Singapore Airlines - SIA

Singapore Airlines.

As part of my recent trip to Penang, Malaysia we were given the choice of airlines to get us out there. Seeing Singapore airlines were available for a £30 supplement I thought we would give it a try due to its reputation as a five star airline.

Once confirmation was made that we were now booked on Singapore airlines I had a look at the connection timings in Singapore. Our connection between flights was 50 minutes however on Singapore’s web site they ask that there is a minimum of one hour between connecting flights. I rang the holiday company we had booked with and told them this and they reassured me that there would be no problem in the connection. I also checked it out with Singapore airline who informed me should we miss the connection we would automatically be put on the next flight which departed two hours later.

Who are Singapore Airlines?

Singapore airlines are the national carrier of Singapore flying out of its base at Changi international airport. They fly to 61 cities in 34 countries and have also run a regional airline called Silk Air serving 31 cities in the Far East. It has received many prestigious awards over the years as one of only a few of the so called five star airlines for a variety of aspects of the flying experience namely ease of booking, checking in, Cabin crew, Food, Entertainment, comfort, cabin experience and safety etc etc. Singapore airlines safety record is one of the best in the airline industry and they maintain their fleet of 106 aircraft by constantly upgrading their planes using the most up to date planes with an average age of 6 years which makes it one of the most modern fleets in the skies.

The experience.

I checked in on line 72 hours before departure and was able to choose and change our seats that we had previously been allocated. It was easy to check in by putting in my surname and the flight reference booking number. I was able to choose my seat print out my boarding card and that was it. I had to log in again to do the same thing for my wife as it would not allow me to check her in at the same time which was a little irritating but apart from that it was no problem. The seat next to me was still available thankfully and I was able to choose that and print off the boarding card too.

At the airport.

We arrived at Heathrow airport Terminal 3 about an hour before the official opening of the check in area however there was already someone on duty and we went into the web check in line and were able to drop our bags which were tagged to our final destination which was Penang. It was very straightforward and idiot proof. The check in guy was very cheerful and helpful. We also had hand baggage which is limited to 7 KGS plus one brief case or handbag.

Boarding the aircraft.

The boarding procedure was quite straightforward and they boarded the plane in the following order. First and business class passengers, people with children, those needing assistance then rows from the back of the plane to the front. This is a much better way to load the aircraft in my opinion rather than a free for all used by some airlines as there is nothing worse than standing around while people flap about putting their baggage in the over head lockers and standing in the aisles so you cannot get past them.Departure was about forty minutes late but we were reassured that we would catch up time during the flight.

In flight experience.

Prior to departure we were offered a hot towel to freshen up which is quite useful however on the return from Singapore an ice cold towel would have been better. The cabin crew then distributed head phones for the entertainment system. Shortly after takeoff we were offered a drink and a bag of peanuts and also a menu for the meals and then the cabin crew brought around food after serving people who had pre ordered special diets.

The food was ok nothing special or outstanding but it was adequate and not stodgy or over filling. On our return flight it was quite odd there was no dessert on the tray instead they walked through the cabin and gave everyone a chocolate magnum. After the next meal again there was no dessert but instead they gave out a snicker bar which I thought quite odd but touching.

The seats were a tad narrow and it seemed quite cramped but was the international standard of 31 inch seat pitch. It was especially cramped when the passenger in front put their seat back in the recline position and was reluctant to put it back up when the meal was being served however the cabin crew dealt with a few rows of passengers in front efficiently and firmly taking refusing passengers to task.
The seats were rock hard and after a couple of hours they were very uncomfortable so much so on the return flight I stood up behind my chair for about two hours as it was so hard and painful. They were ok for about an hour then after two hours it was getting uncomfortable after four hours I just wanted to get off the plane. Definitely not funny on a 14 hour flight.

Our flight to Singapore was on a Boeing 777 and our return trip was on the A380 sitting upstairs and the seats were similarly hard on that too. Fortunately for me there was a space behind my seat on the return flight which allowed me to stand up for a while.

The in flight entertainment I must admit was perhaps the best I have seen on any flight. There was a good selection of films and a library of classic films. There were other short documentaries, comedy programmes and a variety of other short programmes too. There is a good selection of children’s films and games that can be played on your own or with others on the flight. There was a vast music selection which was quite impressive. I usually take my own entertainment with me but it never even came out of my bag and for a 14 hour flight I found that very impressive. There are also ports available on the tv screen to plug in your laptop or Ipod/ipad using a USB connection. There are also power points at each seat to plug in your laptop.

The cabin crew on the way to Singapore were probably not the best I have come across but they were exceptional on the way back. They seemed friendlier and their presence in the cabin was very noticeable bringing around frequent offerings of fruit juice and water. There were snacks available at the rear of the plane should you so wish.

The cabin comfort.

It was neither too hot or too cold throughout the flight but due to the most uncomfortable seat I have ever sat on it was impossible to nab a nap which is not ideal for a 14 hour flight. I found it near on impossible. The toilets were kept immaculately clean throughout the flight both going and coming back. That is no mean feat for any airline so that was a bonus.

Arriving at Singapore.

By the time we landed and taxied to the pier we had approximately 10 minutes left to catch our onward flight. We had already accepted that we would probably have missed it by now and would have to catch the next flight. The cabin crew made an announcement asking us to identify ourselves to a member of the cabin crew which we did. At the pier there was a man waiting for us. He explained that we could either catch this connection as they were waiting for us but we would have to go minus baggage which would follow on the next flight and be delivered to the hotel or if we wanted to wait for our luggage then they would have to fly us to Kuala Lumpa and have to stay overnight in a hotel there and catch a connection the following morning.
We agreed to fly immediately. We were herded onto a little trolley buggy which raced through the airport with a blue light flashing. We nearly collected two unsuspecting pedestrians on route. There was no way on earth that we would have made this flight without this lift as the distance between terminal three and terminal two was so great even using the connecting monorail. We were put on the plane and it pulled away from the pier almost immediately.

About four hours later we were reunited with our luggage at the hotel.

Overall impression.

I felt that Singapore airlines were ok. I did not feel that they were in any way superior to some other airlines I have travelled on in fact on a recent long haul flight with BA I found them far more comfortable.

Their fares are much more expensive than other airlines flying similar routes and to be honest I cannot say that the flying experience was one which I would like to repeat again unless they sort out the very uncomfortable seats. In fact they quoted £1800 per person to upgrade to business class each way which I found extremely unjustifiable.

I would not have rated them five stars but rather four stars would have been more appropriate. I must admit I was keen to fly on the airbus A380 the double-decker plane. The one we flew on was about three years old and there were signs of wear and tear on the internal fabric of the plane. However that being said it was a far better experience on this newer plane which seemed a tad roomier, brighter and airier. Overall I was disappointed with Singapore airlines and it did not live up to its reputation for me.

Singapore Airlines web site can be found here.
http://www.singaporeair.com/saa/en_UK/in​dex.jsp