Review: Singapore Airlines B777 Business Class from Singapore to Phuket

Wednesday newsletters always feature a hotel or flight review.

I recently enjoyed a phenomenal holiday in Singapore & Thailand. You can read my trip reports here:

• Review: Swiss Boeing 777 Business Class from Zürich to Singapore
• Review: Fullerton Bay Hotel, Singapore
• Review: Six Senses Duxton & Maxwell, Singapore
• Review: Singapore Airlines Boeing 777 Business Class from Singapore to Phuket (today)
• Review: Keemala Resort Phuket, Thailand
• Review: Rosewood Resort Phuket, Thailand
• Review: Thai Airways Boeing 747 First Class from Phuket to Bangkok
• Review: The Siam Hotel Bangkok, Thailand
• Review: Four Seasons Tented Camp Golden Triangle, Thailand
• Review: AMAZING Soneva Kiri, Thailand (my favorite resort in the world)
• Review: Asia’s largest holiday villa at Soneva Kiri, Thailand
• Review: Eva Air Boeing 777 Business Class from Bangkok to London

Today (12 February, 2020): Review – Singapore Airlines Boeing 777 Business Class from Singapore to Phuket.

I recently flew Business Class onboard a Singapore Airlines Boeing 777 from the airline’s hub in Singapore to Phuket Island in Thailand. There are multiple flights a day between Singapore and Phuket, almost all of them flown by narrowbody aircraft operated by SilkAir, the regional wing of Singapore Airlines. However, Singapore Airlines occasionally also schedules Boeing 777 aircraft on this short route, featuring the carrier’s award winning longhaul Business Class product, complemented by the carrier’s regional service (which is very good albeit not as impressive as the service on longhaul routes). My flight was operated by a Boeing 777-200ER, one of the oldest Boeing 777 aircraft in Singapore Airlines’ fleet, which will soon be phased out and replaced by an Airbus A350.

Have you ever flown with Singapore Airlines? If so, what was your experience? Leave a comment below.

• Trip: Singapore (SIN) to Phuket (HKT)
• Airline: Singapore Airlines
• Aircraft type: Boeing 777-200ER
• Aircraft registration number: 9V-SVC (delivered to Singapore Airlines in 2001)
• Flight number: SQ992
• Date: October 25, 2019
• On time departure: Yes (9.50 am)
• On time arrival: Yes (10 am)
• Miles: 608
• Flight time: one hour
• Seat: 16A
• Class: Business Class

In this review (more information & photos below my YouTube clip):

1. Cost of my ticket
2. SilverKris lounge at Changi Singapore Airport
3. Business Class cabin
4. Business Class seat (+ best & worst seats)
5. Amenities
6. Meals
7. Entertainment
8. Onboard internet
9. Other inflight experiences (crew, lavatory & views)
10. My verdict (score)

1. COST OF MY TICKET

I paid this one-way Business Class ticket from Singapore to Phuket with miles & cash: $52 SGD + 21.500 miles. The ticket was booked via Singapore Airlines’ frequent flyer program KrisFlyer. Read here my review of KrisFlyer (with pros, cons, & tips).

2. SILVERKRIS LOUNGE AT CHANGI SINGAPORE AIRPORT

Singapore Airlines offers 4 different tiers of lounges for its premium passengers at its hub Changi International Airport. This review only covers the KrisFlyer Business Lounge at Terminal 2, from where my flight to Phuket 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 here). 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.

While the lounge is definitely great, it’s not one of my favorite airport lounges, mainly because of the lack of daylight (there are no outside windows). In addition, spa treatments, a la carte dining and nap rooms are not available, which is remarkable since most of Singapore Airlines’ competitors now offer these perks in their flagship lounges.

3. BUSINESS CLASS CABIN

Singapore Airlines’ Boeing 777 aircraft come in different layouts. On its oldest model, the Boeing 777-200ER, there are 26 flat beds in Business Class and 245 standard seats in Economy Class.

The 26 Business Class seats on Singapore Airlines’ Boeing 777-200ER are all located in one large cabin and arranged in a forward-facing, four-abreast (1-2-1) configuration, with direct aisle access for all passengers. Although the cabin still has an elegant feel, there’s no denying that it looks less fancy and a bit dated when compared to the carrier’s newer Business Class products installed on its B787 (which I reviewed here), A350 (which I reviewed here) and A380. IMHO, that’s mainly because the only colors you observe in the old cabin are different shades of brown, with leather seat covers alternating between light beige and dark brown. Although this type of color palette is neutral and soothing, it feels a bit blend these days. On a positive note, Singapore Airlines places some plush checked throw pillows on the seats to add a playful, chic twist to the cabin’s look.

For a seat map of Singapore Airlines Boeing 777-200ER, click here.

4. BUSINESS CLASS SEAT (+ BEST & WORST SEATS)

The first thing you’ll notice about the (old) Business Class seat is its gigantic dimensions. The huge seat has 193 cm (76 inches) of pitch and is 76 cm (30 inches) wide, making it the widest Business Class seat to be found on any aircraft or airline. The seat is actually wider than some First Class seats and two passengers could easily fit within the seat relatively comfortably. Some may judge the seat to be a little too wide for optimal comfort, but you can always use the two seat cushions to stuff the seat on both sides (for extra lumbar support) or stack them to create an extra arm rest.

In front of the seat is a 15,4 inch LCD monitor, which is actually on the small side for Business Class these days. The LCD screens are equipped with a privacy glass feature, so your neighbor cannot stare at your screen. There are two covers on each side of the TV: on the left side, the upper cover flips open to reveal a mirror, while the lower cover can be used as a small tray table for a drink; on the right side, the upper cover hides a pouch which can be used to store smaller items (e.g. smart phone, wallet, glasses) while the lower cover gives access to a panel with two USB ports and a universal power outlet.

One side of the seat features a reading light on eye level and an electronic control panel on the arm rest for adjusting the seat’s position. This arm rest also holds a wired controller to navigate the inflight entertainment (more on that below). The other arm rest holds the tray table, which is released after you push a button and whose height can be tweaked up or down as needed. Each seat also feature a storage box on the side of the TV, which can be used to store larger items like laptops and hand luggage.

Each seat comes with a footrest, but the size of this footrest differs from seat to seat. The bulkhead seats (in row 11) feature seat-wide footrests. All other seats have a much smaller foot cubby (with limited room for your feet), so I recommend to choose a bulkhead seat if available. The seat is quite comfortable in its upright position and you can choose between two seating positions; a ‘Lazy Z’ cradling seating option where your weight is centred and balanced; and the ‘Sundeck’ position that allows the base of the seat to extend so you can rest your legs on the ottoman. The seat can be converted in a full flat-bed. However, contrary to most Business Class seats on other carriers, the seat doesn’t recline into a horizontal position; instead, you need to get out of your seat after which the cabin crew folds down the seat and makes the bed on top of the seat’s backside. You also have to lie diagonally on the bed to position your feet in the small foot cubby at the end, since you cannot spread them free (only exception are the bulkhead seats, which come with much larger footrests, allowing a more comfortable sleep position).

What are the best Business Class seats on Singapore Airlines’ B777-200ER? Click here for a seat map.

• Window seats are the best option for solo travelers since they provide a little more privacy, while travel companions should go for the center seats.
• Bulkhead seats (in row 11) are superior to all non-bulkhead seats since they feature a full-width footrest instead of a narrow footrest, allowing a more comfortable sleeping position.

What are the worst Business Class seats on Singapore Airlines’ B777-200ER? Click here for a seat map.

• Although they come with larger footrests, the bulkhead seats in row 11 may be bothersome to some passengers due to their proximity to the galley. The noise of the galley may also disturb those in the seats in the last row of the cabin (row 16).

5. AMENITIES

Singapore Airlines’ Business Class passengers traveling on one of the carrier’s regional routes receive the following onboard amenities:

• Sleeping amenities: a warm blanket and thick pillow
• Slippers, socks, ear plugs, and eye shades (upon request only)
• Noise canceling headphones to block the noise from the engines and cabin (you cannot take them home with you as they can only be powered inside an aircraft)

Unfortunately, Singapore Airlines doesn’t offer amenity kits in Business Class on any of its flights, which is a remarkable (and regretable) choice for one of the world’s best airlines. Toiletries – such as shaving kits, toothbrushes, tooth paste, hand lotion and perfume – are available though in the lavatories.

6. MEALS

During this morning flight to Phuket, one course (breakfast) was served. The menu read as follows:

• Selection of sliced fresh fruits
• Main course: choice of
  • Singapore fried carrot cake, a hearty traditional dish of fried savory radish-rice flour cake with prawns and pickled turnip
  • Ayam Goreng Kecap: Indonesian chicken in soy sauce with vegetables and steamed rice
  • Cheese omelette, with pan-fried veal sausage, grilled tomato, sautéed mushrooms, and roasted potato
• Assorted bread rolls and croissants, served with butter and fruits preserves

I selected the Singapore friend carrot cake from the menu, which tasted excellent. Remarkably, the menu on this flight was exactly the same one as the menu I received on a Singapore Airlines Airbus A330 flight from Singapore to Ho Chi Minh City (read my review of that flight here).

7. ENTERTAINMENT

As mentioned above, the seat comes with a rather small 15,4 inch LCD monitor. You can navigate through the entertainment selection (called KrisWorld) with a wired controller, which is located in the arm rest. Unfortunately, scrolling with the handset through the selection of movies and TV shows is a bit slow. That said, the system itself features an impressive selection of 1,000 entertainment options, with tons and tons of movies, television programs, music, games and apps.

8. ONBOARD INTERNET

Onboard WiFi is only offered on the carrier’s Airbus A350, A380, Boeing 777-300ER and 787-10 aircraft, but not on its Boeing 777-200ER and Airbus A330 planes.

9. OTHER INFLIGHT EXPERIENCES

#CREW: Dressed in her signature sarong kebaya, the female Singapore Airlines flight attendant is the symbol of Asian hospitality recognised the world over. But besides being an iconic eyecatcher, Singapore Airlines’ cabin crew – both male and female – are often regarded as the best in the industry, and with good reason. They address every customer by name and do all they can to make your flight as enjoyable as possible. The crew on this flight was particularly amazing (kudos to them of they read this trip report).

# LAVATORY: There are 2 lavatories for Business Class passengers on Singapore Airlines’ Boeing 777-200ER; both of them are located in the cabin’s rear section.

# VIEWS: landing into Phuket provides some great views of Phang Nga Bay, whose sheer limestone karsts jut vertically out of the emerald-green water. You can watch this at the end of my YouTube clip.

10. MY VERDICT

• SilverKris lounge at Changi: 8/10
• Cabin design: 7/10
• Seat comfort (upright position): 9/10
• Seat comfort (bed position): 9/10
• Food (quality):  8/10
• Food (quantity): 8/10
• Inflight entertainment : 8/10
• WiFi:  not available
• Service: 10/10
• Overall experience: very good: 8,2/10

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