Trip Report: Singapore Airlines Business Class (777-300ER) - SYD to SIN (Sydney to Singapore)
Airline: Singapore Airlines | Aircraft: 777-300ER | Class: Business | Flight: SQ222 (SYD-SIN)
On my recent trip back to Singapore from Sydney, I managed to try out J Class (Business Class) on board the Singapore Airlines Boeing 777-300ER (Three Class). While the airlines have won multiple awards over the years for being one of the best airlines in the world, I have been told that the business cabins are truly a league above the rest. Together with James Park Associates, Singapore Airlines has introduced brand new Business Class seats on board their 777-300ERs with a more contemporary design and the use of metallic colours (for all Apple fans, think Rose Gold).
Due to how dark the cabin was (since everyone was actually sleeping), I did not actually want to disturb other passengers and therefore I tried to keep my photography to a minimum level (while still being relatively discreet) - the photos here may therefore be slightly grainy. The first thing you'll notice as you approach your seat is how spacious the cabin actually is. On the 777-300ER (Three Class), you are getting a seat pitch of 51 in Business (instead of 32 in Economy) - almost 60% more! You are also getting a seat width of 30 instead of 19 - approximately 58% more! Every seat also has direct access to the aisle so there's no need to worry about getting an aisle seat.
Being a slave to technology, I quickly pulled out my lightning cable to feed my power-hungry iPhone before settling in. It is also worth noting that during my trip in November 2015, WiFi is available on board the 777-300ER for the following prices:
- 1 Hour: US$11.95
- 3 Hours: US$16.95 (US$5.65 an hour)
- Full Flight: US$21.95 (US$2.74 an hour)
WiFi is rather costly when compared to other airlines (especially since I paid only US$1 on a Emirates A380 flight last week for 500MB worth of data) but still it's reasonable if you are getting it for the Full Flight (approximately 8 hours) which equates to just US$2.74 per hour.
If in-flight entertainment is extremely important to you, the 18-inch wide HD resolution LCD screen will provide the ultimate viewing experience (unless you are used to traveling in Suites or First Class). You will also be able to utilise noise-cancellation headphones (which are now used in Premium Economy too) which are relatively comfortable for your entertainment purposes - I managed to sit through The Gift on these headphones without feeling the slightest bit uncomfortable.
There are two new sitting positions that are created for the J Class seat on board the 777-300ER - the Lazy-Z and Sundeck. If you are looking to get some rest on air, this seat will flip down to a full-flat bed that is approximately 1.98m in length (this should be sufficient for most adults unless you are super tall). The converted bed is also approximately 71cm in width so you can be sure of getting ample space to even switch sleeping sides - this is actually the first time I fell asleep like a baby on board the plane (more on this later!).
After taking off, a choice of drink was offered and since it was rare that I was traveling in J Class, I made use of the opportunity to get myself a glass of Taittinger Champagne. Did you know that close to 194,000 bottles of Champagne are served on Singapore Airlines flights each year?
Before the start of dinner meal service, a stewardess came over to help me set up the table - complete with linen, real plates and proper cutlery. After serving the appetiser which was a Smoked Salmon with Cherry Tomato Confit and Mesclun, I was also given a choice of bread from the bread basket containing approximately 5-7 different kinds of bread.
For my choice of main course, I went for the Seared Lamb Loin with Natural Jus. To fully appreciate my lamb loin, I have also requested for a glass of French red. Honestly, I never thought it would be possible to get such deliciously-cooked lamb on air. Sure it may be slightly on the well-done side but still, to get something of this quality when you are up in the air is a whole different league on its own.
For dessert, I was given the choice of Salty Pistachio Praline Ice Cream or the Cherry Cheesecake with Morello Cherry Compote. I personally went for the former option (although I reckon you could probably request for both if you are feeling you know, extra hungry) and was impressed by the quality of the ice cream. Apart from the sweet and salty flavours of the praline ice cream, I really enjoyed the bits of smashed pistachio in it. I have also requested for a Sunrise Breezer (a blend of Japanese Sake and Bitter Lemon) to go with my ice cream.
Finally to end of this rather elaborate meal service, I was given a choice of fine cheeses (of which I chose just the camembert) and a selection of fresh fruits. I went for fresh raspberries and blueberries since I reckon the tartness would go pretty well with the camembert (especially since they did not have brie and I'm really not a strong cheese sort of person).
After my extremely satisfying meal, I decided to go ahead and try out the flatbed on board the 777-300ER and if I had to put the entire experience into one word, it has to be "Zzzzz". Well, technically that wasn't a word (more like an accumulation of the letter 'z') but honestly, I have had the best sleep possible. Being a light sleeper, I have never quite been able to sleep on the plane in economy. Sure I may doze off but I will wake up every now and then in little pockets of 15-30 minutes. I slept for a good 2 hours before waking up to the smell of food (again!).
My experience on board Singapore Airlines Boeing 777-300ER has left me wanting for more and it has definitely propelled me more towards the whole mile game. Sure I have been chasing miles for the longest time now but now that I have experienced the wonders of J Class, I must now think about converting all my mid to long haul flights to more comfortable ones.
The Singapore Airlines SilverKris Lounge in Incheon International Airport (ICN) is quite possibly the best Star Alliance lounge in Seoul - passengers with Star Alliance Gold status departing on an eligible flight may also enter the lounge to enjoy its superior F&B offerings.