SQ Tips, Trips and Tales

[Human]

Just remebered, while watching a youtube video of a suites review.

On my recent trip in suites, i was travelling solo and in the double suite seat, i csnt remember exaclty when but well before we took off the CA asked if if i would swap with someone in the solo seat so they couple could sit together, i politely declined as i knew it was smaller

Maybe halfway during the flight, i saw the other side of my suite empty.
So i asked if they could lower the partition, and it was an instant no

Was a bit disappointed

You had what psychologists and philosophers describe as an "altruistic dilemma" or a "sacrificial dilemma", and the choice you made was a utilitarian one: you had to choose between your own happiness and the happiness of others.

Without judging either you or the flight attendant, the fact is that if the FA had said yes to your request, there would have been two disappointed passengers on the flight rather than three. And if you had said yes to the initial request, there would have been one disappointed passenger (you). As it was, the two refusals (you and the FA) resulted in three disappointed passengers.

Not to judge you, but I'm genuinely curious: given what ended up happening, if you had your time again would you have still declined the original request?

 

[SOPOOR]

You had what psychologists and philosophers describe as an "altruistic dilemma" or a "sacrificial dilemma", and the choice you made was a utilitarian one: you had to choose between your own happiness and the happiness of others.

Without judging either you or the flight attendant, the fact is that if the FA had said yes to your request, there would have been two disappointed passengers on the flight rather than three. And if you had said yes to the initial request, there would have been one disappointed passenger (you). As it was, the two refusals (you and the FA) resulted in three disappointed passengers.

Not to judge you, but I'm genuinely curious: given what ended up happening, if you had your time again would you have still declined the original request?

Sorry i should have mentioned, i asked for the partition to be lowered about 3 or 4 hours in well, into the air. I only realised next door wss empty when going to the toilet
I personally would never ask for myself to occupy the spare side at the expense of someone else, since ive only paid for one seat

 

[p--and--t]

Just remebered, while watching a youtube video of a suites review.

On my recent trip in suites, i was travelling solo and in the double suite seat, i csnt remember exaclty when but well before we took off the CA asked if if i would swap with someone in the solo seat so they couple could sit together, i politely declined as i knew it was smaller

I'm with you.

Everyone makes choices in this world.

If they chose not to do the research, if they chose not to plan ahead, if they chose not to check-in in time, if they chose not to do seat selection, if they neglected to request a change at check-in, or got over their tiff that caused them to pick seperate seats, whatever was the reason they didn't select adjoining seats - not my problem.

Paying a huge huge fee to fly J you should be entitled to quiet enjoyment of the seat you selected.

As a couple going to or from a 4-6week busy schedule sojourn over usually multiple countries and on occasion up to 16 sectors, on overnight flights or 6+ hour flights we deliberately choose to fly in single window suites so we both can get some "me" time, some uninterrupted rest, and both get a window view. Afterall we are going to be cheek by jowl everyday for the majority of the trip.

Others may likely choose differently. Some don't plan and then expect others to change to suit their poor choices. Not my problem.

Then again I wouldn't have asked for the partition to be lowered.

YMMV

Edited spelling

 

[Mr H]

Then again I wouldn't have asked for the partition to be lowered.

Agreed that seems like a dick move.

 

[SOPOOR]

Paying a huge huge fee to fly J you should be entitled to quiet enjoyment of the seat you selected.


Then again I wouldn't have asked for the partition to be lowered.

Agreed that seems like a dick move.

In hindsight, declining an offer to swap and even a few hours later asking partition to be dropped , i can see be seen as a dick move
I probably wont do it next time

 

[muppet]

What Suite were you in?

Which Suite do you think is smaller than others?

I would have thought general flying etiquette would be to allow a couple to sit together provided you don't suffer a seat downgrade.

FTR:
View attachment 407322

Not sure about that graphic, but in real life, from personal experience, 1A and 1F are noticeably larger than row 3, especially when the bed is down. Row 3 and 2 seem similar.

 

[stm1sydney]

As a couple going to or from a 4-6week busy schedule sojourn over usually multiple countries and on occasion up to 16 sectors, on overnight flights or 6+ hour flights we deliberately choose to fly in single window suites so we both can get some "me" time, some uninterrupted rest, and both get a window view. Afterall we are going to be cheek by jowl everyday for the majority of the trip.

Yes, same with us, we always plan ahead and select our seats, and don't care if we are seated together. Except in our case, it is aisle seats in Y!

And I would never give up my aisle seat for a non-aisle seat to help out a couple who did not plan ahead.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Yes, same with us, we always plan ahead and select our seats, and don't care if we are seated together. Except in our case, it is aisle seats in Y!

And I would never give up my aisle seat for a non-aisle seat to help out a couple who did not plan ahead.

Definition of planning ahead? If someone books an award seat 365 days out and takes one of the double bed rooms, not much wriggle room for someone to have planned any better!

 

[jamesatfish]

Not sure about that graphic, but in real life, from personal experience, 1A and 1F are noticeably larger than row 3, especially when the bed is down. Row 3 and 2 seem similar.

The suites do get smaller from front to back. From memory row 1 gets 4sqm, row 2 gets 3.8sqm, row 3 gets 3.2sqm. None of the suites are what you'd consider 'small' in their own right and I'm more than happy flying in any of them.

As I mentioned somewhere up-thread, if flying solo I'll pick row 3 rather than one of the halves of a free double suite (1A/2A or 1F/2F), because that avoids having to deal with the inevitable question from the couple who booked later and couldn't pre-select the double suite so want to do swapsies on the plane.

I've been on the other side of that scenario, flying with my wife and only being able to book 2A and 3A for example, so I prefer to keep the option open for others where I can.

 

[ramamba]

Question about SQ teddy bears - are they available on all flights? We are in J tomorrow with two young ones CPH to BNE (both flights without F cabins). What’s the best strategy, asking for the bears straight after boarding?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Question about SQ teddy bears - are they available on all flights? We are in J tomorrow with two young ones CPH to BNE (both flights without F cabins). What’s the best strategy, asking for the bears straight after boarding?

The crew are usually really busy during boarding. I’d ask when they come round for drink/meal orders, and perhaps also a good time to ask for the amenity kit!

 

[N860CR]

Question about SQ teddy bears - are they available on all flights? We are in J tomorrow with two young ones CPH to BNE (both flights without F cabins). What’s the best strategy, asking for the bears straight after boarding?

I got a bit of a stern “they’re only for children” yesterday. When I said it was for my daughter who hadn’t seen me for a few weeks, I sheepishly got a bag with a bear and a few other goodies delivered. Earlier in the flight, I’d seen the crew dragging a bag of them down the aisle.

 

[SOPOOR]

Question about SQ teddy bears - are they available on all flights? We are in J tomorrow with two young ones CPH to BNE (both flights without F cabins). What’s the best strategy, asking for the bears straight after boarding?

In my limited experience of about 8 flights in 2 years,
Every youtube review had them sitting on display when the reviewer went to the toilet and came back with the bed ready, so thats what i kind of expected.

Never happened to me but everytime i asked nicely they gave me some, except once they said they didnt have any, and once where they forgot

 

[lovestotravel]

Question about SQ teddy bears - are they available on all flights? We are in J tomorrow with two young ones CPH to BNE (both flights without F cabins). What’s the best strategy, asking for the bears straight after boarding?

Get them out of CPH as you will find on the SIN-BNE flight it will be harder

Not during boarding
Not when taking drink orders

Just after take-off when they come around for meal orders etc

 

[citrusb]

The suites do get smaller from front to back. From memory row 1 gets 4sqm, row 2 gets 3.8sqm, row 3 gets 3.2sqm. None of the suites are what you'd consider 'small' in their own right and I'm more than happy flying in any of them.

As I mentioned somewhere up-thread, if flying solo I'll pick row 3 rather than one of the halves of a free double suite (1A/2A or 1F/2F), because that avoids having to deal with the inevitable question from the couple who booked later and couldn't pre-select the double suite so want to do swapsies on the plane.

I've been on the other side of that scenario, flying with my wife and only being able to book 2A and 3A for example, so I prefer to keep the option open for others where I can.

I have been in 1A & been paged before LHR check in to see whether i would swap for a couple...I declined...on board I was asked by other passenger directly...SQ staff insisted no pressure to change...I did change so couple could experience togetherness....I moved to 3F ...was noticably smaller and will probably decline future requests to swap....

 

[p--and--t]

I have been in 1A & been paged before LHR check in to see whether i would swap for a couple...I declined...on board I was asked by other passenger directly...SQ staff insisted no pressure to change...I did change so couple could experience togetherness....I moved to 3F ...was noticably smaller and will probably decline future requests to swap....

Maybe just my warped brain but unless their honeymoon flight can't understand the obsessive compulsion for a couple to have to sit together on a flight when they were together before the flight and going to the same place and will be together when they arrive. Just enjoy the J experience and chill!

 

[jamesatfish]

Maybe just my warped brain but unless their honeymoon flight can't understand the obsessive compulsion for a couple to have to sit together on a flight when they were together before the flight and going to the same place and will be together when they arrive. Just enjoy the J experience and chill!

To be fair, the experience of the double-suite as a couple is significantly different to flying in 2 individual suites.

Sitting in proximity to someone else when you're both in private cocoons is one thing, being able to open those cocoons to a bigger shared space is something else entirely. There also aren't a lot of commercial airlines where couples can share a double bed, making it pretty unique experience.

 

[p--and--t]

To be fair, the experience of the double-suite as a couple is significantly different to flying in 2 individual suites.

Sitting in proximity to someone else when you're both in private cocoons is one thing, being able to open those cocoons to a bigger shared space is something else entirely. There also aren't a lot of commercial airlines where couples can share a double bed, making it pretty unique experience.

If they want that experience then book ahead and reserve your preferred seats rather than disturb someone who did that?

 

[jamesatfish]

If they want that experience then book ahead and reserve your preferred seats rather than disturb someone who did that?

I'm not saying I'd be one to ask to swap, just that I understand why people are inclined to ask.

The loss in 'value' to an individual traveller moving from 1A to 3A is marginal, but the gained value for a couple moving 2A/3A to 1A/2A is significant. I imagine that's the way SQ sees it also, as I suspect the FAs are well aware of what to expect when a couple not allocated to a double suite is booked on their flight.

Personally I'd like to see SQ treat Row 1 the same as a bassinet row, allowing people to book it as a solo traveller on the understanding that they may be re-allocated if a couple would like to take the double suite. At least that would make the expectation clear up-front and prevent any awkward conversations at check-in or after boarding.

 

[mel-world]

If they want that experience then book ahead and reserve your preferred seats rather than disturb someone who did that?

Some people are able to book 350 days in advance, others cannot do that for various valid reasons. Sharing a double bed on a flight is a unique experience that I would not stop a couple from doing for the sake of a happy pax and a sqm or two.