Trip Report: Singapore Airlines Business Class SQ285 777-300ER - SIN to AKL (Singapore to Auckland)

Airline: Singapore Airlines | Aircraft: 777-300ER | Class: Business | Flight: SQ285 (SIN-AKL)

I have been to Auckland on multiple occasions for work and while I do try to avoid red-eye flights as much as possible, SQ285 actually gets in at quite a good time. As I was traveling in Business Class, I had access to the SilverKris Lounge in Terminal 3 which will be closed for renovation in due course. I decided to have a light dinner with a glass of Champagne at the SilverKris Lounge before making my way to the boarding gate - I have also selected a Book The Cook meal for the flight so I did not want to stuff myself before that.

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Dinner and Champagne
SilverKris Lounge (Terminal 3) - Singapore Changi Airport

While most of my flights in First Class and Business Class are redemption flights (and using the right credit card will help you achieve the same), my flights to and from Auckland are typically revenue-tickets as these are paid for by my company (from my day job). With that said, I have been using The Platinum Card from American Express to book these flights as that card gives me access to the International Airline Program which offers special airfares (actual opaque discounts that you can access as a member) for tickets in Premium Economy, Business Class and First Class. For this flight, I have managed to save around 15% from the listed price on Singapore Airlines. 

Seat 12A
Singapore Airlines Business Class SQ285 777-300ER - SIN to AKL

I have actually written multiple trip reports on Singapore AIrlines over the years and I generally do not write them if they are overnight flights (since the photos turn out terrible) or if I have taken them previously. Now, this flight was taken back in August 2019 and it was way before the COVID-19 outbreak, so the flight was actually quite full. At the time of writing, SQ285 is operated by a retrofitted 777-300ER and the Business Class cabin features a 1-2-1 seat configuration with 48 flat-bed seats. 

View from Seat 12A
Singapore Airlines Business Class SQ285 777-300ER - SIN to AKL

The Business Class seats have a seat pitch of 55” (as compared to 32 and 38in EY and PEY respectively), as well as a seat width of 28 (compared to just 19and 19.5 in EY and PEY respectively). If you are traveling in Business Class on a four-class plane, it may be a good idea to try getting a seat in the forward cabin since it is smaller (with only 12 seats) - it is also closer to the First Class cabin which is typically quieter. I personally recommend Seats 11A and 11K (since they are bulkhead) if you can get them but they are typically blocked out for PPS Club members. Otherwise, Seats 12A and 12K will be your next best option - I went with Seat 12A for this flight since 12K was taken. 

Amenities
Singapore Airlines Business Class SQ285 777-300ER - SIN to AKL

While these seats do not recline into a flat-bed (you will have to get up and flip the seat over), they are actually quite comfortable. More importantly, there is also less chance that the mechanism would fail - my flight from Singapore to Brisbane on Qantas in Business Class (revenue ticket) had a broken seat and I was offered 5,000 Qantas Points (only!) as compensation. When I got to my seat, I noticed that a pair of disposable socks, slippers and sleep mask were already provided. As always, you will not be getting an amenity kit in Business Class on Singapore Airlines but we might see a Business Class Unisex Sleeper Suit in the near future. Passengers traveling in First Class on SQ285 will receive an amenity kit and a set of pyjamas, since it is an overnight flight. 

IFE Screen
Singapore Airlines Business Class SQ285 777-300ER - SIN to AKL

You will get to enjoy the relatively-new IFE system on this flight but unfortunately, the large screens are not touch-enabled so you will still have to rely on the trust IFE handset. As I have mentioned earlier, this flight was taken back in August 2019, so you might not recognise some of the movies on offer but Singapore Airlines does have a decent IFE system which will probably keep you entertained if you do not take too many long-haul flights in a month. 

Champagne and Warm Nuts
Singapore Airlines Business Class SQ285 777-300ER - SIN to AKL

Shortly after takeoff, one of the cabin crew came over with a beverage of my choice - Champagne, of course. Business Class passengers on Singapore Airlines are now offered Laurent-Perrier La Cuvée Brut instead of the Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve which is a step-down in my opinion. I was also given a small dish of warm nuts to snack on (which is always a nice gesture) before supper service was served. Now it is not uncommon to see passengers opting to skip this meal service since you can essentially eat in the lounge before boarding the aircraft (and that allows you to sneak in an hour of additional sleep). However, I am a terribly light-sleeper and would not have fallen asleep even if I chose to skip the meal service (since the lights are on and people are still walking around) so I decided to try one of the most-anticipated dishes at that time - one of the Ramen Keisuke dishes on the Book The Cook menu.

Smoked Haddock with Dill Apple Fennel Salad and Mesclun Leaves
Singapore Airlines Business Class SQ285 777-300ER - SIN to AKL

I do apologise for the poor photo quality since the mood lighting doesn't really help in terms of photography and having the reading light turned on is a terrible option in my opinion. Supper service started with an appetiser of Smoked Haddock with Dill Apple Fennel Salad and Mesclun Leaves. I was also offered some bread rolls from the basket and I went with the garlic bread (obviously!). For this meal service, I have decided to stick with Champagne since I did not want a mixture of alcoholic beverages (and honestly, I have been on the same drink since a couple of hours ago). 

Japanese-style Shoyu Ramen
Singapore Airlines Business Class SQ285 777-300ER - SIN to AKL

There was a good selection of main courses on offer but I have decided to Book The Cook for the Japanese-style Shoyu Ramen (one of Ramen Keisuke's specialty dishes) which was served with pork belly, half-boiled egg, beansprouts and spring onion. While I do enjoy a hot bowl of noodles in the air, this was actually quite disappointing - go for the Bak Chor Mee if you are craving for local comfort food. In case anyone was interested, these were the four different main courses on offer (in-flight menu) during the flight (you can always pre-select these meals before your flight as well): 

• Pan Roasted Beef Fillet in Red Wine Black Pepper Sauce

• Braised Egg Noodles

• North Indian Chicken Biryani 

• Slow Roasted Salmon Fillet

Viennetta Chocolate Ice Cream
Singapore Airlines Business Class SQ285 777-300ER - SIN to AKL

There is always a good selection of Book The Cook dishes on medium- and long-haul flights but Singapore Airlines has reduced the variety of BTC dishes on some regional flights. Therefore, it is always a good idea to have a look at the in-flight menu when it becomes available online if you are the sort that likes to pre-select meals. One of the cabin crew actually asked me how the ramen was after my meal and I told her that the broth was too rich for my liking - she had the same opinion about the dish. For dessert, I was given the option of either the Ondeh-Ondeh Cake or the Viennetta Chocolate Ice Cream (or both!) - I went with the latter option and it was delicious. 

Selection of Cheeses
Singapore Airlines Business Class SQ285 777-300ER - SIN to AKL

Following that, I was also offered a selection of cheese, pralines as well as coffee and tea. If you are on a red-eye flight, I highly recommend getting a Vanilla Bourbon Tea before bedtime - skip the regular black tea if you wish to enjoy higher quality sleep. Now if you are feeling peckish after supper (or if you regret skipping that meal service), Singapore Airlines does offer a fairly extensive 'delectables' menu which includes fuller-meals like seafood noodles, fishball noodles (served in an actual bowl and tray) and sandwiches, as well as the regular chips and lollies. 

Storage Space and Mirror
Singapore Airlines Business Class SQ285 777-300ER - SIN to AKL

I managed to get about 4-5 hours of sleep on this flight and I woke up slightly before the cabin lights were turned on - it is always a good idea to wake up at this time since you will beat the morning traffic. While there are sufficient lavatories on the plane (here's looking at you Qantas), you will typically see a formed line during this time (people also need to wash up which takes longer than usual). If you ask one of the cabin crews nicely enough, they will be able to wake you up slightly ahead of the rest so you can enjoy a much more pleasant experience. Breakfast was served shortly after the cabin lights were switched on and it started with a selection of fresh juices that I have politely opted to skip.

Selection of Sliced Fresh Fruits
Singapore Airlines Business Class SQ285 777-300ER - SIN to AKL

Following that, a Selection of Sliced Fresh Fruits was served. Singapore Airlines also offers a cereal/yogurt course which most Business Class passengers typically skip - I am not a huge fan of it myself. 

Bak Chor Mee (Soup) - Book The Cook
Singapore Airlines Business Class SQ285 777-300ER - SIN to AKL

There were three different Main Courses on offer for Breakfast but I have actually selected Bak Chor Mee (Soup) from the Book The Cook menu - this was the third time that I have actually had this dish and it was delicious (I know many others actually prefer the dry version but it's a personal preference). Passengers who did not pre-select an item from the Book The Cook menu were given one of the following three options: 

• Singapore Nasi Lemak

• Buttermilk Pancake with Maple Syrup

• Scrambled Egg with Cheese

Power Outlet and USB Charging Port
Singapore Airlines Business Class SQ285 777-300ER - SIN to AKL

Following a rather filling main course, I was also offered some coffee and tea to end the meal - I went with a much-needed double espresso and that was the perfect end to the breakfast service. I also took the time to make sure that all my mobile devices were properly charged and that the right SIM Card was in my phone. If you are on Circles.Life, they do have a brand new roaming plan which is quite decent but I have never gotten it to work previously.

Signs of Wear and Tear
Singapore Airlines Business Class SQ285 777-300ER - SIN to AKL

It is (almost) always a joy to travel on Singapore Airlines and the food on the flights are always a whole lot more enjoyable than on Qantas which operates a similar route (with a stopover in Australia) for 30% to 40% less (in terms of price and definitely in terms of service too). I have recently traveled from Singapore to Auckland on SQ281 and that was a fantastic flight too.