Trip Report: Singapore Airlines SQ285 Business Class A380-800 - SIN to AKL (Singapore to Auckland)

Airline: Singapore Airlines | Aircraft: A380-800 | Class: Business | Flight: SQ285 (SIN-AKL)

I flew from Singapore to Auckland (and back) on Singapore Airlines' Suites last year and have recently relived some of those happy moments from Singapore to Beijing where I enjoyed over a bottle of vintage Krug 2004 all to myself. Since I was booked a Premium Economy flight from Singapore to Auckland, I have waitlisted an upgrade from Premium Economy to Business Class for 35,000 KrisFlyer Miles and it cleared prior to the date of travel. In case you were wondering, the number of miles you will receive from the flight is equivalent to the one you would get in the flight you were previously booked-on (in my case, Premium Economy) even though the upgrade into Business has been successful. 

Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve Champagne and Pasta
SilverKris Lounge - Terminal 3, Changi Airport

I arrived at the Changi Airport slightly ahead of time and therefore, I decided to check out the SilverKris Lounge in Terminal 3 once again (especially since the boarding gate was at A4). As usual, checking-in for the flight was incredibly effortless and my boarding pass was handed to me quickly before I got through immigration (via the Automated Immigration Gates) without any hassle. Since I had a pretty long flight ahead of me and have already Book(ed) The Cook for the flight ahead (I checked out the in-flight menu prior to the flight and have decided to BTC instead), I decided to go for something light - a glass of Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve Champagne and a bowl of pasta. 

Business Class Mini Cabin
Singapore Airlines Business Class SQ285 A380-800 - SIN to AKL

Once passengers traveling in Suites boarded the plane, I got on the A380 (9V-SKH) and was quickly shown to my pre-selected seat, 14K. This seat is my preferred seat for many reasons - for starters, this seat is located away from the galley and it is located in the mini-cabin. Other reasons include personal sleeping preferences which I shall not bore you with. The flight was supposed to depart at 8:50PM but due to the need to offload luggages for two no-show passengers, it was slightly delayed - it only took off at approximately 9:19PM.

Slippers and Socks
Singapore Airlines Business Class SQ285 A380-800 - SIN to AKL

As usual, Singapore Airlines does not serve any alcoholic beverages on the ground and as such, I have opted for a water (surprise, surprise!). My BTC orders were then confirmed by a stewardess before my drink choice was noted down by another stewardess. A pair of socks and slippers were also placed by my seat - I only changed into them after the flight took off. I have to mention that I was actually asleep for most of this flight - it is an overnight flight into Auckland after all - and therefore, I do not have a lot of photos. If you are interested to see a more detailed look into the current A380-800 Business Class product on Singapore Airlines, check out my previous trip report from Singapore to Beijing (SIN-PEK) or from Hong Kong to Singapore (HKG-SIN).

Champagne and Nuts
Singapore Airlines Business Class SQ285 A380-800 - SIN to AKL

Once the flight took off, a glass of Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve Champagne as well as a packet of almonds and cashews were served. Unlike the ones served in Suites, the nuts here were not warmed up or served in a bowl. I checked out the IFE system and since I have only just taken a number of flights with Singapore Airlines, they were the same ones that I had on my previous flights - I ended up watching Wonder Woman which was surprisingly decent. 

Seared Tuna on Nicoise Salad - Dinner Service
Singapore Airlines Business Class SQ285 A380-800 - SIN to AKL

As I was approximately 25 minutes into the movie, a stewardess came by to set the table for dinner service. The first course was a Seared Tuna on Nicoise Salad which was served with tomatoes, green beans, boiled egg, kalamata olives as well as a herb vinaigrette. You will notice that all of my meal photos this time has some kind of odd colour streak across - I suspect this is due to the mood lighting that were featured in the cabin.

From the Basket - Dinner Service
Singapore Airlines Business Class SQ285 A380-800 - SIN to AKL

One of the stewards then went around with the bread basket and I picked the garlic bread naturally. After picking the garlic bread, I was offered a second choice of bread but I decided to stay away from even more carbs since I intend to catch some sleep on the plane (with a little help from a few melatonin pills). The garlic bread is delicious as usual and if you do not know what to pick during lunch and dinner service, you simply can't go wrong with the crowd favourite.

Grilled Chilean Seabass (Book the Cook) - Dinner Service
Singapore Airlines Business Class SQ285 A380-800 - SIN to AKL

As mentioned earlier, there is now an easy way to check out the in-flight menu of your upcoming flights with Singapore Airlines. Since I did not particularly like what I saw (I did not want to eat a steak before going straight to bed), I have decided to Book the Cook prior to the flight and have pre-ordered the Grilled Chilean Seabass for this flight - this is also a popular option amongst seasoned travellers. More importantly, since I knew that the business class cabin is going to be rather full (check out the seat map with ExpertFlyer) and PPS members get first meal choice, I did not want to roll the dice with the food options. Main courses that were offered on this flight included the following:

• Roasted Lamb Loin with Flageolet Bean Gratin
• Daging Lapis Manado
• Pan Roasted Chicken Breast (this would have been my choice!)
• Fish Ball Kway Teow Soup 

While the flavours of the Grilled Chilean Seabass were decent, the fish itself was excessively salty - you could still eat it but it was just a lot saltier than it should be. The seabass is also served and drenched with a New England-style clam and mussel chowder, served with ciabatta crouton.

Viennetta Chocolate Ice Cream- Dinner Service
Singapore Airlines Business Class SQ285 A380-800 - SIN to AKL

For dessert, I had the option of either the Viennetta Chocolate Ice Cream or the Seventy Surprise (a fruity mango and lime dessert made in 70-steps). I naturally went with the ice-cream - any dessert that takes 70-steps to make is not worth eating. The Viennetta Chocolate Ice Cream is a classic (one that you can purchase from a good supermarket) but having it onboard is truly a luxury. 

Selection of Cheeses and Fruits - Dinner Service
Singapore Airlines Business Class SQ285 A380-800 - SIN to AKL

After the plates and cutleries were cleared, one of the flight steward and another flight stewardess started to make their way through the Business Class cabin with a cheese and fruit trolley. Cheeses from that flight included Brie, Stilton and Asiago but I simply went with the safest one alongside some nut paste and rice crackers. I also picked just a banana from the fruit tray since I did not want to overeat (at this point I was already pretty full). 

Vanilla Bourbon Tea from TWG - Dinner Service
Singapore Airlines Business Class SQ285 A380-800 - SIN to AKL

For a perfect end to the dinner, I ordered some Vanilla Bourbon Tea from TWG which is a caffeine-free tea. This tea is also suitable for children (in case anyone of them are lucky enough to travel in Business) if you are looking for a recommendation. I finished watching some of the shows that I have already started on before stepping out of my seat to make my bed. A lot of travellers have complained about having to flip the seat over to make the bed and while I do share some of their sentiments, it really just takes 2-3 seconds. Fortunately for me, I managed to get approximately 4 hour of sleep (on a 9 hour flight) with the help of some melatonin. In fact, I only woke up when the cabin lights were turned back on and breakfast was being served. 

Selection of Sliced Fresh Fruits - Breakfast Service
Singapore Airlines Business Class SQ285 A380-800 - SIN to AKL

Breakfast was a relatively quick service and it was served approximately 2 hours prior to landing. If you do not wish to be disturbed, simply let one of the cabin crews know and they will not wake you up for this meal service. Honestly though, with the lights turned on and the amount of foot traffic, you are better off eating than trying to get a few more minutes of sleep. The breakfast service started with a selection Selection of Sliced Fresh Fruits. 

Croissant and Butter - Breakfast Service
Singapore Airlines Business Class SQ285 A380-800 - SIN to AKL

I skipped having a glass of juice as well as some muesli/cornflakes/yoghurt since it was way too early and I wasn't even feeling that hungry to be honest. Still, I could not resist the temptation of a warm croissant from the basket. 

Fish Congee (Book the Cook) - Breakfast Service
Singapore Airlines Business Class SQ285 A380-800 - SIN to AKL

Passengers traveling in the Business Class cabin had the option of the following main courses for breakfast:

• Baked Egg with Hollandaise Sauce
• Singapore Fried Carrot Cake
• Warm Waffles

While I really wanted the Singapore Fried Carrot Cake (which sadly isn't on the Book the Cook menu), I thought about the potential disappointment from not being able to get it (as I have said, it was a full flight and first choice is usually given to PPS first). Therefore, I have decided to play it safe and order the Fish Congee from the Book the Cook menu instead - it was delicious! 

Seat 14K
Singapore Airlines Business Class SQ285 A380-800 - SIN to AKL

While Business Class is in no way comparable to Suites in terms of food quality, Champagne, service and privacy, it is still a great product to travel on. At the very least, you get proper table service and more importantly, you get to sleep a little on the flight so you do not get to your destination like a zombie. Upgrading from Premium Economy to Business Class for just 35,000 KrisFlyer Miles (Saver) is a no-brainer really.