SQ Tips, Trips and Tales

[lovestotravel]

Guess you have missed the numerous posters in this thread who said SQ J is not what is used to be...... and the numerous food/service issues

 

[Quickstatus]

Flying commercial is a compromise. Nothing wrong or illogical with criticising an airline while still flying with them. The grass is never greener, but we don't need to pretend that it is green.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

No I have read every post - may be you missed all my posts pointing out how SQ soft product is not what it was pre Covid - but to post such as:

No J is still quite disapointing and my dislike for the A350 regional and crews doesn't help!

When the 1 thing that has not deteriorated on SQ is Crew service delivery - again service complaints probably say more about the pax in SQ R / F and J that the Crew serving them

 

[Quickstatus]

Crew service delivery

Though opinion re this is (like most airline opinions) is usually highly subjective...especially as it is based in different reference points.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Interesting that last week SQ web site was showing W/L available for return of 380 SIN-PVG post June 1 - I secured W/L R MEL-SIN-PVG July 22/23 but within a day or so all W/L display disappeared from SQ web site - we live in strange times

 

[I love to travel]

Interesting that last week SQ web site was showing W/L available for return of 380 SIN-PVG post June 1 - I secured W/L R MEL-SIN-PVG July 22/23 but within a day or so all W/L display disappeared from SQ web site - we live in strange times

I am giving up on my F waitlist clearing on 9 May. Loads are just too high.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

I am giving up on my F waitlist clearing on 9 May. Loads are just too high.

I am kinda hopeful mine might confirm - check of flts and R/F cabins both flts empty ATPIT - time will tell

 

[I love to travel]

I am kinda hopeful mine might confirm - check of flts and R/F cabins both flts empty ATPIT - time will tell

Same date?

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Jul 22 238 MEL-SIN / Jul 23 830 SIN-PVG

 

[boomy]

Service is very subjective, hard to judge. Pax have different needs and expectations and sometimes there can be service issues. Personally I’ve only experienced good service with SQ in their lounges and onboard but I consider myself quite low maintenance, just keep my wine glass full and I’m happy sound simple right? Well for SQ it is but you’d be surprised how hard it can be for some crews on other airlines…

Regarding J hard product, this is much less subjective. 350 / 787 regional config are not great, to say the least. There are off course solutions such as booking 380, 777 or 350 long haul config but not everyone has flexibility to select the best metal, particularly if based outside MEL or SYD.

Now TBH even in the better aircrafts SQ J hard product is not exactly cutting edge but it’s not bad either IMO and if scoring bulkhead seats the space is almost as good as in F.

In terms of hard product and meals I’d say there are quite a few airlines that do better job in J. Few I can think about on the spot are BR, CI, JL, NH and QR.

However, SQ has some big advantages no other airlines servicing Australia have. The most important is award availability using KF or VA miles. The other big advantage is the fact they have a lot of flights to Australia which means flexibility in departure time with the ability to tailor convenient connections in SIN. Also, more pax can depart from their own states without wasting time transferring in MEL or SYD.

 

[Quickstatus]

choccies for the A380 crew, per advice of @Cruiser Elite . H

Service is very subjective, hard to judge.

People must be expecting a level of service without unlocking it with choccies.

What we need is a comparo between a service with and service without choccies. Choccies must be a standard Lindt of course

 

[RooFlyer]

People must be expecting a level of service without unlocking it with choccies.

i’ve never done it before and I thought I’d give it ago. In First, I don’t think there can be any question of sucking up to get better service. Just a nice thing to do and indeed it was received graciously by the leading crew members. It’s for sharing amongst the whole crew though

 

[Quickstatus]

Just a nice thing to do

Yes agree. My comment was the "in jest" type.

When are you going to give it?

 

[RooFlyer]

Yes agree. My comment was the "in jest" type.

When are you going to give it?

Ah, OK

At the start. Normally I would’ve given things in retrospect but CE reckons at the start, so that’s what I did.

 

[Quickstatus]

To your FA? Or do you summon the LSS?

Ok I'll try it in 3 weeks

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Giving chockies or such is not an attempt to ‘freak out crew’ as some might suggest but it’s a small token of appreciation - yes you are in premium cabin and hence service experience should be exemplary and always is - BUT - if you have done 100s of flts in Y on SQ as I have done you would have seen some of the treatment Crew rcvd from pax - even throwing a meal in a Crew members face - so $20 worth of chockies for entire Crew to share is always greatly appreciated

Back to normal transmission Rooey - you were saying?

 

[boomy]

People must be expecting a level of service without unlocking it with choccies.

What we need is a comparo between a service with and service without choccies. Choccies must be a standard Lindt of course

Might not be popular opinion but I’m not a fan of the choccies practice. I know both Cruiser and RooFlyer personally and convinced they do it from a good place but it does create expectations with the crew. I can comment from my own experience flying QF a lot over the years (much more than SQ) I’ve seen it countless times, pax giving a little something upon boarding and receive preferred treatment later. It can be glass of wine from J when in Dom Y or amenities from J when in Int Y or glass of champagne from F when in Int J. It’s basically quid pro quo and not even done discretely as I could easily see it so many times. That approach IMO is wrong and can lead to bribe culture of who’s giving more to get better treatment. Occasionally I’ve even seen pax bringing large baskets of goodies onboard like they come to a house party, not commercial flight

Again, I know many do it for the right reasons just to be nice to the crew not expecting anything in return but others do it with clear expectations for preferred treatment, particularly in lower cabins (not so much in F). If someone really feels the need to give the crew something as a token of appreciation maybe do it at the end of the flight so it doesn’t look bad and put the crew in an uncomfortable position.

Another option to show appreciation is towards the end of the flight ask the CSM to write down the names of all crew members who served the cabin and an email to leave feedback. Some positive comments can really benefit and encourage cabin crew to keep up the good work

 

[Mr H]

Might not be popular opinion but I’m not a fan of the choccies practice. I know both Cruiser and RooFlyer personally and convinced they do it from a good place but it does create expectations with the crew.

I agree with this. I did not want to post in a way that rained on anyone's parade, but we do not live in a tipping culture and I do not find tipping cultures attractive. I try to give back to the crew by being courteous, authentic and smiling.

 

[boomy]

I agree with this. I did not want to post in a way that rained on anyone's parade, but we do not live in a tipping culture and I do not find tipping cultures attractive. I try to give back to the crew by being courteous, authentic and smiling.

We are all adults here and open for debate, don’t be afraid to post your opinions even if not always the most popular.

I’m with you re-tipping, hate them with a passion and I grew up in a country where tipping is common practice.

 

[Quickstatus]

convinced they do it from a good place but it does create expectations with the crew.

Yes, it is impossible to completely eliminate a the quid pro quo from a gift even though the gifter does not expect it