A Bucket-List Item Bagged
Singapore Airlines has a reputation that is synonymous with luxury and first class. First class food. First class champagne. First class service. Experiencing Singapore Airlines first class is an aspiration of just about everyone who flies commercially. After flying Singapore Airlines several times in business class, I recently experienced Singapore Airlines first class on a flight from Seoul to Singapore.
Posts about this around-the-world trip:
Asiana Airlines A380 First Class – New York (JFK) to Seoul/Incheon (ICN)
Asiana Airlines First Class Lounge Seoul/Incheon (ICN)
Singapore Airlines 777-300 First Class – Seoul/Incheon (ICN) to Singapore (SIN)
Singapore Airlines First Class Lounge (SIN) – The Private Room
Singapore Airlines 787-10 Business Class – Singapore (SIN) to Bangkok, Thailand (BKK)
Bangkok Airways ATR-72 Economy Class between Bangkok, Thailand (BKK) and Luang Prabang, Laos (LPQ)
Hotel Review – Villa Nagara, Luang Prabang, Laos
Luang Prabang City Tour
Review – Bicycle Tour To Tad Sae Falls
Review – Lao Traditional Dinner and Dance Show, Songphao Restaurant, Luang Prabang
Hotel Review – Marriott Executive Apartments, Bangkok, Thailand
Qatar Airways 777-300ER Business Class – Bangkok, Thailand (BKK) to Doha, Qatar (DOH)
Qatar Airways Al Mourjan Business Class Lounge Doha, Qatar (DOH)
Qatar Airways 777-300ER Business Class (Q Suites) – Doha, Qatar to New York, NY (JFK)
Cost
Flying international first class is expensive. In terms of dollars, definitely out of my price range 99% of the time. Not so on this occasion because I booked with miles. Thanks to James at Juicy Miles who booked my frequent-flyer award ticket, I paid a total of only 112,500 KrisFlyer miles for flights in first class on Asiana Airlines from New York (JFK) to Seoul (ICN), first class on Singapore Airlines from ICN to SIN, and a flight in business class on Singapore Airlines’ new 787-10 from SIN to Bangkok, Thailand. Singapore Airlines is a Starwood (now Marriott) transfer partner, and 20,000 Starpoints transferred equaled 25,000 KrisFlyer miles. So this award cost 92,500 Starpoints.
Singapore Airlines Flight 007
I’m always delighted by airline flights with a 00 flight number. The flight number is easy to remember, and the 00 designation normally means the flight is one of an airline’s most oldest and important routes. SQ Flight 007 was a red-eye flight. After arriving from New York in first class on Asiana Airlines and spending a few hours in the Asiana first-class lounge at ICN, the flight left ICN at about midnight.
First-Class Cabin And Seat
There are only four first-class seats on this version of the 777-300ER. All of them are in row one configured 1-2-1. In addition, this aircraft has 48 business-class seats (1-2-1), 28 premium-economy seats (2-4-2) and 184 economy seats (3-3-3).
This aircraft is outfitted with the older version of Singapore Airlines’ first-class seat. The seat is described as an open suite. Although not technically a suite, the seat is very comfortable and roomy. The high wall by the aisle blocks views of other passengers and creates a sense of privacy.
Singapore Service
As a red-eye, the service on this flight was abbreviated. Still, the Singapore Airlines flight attendants did an outstanding job with the service provided. After boarding, the flight manager and two flight attendants who were assigned to first class introduced themselves and confirmed my meal selection and the time I wanted it served.
Singapore Airlines allows passengers in first class, business class, and even premium economy to select meals up to 24 hours before departure. Singapore Airlines gives this service the catchy name “Book the Cook.”
On this flight, Singapore offered 11 Book the Cook choices for dinner in first class. I preordered Lobster Thermidor.
To see what else was available, here are the menus in first class.
Champagne
Wine
Liquor
Other Beverages
Amenities
Amenities included slippers, pajamas, an amenity kit, WiFi, and excellent noise-cancelling headsets.
Cruise
The other passengers in first class decided to sleep and have breakfast on arrival. After my meal, I changed into the pajamas while the flight attendant made the bed.
I tried some Dom Perignon, snuggled under the comfy duvet, and watched a movie before catching a couple of hours of sleep.
Singapore Arrival
The remainder of the flight was uneventful. I woke when the flight attendants served breakfast to the other passengers in first class. This five-hour flight had only one meal service, and I’d already had dinner. So for me there was nothing. I felt a little left out although I bet the flight attendants would have whipped something up if I had asked.
During the breakfast service I changed into my clothes in the lavatory.
The first-class lavatory, although not as large as on the Asiana A380, is big enough that changing clothes is an easy task.
SQ 007 Landed in Singapore at 05:05 after five hours and 20 minutes of flight. The flight covered 3,005 miles.
Overall Impression
While this relatively short flight with abbreviated service provided only a taste (pun) of Singapore Airlines first class, it was sufficient to check my bucket-list item. I couldn’t be disappointed knowing I was in the early stages of my around-the-world trip and that many more interesting flights and experiences including a layover in Singapore Airlines Private Room, its first-class lounge at SIN, and a flight on the brand new 787-10 were next.
