In late spring 2024, I embarked on a trip to chase the northern lights in Iceland and Norway. The first part of the journey was to make our way to Copenhagen, Denmark, where we will transit to Reykjavik, Iceland.
The long haul sector of the flight was completed on Singapore Airlines’ SQ352. We had redeemed the Business Class ticket with our KrisFlyer miles a year earlier. While I’m no stranger to SQ’s Business Class seats, this would be my first time experiencing their long haul A350 Business Class seats. This is my take on the 13-hour flight on the world famous airline product.
Trip Overview
Singapore to Copenhagen, Denmark (SIN – CPH)
Flight Number: SQ352
Aircraft Type / Registration: A350 / 9V-SJB
Departure (ETD/ATD): 0030hrs / 0052hrs
Arrival (ETA/ATA): 0635hrs (CET) / 0708hrs (CET)
Duration (Estimated/Actual): 13h 5m / 13h 16m
Seat: 15K (Long haul JCL)
Meal Service (Supper): 0138hrs
Lights Off: 0225hrs
Singapore Airlines’ Business Class Experience – Pre-Flight
Check in for SQ352
Fact: Business Class passengers can make use of the self service check-in facilities at Changi Airport Terminal 3.
Also fact: Being the novice SQ Business Class passenger, I wouldn’t want to let go of any chance to experience the bespoke service that sets the industry benchmark.
I received a warm greeting from the staff, and a priority tag for my check in luggage, which was basically what I was after. If not, why have a human being do what a machine could do?
(I promise I will be less pretentious in the future).
Unfortunately, Business Class passengers do not get a exclusive immigration channel like the First Class passengers. So I will have to aim to take the First Class some time.
Chilling at Singapore Airlines SilverKris Lounge
The next pretentious activity for a Business Class novice was to visit the Singapore Airlines’ flagship Business Class Lounge – the SilverKris Lounge – at Terminal 3 (near the A gates). In the late evening, the lounge was getting crowded from passengers departing on flights around midnight.
I wonder if it was due to the crowd, but the heat in the lounge was unbearable. I brought a handheld fan, but even that proved useless. Another service that suffered was the shower. Its queue was 2.5 hours long. Luckily, we checked in 4 hours prior to the flight, so we managed to wait it out.
Shower in SilverKris Lounge
Amidst the glam within the SilverKris Lounge, its shower facilities was definitely more of function over form. The fittings and finishing were more reminiscent of a 4-star hotel. Also, it looked tired from the high usage and lack of maintenance. That being said, it had everything from a rain shower and shower combo, and provided toiletries. The water pressure was also decent, and hot water consistent and easily adjusted.
Although there weren’t slippers provided, which made post-shower manoeuvring around the bathroom challenging, other amenities like a QI hair dryer, dental kits were pretty handy.
There was sufficient horizontal space to place my bag and to sit down and put on my shoes, which was a win over Vietnam Airlines’ shower room in their Ho Chi Minh City Airport’s lounge.
Seating and Ambience
As mentioned, the SilverKris Lounge was a boiler room. It didn’t matter which wing I was at – the section that opened out to the terminal, or the enclosed wing. The only cool part of the lounge was the entrance – but there was no seating.
Across the entire lounge were various seating, from cafe style to bar seating, workstation and booth seats, catering to all preferences. The quiet area was near the beverage station, while the sleeping pods were on the far end of the enclosed section.
Food and Beverage
Although it was late evening, Singapore Airlines still made sure passengers were well fed. Indeed, many passengers would want to take the time on board to catch forty winks over stuffing their faces.
The food options were varied, from hot food to cold cuts, and there were also live stations where one could get freshly made pasta or Laksa. But I gave Laksa a miss, playing it safe considering that I would be on a 13-hour flight. I tried out my favourites – Lor Mai Kai (Glutinous Rice with Chicken), Siew Mai (cantonese dumplings), Sweet and Sour Fish and Chicken Nuggets.
The beverage island offered local favourites – TWG and gourmet coffee. It was less crowded, which was understandable since it was late at night. The alcohol section was busier though. As I’m not an alcoholic person, I also gave that a miss.
Boarding and Pre/Post Take-off Service
It was at the boarding gate that I realised how many novice Business Class passengers there were on this flight. People were actually queueing up to board the plane? I thought Business Class passengers had exclusive boarding for SQ’s A350?
Oh well… I was part of the queue.
The cabin crew went through the pre-take off service by serving the beverage (Orange Juice, Bellini and Champagne), hot towel and checking our meal orders. Everything seemed to be in line. That is, when I took Eva Air’s Business Class later in the trip, that I realised SQ’s cabin crew didn’t address me by my name. I was plain “Sir”. Apparently, this “service” is now only exclusive to their PPS passengers.
20 minutes after take off, SQ’s signature warmed nuts and after take off drinks (I ordered Chamomile tea) were served. It was another 20 minutes before the crew started setting up the table for supper meal service.
Getting Comfy with Singapore Airlines A350 Business Class Seat
The A350 sported one of the airline’s latest Business Class seats. Each seat was housed in a shell with gracious curves and intricate touches. The earth toned leather seats accented with orange accents made for a feel of sophistication and underrated luxury. Despite carrying perhaps thousands of passengers before me, the seat was still comfortable – for sitting and sleeping.
There were personal lights at various positions for different purposes. Storage was everywhere – beside the TV, behind the seat console (where one could chuck tablets) and under the seat console (if you don’t want your stuff to be strewn everywhere during take off and landing, this would be the ideal place for them). If you want more storage, select the seats in the middle section – there is more storage below the seat console. The charging ports were right beside the seat back while a mirror could be found beside the TV screen.
As mentioned, the window seat had less storage space than the middle section. The middle section’s seat console extended to the back of the seat in front, and offered more shelving for passengers. For the window seats, they did away with the shelving, and instead “fused” the ottoman of the foot well with the front seat. So for those who prefer more storage space, the middle section will definitely be a better option.
The seat could be reclined at various degrees. However, it didn’t fully recline to a bed. Instead, the seat back could be folded down to form a full flat bed. Such designs had been a mainstay of Singapore Airlines’ premium class seats, until the introduction of the A350 regional Business Class products. While the cabin crew made the bed for me, I went to change into the pyjamas provided.
Even though a mattress was placed over the bed, it still felt a tad too hard. But then again, I really couldn’t bear to spend my time in a Business Class seat sleeping away. I ordered their night snack, for the “meal in bed” experience.
Stimulating Taste Buds – SQ Business Class Inflight Dining Experience
Speaking of meals, for SQ352, supper and breakfast service was included. Unfortunately, that meant none of the Singapore Airlines’ signature satay service. I ordered both meals through Book The Cook. For supper, I had Lobster Thermidor With Fondant Potato and Buttered Seasona, and Baked Egg Souffles for breakfast.
Right after boarding, the cabin crew came around to confirm my orders for the flight. For passengers like me who opted to have our meals after take off, the cabin crew came around to set up our dining table shortly after take off.
Supper – Taste of the Sea in the Air
The appetiser “Marinated Prawn Salad with Cucumber Salad” looked delectable, but some parts of the prawns were mushy (i.e. not fresh). I opted for SQ’s famous garlic bread next, but was again disappointed. I had asked for 2 garlic bread, and guess what? One was too hard and one was too tough and cold.
The main – lobster thermidor – met expectations. It was fresh and well marinated. Following that, the dessert was served. The Lychee Lime Raspberry Cake was soft and light, which marked a great ending to the supper service.
Breakfast – Egg Souffle As Soft As the Clouds
My breakfast, Baked Egg Souffles, was served after the fruit platter. The souffle had a nice texture, which could be due to the cheese and butter. That, however, became too jelak towards the end. Guess we can’t really have too much of a good thing.
Mile High Lavatory
While the cabin crew was making my bed, I went to the toilet to change into pyjamas. I must say I had very unrealistic expectations of Singapore Airlines’ Business Class toilets before this flight. Let’s blame it on the advertising of its Suites and First Class.
The toilet was like any SQ Economy class toilet in terms of space and layout. Of course, there was the orchid on the wall, hand towels and the always-clean state that hinted at its premium status.
I particularly disliked their placement of the hand soap right next to the (small) tap. This meant that my hand would always brush against the underside of the bottle unintentionally while cleaning my hands. Yucks.
However, it was a joy to be able to access the toilets easily, no need to queue for long and to enjoy a clean toilet.
Singapore Airlines Business Class Amenities Kit
When I arrived at my seat during boarding, the slippers, eye shades and socks were already waiting for me. That was on top of the pillow and blanket. Before take off, a cabin crew also started giving out the pajamas for the night. After dinner, I requested for the amenity kit – consisting of a hand lotion , face mist and lip balm – from the crew.
It was a known fact that Singapore Airlines’ Business Class amenity kit was one of the industry’s lowest standard. Pajamas would only be given on long haul red eye flights. The amenity kit was also unlike those of competitors that was packed with plenty of stuff inside a branded pouch or case. And even that miserly kit was given on a request-basis. It was only when I was looking through my photos to accompany this post that I remembered about this “freebie”.
Staff Service
Somehow, the staff’s service felt much better than my previous trip to Japan. The crew took more initiative to speak to me, were more smiley and rather proactive at getting things done.
There were still some gaps to be closed. Like the cabin crew making the announcements – she sounded like she was being forced to do so. During the dark, I also heard one FSS with broken English.
It was also obvious that two of the crew serving in our cabin were newly trained for Business Class service. I mean, who else could have been in charge of the disappointing garlic bread? However, they were super positive and wore big smiles around the cabin.
Overall experience
Throughout my journey on SQ352, I inadvertently made comparisons to my previous (and only) SQ Business Class flight – SQ636 – which was also on the Airbus A350. The latter, however, was on the regional / medium haul variant of the aircraft.
SilverKris Lounge – Then and Now
Granted, it would be audacious to expect vast changes in a year’s time. However, things like the aircon and food could have been improved – which they didn’t.
Food wise, there was still a disproportionate number of Indian food, with Singaporean and Asian cuisine relegated to the minority. This was indeed unexpected for a Singaporean airline.
Although I had anticipated the hot environment, I never expected it to be worse.
Adding to the overcrowding woes was the long shower queue. We only use the shower 2.5 hours later. That was how crazy the queue was!
Revisiting the Singapore Airlines SilverKris Lounge a year later, the lounge felt more like a partner lounge, than the airline’s flagship.
Inflight Experience – Then and Now
While SQ352 and SQ636 both use the Airbus A350, the latter was flying on the medium haul variant. As such, there were slight differences to the Business Class seat designs that made the overall experience unique to each other.
The best way to spot the difference was the seat arrangement. While both versions of the Business Class seats were in a 1-2-1 configuration, the medium haul version was in an alternate arrangement. In layman terms, if the seat consoles at the window seats alternate between the window and the aisle down the rows, it means you are on the regional A350.
Another way to differentiate them was to go to the smaller business class cabin at the back; long haul A350 have 4 rows (rows 19 – 22) and the regional ones have 3 rows (rows 19 – 21).
Other subtle differences also centred around the seat console. The regional A350 sported a boxy console, while the long haul version tapered away from the seat. In exchange for the space on the console, we get more space around the seat, which made for a more comfortable experience when in bed mode.
The design of the seat console and seat arrangement also resulted in a different sleeping orientation. On the long haul aircraft, we had to sleep diagonally. Many online reviewers swore that this was the least comfortable arrangement. For me, I wasn’t too bothered. In fact, if we’re talking about comfort, the long haul seat was better. There was more room when lying down as mentioned earlier. There was also a dedicated space for placing my shoes underneath the foot well. They also ditched the cross shoulder seat belt found on the regional version, which I disliked because it cut my neck.
The only downside of the long haul seat was that I was no longer by the window. With the console between the seat and the window, I had to stretch out to catch a glimpse of the scenery outside. On the contrary, selecting a seat with the console by the aisle be would guarantee a closer window view.
Parting Words
Singapore Airlines sets the industry standards with its premium products. It is also a known secret that they put the best and newest products on their long haul routes to the EU and US destinations. Therefore, I was looking forward to finally experiencing their Business Class offering during my trip to Copenhagen on SQ352.
The disappointing SilverKris Lounge experience aside, the cabin experience was up to expectations. From the seat design to comfort level, the hardware was befitting for a long haul route. The A350 was also a new aircraft, which was also designed to be quieter. (Or was it because we were seated at the pointy end?)
Service from the cabin crew was warm. That is, if we don’t compare it to SQ’s Asian competitors. Singapore Airlines service culture has shown signs of fatigue.
Of course, given the chance, I would take Singapore Airlines’ Business Class on long haul flights again. However, for the time being, I might be considering spending my money experiencing the premium products of its competitors.
Till then, stay wanderlust!
All photos and videos were taken using Google Pixel 7 Pro, and edited with Google Photos.
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