This report covers the return leg of my trip to Kaohsiung, Taiwan, for which the inbound report can be seen here: http://flight-report.com/en/report-12745.html
After an uneventful last day in Kaohsiung, we headed to the airport around 5pm for our 8.20pm flight.
KHH has two terminals, one for international flights and the other for domestic flights. Here we are at the international terminal.
One interesting little thing about the washrooms in KHH are that they have this little sign that lights up when the cubicle is in use. I don't think I've seen this little innovation anywhere else!
Waiting for the counter to open. Our flight to Singapore would be the only flight leaving at that time, since Scoot's KHH-KIX check-ins were done for the day.
Check-in was uneventful, with polite and knowledgeable ground staff. I received this tag on my bag (which, strangely, I didn't receive on my inbound flight). Harsh, Scoot! Yet, in a way, strangely effective…
Duty free shopping in the main terminal building.
And there were these little models for sale! They even had registrations and all. The aircraft depicted were (from left to right) a KL B772 PH-BQF, a CI B744 B-18203, a CI A333 in special livery B-18355, and a historical CI B741 B-1868, which existed from 1976 to 1978 before it was transferred to Pan Am and subsequently re-registered.
I don't think I've seen anything that looks less like an A333, don't you think? :P
FIDS. Strangely, there is a CI flight leaving tonight for TPE, even though this is the international terminal.
Pre-transit. This is where I had my dinner, since I'd overheard some people saying there was nothing of worth to eat post-security, and I wasn't willing to take my chances.
TV-dinner-style fried rice from the resident FamilyMart convenience store. Bring on the salt, preservatives, and artificial flavouring!
Security was smooth, though rather slow. I think it was less a result of inefficiency than it was of the fact that there simply weren't many people in the airport, and activity was rather sluggish as a result.
Post-security walkways. This is probably the most photogenic KHH will ever get…
A lone CI B738.
More duty-free shopping.
Boarding would have commenced at 7.20, but with the plane coming in late from KIX, it was becoming abundantly clear that boarding would not occur at the intended time. The gate was, of course, empty when I got there.
At 7.26pm, the plane did eventually arrive. Boarding was called close to 8pm.
12 January 2016
Scoot
TZ287
Kaohsiung International (KHH) - Singapore Changi (SIN)
Boeing 787-8
9V-OFD (Goin' Scootin')
Economy
Today's 788 was the latest addition to Scoot's fleet, having been delivered to Scoot just three weeks previously. Its name is inherited from 9V-OTC, one of Scoot's original 777s and also currently the only remaining 777 in Scoot's fleet.
Cabin shot. Configuration was C21Y314 for a total of 335 seats, with 2-3-2 in C and 3-3-3 in Y.
View out of my window after boarding.
Despite the 15-minute-late arrival from KIX, we pushed back almost on time, around 8.25pm. Cabin shot during pushback.
A very empty international terminal at KHH this evening.
After a somewhat long taxi that involved waiting for a GE aircraft to land, we took off at around 8.40pm.
Safety card.
Cabin shot just as catering begun. This flight was bursting at the seams, with load factors close to 100%.
Seatback literature.
Since our particular aircraft is so new, its existence is not even reflected in the seatback magazine.
Lavatory visit, complete with adjustable heat taps. I'm reminded of the 777's two-button taps, which simply announce to the user something along the lines of Hello, sir, how can we help you today? We have two options: ice-cold water, or scalding-hot water. Which one will it be today?
The flight was largely uneventful, apart from the fact that we were going to be arriving late. This is the Singapore harbour around 12.30am.
We ended up touching down on Runway 02L at 12.44am, nearly 40 minutes behind schedule, and taxied a long way to Terminal 2. The window fogged up on touchdown, and as a result, I was unable to get any photos of aircraft while taxiing. But it wasn't all bad, since I managed to spot A7-ALA, the first A359 in service and my first ever spotted A359!
Baggage belt FIDS.
FIDS post-arrival. Note the presence of TZ8211 from Busan on the FIDS – this flight is a charter operated by the only 777 in Scoot's fleet.
Security was efficient, but the first pieces of baggage from the flight did not appear at the belt until nearly half an hour after arrival. There were also long stretches of conveyor belt without any baggage, presumably as the ground staff transitioned to the next ULD. The belt was rather crowded given the flight's high capacity and load factor, and I could see people were getting annoyed. The last time this happened, I think I was nitpicking a little, but given the standards Changi usually operates at, I find this unacceptable.
