Category: Singapore

Flight Report: SINGAPORE AIRLINES SQ 910 – Singapore to Manila – Standard but Turbulent Morning Flight Back to Manila [September 2023]

After spending a week of family time in Sydney and Brisbane, it was finally time to go home. In September 2023, I, together with my parents, flew back to Manila from Brisbane, Australia, with Singapore Airlines.

In my previous flight report, I shared with you some of our flying experience from Brisbane to Singapore onboard Singapore Airlines flight SQ 246. Today, I will report how the onward connecting flight to Manila went. Join me in today’s flight report as I tell you more about this Singapore Airlines flight, SQ 910, from Singapore to Manila.

In case you missed it, I also wrote about our flights to Australia with Singapore Airlines. I hope you can check both SQ 921 from Manila to Singapore and SQ 231 from Singapore to Sydney. I also shared with you how our domestic Virgin Australia flight VA 943 from Sydney to Brisbane went.

SINGAPORE AIRLINES

Singapore Airlines is Singapore’s national carrier. This award-winning world-class airline is based at one of the world’s best airports, Singapore Changi Airport. The airline started as Malayan Airways in 1947; it then rebranded, and commenced operations as Singapore Airlines in 1972. The airline has been a top contributor in terms of the world’s revenue passenger kilometers and the number of international passengers carried worldwide.

The airline currently flies to over 70 destinations in more than 30 countries across five continents. Singapore Airlines is one of the leading carriers in the Southeast Asian Region with the help of its low-cost subsidiary, Scoot. The airline’s previous regional subsidiary, Silk Air, has been incorporated into SQ’s operations as of March 2021.

Singapore Airline flies a modern aircraft fleet consisting of the Airbus A350, Airbus A380, Boeing 777, Boeing 787 Dreamliner, Boeing 737 Max, and Boeing 737-800 NG. The airline is the world’s largest Airbus A350-900 operator, with 63 currently in service and two more on order. 7 of the 65 Airbus A350’s in service have the ultra-long range (ULR) premium (only business and premium economy class) configuration. These ULRs are mostly used on North American routes.

Singapore Airlines is a full-service carrier. It means that every flight includes all the necessary in-flight amenities and services you can think of. All SQ tickets include free check-in baggage, meals, and in-flight entertainment. The airline has a frequent flyer program called KrisFlyer & PPS Club. The airline is a member of the Star Alliance, one of the world’s biggest airline alliance networks.

Singapore Airlines is not a new airline on this website. In fact, it is the second-most-reviewed airline after Cebu Pacific Air.

In case you missed it, I post reviews & features of my flights since June 2019. I’ve covered airlines such as EVA Air, Indonesia Air Asia, Emirates, Singapore Airlines, Philippine Airlines, and Cebu Pacific Air. All posts about these flights are found under the Flight Reports category.

Airfare

This SQ 910 flight is part of a four-sector ticket from Manila to Australia and back on Singapore Airlines. The return ticket, booked 5 months before the intended flight date, only cost $497 (US dollars) per person. This return ticket includes a 25-kilogram check-in baggage allowance, a 7-kilogram carry-on allowance, inflight meals and snacks, personal entertainment screens on all flights, and a 5-star flight experience with a well-trained and passionate cabin crew.

I booked our ticket directly with the airline using my credit card and paid $1,491 (US dollars) for three people. I got charged ₱83,537.75 for all three tickets, including foreign transaction service fees. This translates to only ₱27,845.92 per person. Considering when the ticket was booked against the intended flight schedule, this ticket was definitely a steal. It already has everything a passenger needs on a long-haul flight, from food to amenities to entertainment. The other airline competitors offered way more expensive ticket prices at the time of booking for our planned August schedule.

Do you want to know the difference between a full-service and a low-cost airline? Check out my previous post detailing the differences of these 2 types of airlines.

Travel Requirements

Philippine passport holders are only required to present their valid passports and the E-Travel QR code upon entering the country’s borders. Non-Philippine passport holders may be required to present other requirements, such as a valid visa or onward departure ticket. These requirements vary from one nationality to the other. It is always best to check with the relevant authorities regarding the updated entry requirements.

Before The Flight

Unlike previous Singapore Airlines flights, I did not receive any business class upgrade offers for this SQ 910 flight. I only got a flight check-in reminder on the airline’s mobile application 48 hours before the Brisbane to Singapore flight.

Upon getting the said check-in notification, I immediately chose our seats for both Brisbane to Singapore and Singapore to Manila flights and checked-in for both flights. Singapore Airlines allows its passengers to choose their seats for free during mobile or web check-in.

Aircraft & Flight Information

This Singapore-Manila SQ 910 flight was operated by a 4.6-year-old (at the time of the flight) Airbus A350-900 aircraft. This plane, delivered in January 2019, features the airline’s regional configuration with 40 lie-flat business class seats and 263 economy class seats.

Flight SQ 910 took off from Singapore Changi Airport at 9:32 a.m. and landed at Ninoy Aquino International Airport four minutes behind schedule at 1:09 p.m. The flight took 3 hours and 37 minutes.

Ground & Airport Experience

SINGAPORE CHANGI AIRPORT TRANSIT EXPERIENCE

Passengers can transit through Singapore Changi Airport, provided both flights (to and from Singapore) are under the same ticket or itinerary. The passenger’s bags should have been tagged from the airport of origin to the final country or airport of destination.

I already checked in for this Singapore-Manila flight in Brisbane. Upon arrival at Changi Airport Terminal 3, Gate B9, I got off the plane, took the sky train to Terminal 2, and headed to the food court for breakfast. I got kaya toast and milo, while my parents got noodles and coffee. After breakfast, we walked leisurely to Gate F54 and waited for the boarding gate doors to open.

Transiting at Singapore Changi Airport is always a pleasant experience. The airport is clean and well-maintained. It also has a long list of leisure activities that passengers can do or try while waiting for their next flight.

PRE-DEPARTURE

Singapore Changi Airport is one of the few airports in the world where final security checks are conducted before entering the flight’s assigned boarding gates. Depending on the size of the flight, the boarding gates open 1 to 2 hours before the scheduled time of departure.

Gate F54 opened to passengers at 8:03 a.m. I submitted myself for a final security check. Afterwards, I secured a comfortable seat inside the pre-departure area while I waited for the flight boarding announcement.

BOARDING

The ground staff announced boarding commencement at 8:37 a.m. They first called passengers traveling with infants and those needing special assistance. The ground staff then announced boarding for first class passengers, then for business class passengers and PPS Club members. They called in Star Alliance Gold and Krisflyer Elite members, followed by premium economy class passengers.

The local staff called the economy class passengers last. They asked these passengers to board according to their assigned groups. The whole boarding process only took 28 minutes.

The airline crew closed the aircraft doors at exactly 9:05 a.m. The aircraft was pushed back 10 minutes later, at 9:15 a.m. and taxied to the runway for take-off.

Inflight Hard & Soft Product

This Singapore-Manila flight was operated by one of Singapore Airlines’ Airbus A350-900 aircraft. The plane sports the regional seat configuration with 40 lie-flat business class seats and 263 standard economy seats. According to SeatGuru, each business class seat has a 60-inch seat pitch and a 28-inch seat width. The seats have a 1-2-1 configuration, with each seat having direct aisle access. All business class seats are equipped with a large personal entertainment screen paired with noise-canceling headphones. Each seat also includes a pillow, a blanket, several storage spaces, and a large tray table.

Business Class Seat

Economy class seats have a seat pitch of 28 inches and a seat width of 18 inches, slightly bigger than the Boeing 787-10’s 17.5-inch seat width. Each seat comes with a spacious leg room, an adjustable headrest, and a personal entertainment screen. Seats also feature a seat pocket with inflight safety cards, a foldable tray table with mirror, a coat hook, small storage space below the screen, a foldable cup holder, a USB charging outlet, a comfortable pillow, and a universal power outlet in between seats. Blankets, face masks, and disinfectant surface wipes are available upon request.

I got window seat 64A for this 3.5-hour flight to Manila. I believe the airline provides more than what a passenger needs for a short-haul flight.

INFLIGHT BREAKFAST SERVICE

Singapore Airlines served complimentary breakfast meals on this short-haul flight to Manila. The airline has let go of physical menu cards and incorporated them into the inflight entertainment system and the onboard connectivity service. The airline has also brought back the appetizer that went missing during the pandemic.

The cabin crew offered traditional fried carrot cake and sausages with scrambled eggs as main options. They gave out the meals with fresh fruits, a fruit yoghurt, a bread roll with butter, a bottle of water, and a drink of choice – coffee, tea, wine, beer, soft drinks, water, or juice. After the meal service, the crew went around for the second time and offered water, coffee, and tea to those who wanted them.

I went for the traditional meal option, which was the Singapore fried carrot cake (fried savory radish-rice flour cake with prawns and picked turnips). I got it with a glass of apple juice and enjoyed the breakfast meal. I was impressed by the large mains portion the airline provided for this main option. I was full after the tasty meal.

I admire the airline for using metal cutlery and recyclable food containers during meal service. It helps a lot in eliminating solid waste; it is environment-friendly. I hope they can find a sustainable alternative to plastic cups.

After the breakfast service, I asked for a glass of my Singapore Airlines staple, the Singapore Sling. I was given the drink after a few minutes, and I finished it just in time for landing.

INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT

Singapore Airlines’ entertainment system, Krisworld, offers thousands of options for passengers to choose from. It has hundreds of movies, television series, and music albums from different parts of the world. It also has games and local Singaporean media for passengers to enjoy. It also features an inflight map, which shows the plane’s current position, its flight path, and other flight-related details. All these entertainment options can be accessed via the touch-screen personal monitors found in front of every seat.

The personal entertainment screen of rear economy bulkhead seat 55D is mounted on the wall. It still has the touch-screen feature but is mostly controlled using the remote due to its far and high position. It can still personalize the entertainment experience by logging in using your Krisflyer membership number. It has the same moving inflight map feature. The only thing it lacks is the presence of cameras, which passengers can view during the flight.

INFLIGHT CONNECTIVITY

Since July 2023, Singapore Airlines has offered complimentary unlimited onboard Wi-Fi access on all its flights, except for flights operated by Boeing 737-800s. Passengers are required to log in using their Krisflyer accounts to use the onboard Wi-Fi service. Those not registered with Krisflyer can register during the flight to access the said service.

I connected to the onboard Wi-Fi service, but I got a very slow internet connection despite the ‘11 Mbps’ registered speed. I stopped using it, and I just watched a movie while waiting for landing.

LAVATORY

I did not have the chance to visit the lavatory on this 3.5-hour flight. The seatbelt sign was turned on for most of the flight due to turbulence.

Cabin Crew Service

The cabin crew service on this flight was the usual warm, friendly, and hospitable SQ service. The crew welcomed us during boarding, served us during meal service, and sent us off during disembarkation with their biggest smiles. They also did their best to serve all means and attend to everyone’s requests despite the frequent flight turbulence. They were apologetic for the frequent meal service suspensions brought about by turbulence.

Disembarkation & Luggage Claim

The aircraft was parked at Gate 112 of Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3. All passengers disembarked in an orderly manner, went through immigration, and claimed checked-in bags at the arrival hall.

Flight Experience

Despite the never-ending turbulence, I still had a nice flight with Singapore Airlines on this regional service from Singapore to Manila, Philippines. Allow me to share with you the positives and negatives of this specific flight.

Let us start with the good things. First, I only paid $497 (US dollars) or ₱27,845.92 in local currency for this 4-sector ticket from Manila to Australia and back. I got more than I actually paid for because I enjoyed the following ticket inclusions: a 25-kilogram check-in baggage allowance, a 7-kilogram carry-on allowance, inflight meals and snacks, personal entertainment screens on all flights, and a 5-star flight experience with a well-trained and passionate cabin crew.

Second, I had an easy transit experience at Singapore Changi Airport. The airport terminal was complete with all signage and directions to our assigned boarding gate for this flight. It also had a long list of features and amenities that all passengers could enjoy during their layovers. I have been to many airports around the world, and I can confidently say that Singapore Changi Airport is one of the world’s best, if not the best in current times.

Third, the breakfast offerings on this flight were tasty and flavorful. I got the popular local breakfast option, and I can tell you that it was a complete turnaround of the meals on the previous Brisbane-Singapore flight. The main dish tasted great, and it had a larger serving size than usual. I will not hesitate to get it again in case it is offered on my next SQ flight.

Let us move on to the not-so-good stuff of this flight. First, the rear cabin temperature was a bit hot compared to the previous flights. The absence of individual air vents made it even worse. Second, the inflight Wi-Fi connection worked very slowly. It took some time to load a website or even send a message via Facebook and WhatsApp.

Lastly, the flight had more turbulence than usual. The seatbelt sign was turned on most of the time. The cabin crew had to suspend the breakfast service several times due to turbulence. It was not the airline’s fault, but somehow it still affected the flight experience. I encountered the same level of turbulence last July 2022 on the same route but on another Singapore Airlines flight SQ 916.

Despite the turbulent ride back to Manila, I still enjoyed this short final hop onboard SQ 910. I do not mind taking the same onward flight to Manila if I ever fly from other Singapore Airlines destinations outside Southeast Asia in the future.

Allow me to share with you some details of this flight to Manila:

Airline: Singapore Airlines
Flight Date: 4 September 2024
Flight Number: SQ 910
Route: Singapore (SIN) to Manila, Philippines (MNL)
Duration: 3 hours and 37 minutes
Seat Number: 64A
Aircraft: Airbus A350-941
Aircraft Registration: 9V-SHD
Engines: 2 x Rolls-Royce Trent XWB
Age: 4.6-years-old
Delivered: January 2019

Thank you for joining me in today’s flight report. I hope I gave you a comprehensive review of how it is flying with Singapore Airlines on this busy route from Singapore to Manila.

Have you flown with Singapore Airlines in the past? How was your flight experience? Are you looking to book a ticket with the airline soon? If yes, let me know if you have questions so I can respond to them. post your questions in the comments section below. You may also send them via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

I hope you can check out my previous flight reports with Singapore Airlines and other airlines like Emirates, EVA Air, Air France, Vietnam Airlines, Cebu Pacific Air, and Philippine Airlines. I hope you also look forward to more flight reports in the future.

Before you go, I hope you can like, follow and share my social media pages – Facebook and Instagram. This will help me increase my reach; it will also keep you up-to-date with the latest blog posts, itineraries and flight reports on this website. Thank you and see you in the next flight report!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.

Flight Report: SINGAPORE AIRLINES SQ 246 – Brisbane to Singapore – Underwhelming Catering but Sensational Cabin Crew Service on an Overnight Flight to the Lion City [September 2023]

After spending over a week in Australia, it was time to go home. I, together with my parents, flew with Singapore Airlines from Brisbane to Manila, with a 3.5-hour stop in Singapore. Allow me to share with you in today’s flight report how the sensational cabin crew service saved the disappointing and underwhelming catering onboard Singapore Airlines flight SQ 246 from Brisbane to Singapore.

In case you missed it, I wrote about our flights to Australia with Singapore Airlines. I hope you can check both SQ 921 from Manila to Singapore and SQ 231 from Singapore to Sydney. I also shared with you how our domestic Virgin Australia flight VA 943 from Sydney to Brisbane went.

Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines is Singapore’s national carrier. This award-winning world-class airline is based at one of the world’s best airports, Singapore Changi Airport. The airline started as Malayan Airways in 1947; it then rebranded, and commenced operations as Singapore Airlines in 1972. The airline has been a top contributor in terms of the world’s revenue passenger kilometers and the number of international passengers carried worldwide.

The airline currently flies to over 70 destinations in more than 30 countries across five continents. Singapore Airlines is one of the leading carriers in the Southeast Asian Region with the help of its low-cost subsidiary, Scoot. The airline’s previous regional subsidiary, Silk Air, has been incorporated into SQ’s operations as of March 2021.

Singapore Airline flies a modern aircraft fleet consisting of the Airbus A350, Airbus A380, Boeing 777, Boeing 787 Dreamliner, Boeing 737 Max, and Boeing 737-800 NG. The airline is the world’s largest Airbus A350-900 operator, with 63 currently in service and two more on order. 7 of the 65 Airbus A350’s in service have the ultra-long range (ULR) premium (only business and premium economy class) configuration. These ULRs are mostly used on North American routes.

Singapore Airlines is a full-service carrier. It means that every flight includes all the necessary in-flight amenities and services you can think of. All SQ tickets include free check-in baggage, meals, and in-flight entertainment. The airline has a frequent flyer program called KrisFlyer & PPS Club. The airline is a member of the Star Alliance, one of the world’s biggest airline alliance networks.

Singapore Airlines is not a new airline on this website. In fact, it is the second-most-reviewed airline after Cebu Pacific Air.

In case you missed it, I post reviews & features of my flights since June 2019. I’ve covered airlines such as EVA Air, Indonesia Air Asia, Emirates, Singapore Airlines, Philippine Airlines, and Cebu Pacific Air. All posts about these flights are found under the Flight Reports category.

Airfare

Last year, I got lucky to score affordable tickets to Australia with one of the world’s best airlines, Singapore Airlines. Believe it or not, this return ticket from Manila to Sydney via Singapore and Brisbane to Manila via Singapore only cost me $497 (US dollars). I got charged by my bank ₱27,845.92, including the foreign transaction service fee.

This affordable SQ ticket includes 25 kilograms of checked baggage allowance, 7 kilograms of carry-on baggage allowance, inflight meals and snacks, personal entertainment screens on all flights, and a 5-star flight experience with a well-trained cabin crew. Considering the ticket was booked only 5 months before the intended flight date, this was a bang for the buck. It was definitely a steal.

Do you want to know the difference between a full-service and a low-cost airline? Check out my previous post detailing the differences of these 2 types of airlines.

Travel Requirements

Philippine passport holders are only required to present their valid passports and the E-Travel QR code upon entering the country’s borders. Non-Philippine passport holders may be required to present other requirements, such as a valid visa or onward departure ticket. These requirements vary from one nationality to the other. It is always best to check with the relevant authorities regarding the updated entry requirements.

Before The Flight

Unlike previous Singapore Airlines flights, I did not receive any business class upgrade offers for this SQ 246 flight. I only got a flight check-in reminder on the airline’s mobile application 48 hours before this flight.

Upon getting the said check-in notification, I immediately chose our seats for both Brisbane to Singapore and Singapore to Manila flights and checked-in for both flights. Singapore Airlines allows its passengers to choose their seats for free during mobile or web check-in.

Aircraft & Flight Information

This Brisbane-Singapore SQ 246 flight was operated by a 3-year-old (at the time of the flight) Airbus A350-900 aircraft. This plane, delivered in October 2020, features the airline’s regional configuration with 40 lie-flat business class seats and 263 economy class seats.

Flight SQ 245 took off from Brisbane International Airport at 12:04 a.m. and landed at Singapore Changi Airport 22 minutes ahead of schedule at 5:22 a.m. local time. The flight took 7 hours and 18 minutes, a few minutes shorter than its declared flight time.

Ground & Airport Experience

Singapore Airlines departs from Brisbane International Airport Terminal 1 (International Terminal).

CHECK-IN

Check-in opened 3 hours and 30 minutes before the scheduled departure. All passengers are asked to check in and print boarding passes and luggage tags via the self-check-in kiosks. After this, passengers need to drop their luggage at the bag drop counters.

I printed our boarding passes and luggage tags on the self-check-in kiosks. Then, together with my parents, I walked to the self-bag drop counters to leave our bags. An airline ground staff member approached us during bag drop and offered her assistance.

The check-in and bag drop process only took us 10 minutes. Fast and efficient!

PRE-DEPARTURE

After check-in, I went through security and immigration and spent the rest of the night in the pre-departure area. There is not much to do inside Brisbane Airport’s international terminal apart from enjoying the tropical vibe of the pre-departure area.

BOARDING

The ground staff announced boarding commencement at 11:08 p.m. They first called passengers traveling with infants and those needing special assistance. The ground staff then announced boarding for first class passengers, then for business class passengers and PPS Club members. They called in Star Alliance Gold and Krisflyer Elite members, followed by premium economy class passengers.

The staff called the economy class passengers last. They asked these passengers to board according to their assigned groups. The whole boarding process took 30 minutes.

The airline crew closed the aircraft doors at exactly 11:38 p.m. The aircraft pushed back two minutes later, at 11:40 p.m. and taxied to the runway for take-off.

Inflight Hard & Soft Product

SEAT FEATURES

This Singapore-Brisbane flight was operated by one of Singapore Airlines’ Airbus A350-900 aircraft. The plane sports the regional seat configuration with 40 lie-flat business class seats and 263 standard economy seats. According to SeatGuru, each business class seat has a 60-inch seat pitch and a 28-inch seat width. The seats have a 1-2-1 configuration, with each seat having direct aisle access. All business class seats are equipped with a large personal entertainment screen paired with noise-canceling headphones. Each seat also includes a pillow, a blanket, several storage spaces, and a large tray table.

Economy class seats have a seat pitch of 28 inches and a seat width of 18 inches, slightly bigger than the Boeing 787-10’s 17.5-inch seat width. Each seat comes with a spacious leg room, an adjustable headrest, and a personal entertainment screen. Seats also feature a seat pocket with inflight safety cards, a foldable tray table, a coat hook, small storage space below the screen, a USB charging outlet, a comfortable pillow, and a universal power outlet in between seats. Blankets, face masks, and disinfectant surface wipes are available upon request.

I got aisle rear economy bulkhead seat 55D in the middle section on this 7-hour overnight flight to Singapore. I had more than usual leg room and did not worry about reclining seats throughout the flight. The only downside to having this seat is the frequent disturbance I get from people using the lavatory in front of me.

INFLIGHT MEALS

Singapore Airlines served supper and early morning refreshments on this Brisbane-Singapore flight. The dinner, snack, and drink options can be found in the airline’s inflight portal, Krisworld. The airline got rid of physical menus during the pandemic.

A little over an hour after take-off, the cabin crew served dinner. They offered two types of mains: wok-fried beef in oyster sauce with egg noodles and chicken and mushroom ragout. They served the mains with farro, corn and red bean salad, cheese and crackers, a bread roll and butter, a bottle of water, and a drink of choice – coffee, tea, wine, beer, soft drinks, water, or juice. The crew went around for the second time to serve iced cream for dessert and coffee, tea, or water to those who wanted.

2.5 hours before landing, the cabin crew commenced the refreshments service. They offered chicken pies and cheese and vegetable relish on ciabatta for snacks. They distributed these with coffee, tea, water, and/or fruit juice.

I went for the noodle option for dinner and got the chicken pies for refreshments. I was disappointed because both options tasted bland and lacked flavor. My parents had the same comments about the chicken and mushroom ragout dinner option. The only thing I enjoyed in the dinner service was the salted caramel ice cream.

An hour after dinner, I asked the crew if they had snacks, chips, or nuts. I told the crew I did not like the meal. Cabin crew Celine immediately said sorry and advised me she would find something for me. She came back after a few minutes and gave me two packs of biscuits, another serving of salted caramel ice cream, and a cup of water.

The catering on this flight was disappointing and underwhelming. A massive thank you to the salted caramel ice cream and to cabin crew Celine for saving the inflight meal experience.

INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT

Singapore Airlines’ entertainment system, Krisworld, offers thousands of options for passengers to choose from. It has hundreds of movies, television series, and music albums from different parts of the world. It also has games and local Singaporean media for passengers to enjoy. It also features an inflight map, which shows the plane’s current position, its flight path, and other flight-related details. All these entertainment options can be accessed via the touch-screen personal monitors found in front of every seat.

The personal entertainment screen of rear economy bulkhead seat 55D is mounted on the wall. It still has the touch-screen feature but is mostly controlled using the remote due to its far and high position. It can still personalize the entertainment experience by logging in using your Krisflyer membership number. It has the same moving inflight map feature. The only thing it lacks is the presence of cameras, which passengers can view during the flight.

INFLIGHT CONNECTIVITY

In July 2023, Singapore Airlines started offering complimentary, unlimited onboard Wi-Fi access on all its flights, except for flights operated by Boeing 737-800s. Passengers are required to log in using their Krisflyer accounts to use the onboard Wi-Fi service. Those not registered with Krisflyer can register during the flight to access the said service.

The Wi-Fi connection onboard this flight worked well. It allowed me to post an Instagram story while cruising 30,000 feet above sea level. Props to Singapore Airlines for giving free access to its Krisflyer members.

LAVATORY

The middle economy class lavatories on this Airbus A350 aircraft were kept fragrant and clean throughout the flight. The cabin crew checked and cleaned these lavatories frequently. These also had amenities (dental kits and hand moisturizer) that passengers might need during the flight.

CABIN CREW SERVICE

The cabin crew service on this flight was sensational. In fact, the excellent service, paired with the salted caramel ice cream service, saved the flight experience against the disappointing inflight catering. The cabin crew assigned to our area, Celine, started the dinner service by asking how I was, what I wanted for dinner, and even offering her specialty drink (which was super good) as the drink option.

Celine also apologized when she found out that I was not happy with the dinner food. She gave me lemon crackers and another serving of salted caramel ice cream to make up for it. She made sure that my parents and I had an enjoyable flight to Singapore. A big shoutout to Celine, a wonderful SQ cabin crew member, for making our flying experience a memorable one.

Disembarkation & Luggage Claim

Upon arrival at Singapore Changi Airport, the aircraft taxied to Terminal 3 Gate B9 for proper disembarkation. For some strange reasons, the inflight screens did not flash the onward assigned gates for passengers with connecting flights. The cabin crew announced which luggage belt number the checked bags would have available for claim. The luggage claim information was also flashed in the Singapore Airlines mobile application.

Disembarkation went by quickly. My parents and I found ourselves inside Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 3 in no time. We went to the nearby food court to get some breakfast because we were too hungry. We spent the rest of our layover in the food court and outside the assigned gate for our connecting flight to Manila.

Flight Experience

This pretty much sums up my Brisbane-Singapore SQ 246 flight with Singapore Airlines onboard their modern Airbus A350-900 aircraft. The flight may not be as ideal as my previous Singapore Airlines flights, but it still went smoothly. Allow me to share both the good and the bad about this flight.

First, the 4-sector ticket only cost me $497 (US dollars) or around ₱27,845.92 in local currency. The ticket itself was already a big win because it included 25 kilograms of checked baggage allowance, 7 kilograms of carry-on allowance, inflight meals, and personal entertainment screens on all four flights. It was definitely a steal.

Second, Singapore Airlines’ check-in system at Brisbane Airport was modern, quick, and efficient. The airline used automated check-in machines and bag drop counters for all passengers. Several ground staff were also present in case a passenger needed help or assistance during the process. Third, I got assigned to a bulkhead economy class seat for this overnight flight to Singapore. Thanks to this seat, I enjoyed extra leg room for the whole 7-hour flight.

Fourth, the aircraft’s Wi-Fi connection worked well during the flight. I managed to post a real-time Instagram story during the flight. Fifth, the salted caramel ice cream and the impressive cabin crew service saved this flight from the disappointing dinner and refreshment mains. The cabin crew assigned to my area, cabin crew Celine, gave sensational service throughout the flight. She embodied and showed me and my parents how SQ hospitality should be, despite the odds.

This flight was not all good; it also had its misses. First, both dinner mains and snack offerings were disappointing and underwhelming. The meals tasted bland and lacked flavor. Good thing the dinner service came with a tasty salted caramel ice cream for dessert.

Second, I noticed that the bulkhead economy personal entertainment screens were placed higher than the usual screens. I also saw that the screens were somewhat visible to the people behind me. Third, I might have missed it, but I believe the economy bulkhead seats do not have a cup holder or mirror in the seat features.

Lastly, I did not see the connections list on the personal entertainment screens when we were about to land at Singapore Changi Airport. I know the airline normally flashes the connecting flight information a few minutes before landing, but I did not see that usual feature on the screens before landing.

Nevertheless, I am glad that I chose to fly with Singapore Airlines for this Australian trip with my parents. I cannot wait to fly with them again in the future.

Here is a summary of the geeky details of this flight:

Airline: Singapore Airlines
Flight Date: 3 September 2023
Flight Number: SQ 246
Route: Brisbane, Australia (BNE) to Singapore (SIN)
Duration: 7 hours and 18 minutes
Seat Number: 55D
Aircraft: Airbus A350-941
Aircraft Registration: 9V-SHR
Engines: 2 x Rolls-Royce Trent XWB
Age: 3-years-old
Delivered: October 2020

Thank you for joining me in today’s flight report. I hope I gave you a comprehensive review of how it is flying with Singapore Airlines on this intercontinental Brisbane to Singapore route.

Have you flown with Singapore Airlines in the past? How was your flight experience? Are you looking to book a ticket with the airline soon? If yes, let me know if you have questions so I can respond to them. post your questions in the comments section below. You may also send these questions via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

I hope you can check out my previous flight reports with Singapore Airlines and other airlines like Emirates, EVA Air, Air France, Vietnam Airlines, Cebu Pacific Air, and Philippine Airlines. I hope you also look forward to more flight reports in the future.

Before you go, I hope you can like, follow and share my social media pages – Facebook and Instagram. This will help me increase my reach; it will also keep you up-to-date with the latest blog posts, itineraries and flight reports on this website. Thank you and see you in the next flight report!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.

Flight Report: SINGAPORE AIRLINES SQ 231 – Singapore to Sydney – Exceptional Overnight Airbus A380 Superjumbo Flight to Land Down Under [August 2023]

In August 2023, I flew to Australia with my parents for a week-long vacation and family visit. I toured them around Sydney for three days and then took them to my aunt in Brisbane for the remainder of the trip.

I have been to both Sydney and Brisbane in 2018, and I have written about my previous trips to these cities. I hope you can check out the following: Exploring SYDNEY By Foot Part 1 – Heritage Sites Within The City, Exploring SYDNEY By Foot Part 2 – City Icons, Alleys & Harbours, BONDI BEACH & COOGEE BEACH – A Short Trip To Two of Sydney’s Suburban Beaches, and BRISBANE Weekend.

My parents and I flew with Singapore Airlines on our flights to and from Australia. We flew from Manila to Sydney via Singapore and back to Manila from Brisbane via Singapore. Previously, I shared with you details about our almost-perfect first flight to Singapore on flight SQ 921 – check out the flight report here. Today, I will share with you details about our exceptional SQ 231 flight from Singapore to Sydney onboard Singapore Airlines’ Airbus A380 superjumbo.

Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines is Singapore’s national carrier. This award-winning world-class airline is based at one of the world’s best airports, Singapore Changi Airport. The airline started as Malayan Airways in 1947; it then rebranded, and commenced operations as Singapore Airlines in 1972. The airline has been a top contributor in terms of the world’s revenue passenger kilometers and the number of international passengers carried worldwide.

The airline currently flies to over 70 destinations in more than 30 countries across five continents. Singapore Airlines is one of the leading carriers in the Southeast Asian Region with the help of its low-cost subsidiary, Scoot. The airline’s previous regional subsidiary, Silk Air, has been incorporated into SQ’s operations as of March 2021.

Singapore Airline flies a modern aircraft fleet consisting of the Airbus A350, Airbus A380, Boeing 777, Boeing 787 Dreamliner, Boeing 737 Max, and Boeing 737-800 NG. The airline is the world’s largest Airbus A350-900 operator, with 63 currently in service and two more on order. 7 of the 65 Airbus A350’s in service have the ultra-long range (ULR) premium (only business and premium economy class) configuration. These ULRs are mostly used on North American routes.

Singapore Airlines is a full-service carrier. It means that every flight includes all the necessary in-flight amenities and services you can think of. All SQ tickets include free check-in baggage, meals, and in-flight entertainment. The airline has a frequent flyer program called KrisFlyer & PPS Club. The airline is a member of the Star Alliance, one of the world’s biggest airline alliance networks.

Singapore Airlines is not a new airline on this website. In fact, it is the second-most-reviewed airline after Cebu Pacific Air.

In case you missed it, I post reviews & features of my flights since June 2019. I’ve covered airlines such as EVA Air, Indonesia Air Asia, Emirates, Singapore Airlines, Philippine Airlines, and Cebu Pacific Air. All posts about these flights are found under the Flight Reports category.

Airfare

As mentioned in my previous SQ 921 Manila to Singapore flight report, this four-sector ticket from Manila to Sydney and Brisbane to Manila only costs $497 (US dollars) per person. This return ticket was booked five months before the intended flight schedule. It includes a 25-kilogram check-in baggage allowance, a 7-kilogram carry-on allowance, inflight meals and snacks, personal entertainment screens on all flights, and a 5-star flight experience with a well-trained cabin crew.

I booked our ticket directly with the airline using my credit card and paid $1,491 (US dollars) for three people. I got charged ₱83,537.75 for all three tickets, including foreign transaction service fees. This translates to only ₱27,845.92 per person. Considering when the ticket was booked against the intended flight schedule, this ticket was definitely a steal. It already has everything a passenger needs on a long-haul flight, from food to amenities to entertainment. The other airline competitors offered way more expensive ticket prices at the time of booking for our planned August schedule.

Do you want to know the difference between a full-service and a low-cost airline? Check out my previous post detailing the differences of these 2 types of airlines.

Travel Requirements

Regular Philippine passport holders going to Australia for holidays need to obtain a tourist visa prior to the scheduled flight. I applied for my visa back in January last year, and I was approved for a multiple-entry visa valid for one year. I helped my parents obtain their visas, and I was pleased to see they were granted the same validity as mine.

In case you missed it, I wrote about the steps on how to get an Australian tourist visa. I hope you can check out this quick guide.

Before The Flight

Unlike my previous Singapore Airlines flights, I did not receive an upgrade offer for the Manila to Singapore and Singapore to Sydney sectors. I only got a mobile check-in reminder on the airline’s mobile application exactly 48 hours before the Manila to Singapore SQ 921 flight.

Upon getting the check-in reminder, I immediately chose our seat for both Manila to Singapore and this Singapore to Sydney sector and checked-in for both flights. The airline offers complimentary seat selection during mobile or web check-in.

Aircraft & Flight Information

This Singapore-Sydney SQ flight was operated by an 11.9-year-old (at the time of flight) Airbus A380-841 aircraft. This superjumbo, delivered to the airline in April 2012, features all four airline classes with 6 enclosed first class suites, 78 lie-flat business class seats, 44 premium economy class seats, and 343 regular economy class seats.

SQ 231 took off from Singapore Changi Airport at 1:18 a.m. and landed at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (or Sydney International Airport) at 10:21 a.m. local time. The 6,546-kilometer journey took 7 hours and 3 minutes, shorter than the 7 hours and 40 minutes declared flight time.

Ground & Airport Experience

This Singapore-Sydney flight on SQ 231 is a continuation of my Manila-Singapore SQ 921 flight. I checked-in on this flight back in Manila and only stayed airside at Singapore Changi Airport. I did not clear immigration and customs in Singapore.

SINGAPORE CHANGI AIRPORT TRANSIT EXPERIENCE

Transit at Singapore Changi Airport is back to how it used to be before the pandemic. Passengers can transit through the airport, provided both flights (to and from Singapore) are under the same ticket or itinerary. The passenger’s bags should have been tagged from the airport of origin to the final country or airport of destination.

I already checked in for this Singapore-Sydney flight in Manila. Upon arrival at Changi Airport Terminal 3, Gate A5, I got off the plane and leisurely walked to our assigned gate, Gate B2, on the same terminal. The transit experience was quick and hassle-free.

PRE-DEPARTURE

Singapore Changi Airport is one of the few airports in the world where final security checks are conducted before entering the flight’s assigned boarding gates. Depending on size of the flight, the boarding gates open 1 to 2 hours before the scheduled time of departure.

At 11:10 p.m., I was told by the ground staff that Gate B2 is now open for passengers flying to Sydney. I submitted myself for a final security check. Afterwards, I secured a comfortable seat in the spacious Gate B2 pre-departure area while I waited for the flight boarding announcement.

BOARDING

The ground staff announced boarding commencement at 12:03 a.m. They first called passengers traveling with infants and those needing special assistance. The ground staff then announced boarding for first class passengers, then for business class passengers and PPS Club members. They called in Star Alliance Gold and Krisflyer Elite members, then followed by premium economy class passengers.

The local staff called the economy class passengers last. They asked these passengers to board according to their assigned groups. The whole boarding process only took 37 minutes.

The airline crew closed the aircraft doors at exactly 12:40 a.m. The aircraft pushed back 13 minutes later, at 12:53 a.m. and taxied to the runway for take-off.

Inflight Hard & Soft Product

SEAT FEATURES

This Singapore-Sydney flight by Singapore Airlines was operated by an Airbus A380-841 superjumbo aircraft. The plane has the newer 4-class configuration with 6 enclosed first class suites, 78 lie-flat business class seats, 44 angle-flat premium economy class seats, and 343 regular economy class seats.

Each enclosed first class suite features a reclinable leather seat, a single bed (which can be turned into a double bed with the adjacent suite), a 32-inch high-definition monitor, Bang and Olufsen noise-canceling headphones, premium dining, and a whole lot more. According to SeatGuru, the reclinable first class seat has a seat pitch of 81 inches and a seat width of 35 inches. It is an ultra-premium, multi-awarded luxury suite; it is one of the best in the market.

The business lie-flat seats have a seat pitch of 55 inches and a seat width of 30 inches. The business class seats are arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration, with each seat having direct aisle access. All business class seats in the A380 are equipped with 18 inches of personal entertainment screen paired with noise-canceling headphones. Each seat also includes a pillow, a blanket, several storage spaces, an amenity kit, and a large tray table. Both the first class and business class cabins are on the upper deck of this Airbus A380.

The premium economy class seats feature a seat pitch of 38 inches and a seat width of 19.5 inches. These seats are arranged in a 2-4-2 configuration in the forward lower deck cabin of the Airbus A380. Each seat features a generous angle-flat recline, a 13.3-inch entertainment screen, a personal reading light, 2 USB ports, a universal power outlet, and an adjustable headrest. All seats also come with a pillow, a blanket, and a noise-canceling headphone.

Economy class seats in the Airbus A380 have a seat pitch of 32 inches and a seat width of 19 inches. The seats are arranged in a 3-4-3 configuration. Each seat comes with a spacious leg room, an adjustable headrest, and a personal entertainment screen. Seats also feature a seat pocket with inflight safety cards, a foldable tray table with mirror, a coat hook, small storage space below the screen, a foldable cup holder, a USB charging outlet, a comfortable pillow, a blanket, and two universal power outlets in between seats. Other amenities such as eye mask and disinfectant wipes are available upon request. These economy seats are identical to those on some of the airlines’ Airbus A350 and Boeing 787 aircraft.

I got window seat 72K in the rear economy cabin for this 7-hour flight down to Sydney. I loved how everything was spacious in the Airbus A380. The only thing I did not like was the entertainment box found under seats A and K. I had a hard time stretching my legs because of this entertainment box.

INFLIGHT MEALS

Singapore Airlines served midnight refreshments and breakfast on this Singapore-Sydney flight. The snack, meal, and drink options can be found in the airline’s inflight portal, Krisworld. The airline got rid of physical menus during the pandemic.

30 minutes after take-off, the cabin crew started serving the midnight refreshments. The crew gave out the only snack option, a margherita pizza bar, and a drink of choice (coffee, tea, juice, water, etc.) to passengers who were keen on a snack. I got one and paired it with a glass of orange juice. I found the pizza bar too hot and the pizza crust too hard; I was not able to finish the snack.

2 hours and 30 minutes before landing, the crew started the breakfast service. They offered the popular SQ dish, nasi lemak, and an omelette with sausage for breakfast main courses. This came with a bowl of fruits, a small yogurt snack, a bread roll with butter, a bottle of water, and a drink of choice – coffee, tea, wine, beer, soft drinks, water, or juice. After giving out meals to all passengers, the crew went around to offer a second round of drinks and gave out coffee, tea, and water to those who wanted.

I got the signature Nasi Lemak dish with a glass of orange juice. Now, I understand why this nasi lemak main course is popular. I found the dish to be tasty and flavorful. The meal portions were alright; I did not get hungry until at least after Sydney lunchtime. I like that the airline still uses metal cutlery and reusable food containers for their medium to long-haul flights. I admire the environment-friendly initiative. I just hope they find a more environment-friendly alternative for the disposable drinking cups.

Overall, it was a pleasant meal experience. I will choose the Nasi Lemak option again when it is available.

INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT

Singapore Airlines’ entertainment system, Krisworld, offers thousands of options for passengers to choose from. It has hundreds of movies, television series, and music albums from different parts of the world. It also has games and local Singaporean media for passengers to enjoy. It also features an inflight map, which shows the plane’s current position, its flight path, and other flight-related details. All these entertainment options can be accessed via the touch-screen personal monitors found in front of every seat.

The personal entertainment system on seat 72K was quick and easy to navigate. Krisworld gives frequent flyers the option to personalize their experience. The system asks for the passenger’s KrisFlyer membership number and then shows the passenger’s favorites or the last song, movie, or television show he or she watched or left unfinished. I hope the airline also installs cameras on their aircraft, which passengers can view during the flight.

INFLIGHT CONNECTIVITY

In July 2023, Singapore Airlines started offering complimentary, unlimited onboard Wi-Fi access on all its flights except those operated by Boeing 737-800s. Passengers are required to log in using their Krisflyer accounts to use the onboard Wi-Fi service. Those not registered with Krisflyer can register during the flight to access the said service.

The complimentary Wi-Fi service worked on this Airbus A380 flight from Singapore to Sydney. The connection was decent; it allowed me to browse the internet and connect with friends and families while on the flight. Kudos to Singapore Airlines for giving this service complimentary to all Krisflyer members.

LAVATORY

The lavatory on the Airbus A380 is spacious compared to those in the Airbus A350 and Boeing 787. It contained the same amenities available on our Manila-Singapore SQ 921 flight. It was maintained well and kept clean during this 7-hour flight to Sydney.

Cabin Crew Service

I only had minimal interactions with the crew, given that I feel asleep for a few hours on the flight. I even forgot to ask for a glass of Singapore Sling because I was so tired and sleepy. Well, the crew did its job. They welcomed us to the flight, served both pizza snacks and breakfast meals, and wished us a lovely stay in Sydney during disembarkation. During the flight, they also went around and offered drinks to those who wanted.

Disembarkation & Luggage Claim

Upon arrival in Sydney, all personal entertainment screens flashed a note from the airline saying, “We hope you had a pleasant journey.” It also showed a reminder to the passengers to take their personal belongings with them when leaving the aircraft. The mobile application also had a notification saying that our luggage could be claimed at Belt 5.

Disembarkation took some time due to passenger volume. We were one of the last ones to leave, and we got out of the plane 20 minutes after the airline parked at the assigned gate. We passed by immigration and claimed our luggage at Belt 5.

Flight Experience

It was an exceptional flight with Singapore Airlines on SQ 231 from Singapore to Sydney. It may not be a perfect one, but it surely had its hits and misses. Let us start with the hits.

First, the US$497 return ticket from Manila to Sydney via Singapore and Brisbane to Manila via Singapore is cheap. The ticket included carry-on and check-in baggage, inflight amenities, and superb service on modern aircraft. Second, the transit experience at Singapore Changi Airport was easy, smooth, and quick. The airport facilities were exceptional; I had nothing more to ask for.

Third, this flight was operated by an Airbus A380-841. Like my Dubai to Paris CDG Emirates flight, flying the A380 superjumbo is always a delightful experience. There is so much space inside the economy class cabin. Fourth, the seats on the Singapore Airlines A380 were spacious and comfortable. I do not mind flying the A380 for 12 to 15 hours.

Fifth, I admire Singapore Airlines’ product consistency across their fleet. The seats are almost identical across various aircraft types, the entertainment system is the same for the whole fleet, and the flying experience is exceptional regardless of the aircraft used. Lastly, the complimentary Wi-Fi service on this flight worked well. It was the total opposite of how the service did not work on my Manila to Singapore SQ 921 flight.

This flight was not all good. It also had its misses. First, the breakfast catering was superb, but the midnight refreshments after takeoff were underwhelming. We only had one option: the pizza bar, which was too hard to eat. Emirates, who even have shorter flight times between Dubai and Europe (EK 073 DXB-CDG and EK 256 BCN-DXB as examples), provide two tasty pastries for refreshments.

Second, the entertainment box found under the K seats hinders the spacious A380 legroom. I found it difficult to stretch my legs because of the entertainment box. It was a minor inconvenience, but it still affected the flying experience. I hope modern entertainment systems do not need these boxes anymore.

Lastly, Singapore Airlines can learn from its competitors flying the same aircraft type by installing cameras for passengers to enjoy. These cameras are good add-ons to the entertainment system.

Nevertheless, it was still a memorable flight with Singapore Airlines on this Singapore-Sydney route. It has been a pleasure flying the superjumbo. I cannot wait to fly the airline and the superjumbo again in the future. I do not have anything booked yet, but I have plans.

Allow me to share with you some of the geeky details of this flight:

Airline: Singapore Airlines
Flight Date: 27 August 2023
Flight Number: SQ231
Route: Singapore (SIN) to Sydney, Australia (SYD)
Duration: 7 hours and 3 minutes
Seat Number: 72K
Aircraft: Airbus A380-841
Aircraft Registration: 9V-SKQ
Engines: 4 x Rolls-Royce Trent 970
Age: 11.9-years-old
Delivered: April 2012

Thank you for joining me in today’s flight report. I hope I gave you a comprehensive review of how it is flying with Singapore Airlines on their Airbus A380 aircraft to Sydney.

Have you flown with Singapore Airlines or on the Airbus A380? How was your flight experience? Are you looking to book a ticket with the airline soon? If yes, let me know if you have questions so I can respond to them. post your questions in the comments section below. You may also send them via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

I hope you can check out my previous flight reports with Singapore Airlines and other airlines like Emirates, EVA Air, Air France, Vietnam Airlines, Cebu Pacific Air, and Philippine Airlines. I hope you also look forward to more flight reports in the future.

Before you go, I hope you can like, follow and share my social media pages – Facebook and Instagram. This will help me increase my reach; it will also keep you up-to-date with the latest blog posts, itineraries and flight reports on this website. Thank you and see you in the next flight report!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.

Flight Report: SINGAPORE AIRLINES SQ 921 – Manila to Singapore – Almost-Perfect Intraregional Flight Under 3 Hours [August 2023]

A few months ago, I flew to Australia for over a week. I brought my parents to Sydney and Brisbane for some long-overdue family time. I walked them around Sydney for 3 full days and took them to my aunt (my dad’s sister) for the rest of the trip.

I have been to both Sydney and Brisbane in 2018, and I have written about my previous trips to these cities. I hope you can check out the following: Exploring SYDNEY By Foot Part 1 – Heritage Sites Within The City, Exploring SYDNEY By Foot Part 2 – City Icons, Alleys & Harbours, BONDI BEACH & COOGEE BEACH – A Short Trip To Two of Sydney’s Suburban Beaches, and BRISBANE Weekend.

My parents and I flew with Singapore Airlines on our way to and from Australia. We flew from Manila to Sydney via Singapore and left the country from Brisbane to Manila via Singapore. Our first Singapore Airlines flight, SQ 921, from Manila to Singapore will be today’s flight report feature. Allow me to share with you how this supposed-to-be delayed flight turned into an almost-perfect one.

Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines is Singapore’s national carrier. This award-winning world-class airline is based at one of the world’s best airports, Singapore Changi Airport. The airline started as Malayan Airways in 1947; it then rebranded, and commenced operations as Singapore Airlines in 1972. The airline has been a top contributor in terms of the world’s revenue passenger kilometers and the number of international passengers carried worldwide.

The airline currently flies to over 70 destinations in more than 30 countries across five continents. Singapore Airlines is one of the leading carriers in the Southeast Asian Region with the help of its low-cost subsidiary, Scoot. The airline’s previous regional subsidiary, Silk Air, has been incorporated into SQ’s operations as of March 2021.

Singapore Airline flies a modern aircraft fleet consisting of the Airbus A350, Airbus A380, Boeing 777, Boeing 787 Dreamliner, Boeing 737 Max, and Boeing 737-800 NG. The airline is the world’s largest Airbus A350-900 operator, with 63 currently in service and two more on order. 7 of the 65 Airbus A350’s in service have the ultra-long range (ULR) premium (only business and premium economy class) configuration. These ULRs are mostly used on North American routes.

Singapore Airlines is a full-service carrier. It means that every flight includes all the necessary in-flight amenities and services you can think of. All SQ tickets include free check-in baggage, meals, and in-flight entertainment. The airline has a frequent flyer program called KrisFlyer & PPS Club. The airline is a member of the Star Alliance, one of the world’s biggest airline alliance networks.

Singapore Airlines is not a new airline on this website. In fact, it is the second-most-reviewed airline after Cebu Pacific Air.

In case you missed it, I post reviews & features of my flights since June 2019. I’ve covered airlines such as EVA Air, Indonesia Air Asia, Emirates, Singapore Airlines, Philippine Airlines, and Cebu Pacific Air. All posts about these flights are found under the Flight Reports category.

Airfare

This SQ 921 flight is part of a four-sector ticket from Manila to Australia and back on Singapore Airlines. The return ticket, booked 5 months before the intended flight date, only cost $497 (US dollars) per person. This return ticket includes a 25-kilogram check-in baggage allowance, a 7-kilogram carry-on allowance, inflight meals and snacks, personal entertainment screens on all flights, and a 5-star flight experience with a well-trained and passionate cabin crew.

I booked our ticket directly with the airline using my credit card and paid $1,491 (US dollars) for three people. I got charged ₱83,537.75 for all three tickets, including foreign transaction service fees. This translates to only ₱27,845.92 per person. Considering when the ticket was booked against the intended flight schedule, this ticket was definitely a steal. It already has everything a passenger needs on a long-haul flight, from food to amenities to entertainment. The other airline competitors offered way more expensive ticket prices at the time of booking for our planned August schedule.

Do you want to know the difference between a full-service and a low-cost airline? Check out my previous post detailing the differences of these 2 types of airlines.

Travel Requirements

Regular Philippine passport holders are required to get a visa to enter Australia. I applied for my visa back in January last year, and I was approved for a multiple-entry visa valid for one year. I helped my parents obtain their visas, and I was pleased to see they were granted the same validity as mine.

All departing passengers from Manila are required to fill out the details and obtain a QR code from the eTravel website. The QR codes are scanned by the immigration officers on the day of the trip.

In case you missed it, I wrote about the steps on how to get an Australian tourist visa. I hope you can check out this quick guide.

Before The Flight

Unlike previous Singapore Airlines flights, I did not receive any premium economy or business class upgrade offers for this SQ 921 flight. I only got a flight check-in reminder on the airline’s mobile application 48 hours before this flight.

Upon getting the said check-in notification, I immediately chose our seats for both Manila to Singapore and Singapore to Sydney flights and checked-in for both flights. Singapore Airlines allows its passengers to choose their seats for free during mobile or web check-in.

Aircraft & Flight Information

This Manila-Singapore SQ flight was operated by a 4.6-year-old (at the time of the flight) Airbus A350-900 aircraft. This plane, delivered in February 2019, features the airline’s regional configuration with 40 lie-flat business class seats and 263 economy class seats.

Flight SQ 921 took off from Ninoy Aquino International Airport about 45 minutes late at 7:17 p.m. and landed at Singapore Changi Airport 13 minutes ahead of time at 10:07 p.m. The flight only took 2 hours and 50 minutes, an hour shorter than its declared flight time.

Ground & Airport Experience

Singapore Airlines flights depart from Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3.

CHECK-IN

Singapore Airlines check-in counters at NAIA Terminal 3 open three hours before the flight. The well-manned counters opened earlier than usual, at 2:55 p.m. and were divided into the following: Business Class, Regular Economy Class, Internet Check-In Economy Class, and Special Assistance.

I was traveling with two senior citizens, so I accompanied them to the special assistance check-in line. I noticed that this line moved slowly (20 minutes in line), and I asked them to join me in the internet check-in line.

We were immediately entertained at the internet check-in counters, and we finished our check-in process in about 5 minutes. We checked in our bags all the way to Sydney, Australia.

PRE-DEPARTURE

After check-in, my parents and I cleared immigration and security and spent some time at Marhaba Lounge. I used my Security Bank Platinum Mastercard (not sponsored) to access the lounge and to bring in my father using the yearly complimentary passes.

We stayed in the lounge for a few hours, stuffed ourselves with food and drinks, and waited for boarding. A few minutes before the scheduled boarding time, we left the lounge and walked towards Gate 108.

BOARDING

We reached Gate 108 before 6:00 p.m. and noticed that boarding has not started. The pre-departure area was chaotic and did not have the usual by-group segregation by Singapore Airlines. The pre-boarding preparations were announced at 6:25 p.m. Five minutes later, the formal boarding process started.

Business class passengers and PPS Club passengers boarded the plane first. Krisflyer Elite and Star Alliance Gold members came next. Economy class passengers boarded the plane by seat numbers. Those seated at the back (group 4) boarded the plane first. Groups 5 and 6 economy class passengers eventually boarded the plane.

The entire boarding process only took 21 minutes. The aircraft doors were closed at 6:51 p.m. The plane pushed back after three minutes at 6:54 p.m.

Inflight Hard & Soft Product

SEAT FEATURES

This Manila-Singapore flight was operated by one of Singapore Airlines’ Airbus A350-900 aircraft. The plane sports the regional seat configuration with 40 lie-flat business class seats and 263 standard economy seats. According to SeatGuru, each business class seat has a 60-inch seat pitch and a 28-inch seat width. The seats have a 1-2-1 configuration, with each seat having direct aisle access. All business class seats are equipped with a large personal entertainment screen paired with noise-canceling headphones. Each seat also includes a pillow, a blanket, several storage spaces, and a large tray table.

Economy class seats have a seat pitch of 28 inches and a seat width of 18 inches, slightly bigger than the Boeing 787-10’s 17.5-inch seat width. Each seat comes with a spacious leg room, an adjustable headrest, and a personal entertainment screen. Seats also feature a seat pocket with inflight safety cards, a foldable tray table with mirror, a coat hook, small storage space below the screen, a foldable cup holder, a USB charging outlet, a comfortable pillow, and a universal power outlet in between seats. Blankets, face masks, and disinfectant surface wipes are available upon request.

The seats on this Airbus A350 aircraft are complete and comfortable enough for a short-haul international flight. It has more than what a normal economy class passenger needs for a 3-hour flight.

INFLIGHT MEALS

Singapore Airlines served complimentary hot meals on this 3-hour flight. The airline has let go of physical menu cards and have incorporated them in the inflight entertainment system and in the onboard connectivity service. The airline has also brought back the appetizer which went missing during the pandemic.

Passengers had the option to choose between creamy tuna pesto pasta and chicken rice as the main course. The main dish came with a mixed seafood salad, a bread roll and butter, coffee jelly with tapioca, a cup of water, and another drink of choice – coffee, tea, wine, beer, soft drinks, water, or juice. The crew went around again to offer a second round of drinks and offered water, coffee, and tea to those who wanted them.

I went for the chicken rice meal with a glass of apple juice and enjoyed it. The chicken was soft; it tasted good. The food portions were just right, enough to make me full during the flight. I admire the airline for using metal cutlery and recyclable food containers during meal service. It helps a lot in eliminating solid waste; it is environment-friendly. I hope they can find a sustainable alternative to plastic cups.

An hour after the dinner service, I requested for the airline’s signature cocktail, the Singapore Sling. The crew came back and gave me two Singapore Slings and two packs of peas and crackers. This Singapore Sling drink is already a staple every time I fly with the airline.

INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT

Krisworld, Singapore Airlines’ entertainment system, offers thousands of options to choose from. They have hundreds of movies and TV shows to watch, thousands of songs to listen to, games to play, and a few local media pieces to check out. All these options can be accessed via the touch-screen personal entertainment screens found in front of every seat. The touch-screen screens were responsive and easy to navigate. It also showed the flight path and even details of onward connecting flights. The provided earphones were alright. They are not noise-canceling, but they did their job.

Krisworld also gives frequent flyers the option to personalize their experience. The system asks for the passenger’s KrisFlyer membership number and then shows the passenger’s favorites or the last song, movie, or television show he or she watched or left unfinished. I hope Singapore Airlines installs cameras in their A350’s that passengers can access and view during flights.

INFLIGHT CONNECTIVITY

Since July 2023, Singapore Airlines has offered complimentary unlimited onboard Wi-Fi access on all its flights except those operated by Boeing 737-800s. Passengers are required to log in using their Krisflyer accounts to use the onboard Wi-Fi service. Those not registered with Krisflyer can register during the flight to access the said service.

Unfortunately, the Wi-Fi service on this flight did not work. I tried to connect multiple times, but I always got no internet in my mobile browser.

LAVATORY

The lavatory on this Airbus A350-900 aircraft was clean throughout the flight. It had additional amenities such as paper cups, dental kits, and moisturizing hand lotion. The sink had cold and warm water and had hand soap and tissue beside it.

Cabin Crew Service

The cabin crew service on this flight was excellent. From the time we entered the aircraft, to the meal service, and until disembarkation, the cabin crew served us with their biggest smiles. The crew had to pause the dinner service due to turbulence, and the crew apologized for the delay. Several members of the flight crew went around the cabin throughout the flight and attended to every passenger’s requests. They even went around and offered glasses of water to those who wanted them.

The assigned crew on this flight showed true Singaporean hospitality. They made sure that passengers had an enjoyable flight onboard Singapore Airlines. Their top-notch service made the flying experience a lot better.

Disembarkation

Before arriving in Singapore, the airline displayed on the inflight screen the list of flights and assigned boarding gates for passengers with connecting flights. The airline also indicated the assigned luggage belt for those who need to get their bags to Singapore. They also had the same announcement in the mobile application.

Upon arrival in Singapore, all passengers disembarked in an orderly manner. The business class and forward economy class passengers went out first. The middle and rear economy class passengers followed.

Flight Experience

It was an almost-perfect flying experience with Singapore Airlines on this SQ 921 flight from Manila to Singapore. It could have been a perfect mark if only everything went right during boarding and onboard. The onboard product is indeed one of the world’s best, especially on the modern Airbus A350-900 aircraft. Let me share with you the hits and misses of this short hop to Singapore.

The first and probably biggest win of this flight is its cheap return tickets. My parents and I got the return Manila-Australia-Manila tickets for only US$497 each, or around 28,000 PHP. The tickets included carry-on and check-in baggage, inflight amenities, and superb service on an Airbus A350. Second, the Manila-Singapore legs utilize modern Airbus A350 and Boeing 787 aircraft. The A350 we used on this flight had modern cabin features, state-of-the-art inflight entertainment systems, and comfortable seats.

Third, Singapore Airlines onboard hard and soft products are exceptional. The entertainment system had thousands of choices, and the onboard meals and snacks were great. The airline has brought back the appetizers to the meals. Fourth, the cabin crew service on this flight was warm, hospitable, and world-class. Lastly, the airline’s sustainability efforts are worth commending. The airline uses metal cutlery, reusable food containers, and has removed physical menus.

The flight also had its misses. First, the ground staff did not make any announcements regarding delayed boarding. They announced that the flight from Singapore has arrived, and that is it. It would have been ideal if the passengers were informed that there would be delays in boarding. Despite this delay, the flight still managed to touch down in Singapore ahead of schedule. Acceptable.

Second, the onboard Wi-Fi did not work during the entire flight. Bummer. Lastly, I hope the airline can find sustainable alternatives for the plastic cups used on this flight. There were over a hundred plastic cups used on this flight alone. Changing these cups to environment-friendly options is ideal.

Despite these misses, I still had an enjoyable and almost-perfect flight to Singapore with Singapore Airlines. I was happy to introduce and let my parents experience the airline’s world-class and 5-star service for such an affordable fare. Will I fly them again? Definitely. I am already excited for my next flight with the airline, even if I do not have anything booked as of this writing.

Here are some of the aircraft and flight details about this quick hop to Singapore:

Airline: Singapore Airlines
Flight Date: 26 August 2023
Flight Number: SQ921
Route: Manila, Philippines (MNL) to Singapore (SIN)
Duration: 2 hours and 50 minutes
Seat Number: 63K
Aircraft: Airbus A350-900
Aircraft Registration: 9V-SHC
Engines: 2 x Rolls-Royce Trent XWB
Age: 4.6-years-old
Delivered: February 2019

Have you flown Singapore Airlines recently? How was your experience? Will you fly them again soon or by any chance have questions about anything mentioned above? Feel free to share your ground and flight experiences or post your questions in the comments section below. You may also send them via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

Thank you for joining me in today’s flight report! Watch out for my onward flight from Singapore to Sydney also on Singapore Airlines. In the meantime, you may check out my previous flight reports here.

Before you go, I hope you can like and follow my social media pages – Facebook and Instagram. This will help me increase my reach; it will also keep you up-to-date with the latest blog posts, itineraries and flight reports on this website. Thank you and see you in the next flight report!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.

Hostel of the Day: THE POD BOUTIQUE CAPSULE HOTEL – Dark-Themed, Futuristic & High-Priced Property Along Singapore’s Beach Road

Early this year, I flew to Singapore for 5 days and 4 nights for a quick family trip. In such a short span of time, I managed to check out and stay in two capsule hotels: Cube Boutique Capsule Hotel @ Kampong Glam and The POD Boutique Capsule Hotel. A few weeks ago, I shared with you how valuable a property Cube Kampong Glam is. Join me in today’s hostel of the day feature as I share with you my experience with the second property, The POD Boutique Capsule Hotel at Beach Road.

In case you missed it, I flew with Scoot, Singapore Airlines’ budget subsidiary, to and from Singapore. I hope you can check out these two flight reports: Scoot Flight TR 397 Manila to Singapore and Scoot Flight TR 390 Singapore to Manila.

The POD Boutique Capsule Hotel

The POD Boutique Capsule Hotel is a capsule hotel along Beach Road, just outside Singapore’s Central Business District. It opened in 2013 with the unique concept of providing comfortable and fuss-free accommodation with a modern and minimalistic approach.

The capsule hotel has over 100 capsules across different pods and suites. It caters to business travelers who want comfort at an affordable price and to leisure travelers who do not mind paying extra for better comfort and privacy.

In case you do not know, I try to stay and review hostels anonymously during my trips. I have been to a lot of hostels around Asia, Australia and Europe. I hope you can check all of these hostel features under the Hostel of the Day category.

Location & Access

The POD is located at Level 3, 289 Beach Road, Singapore, 199552. The property is 200 meters by foot to Kampong Glam, 250 meters by foot to the Sultan Mosque, 300 meters by foot to the Malay Heritage Center, 350 meters by foot to Haji Lane, and 850 meters by foot to Bugis Street.

The POD is located within a busy retail and dining precinct with restaurants, bars, coffee shops, and artisan shops. The nearest MRT station is Bugis Station in the East-West or Green Line, and the nearest bus stop is right in front of the hostel doors.

Major Singapore attractions such as Marina Bay, Gardens by the Bay, and Orchard Road are all less than 30 minutes away by bus or train from the hostel. The property is 45 minutes to 1 hour away from Singapore Changi Airport.

Room Options

The POD Boutique Capsule Hotel offers five room options. They have 3 types of pods and 2 types of private suites.

The first pod type is the front-entry single pod. This is available in mixed shared rooms, male-only rooms, and female-only shared rooms. Each single pod features a personal locker under each pod, cotton sheets, a fluffy duvet with two pillows, a hanger and clothes rack, a personal power socket, a personal reading light, and privacy roller shades. The second pod type is the side-entry single pod. This pod type has the same features as the first type but differs in the entry area.

The last pod type is the queen pod. This pod type features a double mattress instead of a single-type one. It also has the same features as the single pods. Both the side entry and queen pods are only available in mixed shared rooms and female-only shared rooms.

The POD has two suite types: single pod suites and queen pod suites. These individually accessible suites are enclosed in a private room with a single bed and a double bed, respectively. In addition to all the amenities enjoyed in the shared pods, the suites feature a personal workspace with a small table and chair. All these pods, shared or private, are given clean bath towels, slippers, and a bottle of water. These pods also have access to shared, self-contained bathrooms found on every floor.

I booked my 1-night stay with Agoda and paid ₱3,323.43 for a single pod suite. I got a suite with an upper single bed and a workstation. I got a bed with two pillows and a comfortable duvet. I also got a bath towel, bottled water, and a pair of disposable slippers upon entering the room. I believe this accommodation is in the higher price range of value accommodations in Singapore.

Guest Facilities & Amenities

Complimentary High-Speed Wi-Fi – The Pod offers complimentary high-speed wi-fi to all guests. The connection is perfect for those who need to work remotely.

Communal Lounge Areas – The property has a few chairs and tables in the communal spaces where guests can chill and talk to other guests during their stay.

Complimentary Coffee & Tea – Coffee and tea are available in the common area free of charge at any time of the day.

Meeting Room – The property has a meeting room that guests can use in case they need to go into a meeting with some people during their stay.

Business Pods – Guests coming to Singapore for work or business can use the business pod for important meetings and quiet work hours.

Vending Machine – Guests can buy water or carbonated drinks at the vending machine found in the common area.

Self-Contained Bathrooms – The hostel has self-contained bathrooms on all floors. These bathrooms are clean and well-maintained.

Self-Help Laundromat – The Pod has a self-help laundromat that can be used for a small fee. Feel free to approach reception if you want to use this facility.

Express Check-In & Check-Out – The hostel has self-check-in and check-out machines that guests can use upon arrival or before leaving the hostel.

Air Conditioning Systems – The hostel premises are equipped with air conditioning systems. However, these systems are only opened at specific hours during the night.

Luggage Storage – The Pod offers luggage storage for all incoming and outgoing guests. Please approach the reception staff if you want your bags stored.

24-Hour Reception – The Pod’s reception is open 24 hours a day. There is no need to worry about arriving at the hostel late at night or leaving the property in the wee hours of the morning.

Multi-Lingual Staff – The hostel staff speaks several languages. They are also good at speaking the English language.

Lift Access – Guests traveling with large bags or suitcases do not need to worry about bringing their bags up to the property. The POD has lifts for guests to use.

Secured Room Access – Each guest is provided a key card that only works in the common doors and in the door of their assigned room.

Secured Hostel Premises – The hostel is equipped with surveillance cameras. Also, room areas can only be accessed using hostel keycards. These room areas are restricted to non-guests.

Hostel Experience

I had a brief but remarkable stay at The POD Boutique Capsule Hotel in Singapore. I enjoyed every single bit of my stay, even if I was only there for a night.

The amazing experience started with the quick and easy self-check-in process. I did everything through the check-in and check-out machines available in front of reception. The following day, I checked out of the property in seconds.

I was also impressed by the single-pod features and amenities. I got a pod with a quality single bed equipped with two pillows and a thick but comfortable duvet. I also got bottled water, a pair of slippers, and a bath towel upon check-in.

Another thing I liked about this capsule hotel is the meeting room and business pods available for guests who need to do some work during their stay.

There are also a few things that happened during my stay that will make me think twice about staying here again in the future. First, the air conditioning systems in the rooms and in the common areas only work during the night. These are turned off during the day. I am all for environment-friendly measures, but I hope they also add ventilation options inside the rooms.

Second, the lift stopped for a while during my stay. I took a shower on the higher floors, and I had to take the stairs down because the lift stopped working. Lastly, I believe the price is a little bit on the higher tier for a capsule hotel. There are other capsule accommodations in the same area that offer better value for money.

Putting these things aside, I still had a wonderful stay with The POD. The hostel itself is an experience. It is unique, modern, and futuristic. I highly recommend The POD to those who can splurge a bit more but stay within a budget while traveling around Singapore.

Curious about The POD at Beach Road? You may contact them directly on these platforms:

The POD Boutique Capsule Hotel
Address: Level 3, 289 Beach Road, Singapore, 199552
Phone Number: +65 6298 8505
Email Address: info@thepodcapsulehotel.com
Website: www.thepodcapsulehotel.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/thepodcapsulehotel
Instagram: www.instagram.com/thepodcapsulehotel

Do you have any questions about anything mentioned above? Feel free to post them in the comments section below. You may also send these questions to me via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

In case you missed it, I wrote about a nearby capsule hotel – Cube Boutique Capsule Hotel @ Kampong Glam in the last hostel of the day feature. Show some love by checking out that post.

Thanks for joining me in today’s Hostel of the Day feature. Please also take time to check out my previous HOTD features by clicking this. You will find my other hostel reviews about Le Village Montmartre in Paris, The Bed KLCC in Kuala Lumpur, The RomeHello in Rome & Z Hostel here in the Philippines. Before you go, can you visit my social media pages –Facebook & Instagram – and like or follow them? Thank you & see you in the next one!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.