Singapore Airlines – one of the world’s, if not arguably the world’s best airline. I’ve read various flight reviews & watched tons of trip reports about this airline & I have to say, most, if not all the experiences were outstanding. I didn’t want to just read or watch about the airline & its service so early this year, I decided to book my tickets to Europe with them. I’ve waited for days, weeks & months for this first flight with Singapore Airlines.
Are you curious how did this flight go? Find out in today’s flight report where I will feature the world-famous & raved Singapore Airlines. Allow me to share details about the airline, its inclusions & my first ever flight experience with them in the review below.
PS. I also flew with Singapore Airlines on their long-haul flight from Singapore to Amsterdam. Check out the details & comprehensive review of the flight here.
singapore airlines
Singapore Airlines is Singapore’s flag carrier based in the world’s best airport, Singapore Changi Airport. This multi-awarded airline started in 1947 as Malayan Airways, then re-branded & commenced operations in 1972 with its current name. The airline is majority-owned by the government. Since it started operations 47 years ago, the airline has been a top contributor in terms of the world’s revenue passenger kilometers & the number of international passengers carried worldwide.
The airline currently flies to over 60 destinations in more than 30 countries across 5 continents. They are one of the leading carriers in the Southeast Asian Region with the help of their subsidiaries – Silk Air (which operates to some regional destinations) & Scoot (which operates on a low-cost business model). The airline (not including its subsidiaries) flies a combination of over 100 Airbus & Boeing jets ranging from the Airbus A330, Airbus A350, Airbus A380, Boeing 777, Boeing 787 Dreamliner to the Boeing 747 solely for its cargo operations.
Singapore Airlines is a full-service carrier. It means that every flight includes all the necessary in-flight amenities & services you can think of. All SQ tickets include free check-in baggage, meals & in-flight entertainment. The airline has a frequent flyer program called KrisFlyer & PPS Club. The airline is a member of the Star Alliance – one of the world’s biggest airline alliance network.
Fun fact! The airline operates the world’s longest flight from Singapore to Newark in the United States of America. This 19-hour flight is operated by an Airbus A350-900ULR (ultra-long range) specifically configured for this flight with a combination of only business class & premium economy seats.
In case you missed it, I flew the exact same flight – SQ 915 from Manila to Singapore – last June 2022. Check out how Singapore Airlines’ service changed after the Covid-19 pandemic hit the world by clicking this link.
AIRFARE
Last January, Singapore Airlines & Bank of the Philippine Islands offered discounted flights until March 2020. I’ve always dreamed of flying to Europe so I decided to book my tickets with them. I got my economy class ticket from Manila, Philippines to Amsterdam, Netherlands & back from Copenhagen, Denmark to Manila Philippines, both via Singapore for $719.23 all in. My bank charged me ₱37,669.40 in local currency.
The ticket included 4 flights in Economy Class, Manila to Singapore, Singapore to Amsterdam, Copenhagen to Manila & Singapore to Manila with a total flying time of close to 33 hours. As mentioned above, the airline operates a full-service model which means this ticket included check in baggage, in-flight meals & snacks & in-flight entertainment. It’s not the cheap piso-fare ticket I usually book but I took the risk of buying it even without the visa. Anyway, it’s Singapore Airlines.
flight information
This Manila to Singapore flight was operated by the new-generation Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner delivered to Singapore Airlines in 2018. The aircraft comes with 2 airline classes. Its business class has 36 seats on a 1-2-1 correspondence while its economy class comes on a 3-3-3 configuration with a total of 301 seats.
The flight to Singapore only took 2 hours & 51 minutes, from the usual 3 hours & 30 minutes. It was generally a peaceful flight, not much turbulence happened. We left Manila a few minutes late but managed to arrive in Singapore Changi Airport earlier than the expected arrival time.
Check In, Baggage & Boarding
Singapore Airlines divided check in counters into classes & groups. Business class ticket holders, KrisFlyer & Star Alliance status holders have a dedicated check in counter. Economy class passengers have a separate check in counter; those who checked in online also have a separate check in counter. There were no queues. Check in process was smooth. It only took me about 5 minutes to get my boarding passes. Since I have an onward flight to Amsterdam, I already checked in for both flights from Manila to Singapore & then to Amsterdam.
As mentioned above & as shown in the ticket, my fare includes 30-kilogram complimentary check in baggage allowance in all flights. I surrendered my luggage in Manila Airport & collected it in Amsterdam Schipol Airport. All passengers were also allowed to carry 7 kilograms of cabin luggage. Unlike other airlines, the Singapore Airlines ground staff in Manila Airport did not weigh my carry-on luggage.
Just like check in, boarding process was done by class. Business class passengers & those with Star Alliance & KrisFlyer status were asked to board the aircraft first. Economy passengers seated at the rear part of the aircraft came in next. Those seated in the economy forward seats boarded the aircraft last. Economy class passengers were offered newspapers & earphones at the jet bridge before entering the aircraft. The lovely SQ crew welcomed every passenger in the aircraft & gave instructions on which aisle to take to their seats. Boarding process didn’t take long. Boarding by groups is probably the most efficient way to board every aircraft.
Seat, In-flight Meal & Entertainment
Economy class seats in Singapore Airlines’ Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner have 32 inches of seat pitch & 17.5 inches of seat width. Each seat comes with a spacious leg room, a plush pillow, an adjustable headrest & a personal entertainment screen. Seats also feature a seat pocket with in-flight reading materials, a fold-able tray table with mirror, a coat hook, small storage space below the screen, a fold-able cup holder, a USB charging outlet & a universal power outlet. Blankets are available by request.
I sat by the window & I liked the 787-10’s large windows. These windows do not have manual window shades. The window tint can be controlled by the passenger, but can also be controlled & locked by the crew. The overhead storage spaces were spacious. Amenity kits are not offered in this short-haul regional flights. Seat comfort is amazing. I don’t mind having this kind of economy seat in a long-haul flight.
Singapore Airlines offer a complimentary hot meal to its economy class passengers. Meal service started with a hot towel. This is a great small add-on which only a few airlines still observe. The crew went around & offered omelette or noodles for breakfast. I went for the seafood noodles. The meal tray came in with the seafood noodles, a bread roll with butter, fresh fruits & drinks of choice (either coffee, tea, fruit juice, beer, white or red wine). It was a moderately sized but tasty meal, enough to fill you up on a 3-hour flight. It was also great to see the airline use real metal cutlery instead of the disposable plastic ones. I hope they use paper cups or reusable cups in the future, instead of the disposable plastic cups they use.
The airline’s entertainment system, KrisWorld, offered thousands of entertainment options for this 3-hour flight. It includes hundreds of movies & TV series to watch, close to a thousand songs to listen to & even documentaries & feature videos about Singapore & other random topics. Krisworld can be accessed through the touch-enabled personal entertainment screens found in front of every seat. The touch screen monitors were responsive & easy to navigate. How I wish they would add camera features like those from the A380s. Also, the earphones provided did its job – it’s not the best in the world but it was alright.
lavatory
The aircraft’s lavatory was clean, fresh & of decent space. There was enough supply of tissue & bathroom amenities. The airline crew did a great job in keeping the cleanliness of the lavatory.
Cabin Crew Service
Singapore Airline’s cabin crew service is exceptional, definitely worth the 5-star rating. The cabin crew were accommodating, helpful & wore their best smiles all throughout the flight. The excellent service started off when they greeted all the passengers upon boarding the aircraft. They made sure all passengers have a pleasant flight. I was surprised they offered a second round of drinks to all passengers on this 3-hour flight to Singapore. I’ve never seen anything to point out for the service on this flight. The crew showed the true Singaporean hospitality in this flight. Kudos to Singapore Airlines!
verdict
It was truly an enjoyable first flight with Singapore Airlines; indeed a 5-star experience. The aircraft used was new & modern; the cabin space was impressive. Seats & seat comfort were outstanding. Food was tasty & in-flight entertainment was up-to-date.
The whole Singapore Airlines experience from check in to boarding, to the flight itself & even after disembarkation was pure class. The cabin crew service stood out the most. I genuinely felt Singaporean hospitality.
You might wonder if it is worth the extra payment to take Singapore Airlines than flying with other airlines? It’s a big YES. Tickets or fares may be a more expensive than the usual but I believe all the passengers get than what they actually pay for. It is definitely worth investing more! Will I fly Singapore Airlines again in the future? How I wish all my upcoming flights will be with them! To be honest, I cannot wait to fly with them again in the future.
Singapore Airlines, all praises to you. Thank you for this amazing flight from Manila to Singapore!
Do you want to know more about the flight & the Boeing aircraft used for this amazing flight? Check out the specifics below:
Airline: Singapore Airlines
Flight Date: 23 October 2019
Flight Number: SQ 915
Route: Manila (MNL) to Singapore (SIN)
Duration: 2:51 hours
Seat Number: 66K
Aircraft: Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner
Aircraft Registration: 9V-SCH
Aircraft Engine: 2 x Rolls Royce Trent 1000
Age: 2.8 years old
Year Delivered: 2018 (previously a test aircraft)
Have you every flown with Singapore Airlines? How was your flight? What do you think of the aircraft used for the flight? How was the food, the cabin crew service? Share your comments & experiences below. I’d love to hear from all of you. Do you have any comment or suggestion on how I can improve the posts & content in this blog / website? Feel free to send them in via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com. Don’t forget to turn your notifications on for my social media channels – Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
Thank you for joining me in this excellent Singapore Airlines flight report. This is the start of many blogs about my recent trip to Europe. 🙂 Watch out for more blogs & trip reports!
PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.