take them wherever possible, making the choice easy.

 

[dajop]

I also noted the Business centre, plenty of Macs, no printer:

I know in the QF lounge the printer is a big deal. FWIW, in SQ SKL at SIN, you can ask staff to print, either from your own memory device or one they will happily share with you.

 

[loungepax]

Good trip report, enjoyed reading it & pretty good pics there!

 

[Sprucegoose]

Thanks Markis, good report, however disturbing to see the dirty seats. The SQ of old would be horrified. They are not making as much money these days, corners are being cut.

 

[Jim Walsh]

Torbreck is a $25 bottle of wine, you would have thought they would do better. But seems to be the norm in J

 

[cove]

I liked the concept of markis10 taking one for the team....is that champagne cold and bubbly is a great start!
This week on a QF J seat a paddle pop had melted on the dinner tray and inner workings of the tray mechanism. My companion was a QF first officer so he reported it after checking to see it wasn't chunder. He spotted the paddle pop stick so that put him more at ease but I wasn't sure how you could clean the inside tray mechanism without removing and dis-assembling the seat.
Aircraft cleaning is nowhere near as thorough in 2013. Fortunately food and beverage at SQ Changi in business, first class and TPR is impressive.

 

[Major]

Is it possible to add your purchase of

KORJO 4 X USB HUB POWER ADAPT0R

to the AFF store ?

 

[Nizar]

They are not making as much money these days, corners are being cut.

Or maybe corners are being cut so they could make more money ?
Less $$ spent on maintenance = more $$ to the bottom line in the short term ?