Three airlines offer Business class between Perth and Singapore, but the experience on each airline is markedly different.
One member is planning a trip to Singapore, and will be flying Business class. Should they choose Qantas, Singapore Airlines or Scoot?
I have to fly from Perth to Singapore for a business meeting next month. Qantas and Singapore Airlines both have a direct flight from Perth – Qantas has only one, while Singapore has several but like Qantas, only one is early afternoon which is my preference. The Qantas plane is a Boeing 737-800 (winglets) both ways while the Singapore Airlines flights is on a Boeing 777-200 one way and an Airbus A330-300 the other.
Of the two full service airlines offering direct flights, Qantas is significantly cheaper than Singapore Airlines. But Qantas’ Business class product on the Perth-Singapore route is widely considered inferior. Singapore Airlines flies wide-body Airbus A330 and Boeing 777 aircraft on the route, equipped with flat-bed seats in Business class. By comparison, Qantas flies narrow-body Boeing 737s with standard recliner seats in the pointy-end.
Our member’s reasons for considering Qantas include the cheaper fares and the ability to earn points and status credits. But our members are unanimous in recommending Singapore Airlines. Not only do they offer a better seat and service in Business class, but they offer a choice of four flights every day. Qantas offers only 1-2 flights per day.
Without any doubt, it would be SQ all the way on PER-SIN. Even the oldest, most tired SQ regional J seat is far superior to the QF 737 J offering.
I wouldn’t consider QF for a second on this route, and in my years of flying, I’ve learned that you should always take the better seat.
Qantas may have better timing for your circumstance, but even rows 1-3, you’ll have a ****ty dining experience, zero sleep, terrible legroom and a sore neck from the ****ty IFE. SQ is leaps and bounds ahead of Qantas on this route. Not sure why it’s even a discussion!
Singapore Airlines may be more expensive, but they do offer relatively good value frequent flyer redemption tickets.
We go on SQ Saver Kris Miles where one way is around 27,125 plus a $245.21 cash amount on their 777. It has plenty of space and is pretty easy to book. Using an Amex Platinum Edge that would need just over $9000 spending at Woolworths to get you a one way business class ticket on a wide body plane.
One regular flyer on the Perth-Singapore route has started flying Scoot instead of Qantas. A seat in Scoot’s premium cabin, “ScootBiz”, costs only a small premium over Economy on Qantas or Singapore Airlines. ScootBiz seats are more like Premium Economy seats on other airlines, and the service does not include all the bells and whistles of Business class on a premium airline. But for the price paid, some consider it unbeatable value.
Needing to go to SIN several times a year from PER, I’ve given up on QF,status points and all that, and now just go Scoot Biz. Not flash, but much more comfortable.
Jetstar also offers direct flights from Perth to Singapore but Business class is not available.
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