Review of Singapore Airlines flight Tokyo → Singapore in Business

The long way back: tokyo to davao via singapore

Welcome to the first of my two-flight series back home! Now that my first semester in Japan is over, it's time for me to go home. Last time, I came to Tokyo onboard Philippine Airlines through two flights: a short 1.5 hour hop to Manila and a not-so-short 4 hour ride onwards to Narita. This time however, I have decided to take the long way back home through nearly 24-hour journey with Singapore Airlines. There were a few reasons why I have decided to take Singapore Airlines this time around, but the major reason was the infamous Manila ATC fiasco which resulted in stranded flights. I'll spare the details, but the homegrown airlines have also shown poor customer service and handling during the crisis. While we can't blame the airlines for the crisis itself, I'd like to believe the way how airlines handle such crises will reflect them as a whole. As such, I've decided to bite the bullet and take a relatively more expensive fare (though still reasonable) going home. I was also lucky and blessed to have been able to upgrade myself on both legs by topping off the fare difference, though at a relatively steep price. That said, I booked my flights only a month in advance (I got my future tickets in the summer at more reasonable prices). Anyways, enough with me babbling about the flight planning, come with me as I take you all onboard this flight to Singapore!

Getting there

Since I had some tasks to finish at my laboratory, I left for my dormitory at around 2:00 PM. After sorting my luggage and checking around my room for one last time, I left for the subway that would connect Keisei Skyliner. The trip took around an hour for me but it was a hassle connecting lines while lugging my two bags. Taking the train was more economical compared to taking a taxi though, as it only cost me roughly 3000 yen in total, only one-tenth that of a taxi to Narita. For me, the savings was worth it as I planned on buying a lot of omiyage (souvenirs and sweets basically) home.

I waited at the platform until the train arrived at around 16:05. From there the ride was around forty minutes to Terminal One. The legroom was very wide, and there was ample space to store large luggage. I arrived at around 16:45, which gave me enough time to check-in.

Airport experience

After a short five minute walk, I later arrived at the check-in counters. I was frankly a little nervous as there was a little issue with my ticket (which took a few calls with customer service to resolve), but I was able to pass through without any issue.

I then went through duty free to buy some omiyage as mentioned earlier. It was then time to pay a short visit at the ANA Lounge. I apologize for the lack of pictures, but I can assure you that the lounge is spacious and clean.

Food offerings were also aplenty. I got some Karaage and Taiwanese noodles. I was also planning to get some curry from the live kitchen but alas there wasn't enough time for me in the lounge (or so I thought)

The drink selection was also as impressive, offering various wines and types of sake. They also offered Chic Cava Brut which I'm not sure if I can call Spanish Champagne (sorry, not a sommelier). For those not wanting to partake in alcohol, there is an espresso machine as well as a soda machine. Since I was afraid that I'd get drunk on the plane, I chose to have a glass of Pepsi.

The interesting thing about SQ 11 and SQ 12 is that they arrive within twenty-five minutes of each other with SQ 12 arriving from SIN at 5:05 PM and SQ 11 arriving from LAX at 5:30 PM. It sounded confusing to me as they called boarding for SQ 12 just minutes after I finished my meal at the lounge. My flight number was apparently called (SQ 11) but the gate announcement stated that it was bound for LAX. To be safe, I just departed the lounge and went to the gate. It was a relatively long walk anyways. 

I arrived at the gate at around 5:30 PM. Boarding started late at around 6:15 PM due to cabin preparations. It was interesting though that we were told that the lavatories could not be used while we were on the ground. Perhaps the system was still being fixed?

a great way to fly: the sq in-flight experience

At around 6:55 PM, we were finally allowed to board. Today's aircraft was a 9V-SWI in Star Alliance livery. I was promptly greeted by the cabin crew and was led to my seat 15K. I knew that the bulkhead seats were prime real estate since the legroom was unobstructed. I was so lucky that these seats were available at check-in.

The seat was definitely comfortable and surprisingly wide (I had to manage my expectations as it is said to be narrower than the 2006 J product). There was no blanket as a bed complete with duvets is winding behind this seat. I wish they could have provided a blanket though especially since not everyone would probably go through the hassle of turning the seat into a bed (I did try out the bed though, more on that later).

A pair of headphones and a bottle of water were waiting for me inside the right nook of my seat. Though the plastic casing of the headphones looked somewhat stylish rather than sterile, I was in for a shock as other airlines would usually put headphones inside hardshell casing (like Turkish). It doesn't really bother me though.

Today's plane is relatively an old bird having been delivered in March 2007, though it only received its reconfiguration in 2019. However, signs of wear and tear were already evident despite the relatively new cabin. I saw this relatively noticeable crack beside my entertainment screen. End-all-be-all, it doesn't bother me too much, yet again the fix seems to be too unclassy for an airline the likes of SQ.

Anyways, enough with the cabin. We were then presented with welcome drinks. I had the choice between water, orange juice, champagne, and a Bellini. Not all airlines serve alcoholic drinks prior to take-off, so I took advantage of the champagne as my pre-departure drink. How was the champagne? It was a sippable Henriot Brut, more on that later though.

Here's the menu for tonight's flight. Ironically, I forgot to take a picture of the Japanese option which I partook in. Anyways, the wine selection seems to be good, but as someone who rarely drinks who am I to judge. A noticeable change however is how they changed the champagne to NV Henriot Brut. A few weeks ago, they offered a choice between Charles Heidsieck or Piper-Heidsieck, both of which I've heard are good vintages. Anyways, the champagne they had on offer was sippable so I guess it's no big deal (not sure for wine connoisseurs out there though). At this point, a flight attendant approached me and addressed me by my name and asked for my drink choice. My pre-selected choice was not confirmed though.

Here's the Japanese menu for those wondering. I pre-selected the Japanese option prior to this flight as I worried that this would be the popular option. It proved to be the choice for many onboard this flight. I wanted to choose the Japanese option since it would be a while (two months, really) before I probably get to eat authentic Japanese food anyways.  

After a few minutes, the plane was ready to take off. Goodbye for now, Tokyo!

My drink arrived as soon after take-off. I'm sure the Singaporean Sling is iconic, but it isn't for me. Perhaps it's the bitters? The SilverKris Sling might suit me better though, I'll try that on the way back.

It took a while for dinner to be prepared. If I'm not mistaken it took around fifteen to twenty minutes in between the aperitif and satay service. However, the satay proved to be flavorful and filling. It surprised me a little as the satay was on the sweet side, though it tasted delicious.

Soon after, the starter arrived. All items tasted really good! I particularly liked the Maguro tuna, which is surprising since I usually despise seafood.

The mains soon followed thereafter. The yellowtail was tender and well-seasoned. I also liked the Duck Jibuni, which didn't have any gaminess to it. I'm not sure if it's because the meals were catered ex-NRT, but the Japanese meal was really top-notch in terms of variety and flavor.

The dessert arrived soon after. The stewardess explained the dessert and how to eat it, which was a nice touch. It tasted really good. The accompanying strawberries were a nice touch as well.

I was also offered a choice between cheese or fruit, which was a nice touch as well. I liked the selection and balance between the soft and hard cheeses. My favorite was the camembert which provided a nice contrast to the pepper jack and cheddar.

It was then lights out for me. I initially set my seat into the lounge mode since it does not fully recline into a bed and I did not want to bother the cabin crew. A stewardess though checked up on me while setting the other passengers' beds and asked if I wanted mine to be set up too. How can I say no to a flat bed? Needless to say it was extremely comfortable. The duvets really helped in helping me get a good night's rest (or rather, a three hour nap). A lot despise this seat model because you have to convert it into a bed, but I think having an actual bed (rather than simply a seat that reclines into one, if you get what I mean) is worth the hassle, though then again you'd have to overcome your fear of asking flight attendants in order to have a fully flat bed. Of course you can always adjust it yourself, but in my defense I did not know how to pull the latches.

Before going to bed though, I changed into my loungewear. The lavatory was well stocked with Penhaligon's amenities in the right wall as well as toothbrushes and combs in the drawer. 

The orchid (or whatever flower this is) gives personality to the lavatory. Though each airline has its own way of sprucing up premium cabin lavatories, I like the subtle touches SQ added to this lavatory.

I only slept for three hours, but there's enough time for me to sleep at the airport anyways with a eleven-hour layover. Another stewardess offered to set the bed back to chair mode while asking me if I slept well.

I tried the entertainment on offer as well. First off, the airshow which was pretty standard, though some airshows like the 737s are less dynamic than this.

I also listened to some music. No prizes for those who could guess my favorite artist! I didn't get to use the entertainment a lot though as I was either sleeping or on my phone (thanks to the unlimited wifi, which is now available for business and first class passengers). 

We soon landed on-time. The flight attendants wished us goodbye and I was on my way to the lounge to wait for my next flight. The glass at terminal three doesn't seem to be spotter-friendly.

Now, Singapore Airlines operates two lounges at Changi Airport: one at Terminal 2, and one at Terminal 3. Though SQ encourages passengers to use the lounge at their respective terminals, you can actually use whichever lounge you prefer. Since I have enough time to cover both lounges, I'll split them across my reports. I'll be reviewing the Terminal 3 lounge in this report, while I'll save the Terminal 2 lounge in the next report. It was only a short walk from my gate to the famous batik wall, a hallmark of the T3 SilverKris lounge when it was renovated a few years back (probably the reason why it's the more favored lounge over the one at T2). Once I headed up a attendant validated my boarding pass and I was on my way. I apologize for the lack of pictures, but I'll make it up on the way back!

There was a lot of variety in the seating areas at the lounge. There were also some sleeping pods which I did not take advantage of, though I heard that all of them were taken.

Showers were available and sparsely occupied at this hour, so I took a quick bath. I forgot to take a picture of the interior, but the shower suites were extremely spacious and included a toilet and a sink.

After a refreshing shower, it was time to browse the food offerings at the lounge. Of course, you can't miss the Laksa which is really good! In the T3 lounge, the crew plate it for you, though at T2 it's self-serve due to the lack of space.

Wine was also available through an automated dispenser.

There was also a large display of non-alcoholic drinks, though it would have been nice if they offered chilled juices (does not even have to be fresh) in carafes instead of those in boxes.

Aside from the wine, there were also a lot of spirits on offer, including some condiments for a Bloody Mary .

And I guess that's all for now! I'll see you in the next installment of this report where I'll finally reach home!

Bonus : Click here display hide

This isn't much of a bonus as I was not able to take a lot of pictures, but in the winter of 2022 I was able to visit Hakodate, Osaka, Kyoto, and Nagano all by Shinkasen (the bullet train). Not exactly the most economical idea especially when you're not eligible for the JR Pass. Nevertheless, it was nice to explore Japan using the bullet train with all the scenic routes.

Anyways, the Shinkansen has three classes of service: the standard car, the green car, and GranClass. I got to take the green car and GranClass (though I disappointingly picked a ride where service is not offered), though the standard car seems comfortable as well.

I tried the GranClass from Nagano to Tokyo as well. The seats were comfortable and elegant. Some routes offer service (like light meals and drinks) though for this route there were none.

Another aspect of train life is getting to buy an ekiben, or literally translated, a station bento. This yakiniku-sukiyaki combo bento turned out to be one of my favorite bentos.

Anyways, here are some of the destinations I've visited. First off is Kyoto, where the Inari Shrine is. The shrine is filled with beautiful orange pillars, though I didn't go all the way because the path is pretty long (around three kilometers if I'm not mistaken).

I also got to visit the Gotemba Outlets on New Year's Day, where you get to shop with a view of the majestic Mt. Fuji. I also got to buy some stuff, including a fukubukuro from a brand. It's thrilling to literally get a mixed bag.

And last but not the least, a view of downtown Hakodate as well as Fort Goryokaku from the Goryokaku Tower. Hakodate may be a humble small town, but it has its own charts. It's also where I first encountered snow (which is non-existent in my home country and hard to go by Tokyo), so this place will always be memorable for me. I hope by the time I go back to Japan, I have more tourist bonuses to show you! See you then!