Following on from our flight to Brisbane our family was very excited to be flying Singapore Airlines to Singapore where we would join my parents on an eight day holiday.  The plane was less than a year old and we were already familiar with the good service and food on board Singapore Airlines so couldn’t wait.

Airline and Flight #

Singapore Airlines SQ0236

Aircraft

Airbus A350-900

Airport and Terminal

Departure: Brisbane International Airport

Arrival: Changi Airport, Singapore

Departure Date and Time

Scheduled: Saturday 28th December 2019| 1425 (2:45pm).

Arrival Date and Time

Scheduled: Saturday 28th December 2019| 2045 (8:45 pm).

Scheduled Flying Time

8 hours

Luggage Allowance

Carry-on:

Passengers flying Economy class are allowed free of charge one piece of carry-on luggage up to 7 kilograms  in addition to one personal item such as a laptop, camera, overcoat, handbag etc. The sum of the piece of luggage (Length + Width + Height) should not exceed 115 centimetres (45 inches). Personal items should not exceed 40 x 30 x 10 centimetres (16 x 12 x 4 inches). Passengers must be able to stow their luggage securely in the overhead compartment or under the seat in front.

Checked baggage: 

• One piece up to 30 kilograms (66 pounds) and not exceeding 158 centimetres (62 inches).
• Infants can have one piece up to 10 kilograms (22 pounds) plus a fully collapsible stroller or pram and carry-cot or car seat.
• More generous allowances are made for PPS club members and KrisFlyer Gold or Star Alliance Gold members.

Fun Facts

• Singapore Airlines is part of the Star Alliance with its main hub in Singapore
• Registered 9V-SHE, this aircraft first flew in March 2019 making it not even a year old.
• The airline is currently running the longest flight in the world – Newark to Singapore with a flight time of 18 hours and 45 minutes.
• The Singapore Airlines logo is a bird, inspired by a silver kris which comes from the Keris, a dagger from SE Asia featured in the region’s myth and folklore.
• Singapore Airlines was the first airline to use the A380 being the world’s largest passenger aircraft as well as the Dreamliner B787-10 and A350-900ULR.
• In 2019 the airline won the Skytrax award for World’s best airline cabin crew and came second and fourth respectively for best airline and cleanest airline.

Website

The Singapore Airlines website can be found here.  Prices on Skyscanner were cheaper than the website so we booked through a travel agent who was happy to price match.  Despite being allowed to select seats online, upon turning up at the airport, we discovered our seats had been changed and my husband was no longer seated with the rest of us.

Check-in 

Check-in for Singapore Airlines flights opens 48 to one and a half hours prior to your scheduled departure. You can check-in via one of the following ways:

1. Mobile check-in – by downloading the SingaporeAir app. You will be required to enter your booking reference number or your E-ticket number as well as your last name. It then asks you for your passport number and expiry date  You can then print or download your boarding pass. The app also allows you to select or change your seat as well as your order your meal and enter the number of bags you are checking.
2. Desktop check-in – by logging on to the Singapore Airlines website and clicking on Check-in. You must enter either your booking reference number or E-ticket number plus your last name as well as answer the same questions as per the mobile check-in. You can print your boarding pass or download it to your mobile.
3. At the airport – via the self-service kiosks or at the counter.

Singapore Airlines recommends being at the airport for international flights two and a half hours prior to departure if you have checked baggage and one and a half hours prior to departure if you don’t have checked baggage.

Seating

Layout – This version of Singapore Airlines’ medium haul A350-900  aircraft is a wide bodied jet with 303 seats and just two classes.  These are made up of  40 Flat Bed Business class seats in a 1-2-1 configuration and 263 standard Economy seats in a 3-3-3 configuration .  My daughters and I were seated in row 60 of 70 for this flight whilst hubby was a few rows further back.

Seats – The blue and grey cloth seats in Economy class were slim-lined and nice and comfortable.  The headrests were adjustable, sliding up and down with wings at each end that you could also adjust to support your head.  Arm rests were adjustable and there was a cup holder that folded out without the need to pull out your tray table.  Seat pitch was 32 inches (81 centimetres) whilst seat width was 18.5 inches (47 centimetres).  Seat recline was 6 inches (15 centimetres).

Tray tables – These were well designed being foldable with a spot to put your cup if you had the tray half open and also on the other side if you wanted the tray table fully extended.  The tray also moved backward and forward to suit your own preference.  When the tray was half folded out, there was a mirror you could slide open although mine was broken.

Storage – As well as the large storage bins above, there were a few compartments in the netted storage compartment on the rear of the chair in front and a compartment below the screen to store a phone or other small item.  There was also a cup holder to support a drink without having to lower your tray table.

Amenity Kit – Singapore Airlines does not automatically supply amenity kits in any of their classes although there are amenities available upon request.  In Economy class, this includes a small bag containing a dental kit and socks.  Eye shades, earplugs and a comb are also available.

Cabin comfort

• Nice quality pillows and blankets were available free to all Economy passengers
• I felt the cabin air temperature was too cold despite individual adjustable air vents
• Large overhead luggage bins allow you to stow your luggage easily
• High ceilings make the aircraft appear more spacious
• Windows were nice and large providing good views out of the aircraft
• Leg room wasn’t too bad on this flight especially as seats could not recline too far
• Some effort had been made to decorate the plane a little for the festive season

In-flight Entertainment

Electronic devices

• Electronic devices can be used whilst boarding using the aerobridge but not if you’re using the tarmac to board.
• Once doors on the plane have closed you need to then switch your device to flight mode.  Devices cannot be charged upon taxiing, takeoff or landing.

Communication

• To use inflight texting or data roaming, your mobile service provider must have a roaming agreement with Singapore Airlines’ connectivity provider OnAir or AeroMobile.  Roaming charges are determined by your mobile server provider and will appear in your phone bill.  Turn off auto roaming so extra charges aren’t incurred.  A leaflet inside the seat pocket in front contains instructions.

Power

• On Singapore Airlines’ A350-900, Economy class passengers have a 110 universal AC power outlet between each seat to charge laptop and other devices, HDMI port and USB ports under each screen for charging phones.

In the Seat Pocket

• In the seat pocket you will find the following Singapore Airlines material:

1. KrisShop magazine for duty free shopping
2. SilverKris KrisWorld magazine
3. KrisWorld Inflight entertainment magazine
4. Card on sending texts or data roaming
5. Aircraft safety card

WiFi

• Wifi is available to Economy class passengers for a fee.

Entertainment System

• In Economy class on Singapore Airlines’ A350-900,  each passenger has their own adjustable 11.1 inch (28 cm) touch screen monitor with the KrisFlyer system offering over 1000 entertainment options. The screens are adjustable touch screens and have no remote controls.  Entertainment options are:

1. Movies
2. TV
3. Music (over 800 albums)
4. Games & Apps (flight path, connecting gate etc)
5. Inflight connectivity
6. MyKrisWorld (if you sign in as a KrisFlyer member, you’ll be able to save settings and preferences)
7. SilkAir Studio (provides access to additional content)
8. Silkwinds (monthly inflight magazine)

Safety Demonstration

Updated in 2019, Singapore Airlines’ safety video goes for nearly six minutes.  The video is typically Singaporian in that it is no nonsense, proper and aesthetically pleasing.  The video demonstrates the safety aspects not from inside the plane but in some of Singapore’s own indoor and outdoor attractions.  I thought it was quite good and never tire of seeing those beautiful Singapore women in their attractive costumes, matching shoes and perfect hair do’s.

Catering

Menus

The menu on Singapore Airlines is an attractive booklet made from good quality thick paper.  As it was December, the cover was an eye catching Christmas theme of holly, pine cones, cupcakes and biscuits on the snow spelling out Ho Ho Ho.

Food/Drinks

On the flight from Brisbane to Singapore a complimentary lunch was served with an appetiser, choice of two main courses, bread and butter and dessert.  Tea and coffee followed.  Later in the flight a refreshment was served followed again by tea and coffee.  Complimentary alcoholic beverages are also served in Economy on Singapore Airlines.

• 2:37pm – Warm face towels were handed out

• 3:24pm – Bags of Peas and Crackers were given out to accompany the drinks that were on their way.

• 3:30pm – Drinks were served.  My daughters and I all had the infamous Singapore Sling.

• 5:00pm – A late lunch consisting of a delicious appetiser of Yum Woon Sen Kup Kung was served which was Thai style shrimp with glass noodles salad.  The main course was a choice of Chicken and Mushroom Ragout with Vegetables and Roasted Potatoes or Steamed Fish in Hot Bean Sauce with Chinese vegetable and fried vegetable noodle.  I chose the Fish meal but my daughter’s chicken tasted better.  A bread roll and butter also accompanied the meal as did cheese and crackers.

• 5:15pm – A Mango Artisan Italian Gelato was for dessert with the option for tea or coffee.

• 8:05pm – Another warm face towel was handed out
• 8:50pm – A refreshment in the form of a hot Toastie was served later in the flight.  You could choose between Chicken and Aioli or Cheese and Tomato.  I chose the chicken one which didn’t taste that great.  I usually find these hot refreshments quite tasty but unfortunately this wasn’t the case this time.

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Restroom

Service

The service is usually very high on Singapore Airlines and the staff were very friendly and efficient and friendly on this flight.  It was however a pity that our seats got changed and our family didn’t get to all sit together.

Pros

• Flight left on time and arrived early
• Plenty of drinks offered throughout the flight
• Alcoholic beverages are complimentary to Economy passengers
• Good quality hot face washers were handed out prior to both meals
• The plane we were flying was new at less than a year old
• Restrooms were kept very clean throughout the flight
• Staff on Singapore Airlines always look so lovely in their attractive uniforms and perfect hair do’s.

Cons

• The food wasn’t up to Singapore Airlines’ usual standard on this flight
• Our seats were changed leaving my husband sitting separately from us
• The temperature on board was a bit too cool for my liking

Conclusion

It was disappointing our seats had been changed and our family was no longer sitting together.  There was plenty to eat and drink on board although the meals were not as delicious as they usually are.  Service is always good flying Singapore Airlines and staff do a good job keeping the toilets clean throughout the flight.  I would recommend this airline and look forward to flying them again.