Welcome back. When we last parted ways this Flight Reporter was leaving The Private Room to head into town. Since then I have accomplished very little. I was able to get situated in my hotel and take a nap. It's been about 6 hours and I am returning to Changi for a introduction to the SQ A350-900 and a SIN-KUL-SIN test drive.
I requested the taxi stop at the T3 First Class check in facility so that I may use the expidited immigration queue and visit TPR. When I exit the taxi I am greeted by the usual swarm of helpful SQ porters and agents. I am asked my distination and I reply Kuala Lumpur and the agent almost jumps in front of the departing taxi while telling me that this flight leaves from T2. Of course I am well aware of this and I explain my reasons for presenting myself here at T3. I am welcomed inside and presented a boarding pass and TPR invite.
Through the dedicated SQ First immigration process and up the escalator to the Silverkris Lounge complex in no time. I am taken on the utterly silly and delightful walk past the J lounge, through the F lounge and into TPR where I am passed off to one of the staff there.
A comfortable seat and some Perrier.
Eventually I decide to have another go at the dining room and take a seat in there.
The menu(s).
Some lovely champagne to start.
There is an odd and small buffet in TPR as well but I never see passengers take food from there.
I select the Beef Hor Fun and the Roti Prata. I am generally skeptical of eating traditional "street" food in an upscale environment but both of these dishes are really quite good. The hor fun has fantastic flavor, tender strips of meat, wide chewy noodle and crispy Chinese greens. I selected the vegetable dalcha with the roti and it had a wonderful warm spice. The roti itself is perfectly crisp on the exterior but tender on the interior. I really enjoyed these in the comfort of air conditioning and absence of waiting in a queue!
With boarding time approaching I decided to make the trip to T2. I had never visited the First Class lounge in that terminal so I would leave time for this as well.
While T2 lacks the grand high ceilings of T3 it's still a fine facility with many nice touches.
Entrance to the T2 Silverkris Lounge complex with J to the left and F to the right.
The space is smaller than the T3 First/TPR combo but still very luxurious.
There are many and varied food offerings but it's a self serve system.
There's a business area.
I venture to the bar and request a glass of champagne. A vintage Veuve was on offer.
As flight time approached I wanted to enjoy a coffee but also a cocktail. When I explained this dilemma to the bar tender he offered an elegant solution.
The departure screen in the lounge indicated "Gate Open" so I went down to have a look at SQ's newest toy.
She's certainly a looker.
Boarding was called and in my excitement I was among the first to board.
The cabin is fairly industrial looking and a bit crowded with all the high walled seats in close proximity.
I was in 12A because I read the previously coveted bulkhead seats were less roomy due to the curvature of the fuselage. Well this is complete rubbish and 11A was and still is a better seat.
The seats are really the same as the new J on the 777-300ER. THey are thoughtfully designed and have good storage, controls, and lighting.
Great screen size. Plus it's so close it appears larger.
Legroom shot. Sorry for the bare legs, it's 35C in SIN!
Safety card.
Some window spotting including the sexy A350 wingtip feature.
Departure into golden hour light.
Service was delivered in a hurry due to the short stage length of this flight. I can't remember is there was a choice of snacks. I think there was probably a vegetarian / non-veg option. I accepted the meat option and a beer. The beer was a tall order as they don't stock them on the cart but had to return to the galley to retrieve one.
After a bite of the snack I went to have a look at the lav and anything else of interest.
Back to the seat and another look at the cramped food cubby in all seats except the bulkheads.
On decent into KUL. Cool clouds in KUL.
After deplaning I bolted for the SQ Lounge as I had never been and wanted to take a peek. It's a somewhat dated and crowded space but has a fine assortment of food and beverage.
Lovely 5 min. stay, time to head back to the gate, clear security, and board the airplane back to SIN.
Boarding commenced and so the head tilting and strange looks from the crew when I joined them for the return to SIN. "Wait, you were just here…" was a common refrain. One of the male stewards asked if I had just "singed some papers." If only I was that important for my signature to be needed in Malaysia. No, I was quite honest with my reasons for the short stay and when I explained that I was just an airplane nerd that wanted to ride on their beautiful new machine there was even more confusion/disbelief. "So, you just had some papers to sign quickly?" No…
This segment I was in 20K wanting to try the second J cabin as well as the opposite side of the airplane.
I inquired if there was any commemorative memorabilia that says Singapore A350. Alas there was nothing to be had but I ws offered these postcards and A330 playing cards, which I gladly accepted.
Again a cold snack was offered and even a different selection. Again I requested a beer to accompany and again it was a challenge to return to the galley and retrieve it. I may have taken a bite of the pita, I don't recall.
The quick hop to SIN was accomplished quickly and I was back in town with time for a brief stop at satay street before turning in for the night.
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Verdict
Singapore Airlines
7.8/10
Cabin8.0
Cabin crew8.0
Entertainment/wifi9.0
Meal/catering6.0
Singapore Airlines Silverkris Lounge - First - 2
8.4/10
Comfort8.5
Meal/catering8.5
Entertainment/wifi8.0
Services8.5
Singapore - SIN
9.4/10
Efficiency9.0
Access9.0
Services9.5
Cleanliness10.0
Kuala Lumpur - KUL
7.9/10
Efficiency7.5
Access8.0
Services8.0
Cleanliness8.0
Conclusion
Thank you for joining me for my first look at the SQ A350.
The Ground Service: Driving up to the First Class check in is always a special feeling and experience. As a Suites passenger in transit I took advantage of both the First Class check in facility and The Private Room. If nothing else the dedicated immigration desk is of value.
The Lounge: I did pay a visit to TPR and it was a fantastic meal had there. The T2 lounge, while not quite as full service, was very nice indeed. The champagne is a notch below TPR but the cocktail I enjoyed was well made by a very friendly bartender. The food and beverage selection is very good and there is a chef's station for the 2-3 made to order food options.
The Cabin: The cabin is clean and modern if not industrial looking. I dare say the seats feel a bit cramped. This may be a function of spending 19 hours in an A380 suite prior to this flight. The screen seems really close to your face when you are sitting upright and the foot cubby that you would utilize sleeping is quite cramped. The high backs on the chairs add excellent privacy.
The Crew: The flight is so quick that it's hard to develop a rapport with the crew. Of course all the females were of dazzling smiles and beauty and the males dapper and friendly. The service portion is very rushed and you can sense the stress of the crew as they try to accomplish it in the short flight. There was also a crew auditor on board as it was the first time any of the flight attendants had worked the aircraft as well. I will also note that seat 11A in both directions was occupied by an SQ technician of sorts, I suppose in case there were any faults with the aircraft.
The Food and Beverage: Cold snack of dubious quality and a nice cold Tiger beer. I wouldn't expect much more. Yes, MH does warm satay service but a 16 seat 737 is an easier task. That, and the beer is gone from MH now...
Overall: The A350 seems as if it will so it's job admirably. It's a fine looking aircraft form the outside. I did not spend enough time on the inside to fully assess the product SQ has installed. I did't try the bed although I can foresee that foot space will be a problem for some travelers. The IFE is fantastic as expected from SQ. No tail camera, that I could locate.
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First thing's first, interesting FR! Spending time at SQ's TPR, flying Business Class for a journey less than an hour only to be greeted by the same outbound flight crew on your return journey. What a way to spend a day.
I really like both airports, SIN and KUL. I like the efficiency and modern factors of SIN, and its cleanliness of course. But I feel like KUL is just more spotter-friendly as most international airlines dock at the Satellite Terminal (the better terminal) and not just the landlord and a few others.
In my most recent experience with the Terminal 2 SilverKris lounge at SIN (the J section), the food wasn't half bad. It could've been brought up a few notches, but I did enjoy them a lot. I can say that it's up there with Cathay Pacific's lounge experience, but with a little more relaxed atmosphere. It's definitely much better than neighbouring rival Garuda Indonesia's J lounge at their home base where the interior doesn't feel like it delivers the intended atmosphere, and Malaysia Airlines' Golden Lounge where the lounge feels lousy and dated.
What, SQ's 'sofa'? Narrow? I think you're right about the opinion that it might have something to do with flying SQ in R for many hours on end. It is, by far, the most spacious Business Class product I've ever experienced. Although I'm not the biggest fan of having to lay down diagonally to be able to sleep with my feet straight.
Would be interesting to read your Qatar Airways A350 J review! To compare their A350 with that of SQ's head to head should be interesting.
Hello Razza_Pr and thank you for reading and leaving a note.
I really like both airports, SIN and KUL. -Me too. I like the security at the gate model. Yes, there are good views of the ramps form the upper level too.
What, SQ's 'sofa'? Narrow? -Oh now, not narrow, just tight. The seat in front of you is fairly close. The high seats also add to feeling of confinement. The width is very generous but I can't really use all of that space.
Hi Christian and thanks for sharing this fantastic FR on the new SQ A350.
Of course I am well aware of this and I explain my reasons for presenting myself here at T3 - Who can blame you? I would have done the same thing. ;)
The menu layout of the TPR is very similar to the one at CX's The Pier - an encased open page.
Some lovely champagne to start. - A refreshing choice in a hot place.
I really enjoyed these in the comfort of air conditioning and absence of waiting in a queue! - Don't look down on street food in SIN, it's probably some of the best in the world. ;)
The cabin looks very nice and classy. Too bad that the catering on this route was too basic. I think offering a bowl of fruits could have elevated the meal a bit.
Glad that you enjoyed your experience on the A350 with SQ and great shots as usual.
Greetings Jetsetpanda. I always appreciate you taking the time to read and leave a comment.
Don't look down on street food in SIN, it's probably some of the best in the world. ;) -Please forgive me if I gave that impression. I've been to SIN +/- 20 times for the exact reason of the street food. My feeling on the subject is that sometimes when you take those dishes off the street they lose something. But these versions in TPR were plenty enjoyable.
Is this the same hard product as the new 77W standard, or something new altogether? I think it looks at least somewhat familiar in style to the latest cut of C seats from SQ.
Funny story about the crew's reaction to you joining them again. I had much the same experience a couple of years ago (sadly, before I started flight-reporting) when I spent a whole day going back and forth between YYZ and YHZ on AC's first day of revenue flights for its new 788. I flew YYZ-YHZ-YYZ upgraded to business class, then upon return to YYZ, decided, what the hell, and grabbed seats on the plane's second run of the day, YYZ-YHZ in Premium Economy, and YHZ-YYZ in Y.
On the first YYZ-YHZ flight, was chatting to the SD about it being the inaugural, and he asked if I was just going for the inaugural. When he saw me board for the return he laughed and said Oh... I see you really were JUST taking it for the inaugural.
And then, on my second boarding at YHZ, the gate agent who scanned my boarding pass looked up and me with a quizzical expression and said, Haven't I boarded you onto this plane already once today?
Hi there Hometoyyz, much appreciate you taking the time to read and leave a note.
Is this the same hard product as the new 77W standard, or something new altogether? -My understanding is that it's the same seat as the refurbished 77W seat. Perhaps a slightly narrower version of the seat as the A350 is 9 narrower.
I had much the same experience a couple of years ago... -I knew I wasn't the only one doing such silly things!
Thanks for the comments Rewardflying. We are a rare breed, often misunderstood in the wild! For me, any time spent in an SQ premium cabin is very enjoyable time indeed. The A350 is a beautiful machine.
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8 Comments
First thing's first, interesting FR! Spending time at SQ's TPR, flying Business Class for a journey less than an hour only to be greeted by the same outbound flight crew on your return journey. What a way to spend a day.
I really like both airports, SIN and KUL. I like the efficiency and modern factors of SIN, and its cleanliness of course. But I feel like KUL is just more spotter-friendly as most international airlines dock at the Satellite Terminal (the better terminal) and not just the landlord and a few others.
In my most recent experience with the Terminal 2 SilverKris lounge at SIN (the J section), the food wasn't half bad. It could've been brought up a few notches, but I did enjoy them a lot. I can say that it's up there with Cathay Pacific's lounge experience, but with a little more relaxed atmosphere. It's definitely much better than neighbouring rival Garuda Indonesia's J lounge at their home base where the interior doesn't feel like it delivers the intended atmosphere, and Malaysia Airlines' Golden Lounge where the lounge feels lousy and dated.
What, SQ's 'sofa'? Narrow? I think you're right about the opinion that it might have something to do with flying SQ in R for many hours on end. It is, by far, the most spacious Business Class product I've ever experienced. Although I'm not the biggest fan of having to lay down diagonally to be able to sleep with my feet straight.
Would be interesting to read your Qatar Airways A350 J review! To compare their A350 with that of SQ's head to head should be interesting.
Cheers!
I really like both airports, SIN and KUL.
-Me too. I like the security at the gate model. Yes, there are good views of the ramps form the upper level too.
What, SQ's 'sofa'? Narrow?
-Oh now, not narrow, just tight. The seat in front of you is fairly close. The high seats also add to feeling of confinement. The width is very generous but I can't really use all of that space.
Thanks again and happy flying.
Of course I am well aware of this and I explain my reasons for presenting myself here at T3
- Who can blame you? I would have done the same thing. ;)
The menu layout of the TPR is very similar to the one at CX's The Pier - an encased open page.
Some lovely champagne to start.
- A refreshing choice in a hot place.
I really enjoyed these in the comfort of air conditioning and absence of waiting in a queue!
- Don't look down on street food in SIN, it's probably some of the best in the world. ;)
The cabin looks very nice and classy. Too bad that the catering on this route was too basic. I think offering a bowl of fruits could have elevated the meal a bit.
Glad that you enjoyed your experience on the A350 with SQ and great shots as usual.
Don't look down on street food in SIN, it's probably some of the best in the world. ;)
-Please forgive me if I gave that impression. I've been to SIN +/- 20 times for the exact reason of the street food. My feeling on the subject is that sometimes when you take those dishes off the street they lose something. But these versions in TPR were plenty enjoyable.
Thanks again and happy flying.
Is this the same hard product as the new 77W standard, or something new altogether? I think it looks at least somewhat familiar in style to the latest cut of C seats from SQ.
Funny story about the crew's reaction to you joining them again. I had much the same experience a couple of years ago (sadly, before I started flight-reporting) when I spent a whole day going back and forth between YYZ and YHZ on AC's first day of revenue flights for its new 788. I flew YYZ-YHZ-YYZ upgraded to business class, then upon return to YYZ, decided, what the hell, and grabbed seats on the plane's second run of the day, YYZ-YHZ in Premium Economy, and YHZ-YYZ in Y.
On the first YYZ-YHZ flight, was chatting to the SD about it being the inaugural, and he asked if I was just going for the inaugural. When he saw me board for the return he laughed and said Oh... I see you really were JUST taking it for the inaugural.
And then, on my second boarding at YHZ, the gate agent who scanned my boarding pass looked up and me with a quizzical expression and said, Haven't I boarded you onto this plane already once today?
Fun stuff.
Thanks again for this first look at SQ's 359!
Is this the same hard product as the new 77W standard, or something new altogether?
-My understanding is that it's the same seat as the refurbished 77W seat. Perhaps a slightly narrower version of the seat as the A350 is 9 narrower.
I had much the same experience a couple of years ago...
-I knew I wasn't the only one doing such silly things!
Thanks again and happy flying.
Thanks again and happy flying.
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