Watch a complete Singapore Airline first class flight review
Airbus A380 New York to Frankfurt
Flying during the holidays…
I always try to avoid it. This year, I had to make the trip. And what a discovery I made!
The Singapore Airlines Suite experience is the best existing means of travel. The most comfortable flight I’ve ever had. Singapore has clearly thought through each touch-point traveler’s journey – and put a big, comfy pillow there. Business-class fliers, this is a serious upgrade. You’ll also find that they’re offering discounted tickets. I found my discounted ticket through Business-Class.com. Definitely worth looking into. Here are my thoughts:
Check-in was a snap
At 4:30 PM, I checked in with my thumbs (phone) and strolled to the gate, carry-on bag in hand. Traveling light is key, huge time-saver, so is efficient (and friendly) service. They were a very welcoming, seasoned staff. Boarding was hassle-free.
I was actually struck by the design of the first-class cabin. It’s real sleek and calming. However, the aircraft is about 10 years old – a round-about way of saying the design is a bit dated. That said, it is high-quality construction (beautiful leather seats, for example), like a private jet or a luxury train. More impressive still is the privacy afforded by the first class cabin. Doors and windows slide to enclose you in a luxury suite. The Airbus A380 had 12 suites in all. The walls separating the middle suites can be lowered to create double suites. More space than I need, but a useful feature if you’re traveling with others.
Provide, Provide
As boarding continued, I took a little time to get to know my immediate surroundings better. The first thing to jump out at me was Singapore Airlines’ choice in headphones. As an audiophile and rock’n’roll addict, that’s usually the case. I was thoroughly impressed with their selection. The Bang & Olufsen noise-canceling headphones had deep, resonant bass, solid mid, and crisp treble. Quite honestly, they beat Beats (wildly overrated) hands down – and I actually prefer them to Bose headphones, which give a slightly muddy sound by comparison. But I digress. Back to the flight offerings…
The travel kit came complete with a small bottle of Encre Noire cologne, a nice non-greasy body lotion, facial mist, slippers and a cozy bag with pajamas of the loose-fitting, cottony sort. The restroom, smartly designed and spacious, was fully stocked – toothbrushes, towels, everything you would want/need.
Dinner
Dinner orders came after a quick and orderly boarding. Once in the air, the Dom was served! An auspicious beginning! I grabbed a menu shortly afterward. There was enough reading material on the menu alone for the entire flight. I was blown away by the never-ending options. I finally settled on the berico ham with quinoa salad and pecorino cheese (although the chilled malossol caviar was tempting). The first course was carrot saffron soup, slightly sweet and quite tasty. This came with an endive, vanilla honey poached pear salad. Delicious! The main course was seared chicken breast with duck confit pudding. Perfection. I finished everything off with the rich, mouth-watering Gotham “black” cake and a cup of chamomile tea.
Entertainment
The in-flight entertainment certainly did not lack. There was enough content for five or six flights – television shows, documentaries, American and world cinema. Much of the content was brand new as well.
Cue Brahms Lullaby…
Now pleasantly full and ready for dreamland, I hunkered down into my double bed, turned the tv off (bad for sleep) and broke out my trusty book of short stories – Roald Dahl, a genius! I was pleased to find the remote that controlled the intensity of the reading light by the bed. The same remote posted a “Do Not Disturb” sign outside my suite. I blinked between sentences and – Good night! Suddenly, it was morning and I woke up to a pleasant chime and hot double cappuccino. I was in Frankfurt.
Upon arrival, each of the first-class suite occupants was personally greeted by an attendant who then led us to the first class senators’ lounge. Although my connection was a business class flight, I was permitted, even encouraged, to relax in the first-class lounge. It was absolutely fantastic. Large and very quiet with a calm atmosphere. If showers aren’t enough for you, they also have a spa. Unfortunately for me, time did not permit. I would love this review to include a thorough run-down of the spa experience, but I had a connection to catch.
From start to finish, the Singapore Airlines Suite was an absolute pleasure to receive. This is an all-star recommendation. Seriously, fly Singapore Airlines.
