SQ Tips, Trips and Tales

[stm1sydney]

SKL T2 opens back up 11 Oct (tomorrow). Should ease the SKL T3 crowd.

 

[BCons]

Just wanted to have a say about our first SQ flights in a few years - Mel/LHR end Aug, and Zrh/Mel early Oct, mostly in F in 777's.

(also need to confess that we were unfaithful earlier this year and went to Europe with one of the MEG's, because SQ just didnt have the schedules. But thats in the past now, anyway it was underwhelming, and I swear we wont do that again..)

Not much to say about SQ 208 from Mel - the regional A350 seat layout in J, staff onboard were great of course, but nothing sparkly offered and Mel ground service people seem to be learning on the job... The only issue to concern us might have been the 45 min transit time in Sin to SQ 306. That meant no time for a lounge visit or anything, other than wondering how possibly an airline could organise a bag transfer so quickly..

Shouldnt have worried - walked off at gate A16 and walked back into the gate lounge at A14. So we boarded with maybe 5 mins waiting, and straight into the arms of Dominic and ?? , with Dom and Krug at shoulder arms in the 4-seat F cabin .. Hours of that, some burgundy, caviar and sleep later we landed in Heathrow to.. not much at all, apart from a world-record long walk to Immigration. There wasnt much of a queue, and it was organised efficiently (no ridiculous slalom course around the ropes this time) so we walked straight up to an electronic passport reader and then had only a few minutes waiting for our bags - enough time to check that the luggage Airtags had followed us, despite the quick turnround in Sin..

Coming home was the best bit - Zurich is a pretty nice place to catch a plane - trains every 5-10 mins from the city's main railway stn, free bag trollies that you can take from the platform up and down escalators to check-in (think theres a magnetic 'catch' that holds them - impressive), and an easy check-in. There are a few choke points around security and then way down below ground for outward immigration, but once on the shuttle train out to terminal E its an easy walk up to the Swiss lounges (J and F, or Senator) on the top floor.

On a cool sunny morning, with the trim, even green of Switzerland right up to the tarmac and planes right there, an outside deck is a wonderful thing. A tonic that extended onboard SQ 345, the single daily flt from Zrh. We were in 1E and D, but seat 1F was vacant, so that allowed me a view after takeoff of the Alps extending down into Italy with the Lake Garda, curve of the Venice/Trieste coast down to Istria plain to see. All done with a glass of sparkling, and thats how I like it!

We arrived early into Singapore next morning, where we had an 18h layover. Living in Hobart, and with reduced domestic scheds, it was a better option to wait in Sin than to spend a night in Mel or Syd, before finding a flight down to Paradise... So goodbye to the lovely pair looking after us onboard, walk thru Immigration and then back upstairs in T3 and along to the Crowne Plaza hotel at the end of the terminal. 30 minutes tops, from gate to hotel room. CP recently added an extra wing to this place, named 'Jewel' after the glass waterfall and Mall experience next door. Nice rooms, tho they should make the controls for the full height, full width window blind in the bathroom a bit more obvious. Its disconcerting to see traffic and distant windows as you step into the shower..

Anyway, a few hours sleep, a swim, late lunch and walk around Jewel, and we were ready to surrender ourselves to the bosom of the new Private Room in the middle of T3. Its actually a bit smaller than I thought, and a bit less comfortable too.. Chairs were hard, dining seats slightly too low for the table and the place was actually too quiet to relax - you know when everyone can hear every word ? Very nice dinner and good, personable service, but the staff werent quite on top of things - I could swear that two separate red wines were a bit 'off' - either open too long and 'porty' or possibly not well-kept during the big shutdown ? Anyway, that was an issue beyond the capacity of staff to discuss, so I didnt push it.

I actually though the adjacent F lounge was more relaxed, maybe because it was busier, but the seating didnt feel any more comfortable. At least the wine, self-served from a dispensing system, tasted fresh and bright.

There were several gates shown on the board for SQ 237 to Melb until eventually it settled on one of the 'C' gates. Thats a long walk (we took the train ). It was near midnight, peak hour and busy, and there were a number of flight shown departing from T2, so be on your toes if you are in transit and keep an eye on the departures board..

Sin/Mel is such a short flight that its not really worth trying to enjoy yourself. Well, not too much.. Theres a limited dinner service and it pays to listen to cabin staff suggestions about wake-up and breakfast times. They held off waking us until descent had begun, but then it was a coordinated effort to get down a bit of brekkie, clean up the bed, get changed out of the SQ jimjams, and be ready to face real life back in Aust.

Still, some of the best flights we have taken with SQ - some things might be different but the service, care and attention remain. Til the next time!

 

[M@rcoPolo]

I have 150K SQ miles expiring at the end of March 2023 - planning to use them for a trip to Europe in May / June 2023

Q1: can I use these mile to book a flight with a depart date later than the mile's expiry date?
Q2: if I need to change flight dates after March 31, can I still do so?

 

[daft009]

I have 150K SQ miles expiring at the end of March 2023 - planning to use them for a trip to Europe in May / June 2023

Q1: can I use these mile to book a flight with a depart date later than the mile's expiry date?
Q2: if I need to change flight dates after March 31, can I still do so?

Q1: definitely yes. I've done that myself
Q2: i would like to know too for sure but I think you can reschedule upto ~350 days again in advance IIRC


Recently on SQ221 (8.40pm take off from SIN) arrives in Sydney at 6am (7am now). and they only served dinner after take off. Nothing was served at all in the morning for brekkie. I'm in 2 minds. i think the extra sleep was better but I landed quite hungry lol

Pre-covid SQ221 had dinner & breakfast I remember

 

[N860CR]

For interests sake, this is the latest menu for 222. Book the cook is a bit sad ex SYD at the moment.

 

[jase05]

For interests sake, this is the latest menu for 222. Book the cook is a bit sad ex SYD at the moment.

Thought BTC was a bit underwhelming out of BNE last week so didn’t bother. Luckily I ate a decent fill in the lounge though as we departed at midnight and orders were taken for breakfast only and staff said lights out shortly with no meal offered. Overall I wasn’t impressed with the flight and felt the service was a bit rusty

 

[daft009]

For interests sake, this is the latest menu for 222. Book the cook is a bit sad ex SYD at the moment.

Yeah I had the same menu late last month. Ended up going for the beef on the normal menu

 

[N860CR]

Yeah I had the same menu late last month. Ended up going for the beef on the normal menu

I’ll report back on the duck. Find beef to be a bit to hit and miss.

 

[RB]

For interests sake, this is the latest menu for 222. Book the cook is a bit sad ex SYD at the moment.

Recently had the Salmon in wild lime butter & quite liked it

 

[daft009]

I’ll report back on the duck. Find beef to be a bit to hit and miss.

I had the duck in August. Quite liked it. Looked dry when it arrived but wasn't

Quite healthy too

 

[PDog]

Just wanted to have a say about our first SQ flights in a few years - Mel/LHR end Aug, and Zrh/Mel early Oct, mostly in F in 777's.

(also need to confess that we were unfaithful earlier this year and went to Europe with one of the MEG's, because SQ just didnt have the schedules. But thats in the past now, anyway it was underwhelming, and I swear we wont do that again..)

Not much to say about SQ 208 from Mel - the regional A350 seat layout in J, staff onboard were great of course, but nothing sparkly offered and Mel ground service people seem to be learning on the job... The only issue to concern us might have been the 45 min transit time in Sin to SQ 306. That meant no time for a lounge visit or anything, other than wondering how possibly an airline could organise a bag transfer so quickly..

...only a few minutes waiting for our bags - enough time to check that the luggage Airtags had followed us, despite the quick turnround in Sin..

*snipped / butchered!

Thanks for the detailed update - about time we went back to ZRH!

Not sure if you were aware, but the SingaporeAir app tracks your bags for you. You can see when they left one plane and were put on the next. Such an easy thing but really valuable. We flew in July when others were losing what seemed like every other bag. We had the opposite problem: a ~20 hr layover, so were a little nervous, but sitting in the lounge had confirmation they were on the plane before us.

Airtags - perfect for when bags go the wrong way though.

 

[auriga]

I had a one hour connection at SIN (to KUL), but my bag failed to make it on the connecting flight.
Had to wait a couple of hours at KUL for my bag to arrive on the next flight.

 

[MARTINE]

Just wanted to have a say about our first SQ flights in a few years - Mel/LHR end Aug, and Zrh/Mel early Oct, mostly in F in 777's.

(also need to confess that we were unfaithful earlier this year and went to Europe with one of the MEG's, because SQ just didnt have the schedules. But thats in the past now, anyway it was underwhelming, and I swear we wont do that again..)

Not much to say about SQ 208 from Mel - the regional A350 seat layout in J, staff onboard were great of course, but nothing sparkly offered and Mel ground service people seem to be learning on the job... The only issue to concern us might have been the 45 min transit time in Sin to SQ 306. That meant no time for a lounge visit or anything, other than wondering how possibly an airline could organise a bag transfer so quickly..

Shouldnt have worried - walked off at gate A16 and walked back into the gate lounge at A14. So we boarded with maybe 5 mins waiting, and straight into the arms of Dominic and ?? , with Dom and Krug at shoulder arms in the 4-seat F cabin .. Hours of that, some burgundy, caviar and sleep later we landed in Heathrow to.. not much at all, apart from a world-record long walk to Immigration. There wasnt much of a queue, and it was organised efficiently (no ridiculous slalom course around the ropes this time) so we walked straight up to an electronic passport reader and then had only a few minutes waiting for our bags - enough time to check that the luggage Airtags had followed us, despite the quick turnround in Sin..

Coming home was the best bit - Zurich is a pretty nice place to catch a plane - trains every 5-10 mins from the city's main railway stn, free bag trollies that you can take from the platform up and down escalators to check-in (think theres a magnetic 'catch' that holds them - impressive), and an easy check-in. There are a few choke points around security and then way down below ground for outward immigration, but once on the shuttle train out to terminal E its an easy walk up to the Swiss lounges (J and F, or Senator) on the top floor.

On a cool sunny morning, with the trim, even green of Switzerland right up to the tarmac and planes right there, an outside deck is a wonderful thing. A tonic that extended onboard SQ 345, the single daily flt from Zrh. We were in 1E and D, but seat 1F was vacant, so that allowed me a view after takeoff of the Alps extending down into Italy with the Lake Garda, curve of the Venice/Trieste coast down to Istria plain to see. All done with a glass of sparkling, and thats how I like it!

We arrived early into Singapore next morning, where we had an 18h layover. Living in Hobart, and with reduced domestic scheds, it was a better option to wait in Sin than to spend a night in Mel or Syd, before finding a flight down to Paradise... So goodbye to the lovely pair looking after us onboard, walk thru Immigration and then back upstairs in T3 and along to the Crowne Plaza hotel at the end of the terminal. 30 minutes tops, from gate to hotel room. CP recently added an extra wing to this place, named 'Jewel' after the glass waterfall and Mall experience next door. Nice rooms, tho they should make the controls for the full height, full width window blind in the bathroom a bit more obvious. Its disconcerting to see traffic and distant windows as you step into the shower..

Anyway, a few hours sleep, a swim, late lunch and walk around Jewel, and we were ready to surrender ourselves to the bosom of the new Private Room in the middle of T3. Its actually a bit smaller than I thought, and a bit less comfortable too.. Chairs were hard, dining seats slightly too low for the table and the place was actually too quiet to relax - you know when everyone can hear every word ? Very nice dinner and good, personable service, but the staff werent quite on top of things - I could swear that two separate red wines were a bit 'off' - either open too long and 'porty' or possibly not well-kept during the big shutdown ? Anyway, that was an issue beyond the capacity of staff to discuss, so I didnt push it.

I actually though the adjacent F lounge was more relaxed, maybe because it was busier, but the seating didnt feel any more comfortable. At least the wine, self-served from a dispensing system, tasted fresh and bright.

There were several gates shown on the board for SQ 237 to Melb until eventually it settled on one of the 'C' gates. Thats a long walk (we took the train ). It was near midnight, peak hour and busy, and there were a number of flight shown departing from T2, so be on your toes if you are in transit and keep an eye on the departures board..

Sin/Mel is such a short flight that its not really worth trying to enjoy yourself. Well, not too much.. Theres a limited dinner service and it pays to listen to cabin staff suggestions about wake-up and breakfast times. They held off waking us until descent had begun, but then it was a coordinated effort to get down a bit of brekkie, clean up the bed, get changed out of the SQ jimjams, and be ready to face real life back in Aust.

Still, some of the best flights we have taken with SQ - some things might be different but the service, care and attention remain. Til the next time!

Thanks
I am rusted on SQ afficionado over 25 years. Left MEL for FCO on first trip post-C 3 weeks ago. Tomorrow leaving in J from CPH on return.
Would have loved to book F but no possibility (atm) flying in-out MEL. The service remains superb especially on board and these people really love their work. Nothing too much trouble/stop and chat and remember the conversation we started a few hours ago when I refer back.
The contrast with internal European flights I took (I know smaller planes but still I am paying full business fares to squeeze on my hand luggage - and it is still supposed to be a service industry could not be more stark). Air Norwegian - I had a man in opp aisle of ‘So calledJ’ spend the entire flight on ground lying on his back snoring w feet in the air. After the purchased food service the remainder of a 3 hr flight not once did we see crew who constantly ate and chatted behind front curtain.
SQ - Its so good to be back

 

[JohnK]

I have a 16h20m overnight transit in SIN coming up end of October arriving ~8:45pm and departing ~1:05pm next day. I normally wouldn't transit that long but for ~$200-$300 saving on airfare it was a no brainer.

I've been toying with the idea of heading into a SIN hotel for the night but won't bother. May still head into SIN for a few hours but that's also more hassle than it's worth.

I assume the BNE flight arrives T3 and the BKK flight departs T2. I should be able to stay/sleep in lounge overnight.

Are the KrisFlyer Gold lounges open 24 hours again in all terminals?

 

[daft009]

I have a 16h20m overnight transit in SIN coming up end of October arriving ~8:45pm and departing ~1:05pm next day. I normally wouldn't transit that long but for ~$200-$300 saving on airfare it was a no brainer.

I've been toying with the idea of heading into a SIN hotel for the night but won't bother. May still head into SIN for a few hours but that's also more hassle than it's worth.

I assume the BNE flight arrives T3 and the BKK flight departs T2. I should be able to stay/sleep in lounge overnight.

Are the KrisFlyer Gold lounges open 24 hours again in all terminals?

As per this only T3 Gold is open 24hrs.T2 is still shut.

https://www.singaporeair.com/en_UK/us/flying-withus/before-the-flight/lounges/krisflyergold/

As per this T2 lounge reopened yesterday...

https://www.singaporeair.com/en_UK/sg/flying-withus/before-the-flight/lounges/silverkris/

 

[JohnK]

Thanks @daft009.

So looks like T3 KrisFlyer Gold lounge overnight as Velocity Gold.

 

[blackcat20]

Is there anyone flying SQ soon who could take a look at the duty free for me please? I'd like to get the Jellycat Polar bear which is an SQ exclusive, for Master TomCat but we aren't flying until next September.

KRIS JUNIOR POLAR BEAR BY JELLYCAT®

Kris Junior Polar Bear is a special collaboration between Singapore Airlines and the creator of the softest toys, Jellycat®. Featuring the airline's iconic batik motif, this velvety soft exclusive toy by Jellycat® makes a great gift for all ages. Dimensions: 31cm (H)

www.krisshop.com

Miss TomCat has the SQ puppy and he has become a bit attached to it

 

[drron]

The Polar bear is on special now for travellers and non travellers. You won't get it any cheaper on the plane and the sale ends soon so would probably cost more.

 

[blackcat20]

The Polar bear is on special now for travellers and non travellers. You won't get it any cheaper on the plane and the sale ends soon so would probably cost more.

It's showing as out of stock online which was why I was hoping anyone travelling might be able to keep an eye out for it.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Hey Catsville I am heading thru SIN Oct 25 if it helps?