Review of Singapore Airlines flight Los Angeles Singapore in Business

Airline Singapore Airlines
Flight SQ37
Class Business
Seat 14K
Aircraft Airbus A340-500
Flight time 17:25
Take-off 23 Jun 13, 21:15
Arrival at 24 Jun 13, 05:40
SQ   #3 out of 96 Airlines A minimum of 10 flight-reports within the past two years is required to appear in the rankings. 696 reviews
Durian
By 13139
Published on 28th October 2013
Hi folks,
This is the English translation of my FR from LAX to SIN. The original FR in French can be found there http://flight-report.com/en/report-4230.html.
And the English version of the outbound flight SIN-LAX is here http://flight-report.com/en/report-4813.html

This report is now part of airlines history as the SIN-LAX-SIN route have been discontinued earlier this month. The SIN-EWR-SIN will be discontinued next month November. SQ will now serve the US from SIN with stops in FRA (to reach JFK), ICN (to reach SFO), NRT (to reach LAX) and DME (to reach IAH).
History also because the *A lounge at LAX Intl (TBIT) has been renovated (and relocated, from the pictures I saw) since my flight in June 2013 and seems now to be to die for !

Here we go, LAX-SIN report.
Upon reaching LAX from ORD, I need to transfer to the international terminal, called TBIT (Tom Bradley International Terminal). From the domestic terminal that's a to total unpleasant 10-mins walk between parked minivans, limos and hotel shuttle buses.

It all starts with this micro-escalator
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Then, not a sign to find my way, awesome.
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Eventually I reach the TBIT
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A few flights of steps and I reach my destination
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Picture taken upon entering the building. On the left, the long line is the boarding for the PR flight to Manila.
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The SQ check-in. I'm only going there to check if there is a SQ lounge airside. The staff offers to reissue my BP on SQ paper. While on her computer, she confirms my luggages have followed me from ORD and will be travelling with me to SIN tonight. Good to know but I wouldn't have expected otherwise ! Always reassuring though.
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My newly-printed BP
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Invitation for the *A lounge, tacky !
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The priority line. Actually, it's only a dedicated line that leads to the same control point, not fully dedicated until the end like in ORD. The normal line and the priority line merge into one single line before a passport control point manned by only 1 Border control officer. Despite this priority line, it will take me 30mins to clear due a group of French teenagers returning to France after their year-end school trip. Eventually, I reach the security check, that where the bottleneck is as there is only one of these full-body scanner.
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Here it is. A message mentions that it is optional and can be swapped with the usual metal detector just next to it. But apparently, very few people opt out.
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That's done. During this trip to the US, all my TSA clearing would have been seemless, timeless and no issue. Only difference with what I'm used to in Asia is that I have been asked to take off my shoes every time.

Similarly to the unpleasant journet from the domestic terminal to the TBIT, the journeey to the boarding gate will be also unpleasant, long windowless corridors without any store or even advertisings, empty !
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At the end of this corridor is the *A lounge
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After the staff at the entrance checked I am eligible to enter, the entrance is filled with brochures from the *A members.
LH
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SQ
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Asiana
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Newspapers offer is limited but sufficient though. No French *A member but still Le Monde is available.
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The *A departures tonight from TBIT, incl. the latest addition to the *A roster, Eva Air from Taiwan
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That's a view from the entrance of the lounge
Une vue depuis l'entrée
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View from the other end. This lounge is basically shaped like a long and narrow rectangle
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Food and drinks offer. Better than United Clubs (not complicated to do better !) but well below the Asian lounges. Especially no champagne, shame !


Flight-report corporate picture
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After a glass of wine and a few potatoe chips, a boarding announcement is done.
My plane tonight is parked in an area I would call 'The Asian corner: in order of voewing, China Airlines, Eva Air, Philippines Airlines then SQ
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No picture of my plane, it's too dark. My bird tonight is a 345 of ocurse, 9V-SGD, born less than 9 years ago.
4 engines for the price of 1, SQ and PR together.
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Like in SIN on the outbound flight, boarding is through a door located at around the 1st third of the cabine.
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That's my seat. I never mentioned this before but the long haul J seat on SQ comes in 2 colors, light brown and dark brown.
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The cabin, all J
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On this picture, the SQ rainbow: from the left and by decreasing hierarchical order, the inflight supervisor (IFS) in purple, then the chief stewardess (CS) in red, then a flight stewardess (FS) in the mostly-blue kebaya. Only missing is the leading stewardess (LSS) in green.
As far as the male crew, I can't tell his hierarchical level, I explained why below.
I ask the LSS what the grades are for male crew: while for female it's easy to tell (the color of their kebaya), it's more subtle for male crew as it's just a tone on color on their tie only, nothing on the suit itself.
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I go to the washroom to use the L'Occitane moisturizer, only to find that they have not been put yet, unusual for SQ. I mention to the IFS who happens to be around, she says it's a US requirement.
5 minutes later, back at my seat, she brings me the whole jar, I'm safe :)
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The Captain then introduces himself and the most senior crew members. He announces flight time will be 16 hours, for 17hrs25mins scheduled… I am disappointed, 16hrs does not sound like ultralong flight for me :( It's barely a little longer than the route between Singapore and Paris I'm used to take twice a year.
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The LSS in charge of my aisle is very chatty and always smiling. She tells me that I can go to the galley at the back to see the range of colors on the ties of male crews. I reply that I'm not so much into staring at men. She's giggling now. She's very pretty. Why is this damn flight only 16 hours ?

We are about to take off. I'm reading the newspaper when the cabin light is dimmed. I have no time to switch on of the individual reading lights that a passing-by crew member switches it on for me, cool.

Take-off at 9:40pm, 25mins after scheduled departure time. For a 16hrs flight, that's considered on-time.
9:47pm, the seatbelt sign is turned off.

I try to corrupt the pretty LSS about the new SQ cabins that are about to be announced a few days later. She says with a smile it's a secret ! Crap I'm still clueless about those new cabins interior.

That's tonight's menu
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then snacks during the night
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then the breakfast menu
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Dinner service starts. The LSS serves me and I ask why there are no satay sticks. She mentions it's because it's too late. Hmm, I'm pretty sure I got satay from flights departing later out of Singapore ? Anyway, probably thinking I'm a tourist, she recommends the Satay Club in Singapore (next to the big wheel, Singapore Flyer).

The starter I picked: poached crayfish medallions. Not bad but I would have preferred the satay sticks
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Movie #1: Hitchock, with a very convincing Anthony Hopkins.
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This one cannot be missed
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The main course I picked: beef with broccoli, tomatoes and gratin. Very good, the meat in particular.


For such a long flight, I've taken along charger and USB cables to my phone and my camera.
Then, what had to happen… happened ! All fall off from the tray which cannot withstand the weight of my mobile phone and my camera together. I manage to catch my camera but my glass of red wine then tumbled on my tray, my food and, more annoying, my pants and my seat :(
I press franticly the crew button, the LSS comes back.
Outcome of the story: move to 11K, which some considers the best in the cabin (first seat, with an ottoman, and does not require to sleep sideways).
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The LSS asks me if I'm carrying spare pants. She then offers to clean this one with the red wine stains. Problem is I have no spare pants. I then picture a Mr Bean-like scene: me in the galley down to my undies with the SQ Girl cleaning my pants lol

My beef and gratin are now swimming in red wine, the LSS set the table up again at my new seat. Sadly, the beef is not available any more. Same for the fish. Only pork and duck left. I tell her I'd rather wait for the cheese.
The cheese trolley arrives. The crew announces As you could not finish the beef, unlimited cheese for you Mr Durian. I would have taken 2 rounds of cheese anyway, I'm French doh !!!

Yummy, isn't it ? (I'm referring to the cheese !)
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For a change, I'll take cheese then dessert, the latter I usually skip. It will be strawberry panna cotta with seame seeds, quite creative and light. And also the small macaron on the cover picture of this FR.
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Let's go, it's time for a sleep. 11h35mins left, we are close to Hawaii
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In the meantime, the SQ Girl brings me these snacks in case I'm hungry and the light bites menu if I want someelse else.
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To knock me down and sleep, I like the natural way better, i.e. wine or beer. But, on this flight, I do need to sleep as I have some upcoming travel very shortly upon reaching Singapore. Which is why I need this blue pill (I can read your mind, that a sleeping pill, for real ;)
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A few pics of unfolded bed
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The same in a short video - taken on another flight, which is why the seat as a different color


4hrs50mins left, I slept more than 7 hours, that's an accomplishment for me ! Thanks, blue pill.
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All right, morning time, double expresso !
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I have some SQ vouchers to use and purchase this: although SQ was the launch customer of the 388 in 2007, I waited so long this miniature, shame.
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2nd movie, the road movie with Barbra Streisand (the guilt trip I think was the title), quite original and entertaining.
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Some lights below us, we're approaching the Philippines
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A little later
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2 hours before landing, lots of movements in the galley
Fresh orange juice to start with
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Starter
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My breakfast's main course, egg noodles & prawns.
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And this is it ! Landing at 4:40am local SIN time, 1 hour ahead of schedule time. The 17hrs25mins flight has indeed turned into a 16hrs flight, thanks for reading !
See more

Verdict

Singapore Airlines

8.8/10
Cabin9.0
Cabin crew9.0
Entertainment/wifi9.0
Meal/catering8.0

Star Alliance Lounge Business Class Section - TBIT

6.5/10
Comfort6.0
Meal/catering6.0
Entertainment/wifi8.0
Services6.0

Los Angeles - LAX

7.0/10
Efficiency7.0
Access7.0
Services6.0
Cleanliness8.0

Singapore - SIN

10.0/10
Efficiency10.0
Access10.0
Services10.0
Cleanliness10.0

Conclusion

What can I say ? ;) Pictures speak for themselves. Not only the service is high level but it's also personalized and crew go the extra mile (and smile), like bringing the L'Occitane jar, switch on the light, always there but not invading or disturbing, that's what I expect beyond comfy seat and good catering.

Information on the route Los Angeles (LAX) Singapore (SIN)

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