Singapore Airlines: Business class review

Rated consistently near the top for Best Business Class in the World, the Singapore Airlines business class product has become a thing for all other airlines to aspire to. An industry leader, they are delivering innovations on their new A380 service such as making their business class seats not only recline into a fully flat bed, but also having the ability for the centre seats to be turned into a double bed. Singapore Airlines has made the business class experience as important as the destination, making the journey as good as arriving. Consistently among the best airlines in the world, and being the most awarded airline in the world makes the Singapore Airlines business class product the preferred choice of many international travellers, and it’s easy to see why!

From the moment of booking, Singapore Airlines offers its business class passengers some extras. The ability to choose your seat free-of-charge and the Book The Cook feature means you never get a flight that isn’t exactly what you want. From the dedicated check-in desks to having access to the SilverKris Lounge offering complimentary drinks and meals, your trip begins with service standards other airlines are envious of. After toasting your upcoming adventure, or attending to last-minute business, make the most of your priority boarding and enjoy the flight!

I would also recommend using the Singapore Airlines App for check-in. It allows you to check-in the day before travel and adjust your seat allocation if required. Your boarding pass is then stored in the app, which will also notify you of delays and send you updates on departure gates.

Another tip I picked up on my travels is that you can drop your check-in luggage off at Changi Airport up to 48 hours before departure. This means you can head straight to the airport after you check out of your hotel, drop off your luggage and then relax in the lounge or explore the delights of Changi Airport. A destination in itself, Changi won the SKYTRAX award for ‘World’s Best Airport’ for the seventh year running in 2019. Here is the Ultimate Guide to Singapore that will help you plan your perfect Singapore vacation. It is literally all you need to know about the Lion City, including the best nightlife spots in the city shopping guide for the people who love to shop till they drop, places to catch the best views of the city, guide to the best restaurants in town as well as must visit spots that need to be on your Singapore bucket list asap!!!

In Flight

Boarding the aircraft, the majority of Singapore Airlines’ fleet operates a business class with a 1-2-1 forward facing configuration, meaning that every seat has direct aisle access while still offering couples the opportunity to travel together (great for people that may not enjoy flying as much!). The seats themselves are some of the widest in the skies and impeccably designed with comfort and convenience in mind.

With two distinct designs, the majority of the airline operate with a tan interior and seating up to 34 inches wide, while the remaining and the brand new Airbus A350’s, and the redesigned A380’s have a more futuristic look and feel with seating 28 inches wide or more and a plethora of storage compartments. Have no doubt though, all recline to the fully lie-flat position giving a fantastic quality of sleep. I also happen to love the mood lighting in the entire business class cabin, warm under lights with a tinge of pink set the perfect mood for relaxation during a long haul flight.

By utilising the Book The Cook feature before you fly, the available menu is similar to that of a restaurant, with offerings including Angus beef fillet, Cantonese roast duck, grilled salmon, and lobster thermidor just to name a few! There is a large variety of dishes to choose from in the vegetarian aspect of the menu as well! The beverages menu is quite comprehensive and provides a variety of alcohol as well as a few cocktails. For the health conscious they also have a lot of fresh juices to choose from!

With excellent in flight entertainment with noise cancelling headphones and screens between 15.4″ and 18″ depending on the aircraft, every seat offers in seat power and Wi-Fi is available on selected flights meaning you won’t need to worry about filling the hours you’re awake. I would again like to recommend the Singapore Airlines App as it can be linked to your seat number, which means that if you don’t finish a movie on one flight, when log back in on your next, it will ask you if you would like to continue where you left off. Perfect for interconnecting flights!

SILVERKRIS LOUNGE (T2 and T3) AT CHANGI SINGAPORE AIRPORT

Singapore Airlines offers 4 different tiers of lounges for its premium passengers at its hub Changi International Airport. This review covers the KrisFlyer Business Lounge at Terminal 2, from where my flight to Bali departed. This lounge used to be Singapore Airlines’ flagship lounge, until the airline moved most of its operation to terminal 3 in 2011, where it now manages a much larger lounge (read my review of that lounge below). Despite a difference in size and the number of people they can accommodate, both lounges feature a similar decor, with soft lighting and marble floors. The lounge facility at terminal 2 is located one floor above Changi’s famous ‘Enchanted Garden’, which comprises four giant glass bouquet sculptures decorated with a mosaic of shimmering stained-glass. Access to the lounge is limited to Singapore Airlines’ Business Class passengers and passengers who hold elite status with a Star Alliance partner airline (e.g. Lufthansa, Swiss, Turkish Airlines, etc …).

As you enter the lounge, there’s an open-plan business center on the left, with both pc and mac computers available to guests that need to catch up on work. Next, you arrive in the spacious restaurant area, which features a couple of dining tables set up alongside an excellent, self-service buffet. Singapore Airlines is not cutting any corners when it comes to food offerings, with a large selection of cold options (e.g. muesli, fruit, salads, cheese, Danish pastries, cereals, and sushi) and hot dishes (e.g. pastas, soup, noodles, curries, dim sums, pancakes, eggs, etc …).

The sitting area at the lounge is confined to one large, dimly lit room, located adjacent to the restaurant area, which offers a dark, somewhat opulent escape from the bright lights of Changi Airport. There are plenty of very comfortable armchairs, most of them equipped with universal power ports. A newsstand, with complimentary local and international newspapers and magazines, takes center stage at the lounge. One side of the lounge also features 3 telephone booths where you can have your phone calls, so that other passengers are not disturbed by your voice, guaranteeing a maximum level of tranquility inside the sitting area. Facilities at the lounge are great, with bartender service, free WiFi (at excellent speed), and showers inside the restrooms for those that need to refresh between flights.

SQ’s flagship SilverKris Lounge at Terminal 3, which is located on floor above the duty-free shops in the main concourse. The SilverKris Lounge is only accessible to passengers flying out of Changi in First or Business Class on SQ or one of SQ’s partner airlines.

The SilverKris Lounge at Terminal 3 is not only the largest lounge at Changi, but also one of the largest lounges in the world. Entrance to the lounge is via a modern welcome foyer that features a customised batik design screen. The lounge itself is basically one large room, divided into different spaces for relaxing, dining, reading, and socializing, a concept which SQ says is ‘modelled after the living, dining room and kitchen of a home’. There are multiple seating areas, with a large variety of seats, including leather arm chairs, couches and bar stools, with power ports at some (but not all) seats. The lounge’s overall design is modern with tastefully selected art pieces. Unfortunately though, the space feels too dark in my opinion, since it doesn’t offer much of a view and lacks daylight: there’s only one wall featuring floor-to-ceiling windows that look out over the concourse and its shops below. The oppressive ambience is further accentuated by soft lighting and marble walls.

In the back of the lounge, there’s a separate room where a massive buffet is on display. It offers a great selection of cold and hot items, including pastas, curries, dim sums, soups, Indian style dishes and Singaporean favourites. In addition, there’s also a salad, sushi, and noodle station. The buffet area also features massive chillers where you can help yourself to beer and soft drinks, as well as coffee machines and a wide selection of teas. A small part of the dining area is reserved for communal tables and a few dining tables with 2 to 4 seats each. There are also some separate bar areas with high, communal tables inside the lounge, offering  wine, liquor, beer, soft drinks, coffee, and tea.

The SQ SilverKris Lounge across the Changi airport also features work stations, showers, and a ticketing help desk. While the lounge is definitely great, it’s not one of my favourite airport lounges, mainly because of the lack of daylight which is the same issue I had with the other lounge. In addition, spa treatments, a la carte dining and nap rooms are not available, which is remarkable since most of SQ’s competitors now offer these perks in their flagship lounges.

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