SQ Tips, Trips and Tales

[dajop]

The loads on SQ248 really surprise me, J going out very full for a 4:30am wakeup for most

Good connections across SE Asia I guess, and further afield to Tokyo, Osaka, Paris, London and New York. Leave MEL @ 7am, arrive at LHR @ 7pm (or thereabouts), daytime almost all the way.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

I want this to be my life.

Could be easily arranged - he is quite short of friends so wouldn’t be difficult to get in his team - when he was a kid his mum had to tie a bone around his neck to even get the dog to play with him

 

[cagiva]

Anyone been to the lounge in ZRH recently? Flying back from there later in the year and haven't been there for some years. Need to find a reasonable hotel near the airport as well. Any recommendations? Thanks in advance.

 

[lovestotravel]

I have stayed at the Hilton many many times, I just like it there. It's nice, not amazing like many airport hotels.

It requires an free shuttle to/from the airport but it's only about 5 minutes. The shuttle has gone between free/chargeable so many times I've lost count.

ZRH lounge - Which is the Swiss Business Lounge - Was there about a year ago, I really liked the lounge, sorry no photos of the food/drinks/lounge area but it was nice walking in and the view is great on cold Winter morning.

It was breakfast so nothing amazing but it was quiet, relaxing and had enough to keep the kids and I happy.

 

[dajop]

Which class and do you have star alliance status? There are three lounges at ZRH in the long haul terminal, all operated by Swiss.

 

[cagiva]

Which class and do you have star alliance status? There are three lounges at ZRH in the long haul terminal, all operated by Swiss.

No status unfortunately, don't travel enough yet! Just flying in J.

 

[Captain Halliday]

Anyone been to the lounge in ZRH recently? Flying back from there later in the year and haven't been there for some years. Need to find a reasonable hotel near the airport as well. Any recommendations? Thanks in advance.

I was in ZRH in June and stayed at Hilton Zurich Airport.

My views on it can be found here.

 

[mel-world]

I agree with the comments about the ZRH Airport Hilton with a couple of caveats. Almost all rooms only come with a shower over a deep bath. I find these dangerous as you get older and less flexible. We managed to get an accessible room with no bath but a proper shower.

The hotel can get very busy with delays at check in and in the restaurant.

Other than that and the 10CHF charge to get to the airport, the location is convenient to a local train station - just walk down to the train and return (free) from the airport station, if you are doing any sightseeing. Both the local train and the shuttle operate each 30 mins.

 

[TiredOldFlyer]

Departed Zurich a week or so ago and as we had a hire car we stayed at
an Historic Hotel at Hohentengen just over the border into Germany, about
25 mins from Zurich (Kloten) Airport. In a rural setting on the river Rhine - a 300 year or more old building close to an interesting village. Half the price
of most of the Zurich Hotels and includes breakfast and no parking charge !
"Wasserstelz Historisches Genusshotel & Restaurant am Rhein"

 

[dajop]

No status unfortunately, don't travel enough yet! Just flying in J.

OK, so you get access to the Business Lounge which I think is the one @lovestotravel posted above.

Star Golds have access to the Senator Lounge which looks very similar to the Business Lounge, but does have a nice whiskey bar if you're into whiskeys (although not really great for the mid morning SQ departure! ).

The third lounge in Terminal E is the First Lounge, but of course you need to be in First to access that.

 

[LinaLee]

The third lounge in Terminal E is the First Lounge, but of course you need to be in First to access that.

I don’t think First in Terminal E is open to SQ first either as I asked when flying out last month on SQ first.

Also depending on gate, best to be in the same terminal your gate is as it takes time to get to the other terminal.

Agree the senator lounge is available for SQ first with an amazing whisky bar. I gave it a try out still despite the earlier departure. It’s 5pm somewhere

 

[bussyboy]

Looking for advice - without going into drawn out details (have posted previously in the forums) i have heard back from SQ today by email on a complaint offering 7500KF as goodwill compensation following some terrible booking experience and 8 month delayed refund.

Is this in line with others who may have had customer service issues in the past?

 

[lovestotravel]

OK, so you get access to the Business Lounge which I think is the one @lovestotravel posted above.

Star Golds have access to the Senator Lounge which looks very similar to the Business Lounge, but does have a nice whiskey bar if you're into whiskeys (although not really great for the mid morning SQ departure! ).

The third lounge in Terminal E is the First Lounge, but of course you need to be in First to access that.

Yes that's correct my photos were from the Lufthansa Business Lounge, not that they showed much - The Senator lounge is a small step up in quality.

 

[Monya Meow Meow]

Hi all, just wanted some advice on which aircraft works best for an overnight flight.
We are going to Seoul (via SIN) in October and we have 2 options from MEL.

Option 1
A B787 overnight flight (SQ 608) from SIN

Option 2
An A350 overnight flight (SQ 218) from MEL

Have heard conflicting reviews about which is the better seat to sleep in.
The A350 I believe is the long-haul variant so the seats should be the same as the B777 fold-back ones I assume?

For context, we are not particularly tall or big in size and will also be travelling with an infant on the lap. From experience, they tend to assign one of us a bulkhead seat if travelling with an infant.

Anybody has any specific thoughts on which is more comfortable for the overnight leg?
Thanks!

 

[dajop]

Anybody has any specific thoughts on which is more comfortable for the overnight leg?
Thanks!

Aside from trying to get an overnight at SIN on the back of an afternoon flight to SIN and morning flight to ICN ? I'd probably opt for the MEL-SIN overnight as SQ 608 flying time is typically (at the moment) 5:20-5:30 hrs from takeoff to landing vs SQ 218 which is about 6:55-7:15 The extra 1.5 hrs in the air could make a difference to the amount of sleep you actually get.

 

[Monya Meow Meow]

Aside from trying to get an overnight at SIN on the back of an afternoon flight to SIN and morning flight to ICN ? I'd probably opt for the MEL-SIN overnight as SQ 608 flying time is typically (at the moment) 5:20-5:30 hrs from takeoff to landing vs SQ 218 which is about 6:55-7:15 The extra 1.5 hrs in the air could make a difference to the amount of sleep you actually get.

That's a very good point which I hadn't considered to be honest. The 1.5 hours extra sleeping time might be a game changer

Thanks dajop!

 

[Kangol]

Question about redemption nominees.
Let's say my sister has 60% of the miles for an award ticket, I am her nominee and the ticket is intended for me to be flying.
Is she able to "use" the remaining 40% of miles from my account?
Or is it simply a case of insufficient miles and the redemption can only occur if there are enough miles in her account?

 

[mel-world]

The latter option, I'm afraid.

 

[cagiva]

I was in ZRH in June and stayed at Hilton Zurich Airport.

My views on it can be found here.

Thanks, and great trip review. Had to go back to the start to read it all!

 

[Kangol]

The latter option, I'm afraid.

Thanks, I thought so.