Tag: Full Service Airline

Flight Report: CATHAY PACIFIC CX 901 – Hong Kong to Manila – Homebound on a Once in a Lifetime $66 World-of-Winners Hong Kong Return Ticket [December 2023]

In December, my friends and I flew to Hong Kong with Cathay Pacific after being one of the lucky winners of the Hong Kong International Airport Authority World of Winners Campaign. We got free base fare return tickets with Cathay Pacific, valid for travel until December 2023.

In early 2023, the Hong Kong International Airport Authority ran a worldwide campaign to lure people back to beautiful Hong Kong. They conducted giveaways in countries all over the world and specifically gave out over 20,000 return Cathay Pacific tickets in the Philippines.

Previously, I shared with you my first ever Cathay Pacific experience from Manila to Hong Kong on board flight CX 912. I wrote a detailed report about how that memorable flight went by quickly. Today, I will share with you the details and experiences of our flight back from Hong Kong to Manila on board Cathay Pacific flight CX 901. Join me as I run you through the airline’s hard and soft products, and I will let you know why you should consider the airline on your next trip to Hong Kong.

CATHAY PACIFIC

Cathay Pacific Airways Limited, commonly known as Cathay Pacific, is Hong Kong’s flag carrier. According to the airline’s website, two ex-Air Force pilots founded the airline in Hong Kong in 1946. Five years later, the airline acquired its rival Hong Kong Airways and gained additional routes to Japan, Taiwan, and Australia. Since then, the airline has expanded to more routes in Asia Pacific, Europe, and North America. It has emerged as one of the world’s leading airlines and lifestyle brands, connecting the world through Hong Kong.

Today, Cathay Pacific is primarily owned by Swire Group, a diversified Hong Kong-based corporation, Qatar Airways, and Air China. The airline flies to over 80 international destinations using close to 180 Airbus and Boeing aircraft, with 60 more in order. It also has airline subsidiaries, namely Cathay Pacific Cargo, Air Hong Kong, and Hong Kong Express, the region’s budget airline. Cathay Pacific is based and headquartered in Hong Kong International Airport.

Cathay Pacific is a 5-star full-service airline. It offers a free checked luggage allowance, premium amenities, meals and snacks, and personal entertainment systems onboard. The airline is one of the founding members of Oneworld, a major global alliance with the likes of Qatar Airways, Qantas, American Airlines, and British Airways. It has a loyalty program called Cathay Membership Programme, where members can gain status points (previously Marco Polo Club) and Asia Miles when flying the airline or through its non-airline partners.

In case you missed it, I post reviews & features of my flights since June 2019. I’ve covered airlines such as EVA Air, Indonesia Air Asia, Emirates, Singapore Airlines, Philippine Airlines, and Cebu Pacific Air. All posts about these flights are found under the Flight Reports category.

AIRFARE & INCLUSIONS

As mentioned above, my friends and I got our complimentary tickets from the World of Winners campaign hosted by the Hong Kong International Airport Authority. We were rewarded with free return base fare tickets with Cathay Pacific, valid for travel until December 2023.

HKIAA sent out unique voucher codes to all winners. These codes need to be redeemed or booked within two months from the time they were sent out. My friends and I booked ours a few weeks after receiving our respective codes and paid US$66.30 worth of taxes and fees each. My bank charged me ₱3,638.99, including the 1.85% foreign transaction service fee.

The $66 return ticket included 7 kilograms of carry-on allowance, 2 x 23 kilograms of checked baggage allowance, inflight meals, inflight entertainment, and hospitable Cathay Pacific cabin crew service. The ticket was classified under the Economy Essential Fare Bundle, which included an additional 23 kilograms of checked luggage allowance (making it two) and complimentary standard seat selection in both sectors.

My friends and I were lucky to get picked for these free base fare tickets on a full-service airline like Cathay Pacific. We want to say thank you to the Hong Kong International Airport Authority for making this once-in-a lifetime chance and experience happen.

Do you want to know the difference between a full-service and a low-cost airline? Check out my previous post detailing the differences of these 2 types of airlines.

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS

Philippine passport holders are only required to present their valid passports and the E-Travel QR code when entering the country’s borders. Non-Philippine passport holders may be required to present other requirements, such as a valid visa or onward departure ticket. These requirements vary from one nationality to the next. It is always best to check with the relevant authorities regarding the updated entry requirements.

BEFORE THE FLIGHT

A few days before the flight, Cathay Pacific sent out a reminder about the upcoming flight to Manila. The airline also sent an email reminder 48 hours before the flight that online or web check-in is now available. The airline included reminders about checked luggage, the airline mobile application, and its useful features.

4 hours into the flight, the airline sent a final flight reminder, including the boarding time, scheduled flight time, and the assigned boarding gate. Props to Cathay Pacific for keeping their passengers informed.

Aircraft & Flight Information

This Hong Kong to Manila Cathay Pacific flight CX 901 was operated by an 11-year-old Airbus A330 aircraft. The plane, delivered to the airline in December 2012, has 39 lie-flat business class sets on a 1-2-1 configuration and 223 economy class seats on a 2-4-2 layout.

Flight CX 901 flew out of Hong Kong International Airport at 9:26 a.m. and touched down at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila at 11:06 a.m. The flight took 1 hour and 40 minutes in total.

GROUND & AIRPORT EXPERIENCE

Cathay Pacific operates from Hong Kong International Airport Terminal 1.

CHECK-IN & BAG DROP

Cathay Pacific check-in counters are at the far-left end of the terminal at Counters A, B, and C. Counter check-in is available for those who want to check-in with Cathay Pacific staff. Self-check-in kiosks and automated bag drop counters are also available in these check-in areas.

During our time, the counter check-in had long and slow-moving lines. My friends and I used the self-check-in kiosks to check-in for our flight and to print our boarding passes and luggage tags. After checking in, we headed to the automated bag drop-off counters to leave our bags. We finished this whole process in less than 10 minutes.

PRE-DEPARTURE

We cleared security and immigration immediately after check-in and walked towards our assigned gate, Gate 12, in the main terminal building. We also had a quick morning snack from a fast-food chain while we waited for boarding.

BOARDING

Priority boarding commenced at 8:28 a.m. Business class passengers, Cathay Pacific Programme, and Oneworld Alliance status holders were asked to board the plane first. Passengers traveling with small children, persons with disabilities, and seniors boarded the plane next. All other economy class passengers boarded the plane by group or zone.

The boarding process finished at 9:00 a.m. The cabin crew closed the aircraft doors and waited for departure. The plane was pushed ashore at 9:09 a.m. and headed over to the runway for a 9:26 a.m. take-off.


INFLIGHT HARD & SOFT PRODUCT

SEAT FEATURES

This Cathay Pacific Hong Kong to Manila flight was operated using one of the airline’s Airbus A330-300s with the regional two-class configuration. The plane has 39 lie-flat business class seats on a 1-2-1 layout and 223 regular economy class seats on a 2-4-2 layout.

According to our friends at SeatMaps, each business class seat has a seat pitch of 47 inches, a seat width of 21 inches, and a recline of 180 degrees. The seats feature spacious legroom with decent storage spaces and large entertainment screens. The business class section has 10 rows of lie-flat seats with direct aisle access.

The middle and rear sections of the aircraft have 223 standard economy seats on a 2-4-2 layout. Each economy class seat has a seat pitch of 32 inches, a seat width of 18 inches, and a recline of 3.5 inches. Each seat has a personal entertainment screen, a foldable tray table, a coat hook, a USB charging port, a power outlet under the seats, and a small under-screen stowage space. Each thick-padded seat also features an adjustable headrest and a seatback pocket with an aircraft safety card, magazine, duty-free pamphlets, and headphones. The seats do not feature individual air vents and pillows. Blankets are available upon request.

I got aisle seat 65H on this quick flight back to Manila. I find the airline’s thick-padded seats comfortable for a short haul flight. However, I do miss the individual air vents, which I can open or close whenever I want.

INFLIGHT BREAKFAST SERVICE

Cathay Pacific served a complimentary breakfast service on this flight to Manila. The airline only had one option for this flight: congee and stir-fry noodles with a bottle of water.

The cabin crew started serving breakfast as soon as the plane reached its cruising altitude. The crew finished serving the meals within 30 minutes after takeoff. They also went around for a second round of drink service and offered coffee or tea to those who wanted it.

This breakfast meal was alright. It was not as tasty or savory as the meal served on our Manila to Hong Kong flight. I still appreciate Cathay Pacific serving a complimentary meal service on this short flight to Manila.

INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT

Cathay Pacific’s entertainment system on the Airbus A330 offered a decent number of movies, television shows, and music options. The choices may not be as extensive as those in their Airbus A350 and Boeing 777 aircraft, but these are enough for short flights like this to Hong Kong. The entertainment system also features a moving inflight map that shows the flight’s exact whereabouts.

I did not watch any movies or television shows during this flight. Instead, I stared at the inflight map and geeked out the aviation enthusiast in me.

INFLIGHT CONNECTIVITY

Cathay Pacific offers paid inflight wi-fi connectivity on selected flights. The cost can go as high as $12.95 for full-flight access on a short-haul flight. The airline offered a 1-hour pass for $9.95 and a full-flight pass for $12.95 on this flight from Hong Kong to Manila.

Unfortunately, I did not avail of this paid service. I find the flight too short to miss checking things out on the internet.

LAVATORY

This Airbus A330 aircraft has five lavatories shared by all 223 economy class passengers. These lavatories are found in the middle part of the aircraft. The lavatories on this aircraft were clean, fragrant, and spotless. It also had extra amenities like a bottle of hand soap and a bottle of antiseptic hand gel, which can be used by all passengers.

CABIN CREW ENCOUNTERS

Just like the Manila to Hong Kong flight, I had very minimal encounters with the cabin crew. I saw them doing the usual things like welcoming the passengers to the flight, saying goodbye during disembarkation, asking what drinks the passengers wanted during the meal service, and offering tea and coffee during the second drink service.

DISEMBARKATION & LUGGAGE CLAIM

The aircraft arrived at Ninoy Aquino International Airport at 11:06 a.m. My friends and I went through disembarkation, immigration, baggage claim, and customs in about 30 minutes after landing.

Flight Experience

It was a fun and memorable once-in-a-lifetime $66 return flight with Cathay Pacific. I honestly do not think this promotion will happen again in the next decade or so.

Like in any other flight report, allow me to share with you what I liked about this flight. First, the free base fare ticket wins in every angle. My friends and I only paid $66 (around ₱3,600) in return for the airport taxes and fees. We paid this cheap for a full-service 5-star airline with baggage, inflight meals, and inflight entertainment. What a steal!

Second, Cathay Pacific made sure that all their passengers were informed of everything about the flight. The airline sent out numerous reminders about the online check-in, airport check-in process, flight requirements, and even the assigned boarding gate information. Third, the airline has a quick and efficient self-check-in process at Hong Kong International Airport. My friends and I finished our self-check-in and bag drop process in less than 10 minutes.

Third, Cathay Pacific still has a 2-4-2 seating configuration on its Airbus A330 aircraft. The said configuration offers more spacious seats compared to the current industry standard of 3-3-3. Also, the seats feature thick back padding, which makes them more comfortable to sit on.

Lastly, the airline served a complimentary hot meal on this short flight from Hong Kong to Manila. The meal may be a little bit bland to my taste, but at least it is available for passengers who want to have breakfast onboard.

One thing that I did not like about this flight was the absence of individual air vents in the aircraft. I sweat a lot, especially when the cabin temperature is on the hot side. I hope Cathay Pacific brings them back in their new or retrofitted aircraft.

This CX 901 Hong Kong to Manila flight is very much like our CX 912 Manila to Hong Kong flight we took earlier. I like that Cathay Pacific is consistent with their hard and soft products on this Manila-Hong Kong-Manila route.

I enjoyed my first flights with Cathay Pacific. I will consider flying them again in the future; I want to try their Airbus A321neo and Airbus A350-1000 aircraft. I hope you also enjoyed my narration of this once-in-a-lifetime flight experience with Cathay Pacific. Again, I want to thank the Hong Kong International Authority for running the World of Winners campaign and for making this opportunity happen.

Curious about the specific details of this flight? Check out the geeky information below:

Airline: Cathay Pacific Airways
Flight Date: 12 December 2023
Flight Number: CX 901
Route: Hong Kong, SAR (HKG) to Manila, Philippines (MNL)
Duration: 1 hour and 40 minutes
Seat Number: 65H (aisle)
Aircraft: Airbus A330-343X
Aircraft Registration: B-LAX
Engines: 2 x RR Trent 772B-60
Age: 11 years old
Delivered: December 2012

Have you flown Cathay Pacific recently? How was your experience? Will you fly them again soon? By any chance have questions about anything mentioned above? Feel free to share your ground and flight experiences or post your questions in the comments section below. You may also send them via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

Thank you for joining me in today’s flight report. I hope you can check out my previous flight reports with Singapore Airlines, Emirates, EVA Air, Air France, Vietnam Airlines, Cebu Pacific Air, and Philippine Airlines. I hope you also look forward to more flight reports in the future.

Before you go, I hope you can like, follow and share my social media pages – Facebook and Instagram. This will help me increase my reach; it will also keep you up-to-date with the latest blog posts, itineraries and flight reports on this website. Thank you and see you in the next flight report!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.

Flight Report: CATHAY PACIFIC CX 912 – Manila to Hong Kong – First-Ever CX Flight on a Memorable $66 World-of-Winners Return Ticket to Hong Kong [December 2023]

Early last year, the Hong Kong International Airport Authority (HKIAA) gave away thousands of free base fare tickets to people from all over the world to lure tourists back to the vibrant city. My friends and I joined the Philippines giveaway, answered 4 questions, and luckily made it to the first 21,000 people to get all 4 correct answers. The HKIA authority gave us a roundtrip free base fare ticket with Cathay Pacific valid for travel until December 2023.

We booked our tickets in April 2023 for a trip to Hong Kong in December 2023. We flew with the region’s flag carrier, Cathay Pacific, on both sectors. The Cathay Pacific CX 912 Manila to Hong Kong flight will be the topic of today’s flight report. Read on below to learn how my first ever Cathay Pacific flight went and why this flight became a memorable one.

Cathay Pacific

Cathay Pacific Airways Limited, commonly known as Cathay Pacific, is Hong Kong’s flag carrier. According to the airline’s website, two ex-Air Force pilots founded the airline in Hong Kong in 1946. Five years later, the airline acquired its rival Hong Kong Airways and gained additional routes to Japan, Taiwan, and Australia. Since then, the airline has expanded to more routes in Asia Pacific, Europe, and North America. It has emerged as one of the world’s leading airlines and lifestyle brands, connecting the world through Hong Kong.

Today, Cathay Pacific is primarily owned by Swire Group, a diversified Hong Kong-based corporation, Qatar Airways, and Air China. The airline flies to over 80 international destinations using close to 180 Airbus and Boeing aircraft, with 60 more in order. It also has airline subsidiaries, namely Cathay Pacific Cargo, Air Hong Kong, and Hong Kong Express, the region’s budget airline. Cathay Pacific is based and headquartered in Hong Kong International Airport.

Cathay Pacific is a 5-star full-service airline. It offers a free checked luggage allowance, premium amenities, meals and snacks, and personal entertainment systems onboard. The airline is one of the founding members of Oneworld, a major global alliance with the likes of Qatar Airways, Qantas, American Airlines, and British Airways. It has a loyalty program called Cathay Membership Programme, where members can gain status points (previously Marco Polo Club) and Asia Miles when flying the airline or through its non-airline partners.

In case you missed it, I post reviews & features of my flights since June 2019. I’ve covered airlines such as EVA Air, Indonesia Air Asia, Emirates, Singapore Airlines, Philippine Airlines, and Cebu Pacific Air. All posts about these flights are found under the Flight Reports category.

Airfare & Inclusions

As mentioned above, my friends and I got our complimentary tickets from the World of Winners campaign hosted by the Hong Kong International Airport Authority. We were rewarded with free return base fare tickets with Cathay Pacific, valid for travel until December 2023.

HKIAA sent out unique voucher codes to all winners. These codes need to be redeemed or booked within two months from the time they were sent out. My friends and I booked ours a few weeks after receiving our respective codes and paid US$66.30 worth of taxes and fees each. My bank charged me ₱3,638.99, including the 1.85% foreign transaction service fee.

The $66 return ticket included 7 kilograms of carry-on allowance, 2 x 23 kilograms of checked baggage allowance, inflight meals, inflight entertainment, and hospitable Cathay Pacific cabin crew service. The ticket was classified under the Economy Essential Fare Bundle, which included an additional 23 kilograms of checked luggage allowance (making it two) and complimentary standard seat selection in both sectors.

My friends and I were lucky to get picked for these free base fare tickets on a full-service airline like Cathay Pacific. We want to say thank you to the Hong Kong International Airport Authority for making this once-in-a lifetime chance and experience happen.

Do you want to know the difference between a full-service and a low-cost airline? Check out my previous post detailing the differences of these 2 types of airlines.

Travel Requirements

Regular Philippine passport holders are allowed to enter the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region without a visa for 14 days. Anyone staying beyond the visa-free stay needs to apply for a visa to enter Hong Kong.

Locally, all passengers departing the country are required to fill out the online departure card and obtain a QR code from the E-Travel website.

Before the Flight

Just like any other airline, Cathay Pacific sent out several emails to its passengers, reminding them of everything about the flight. A week before our scheduled flight, I received an email from the airline reminding me that my flight to Hong Kong is a few days away. I also got a reminder about the travel documents and requirements needed, an offer to upgrade to business class, and/or to add additional checked luggage for the flight.

48 hours before the scheduled flight, Cathay Pacific sent another email announcing that online or web check-in is now available for our flight to Hong Kong. The airline included reminders about checked luggage, the airline mobile application and its access to online newspapers, the type of plug or outlet used in Hong Kong, and the weather forecast for our stay in the region.

4 hours into the flight, the airline sent a final flight reminder, including the boarding time, scheduled flight time, and the assigned boarding gate. Props to Cathay Pacific for keeping their passengers informed about their flights.

Aircraft & Flight Information

This Manila to Hong Kong Cathay Pacific flight CX 912 was operated by a 10.2-year-old Airbus A330-300 aircraft. The plane, delivered to Dragonair (previously a Cathay Pacific subsidiary) in October 2013, has 42 lie-flat business class seats on a 2-2-2 configuration and 265 economy class seats on a 2-4-2 layout.

Flight CX 912 departed from Ninoy Aquino International Airport at 8:26 a.m. and arrived at Hong Kong International Airport at 10:10 a.m. The flight took around 1 hour and 44 minutes in total.

Ground & Airport Experience

Cathay Pacific flies out of Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3.

CHECK-IN

My friends and I arrived at the airport a few minutes past 4:00 a.m. We headed towards Cathay Pacific’s check-in counters and asked if we could already check-in for our 8:00 a.m. flight.

The ground staff allowed us to check in early. She got our passports and issued our boarding passes. She was quick and efficient; she managed to finish the whole check-in process in less than 10 minutes.

PRE-DEPARTURE

After check-in, we lined up for immigration and final security for 1.5 hours. We dropped by the Marhaba Lounge to get some snacks before heading to our assigned boarding gate, Gate 109.

BOARDING

Priority boarding commenced 45 minutes before the flight at 7:15 a.m. The staff called all business class passengers, those traveling with children, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities to board the aircraft first. After 5 minutes, the ground staff called regular passengers and instructed boarding by rows, starting from those seated at the back. My friends and I were seated in the last few rows. We were one of the first regular passengers to board the aircraft.

The boarding process finished at 7:52 a.m. The cabin crew closed the aircraft doors and waited for departure. The plane was pushed ack at 7:57 a.m. and headed over to the runway for take-off.

Inflight Hard & Soft Product

SEAT FEATURES

This Cathay Pacific Manila to Hong Kong flight was operated using one of the airline’s high-density, two-class Airbus A330 aircraft. The plane sports the regional seat configuration with 42 angle-flat business class seats and 265 standard economy seats.

According to our friends at SeatMaps, each business class seat has a seat pitch of 47 inches, a seat width of 21 inches, and a recline of 9.5 inches. The seats feature spacious legroom with decent storage spaces and large entertainment screens. The business class section features 7 rows of seats formatted in a 2-2-2 configuration.

The middle and rear sections of the aircraft have 265 standard economy seats on a 2-4-2 layout. Each economy class seat has a seat pitch of 31 inches, a seat width of 18.1 inches, and a recline of 6 inches. Each seat has a personal entertainment screen, a foldable tray table, a coat hook, a USB charging port, a power outlet under the seats, and a small under-screen stowage space. Each thick-padded seat also features an adjustable headrest and a seatback pocket with an aircraft safety card, magazine, duty-free pamphlets, and headphones. The seats do not feature individual air vents and pillows. Blankets are available upon request.

I got aisle seat 72D for this quick hop to Hong Kong. I find Cathay Pacific’s thick-padded seats comfortable, but I also miss the individual air vents, which I can open or close whenever I want.

INFLIGHT BREAKFAST SERVICE

Cathay Pacific served a complimentary breakfast on this flight to Hong Kong. They only had one breakfast option for this flight: beef tapa with garlic rice and eggs. The cabin crew commenced breakfast service as soon as the aircraft reached its cruising altitude. They served the rice meal with a bottle of water and metal cutlery. They also went around for a second round of drink service and offered coffee or tea to those who wanted it.

The beef tapa meal was tasty and delicious. The garlic rice complimented the sweet and savory meat taste. 30 minutes before landing, my friends and I requested hot tea with milk, which the crew served in less than 5 minutes.

INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT

Cathay Pacific’s entertainment system on the Airbus A330 offered a decent number of movies, television shows, and music options. The choices may not be as extensive as those in their Airbus A350 and Boeing 777 aircraft, but these are enough for short flights like this to Hong Kong. The entertainment system also features a moving inflight map that shows the flight’s exact whereabouts.

I did not watch any movies because I knew I would not finish them. Instead, I made the aviation geek in me happy by starting at the inflight map throughout the flight.

INFLIGHT CONNECTIVITY

At the time of the flight, Cathay Pacific did not offer inflight connectivity services on their Airbus A330 aircraft. I read on the airline’s website that the inflight Wi-Fi service will soon be available on their A330 and Boeing 777 aircraft.

LAVATORY

This Airbus A330 aircraft only has four lavatories shared by all 265 economy-class passengers. These lavatories are found in the middle part of the aircraft. The lavatories on this aircraft were clean, fragrant, and spotless. It also had extra amenities like a bottle of hand soap and a bottle of antiseptic hand gel, which can be used by all passengers.

Cabin Crew Encounters

I had minimal interactions with the cabin crew on this flight. I noticed the crew on this flight were very serious during the breakfast service. I rarely see them smile at the passengers. I asked for hot tea with milk a few minutes before landing, and I got my request in less than 5 minutes. Quick service, eh?

Disembarkation & Luggage Claim

Prior to landing, Cathay Pacific already displayed the assigned boarding gates of passengers with onward connecting flights with the airline. The flight landed at Hong Kong International Airport at 10:10 a.m. and reached the assigned gate at 10:28 a.m.

Passengers disembarked in an orderly manner. Business class and forward economy class passengers first left the plane. Rear economy class passengers, including our section, deplaned last. My friends and I finished the immigration and baggage claim process in less than 30 minutes. Our luggage was already in Belt 10 when we got to the arrival hall.

Flight Experience

It was a memorable and enjoyable first flight with Hong Kong’s flag carrier, Cathay Pacific.

This flight wins in a lot of aspects. First, my friends and I won complimentary base fare tickets in the Hong Kong Airport Authority’s World of Winners campaign. We only paid US$66.30, a little over ₱3,600, for taxes and fees for a full-service return ticket to Hong Kong. Winner indeed!

Second, the airline made sure that the passengers were well informed about the upcoming flight. They sent emails containing reminders about travel requirements, online check-in, and airport check-in reminders. Third, the airline’s mobile application is updated with all the necessary flight information. It contains the assigned gate, the airport terminal, and the flight status.

Fourth, the airline’s check-in counters at Ninoy Aquino International Airport opened as early as 4 hours before the flight. Fifth, the airline’s Airbus A330 aircraft used here had more spacious seats arranged in a 2-4-2 economy class layout. The airplane’s seats also feature soft and thick back padding, which makes them more comfortable to sit on. Lastly, the airline offered a complimentary, tasty, and savory breakfast on such a short flight. This flight only had one breakfast option, but it was better than not offering breakfast at all.

The only feature I missed on this flight was the presence of individual overhead air vents. The cabin temperature was hot during boarding, and it took some time before it cooled down. The individual air vents could have addressed this issue.

Another thing I did not like during this flight was the long immigration line we had to endure. It was not the airline’s fault. The airport authorities underestimated the number of passengers flying out of the country during that time. I hope and pray for better airport facilities and experiences here in the Philippines.

Anyway, it was still a lovely first-time experience with Cathay Pacific. I will surely consider flying with the airline again in the future. I am keen on trying the excellent Cathay long-haul experience many are raving about.

Allow me to share with you more of a summary of this flight to Hong Kong:

Airline: Cathay Pacific Airways
Flight Date: 8 December 2023
Flight Number: CX 912
Route: Manila, Philippines (MNL) to Hong Kong, SAR (HKG)
Duration: 1 hour and 44 minutes
Seat Number: 72D
Aircraft: Airbus A330-343E
Aircraft Registration: B-HWM
Engines: 2 x RR Trent 772B-60
Age: 10.2 years old
Delivered: October 2013

Have you flown Cathay Pacific recently? How was your experience? Will you fly them again soon? By any chance have questions about anything mentioned above? Feel free to share your ground and flight experiences or post your questions in the comments section below. You may also send them via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

Thank you for joining me in today’s flight report. I hope you can check out my previous flight reports with Singapore Airlines, Emirates, EVA Air, Air France, Vietnam Airlines, Cebu Pacific Air, and Philippine Airlines. I hope you also look forward to more flight reports in the future.

Before you go, I hope you can like, follow and share my social media pages – Facebook and Instagram. This will help me increase my reach; it will also keep you up-to-date with the latest blog posts, itineraries and flight reports on this website. Thank you and see you in the next flight report!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.

 

Flight Report: SINGAPORE AIRLINES SQ 910 – Singapore to Manila – Standard but Turbulent Morning Flight Back to Manila [September 2023]

After spending a week of family time in Sydney and Brisbane, it was finally time to go home. In September 2023, I, together with my parents, flew back to Manila from Brisbane, Australia, with Singapore Airlines.

In my previous flight report, I shared with you some of our flying experience from Brisbane to Singapore onboard Singapore Airlines flight SQ 246. Today, I will report how the onward connecting flight to Manila went. Join me in today’s flight report as I tell you more about this Singapore Airlines flight, SQ 910, from Singapore to Manila.

In case you missed it, I also wrote about our flights to Australia with Singapore Airlines. I hope you can check both SQ 921 from Manila to Singapore and SQ 231 from Singapore to Sydney. I also shared with you how our domestic Virgin Australia flight VA 943 from Sydney to Brisbane went.

SINGAPORE AIRLINES

Singapore Airlines is Singapore’s national carrier. This award-winning world-class airline is based at one of the world’s best airports, Singapore Changi Airport. The airline started as Malayan Airways in 1947; it then rebranded, and commenced operations as Singapore Airlines in 1972. The airline has been a top contributor in terms of the world’s revenue passenger kilometers and the number of international passengers carried worldwide.

The airline currently flies to over 70 destinations in more than 30 countries across five continents. Singapore Airlines is one of the leading carriers in the Southeast Asian Region with the help of its low-cost subsidiary, Scoot. The airline’s previous regional subsidiary, Silk Air, has been incorporated into SQ’s operations as of March 2021.

Singapore Airline flies a modern aircraft fleet consisting of the Airbus A350, Airbus A380, Boeing 777, Boeing 787 Dreamliner, Boeing 737 Max, and Boeing 737-800 NG. The airline is the world’s largest Airbus A350-900 operator, with 63 currently in service and two more on order. 7 of the 65 Airbus A350’s in service have the ultra-long range (ULR) premium (only business and premium economy class) configuration. These ULRs are mostly used on North American routes.

Singapore Airlines is a full-service carrier. It means that every flight includes all the necessary in-flight amenities and services you can think of. All SQ tickets include free check-in baggage, meals, and 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 networks.

Singapore Airlines is not a new airline on this website. In fact, it is the second-most-reviewed airline after Cebu Pacific Air.

In case you missed it, I post reviews & features of my flights since June 2019. I’ve covered airlines such as EVA Air, Indonesia Air Asia, Emirates, Singapore Airlines, Philippine Airlines, and Cebu Pacific Air. All posts about these flights are found under the Flight Reports category.

Airfare

This SQ 910 flight is part of a four-sector ticket from Manila to Australia and back on Singapore Airlines. The return ticket, booked 5 months before the intended flight date, only cost $497 (US dollars) per person. This return ticket includes a 25-kilogram check-in baggage allowance, a 7-kilogram carry-on allowance, inflight meals and snacks, personal entertainment screens on all flights, and a 5-star flight experience with a well-trained and passionate cabin crew.

I booked our ticket directly with the airline using my credit card and paid $1,491 (US dollars) for three people. I got charged ₱83,537.75 for all three tickets, including foreign transaction service fees. This translates to only ₱27,845.92 per person. Considering when the ticket was booked against the intended flight schedule, this ticket was definitely a steal. It already has everything a passenger needs on a long-haul flight, from food to amenities to entertainment. The other airline competitors offered way more expensive ticket prices at the time of booking for our planned August schedule.

Do you want to know the difference between a full-service and a low-cost airline? Check out my previous post detailing the differences of these 2 types of airlines.

Travel Requirements

Philippine passport holders are only required to present their valid passports and the E-Travel QR code upon entering the country’s borders. Non-Philippine passport holders may be required to present other requirements, such as a valid visa or onward departure ticket. These requirements vary from one nationality to the other. It is always best to check with the relevant authorities regarding the updated entry requirements.

Before The Flight

Unlike previous Singapore Airlines flights, I did not receive any business class upgrade offers for this SQ 910 flight. I only got a flight check-in reminder on the airline’s mobile application 48 hours before the Brisbane to Singapore flight.

Upon getting the said check-in notification, I immediately chose our seats for both Brisbane to Singapore and Singapore to Manila flights and checked-in for both flights. Singapore Airlines allows its passengers to choose their seats for free during mobile or web check-in.

Aircraft & Flight Information

This Singapore-Manila SQ 910 flight was operated by a 4.6-year-old (at the time of the flight) Airbus A350-900 aircraft. This plane, delivered in January 2019, features the airline’s regional configuration with 40 lie-flat business class seats and 263 economy class seats.

Flight SQ 910 took off from Singapore Changi Airport at 9:32 a.m. and landed at Ninoy Aquino International Airport four minutes behind schedule at 1:09 p.m. The flight took 3 hours and 37 minutes.

Ground & Airport Experience

SINGAPORE CHANGI AIRPORT TRANSIT EXPERIENCE

Passengers can transit through Singapore Changi Airport, provided both flights (to and from Singapore) are under the same ticket or itinerary. The passenger’s bags should have been tagged from the airport of origin to the final country or airport of destination.

I already checked in for this Singapore-Manila flight in Brisbane. Upon arrival at Changi Airport Terminal 3, Gate B9, I got off the plane, took the sky train to Terminal 2, and headed to the food court for breakfast. I got kaya toast and milo, while my parents got noodles and coffee. After breakfast, we walked leisurely to Gate F54 and waited for the boarding gate doors to open.

Transiting at Singapore Changi Airport is always a pleasant experience. The airport is clean and well-maintained. It also has a long list of leisure activities that passengers can do or try while waiting for their next flight.

PRE-DEPARTURE

Singapore Changi Airport is one of the few airports in the world where final security checks are conducted before entering the flight’s assigned boarding gates. Depending on the size of the flight, the boarding gates open 1 to 2 hours before the scheduled time of departure.

Gate F54 opened to passengers at 8:03 a.m. I submitted myself for a final security check. Afterwards, I secured a comfortable seat inside the pre-departure area while I waited for the flight boarding announcement.

BOARDING

The ground staff announced boarding commencement at 8:37 a.m. They first called passengers traveling with infants and those needing special assistance. The ground staff then announced boarding for first class passengers, then for business class passengers and PPS Club members. They called in Star Alliance Gold and Krisflyer Elite members, followed by premium economy class passengers.

The local staff called the economy class passengers last. They asked these passengers to board according to their assigned groups. The whole boarding process only took 28 minutes.

The airline crew closed the aircraft doors at exactly 9:05 a.m. The aircraft was pushed back 10 minutes later, at 9:15 a.m. and taxied to the runway for take-off.

Inflight Hard & Soft Product

This Singapore-Manila flight was operated by one of Singapore Airlines’ Airbus A350-900 aircraft. The plane sports the regional seat configuration with 40 lie-flat business class seats and 263 standard economy seats. According to SeatGuru, each business class seat has a 60-inch seat pitch and a 28-inch seat width. The seats have a 1-2-1 configuration, with each seat having direct aisle access. All business class seats are equipped with a large personal entertainment screen paired with noise-canceling headphones. Each seat also includes a pillow, a blanket, several storage spaces, and a large tray table.

Business Class Seat

Economy class seats have a seat pitch of 28 inches and a seat width of 18 inches, slightly bigger than the Boeing 787-10’s 17.5-inch seat width. Each seat comes with a spacious leg room, an adjustable headrest, and a personal entertainment screen. Seats also feature a seat pocket with inflight safety cards, a foldable tray table with mirror, a coat hook, small storage space below the screen, a foldable cup holder, a USB charging outlet, a comfortable pillow, and a universal power outlet in between seats. Blankets, face masks, and disinfectant surface wipes are available upon request.

I got window seat 64A for this 3.5-hour flight to Manila. I believe the airline provides more than what a passenger needs for a short-haul flight.

INFLIGHT BREAKFAST SERVICE

Singapore Airlines served complimentary breakfast meals on this short-haul flight to Manila. The airline has let go of physical menu cards and incorporated them into the inflight entertainment system and the onboard connectivity service. The airline has also brought back the appetizer that went missing during the pandemic.

The cabin crew offered traditional fried carrot cake and sausages with scrambled eggs as main options. They gave out the meals with fresh fruits, a fruit yoghurt, a bread roll with butter, a bottle of water, and a drink of choice – coffee, tea, wine, beer, soft drinks, water, or juice. After the meal service, the crew went around for the second time and offered water, coffee, and tea to those who wanted them.

I went for the traditional meal option, which was the Singapore fried carrot cake (fried savory radish-rice flour cake with prawns and picked turnips). I got it with a glass of apple juice and enjoyed the breakfast meal. I was impressed by the large mains portion the airline provided for this main option. I was full after the tasty meal.

I admire the airline for using metal cutlery and recyclable food containers during meal service. It helps a lot in eliminating solid waste; it is environment-friendly. I hope they can find a sustainable alternative to plastic cups.

After the breakfast service, I asked for a glass of my Singapore Airlines staple, the Singapore Sling. I was given the drink after a few minutes, and I finished it just in time for landing.

INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT

Singapore Airlines’ entertainment system, Krisworld, offers thousands of options for passengers to choose from. It has hundreds of movies, television series, and music albums from different parts of the world. It also has games and local Singaporean media for passengers to enjoy. It also features an inflight map, which shows the plane’s current position, its flight path, and other flight-related details. All these entertainment options can be accessed via the touch-screen personal monitors found in front of every seat.

The personal entertainment screen of rear economy bulkhead seat 55D is mounted on the wall. It still has the touch-screen feature but is mostly controlled using the remote due to its far and high position. It can still personalize the entertainment experience by logging in using your Krisflyer membership number. It has the same moving inflight map feature. The only thing it lacks is the presence of cameras, which passengers can view during the flight.

INFLIGHT CONNECTIVITY

Since July 2023, Singapore Airlines has offered complimentary unlimited onboard Wi-Fi access on all its flights, except for flights operated by Boeing 737-800s. Passengers are required to log in using their Krisflyer accounts to use the onboard Wi-Fi service. Those not registered with Krisflyer can register during the flight to access the said service.

I connected to the onboard Wi-Fi service, but I got a very slow internet connection despite the ‘11 Mbps’ registered speed. I stopped using it, and I just watched a movie while waiting for landing.

LAVATORY

I did not have the chance to visit the lavatory on this 3.5-hour flight. The seatbelt sign was turned on for most of the flight due to turbulence.

Cabin Crew Service

The cabin crew service on this flight was the usual warm, friendly, and hospitable SQ service. The crew welcomed us during boarding, served us during meal service, and sent us off during disembarkation with their biggest smiles. They also did their best to serve all means and attend to everyone’s requests despite the frequent flight turbulence. They were apologetic for the frequent meal service suspensions brought about by turbulence.

Disembarkation & Luggage Claim

The aircraft was parked at Gate 112 of Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3. All passengers disembarked in an orderly manner, went through immigration, and claimed checked-in bags at the arrival hall.

Flight Experience

Despite the never-ending turbulence, I still had a nice flight with Singapore Airlines on this regional service from Singapore to Manila, Philippines. Allow me to share with you the positives and negatives of this specific flight.

Let us start with the good things. First, I only paid $497 (US dollars) or ₱27,845.92 in local currency for this 4-sector ticket from Manila to Australia and back. I got more than I actually paid for because I enjoyed the following ticket inclusions: a 25-kilogram check-in baggage allowance, a 7-kilogram carry-on allowance, inflight meals and snacks, personal entertainment screens on all flights, and a 5-star flight experience with a well-trained and passionate cabin crew.

Second, I had an easy transit experience at Singapore Changi Airport. The airport terminal was complete with all signage and directions to our assigned boarding gate for this flight. It also had a long list of features and amenities that all passengers could enjoy during their layovers. I have been to many airports around the world, and I can confidently say that Singapore Changi Airport is one of the world’s best, if not the best in current times.

Third, the breakfast offerings on this flight were tasty and flavorful. I got the popular local breakfast option, and I can tell you that it was a complete turnaround of the meals on the previous Brisbane-Singapore flight. The main dish tasted great, and it had a larger serving size than usual. I will not hesitate to get it again in case it is offered on my next SQ flight.

Let us move on to the not-so-good stuff of this flight. First, the rear cabin temperature was a bit hot compared to the previous flights. The absence of individual air vents made it even worse. Second, the inflight Wi-Fi connection worked very slowly. It took some time to load a website or even send a message via Facebook and WhatsApp.

Lastly, the flight had more turbulence than usual. The seatbelt sign was turned on most of the time. The cabin crew had to suspend the breakfast service several times due to turbulence. It was not the airline’s fault, but somehow it still affected the flight experience. I encountered the same level of turbulence last July 2022 on the same route but on another Singapore Airlines flight SQ 916.

Despite the turbulent ride back to Manila, I still enjoyed this short final hop onboard SQ 910. I do not mind taking the same onward flight to Manila if I ever fly from other Singapore Airlines destinations outside Southeast Asia in the future.

Allow me to share with you some details of this flight to Manila:

Airline: Singapore Airlines
Flight Date: 4 September 2023
Flight Number: SQ 910
Route: Singapore (SIN) to Manila, Philippines (MNL)
Duration: 3 hours and 37 minutes
Seat Number: 64A
Aircraft: Airbus A350-941
Aircraft Registration: 9V-SHD
Engines: 2 x Rolls-Royce Trent XWB
Age: 4.6-years-old
Delivered: January 2019

Thank you for joining me in today’s flight report. I hope I gave you a comprehensive review of how it is flying with Singapore Airlines on this busy route from Singapore to Manila.

Have you flown with Singapore Airlines in the past? How was your flight experience? Are you looking to book a ticket with the airline soon? If yes, let me know if you have questions so I can respond to them. post your questions in the comments section below. You may also send them via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

I hope you can check out my previous flight reports with Singapore Airlines and other airlines like Emirates, EVA Air, Air France, Vietnam Airlines, Cebu Pacific Air, and Philippine Airlines. I hope you also look forward to more flight reports in the future.

Before you go, I hope you can like, follow and share my social media pages – Facebook and Instagram. This will help me increase my reach; it will also keep you up-to-date with the latest blog posts, itineraries and flight reports on this website. Thank you and see you in the next flight report!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.

Flight Report: SINGAPORE AIRLINES SQ 231 – Singapore to Sydney – Exceptional Overnight Airbus A380 Superjumbo Flight to Land Down Under [August 2023]

In August 2023, I flew to Australia with my parents for a week-long vacation and family visit. I toured them around Sydney for three days and then took them to my aunt in Brisbane for the remainder of the trip.

I have been to both Sydney and Brisbane in 2018, and I have written about my previous trips to these cities. I hope you can check out the following: Exploring SYDNEY By Foot Part 1 – Heritage Sites Within The City, Exploring SYDNEY By Foot Part 2 – City Icons, Alleys & Harbours, BONDI BEACH & COOGEE BEACH – A Short Trip To Two of Sydney’s Suburban Beaches, and BRISBANE Weekend.

My parents and I flew with Singapore Airlines on our flights to and from Australia. We flew from Manila to Sydney via Singapore and back to Manila from Brisbane via Singapore. Previously, I shared with you details about our almost-perfect first flight to Singapore on flight SQ 921 – check out the flight report here. Today, I will share with you details about our exceptional SQ 231 flight from Singapore to Sydney onboard Singapore Airlines’ Airbus A380 superjumbo.

Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines is Singapore’s national carrier. This award-winning world-class airline is based at one of the world’s best airports, Singapore Changi Airport. The airline started as Malayan Airways in 1947; it then rebranded, and commenced operations as Singapore Airlines in 1972. The airline has been a top contributor in terms of the world’s revenue passenger kilometers and the number of international passengers carried worldwide.

The airline currently flies to over 70 destinations in more than 30 countries across five continents. Singapore Airlines is one of the leading carriers in the Southeast Asian Region with the help of its low-cost subsidiary, Scoot. The airline’s previous regional subsidiary, Silk Air, has been incorporated into SQ’s operations as of March 2021.

Singapore Airline flies a modern aircraft fleet consisting of the Airbus A350, Airbus A380, Boeing 777, Boeing 787 Dreamliner, Boeing 737 Max, and Boeing 737-800 NG. The airline is the world’s largest Airbus A350-900 operator, with 63 currently in service and two more on order. 7 of the 65 Airbus A350’s in service have the ultra-long range (ULR) premium (only business and premium economy class) configuration. These ULRs are mostly used on North American routes.

Singapore Airlines is a full-service carrier. It means that every flight includes all the necessary in-flight amenities and services you can think of. All SQ tickets include free check-in baggage, meals, and 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 networks.

Singapore Airlines is not a new airline on this website. In fact, it is the second-most-reviewed airline after Cebu Pacific Air.

In case you missed it, I post reviews & features of my flights since June 2019. I’ve covered airlines such as EVA Air, Indonesia Air Asia, Emirates, Singapore Airlines, Philippine Airlines, and Cebu Pacific Air. All posts about these flights are found under the Flight Reports category.

Airfare

As mentioned in my previous SQ 921 Manila to Singapore flight report, this four-sector ticket from Manila to Sydney and Brisbane to Manila only costs $497 (US dollars) per person. This return ticket was booked five months before the intended flight schedule. It includes a 25-kilogram check-in baggage allowance, a 7-kilogram carry-on allowance, inflight meals and snacks, personal entertainment screens on all flights, and a 5-star flight experience with a well-trained cabin crew.

I booked our ticket directly with the airline using my credit card and paid $1,491 (US dollars) for three people. I got charged ₱83,537.75 for all three tickets, including foreign transaction service fees. This translates to only ₱27,845.92 per person. Considering when the ticket was booked against the intended flight schedule, this ticket was definitely a steal. It already has everything a passenger needs on a long-haul flight, from food to amenities to entertainment. The other airline competitors offered way more expensive ticket prices at the time of booking for our planned August schedule.

Do you want to know the difference between a full-service and a low-cost airline? Check out my previous post detailing the differences of these 2 types of airlines.

Travel Requirements

Regular Philippine passport holders going to Australia for holidays need to obtain a tourist visa prior to the scheduled flight. I applied for my visa back in January last year, and I was approved for a multiple-entry visa valid for one year. I helped my parents obtain their visas, and I was pleased to see they were granted the same validity as mine.

In case you missed it, I wrote about the steps on how to get an Australian tourist visa. I hope you can check out this quick guide.

Before The Flight

Unlike my previous Singapore Airlines flights, I did not receive an upgrade offer for the Manila to Singapore and Singapore to Sydney sectors. I only got a mobile check-in reminder on the airline’s mobile application exactly 48 hours before the Manila to Singapore SQ 921 flight.

Upon getting the check-in reminder, I immediately chose our seat for both Manila to Singapore and this Singapore to Sydney sector and checked-in for both flights. The airline offers complimentary seat selection during mobile or web check-in.

Aircraft & Flight Information

This Singapore-Sydney SQ flight was operated by an 11.9-year-old (at the time of flight) Airbus A380-841 aircraft. This superjumbo, delivered to the airline in April 2012, features all four airline classes with 6 enclosed first class suites, 78 lie-flat business class seats, 44 premium economy class seats, and 343 regular economy class seats.

SQ 231 took off from Singapore Changi Airport at 1:18 a.m. and landed at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (or Sydney International Airport) at 10:21 a.m. local time. The 6,546-kilometer journey took 7 hours and 3 minutes, shorter than the 7 hours and 40 minutes declared flight time.

Ground & Airport Experience

This Singapore-Sydney flight on SQ 231 is a continuation of my Manila-Singapore SQ 921 flight. I checked-in on this flight back in Manila and only stayed airside at Singapore Changi Airport. I did not clear immigration and customs in Singapore.

SINGAPORE CHANGI AIRPORT TRANSIT EXPERIENCE

Transit at Singapore Changi Airport is back to how it used to be before the pandemic. Passengers can transit through the airport, provided both flights (to and from Singapore) are under the same ticket or itinerary. The passenger’s bags should have been tagged from the airport of origin to the final country or airport of destination.

I already checked in for this Singapore-Sydney flight in Manila. Upon arrival at Changi Airport Terminal 3, Gate A5, I got off the plane and leisurely walked to our assigned gate, Gate B2, on the same terminal. The transit experience was quick and hassle-free.

PRE-DEPARTURE

Singapore Changi Airport is one of the few airports in the world where final security checks are conducted before entering the flight’s assigned boarding gates. Depending on size of the flight, the boarding gates open 1 to 2 hours before the scheduled time of departure.

At 11:10 p.m., I was told by the ground staff that Gate B2 is now open for passengers flying to Sydney. I submitted myself for a final security check. Afterwards, I secured a comfortable seat in the spacious Gate B2 pre-departure area while I waited for the flight boarding announcement.

BOARDING

The ground staff announced boarding commencement at 12:03 a.m. They first called passengers traveling with infants and those needing special assistance. The ground staff then announced boarding for first class passengers, then for business class passengers and PPS Club members. They called in Star Alliance Gold and Krisflyer Elite members, then followed by premium economy class passengers.

The local staff called the economy class passengers last. They asked these passengers to board according to their assigned groups. The whole boarding process only took 37 minutes.

The airline crew closed the aircraft doors at exactly 12:40 a.m. The aircraft pushed back 13 minutes later, at 12:53 a.m. and taxied to the runway for take-off.

Inflight Hard & Soft Product

SEAT FEATURES

This Singapore-Sydney flight by Singapore Airlines was operated by an Airbus A380-841 superjumbo aircraft. The plane has the newer 4-class configuration with 6 enclosed first class suites, 78 lie-flat business class seats, 44 angle-flat premium economy class seats, and 343 regular economy class seats.

Each enclosed first class suite features a reclinable leather seat, a single bed (which can be turned into a double bed with the adjacent suite), a 32-inch high-definition monitor, Bang and Olufsen noise-canceling headphones, premium dining, and a whole lot more. According to SeatGuru, the reclinable first class seat has a seat pitch of 81 inches and a seat width of 35 inches. It is an ultra-premium, multi-awarded luxury suite; it is one of the best in the market.

The business lie-flat seats have a seat pitch of 55 inches and a seat width of 30 inches. The business class seats are arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration, with each seat having direct aisle access. All business class seats in the A380 are equipped with 18 inches of personal entertainment screen paired with noise-canceling headphones. Each seat also includes a pillow, a blanket, several storage spaces, an amenity kit, and a large tray table. Both the first class and business class cabins are on the upper deck of this Airbus A380.

The premium economy class seats feature a seat pitch of 38 inches and a seat width of 19.5 inches. These seats are arranged in a 2-4-2 configuration in the forward lower deck cabin of the Airbus A380. Each seat features a generous angle-flat recline, a 13.3-inch entertainment screen, a personal reading light, 2 USB ports, a universal power outlet, and an adjustable headrest. All seats also come with a pillow, a blanket, and a noise-canceling headphone.

Economy class seats in the Airbus A380 have a seat pitch of 32 inches and a seat width of 19 inches. The seats are arranged in a 3-4-3 configuration. Each seat comes with a spacious leg room, an adjustable headrest, and a personal entertainment screen. Seats also feature a seat pocket with inflight safety cards, a foldable tray table with mirror, a coat hook, small storage space below the screen, a foldable cup holder, a USB charging outlet, a comfortable pillow, a blanket, and two universal power outlets in between seats. Other amenities such as eye mask and disinfectant wipes are available upon request. These economy seats are identical to those on some of the airlines’ Airbus A350 and Boeing 787 aircraft.

I got window seat 72K in the rear economy cabin for this 7-hour flight down to Sydney. I loved how everything was spacious in the Airbus A380. The only thing I did not like was the entertainment box found under seats A and K. I had a hard time stretching my legs because of this entertainment box.

INFLIGHT MEALS

Singapore Airlines served midnight refreshments and breakfast on this Singapore-Sydney flight. The snack, meal, and drink options can be found in the airline’s inflight portal, Krisworld. The airline got rid of physical menus during the pandemic.

30 minutes after take-off, the cabin crew started serving the midnight refreshments. The crew gave out the only snack option, a margherita pizza bar, and a drink of choice (coffee, tea, juice, water, etc.) to passengers who were keen on a snack. I got one and paired it with a glass of orange juice. I found the pizza bar too hot and the pizza crust too hard; I was not able to finish the snack.

2 hours and 30 minutes before landing, the crew started the breakfast service. They offered the popular SQ dish, nasi lemak, and an omelette with sausage for breakfast main courses. This came with a bowl of fruits, a small yogurt snack, a bread roll with butter, a bottle of water, and a drink of choice – coffee, tea, wine, beer, soft drinks, water, or juice. After giving out meals to all passengers, the crew went around to offer a second round of drinks and gave out coffee, tea, and water to those who wanted.

I got the signature Nasi Lemak dish with a glass of orange juice. Now, I understand why this nasi lemak main course is popular. I found the dish to be tasty and flavorful. The meal portions were alright; I did not get hungry until at least after Sydney lunchtime. I like that the airline still uses metal cutlery and reusable food containers for their medium to long-haul flights. I admire the environment-friendly initiative. I just hope they find a more environment-friendly alternative for the disposable drinking cups.

Overall, it was a pleasant meal experience. I will choose the Nasi Lemak option again when it is available.

INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT

Singapore Airlines’ entertainment system, Krisworld, offers thousands of options for passengers to choose from. It has hundreds of movies, television series, and music albums from different parts of the world. It also has games and local Singaporean media for passengers to enjoy. It also features an inflight map, which shows the plane’s current position, its flight path, and other flight-related details. All these entertainment options can be accessed via the touch-screen personal monitors found in front of every seat.

The personal entertainment system on seat 72K was quick and easy to navigate. Krisworld gives frequent flyers the option to personalize their experience. The system asks for the passenger’s KrisFlyer membership number and then shows the passenger’s favorites or the last song, movie, or television show he or she watched or left unfinished. I hope the airline also installs cameras on their aircraft, which passengers can view during the flight.

INFLIGHT CONNECTIVITY

In July 2023, Singapore Airlines started offering complimentary, unlimited onboard Wi-Fi access on all its flights except those operated by Boeing 737-800s. Passengers are required to log in using their Krisflyer accounts to use the onboard Wi-Fi service. Those not registered with Krisflyer can register during the flight to access the said service.

The complimentary Wi-Fi service worked on this Airbus A380 flight from Singapore to Sydney. The connection was decent; it allowed me to browse the internet and connect with friends and families while on the flight. Kudos to Singapore Airlines for giving this service complimentary to all Krisflyer members.

LAVATORY

The lavatory on the Airbus A380 is spacious compared to those in the Airbus A350 and Boeing 787. It contained the same amenities available on our Manila-Singapore SQ 921 flight. It was maintained well and kept clean during this 7-hour flight to Sydney.

Cabin Crew Service

I only had minimal interactions with the crew, given that I feel asleep for a few hours on the flight. I even forgot to ask for a glass of Singapore Sling because I was so tired and sleepy. Well, the crew did its job. They welcomed us to the flight, served both pizza snacks and breakfast meals, and wished us a lovely stay in Sydney during disembarkation. During the flight, they also went around and offered drinks to those who wanted.

Disembarkation & Luggage Claim

Upon arrival in Sydney, all personal entertainment screens flashed a note from the airline saying, “We hope you had a pleasant journey.” It also showed a reminder to the passengers to take their personal belongings with them when leaving the aircraft. The mobile application also had a notification saying that our luggage could be claimed at Belt 5.

Disembarkation took some time due to passenger volume. We were one of the last ones to leave, and we got out of the plane 20 minutes after the airline parked at the assigned gate. We passed by immigration and claimed our luggage at Belt 5.

Flight Experience

It was an exceptional flight with Singapore Airlines on SQ 231 from Singapore to Sydney. It may not be a perfect one, but it surely had its hits and misses. Let us start with the hits.

First, the US$497 return ticket from Manila to Sydney via Singapore and Brisbane to Manila via Singapore is cheap. The ticket included carry-on and check-in baggage, inflight amenities, and superb service on modern aircraft. Second, the transit experience at Singapore Changi Airport was easy, smooth, and quick. The airport facilities were exceptional; I had nothing more to ask for.

Third, this flight was operated by an Airbus A380-841. Like my Dubai to Paris CDG Emirates flight, flying the A380 superjumbo is always a delightful experience. There is so much space inside the economy class cabin. Fourth, the seats on the Singapore Airlines A380 were spacious and comfortable. I do not mind flying the A380 for 12 to 15 hours.

Fifth, I admire Singapore Airlines’ product consistency across their fleet. The seats are almost identical across various aircraft types, the entertainment system is the same for the whole fleet, and the flying experience is exceptional regardless of the aircraft used. Lastly, the complimentary Wi-Fi service on this flight worked well. It was the total opposite of how the service did not work on my Manila to Singapore SQ 921 flight.

This flight was not all good. It also had its misses. First, the breakfast catering was superb, but the midnight refreshments after takeoff were underwhelming. We only had one option: the pizza bar, which was too hard to eat. Emirates, who even have shorter flight times between Dubai and Europe (EK 073 DXB-CDG and EK 256 BCN-DXB as examples), provide two tasty pastries for refreshments.

Second, the entertainment box found under the K seats hinders the spacious A380 legroom. I found it difficult to stretch my legs because of the entertainment box. It was a minor inconvenience, but it still affected the flying experience. I hope modern entertainment systems do not need these boxes anymore.

Lastly, Singapore Airlines can learn from its competitors flying the same aircraft type by installing cameras for passengers to enjoy. These cameras are good add-ons to the entertainment system.

Nevertheless, it was still a memorable flight with Singapore Airlines on this Singapore-Sydney route. It has been a pleasure flying the superjumbo. I cannot wait to fly the airline and the superjumbo again in the future. I do not have anything booked yet, but I have plans.

Allow me to share with you some of the geeky details of this flight:

Airline: Singapore Airlines
Flight Date: 27 August 2023
Flight Number: SQ231
Route: Singapore (SIN) to Sydney, Australia (SYD)
Duration: 7 hours and 3 minutes
Seat Number: 72K
Aircraft: Airbus A380-841
Aircraft Registration: 9V-SKQ
Engines: 4 x Rolls-Royce Trent 970
Age: 11.9-years-old
Delivered: April 2012

Thank you for joining me in today’s flight report. I hope I gave you a comprehensive review of how it is flying with Singapore Airlines on their Airbus A380 aircraft to Sydney.

Have you flown with Singapore Airlines or on the Airbus A380? How was your flight experience? Are you looking to book a ticket with the airline soon? If yes, let me know if you have questions so I can respond to them. post your questions in the comments section below. You may also send them via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

I hope you can check out my previous flight reports with Singapore Airlines and other airlines like Emirates, EVA Air, Air France, Vietnam Airlines, Cebu Pacific Air, and Philippine Airlines. I hope you also look forward to more flight reports in the future.

Before you go, I hope you can like, follow and share my social media pages – Facebook and Instagram. This will help me increase my reach; it will also keep you up-to-date with the latest blog posts, itineraries and flight reports on this website. Thank you and see you in the next flight report!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.

Flight Report: SINGAPORE AIRLINES SQ 921 – Manila to Singapore – Almost-Perfect Intraregional Flight Under 3 Hours [August 2023]

A few months ago, I flew to Australia for over a week. I brought my parents to Sydney and Brisbane for some long-overdue family time. I walked them around Sydney for 3 full days and took them to my aunt (my dad’s sister) for the rest of the trip.

I have been to both Sydney and Brisbane in 2018, and I have written about my previous trips to these cities. I hope you can check out the following: Exploring SYDNEY By Foot Part 1 – Heritage Sites Within The City, Exploring SYDNEY By Foot Part 2 – City Icons, Alleys & Harbours, BONDI BEACH & COOGEE BEACH – A Short Trip To Two of Sydney’s Suburban Beaches, and BRISBANE Weekend.

My parents and I flew with Singapore Airlines on our way to and from Australia. We flew from Manila to Sydney via Singapore and left the country from Brisbane to Manila via Singapore. Our first Singapore Airlines flight, SQ 921, from Manila to Singapore will be today’s flight report feature. Allow me to share with you how this supposed-to-be delayed flight turned into an almost-perfect one.

Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines is Singapore’s national carrier. This award-winning world-class airline is based at one of the world’s best airports, Singapore Changi Airport. The airline started as Malayan Airways in 1947; it then rebranded, and commenced operations as Singapore Airlines in 1972. The airline has been a top contributor in terms of the world’s revenue passenger kilometers and the number of international passengers carried worldwide.

The airline currently flies to over 70 destinations in more than 30 countries across five continents. Singapore Airlines is one of the leading carriers in the Southeast Asian Region with the help of its low-cost subsidiary, Scoot. The airline’s previous regional subsidiary, Silk Air, has been incorporated into SQ’s operations as of March 2021.

Singapore Airline flies a modern aircraft fleet consisting of the Airbus A350, Airbus A380, Boeing 777, Boeing 787 Dreamliner, Boeing 737 Max, and Boeing 737-800 NG. The airline is the world’s largest Airbus A350-900 operator, with 63 currently in service and two more on order. 7 of the 65 Airbus A350’s in service have the ultra-long range (ULR) premium (only business and premium economy class) configuration. These ULRs are mostly used on North American routes.

Singapore Airlines is a full-service carrier. It means that every flight includes all the necessary in-flight amenities and services you can think of. All SQ tickets include free check-in baggage, meals, and 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 networks.

Singapore Airlines is not a new airline on this website. In fact, it is the second-most-reviewed airline after Cebu Pacific Air.

In case you missed it, I post reviews & features of my flights since June 2019. I’ve covered airlines such as EVA Air, Indonesia Air Asia, Emirates, Singapore Airlines, Philippine Airlines, and Cebu Pacific Air. All posts about these flights are found under the Flight Reports category.

Airfare

This SQ 921 flight is part of a four-sector ticket from Manila to Australia and back on Singapore Airlines. The return ticket, booked 5 months before the intended flight date, only cost $497 (US dollars) per person. This return ticket includes a 25-kilogram check-in baggage allowance, a 7-kilogram carry-on allowance, inflight meals and snacks, personal entertainment screens on all flights, and a 5-star flight experience with a well-trained and passionate cabin crew.

I booked our ticket directly with the airline using my credit card and paid $1,491 (US dollars) for three people. I got charged ₱83,537.75 for all three tickets, including foreign transaction service fees. This translates to only ₱27,845.92 per person. Considering when the ticket was booked against the intended flight schedule, this ticket was definitely a steal. It already has everything a passenger needs on a long-haul flight, from food to amenities to entertainment. The other airline competitors offered way more expensive ticket prices at the time of booking for our planned August schedule.

Do you want to know the difference between a full-service and a low-cost airline? Check out my previous post detailing the differences of these 2 types of airlines.

Travel Requirements

Regular Philippine passport holders are required to get a visa to enter Australia. I applied for my visa back in January last year, and I was approved for a multiple-entry visa valid for one year. I helped my parents obtain their visas, and I was pleased to see they were granted the same validity as mine.

All departing passengers from Manila are required to fill out the details and obtain a QR code from the eTravel website. The QR codes are scanned by the immigration officers on the day of the trip.

In case you missed it, I wrote about the steps on how to get an Australian tourist visa. I hope you can check out this quick guide.

Before The Flight

Unlike previous Singapore Airlines flights, I did not receive any premium economy or business class upgrade offers for this SQ 921 flight. I only got a flight check-in reminder on the airline’s mobile application 48 hours before this flight.

Upon getting the said check-in notification, I immediately chose our seats for both Manila to Singapore and Singapore to Sydney flights and checked-in for both flights. Singapore Airlines allows its passengers to choose their seats for free during mobile or web check-in.

Aircraft & Flight Information

This Manila-Singapore SQ flight was operated by a 4.6-year-old (at the time of the flight) Airbus A350-900 aircraft. This plane, delivered in February 2019, features the airline’s regional configuration with 40 lie-flat business class seats and 263 economy class seats.

Flight SQ 921 took off from Ninoy Aquino International Airport about 45 minutes late at 7:17 p.m. and landed at Singapore Changi Airport 13 minutes ahead of time at 10:07 p.m. The flight only took 2 hours and 50 minutes, an hour shorter than its declared flight time.

Ground & Airport Experience

Singapore Airlines flights depart from Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3.

CHECK-IN

Singapore Airlines check-in counters at NAIA Terminal 3 open three hours before the flight. The well-manned counters opened earlier than usual, at 2:55 p.m. and were divided into the following: Business Class, Regular Economy Class, Internet Check-In Economy Class, and Special Assistance.

I was traveling with two senior citizens, so I accompanied them to the special assistance check-in line. I noticed that this line moved slowly (20 minutes in line), and I asked them to join me in the internet check-in line.

We were immediately entertained at the internet check-in counters, and we finished our check-in process in about 5 minutes. We checked in our bags all the way to Sydney, Australia.

PRE-DEPARTURE

After check-in, my parents and I cleared immigration and security and spent some time at Marhaba Lounge. I used my Security Bank Platinum Mastercard (not sponsored) to access the lounge and to bring in my father using the yearly complimentary passes.

We stayed in the lounge for a few hours, stuffed ourselves with food and drinks, and waited for boarding. A few minutes before the scheduled boarding time, we left the lounge and walked towards Gate 108.

BOARDING

We reached Gate 108 before 6:00 p.m. and noticed that boarding has not started. The pre-departure area was chaotic and did not have the usual by-group segregation by Singapore Airlines. The pre-boarding preparations were announced at 6:25 p.m. Five minutes later, the formal boarding process started.

Business class passengers and PPS Club passengers boarded the plane first. Krisflyer Elite and Star Alliance Gold members came next. Economy class passengers boarded the plane by seat numbers. Those seated at the back (group 4) boarded the plane first. Groups 5 and 6 economy class passengers eventually boarded the plane.

The entire boarding process only took 21 minutes. The aircraft doors were closed at 6:51 p.m. The plane pushed back after three minutes at 6:54 p.m.

Inflight Hard & Soft Product

SEAT FEATURES

This Manila-Singapore flight was operated by one of Singapore Airlines’ Airbus A350-900 aircraft. The plane sports the regional seat configuration with 40 lie-flat business class seats and 263 standard economy seats. According to SeatGuru, each business class seat has a 60-inch seat pitch and a 28-inch seat width. The seats have a 1-2-1 configuration, with each seat having direct aisle access. All business class seats are equipped with a large personal entertainment screen paired with noise-canceling headphones. Each seat also includes a pillow, a blanket, several storage spaces, and a large tray table.

Economy class seats have a seat pitch of 28 inches and a seat width of 18 inches, slightly bigger than the Boeing 787-10’s 17.5-inch seat width. Each seat comes with a spacious leg room, an adjustable headrest, and a personal entertainment screen. Seats also feature a seat pocket with inflight safety cards, a foldable tray table with mirror, a coat hook, small storage space below the screen, a foldable cup holder, a USB charging outlet, a comfortable pillow, and a universal power outlet in between seats. Blankets, face masks, and disinfectant surface wipes are available upon request.

The seats on this Airbus A350 aircraft are complete and comfortable enough for a short-haul international flight. It has more than what a normal economy class passenger needs for a 3-hour flight.

INFLIGHT MEALS

Singapore Airlines served complimentary hot meals on this 3-hour flight. The airline has let go of physical menu cards and have incorporated them in the inflight entertainment system and in the onboard connectivity service. The airline has also brought back the appetizer which went missing during the pandemic.

Passengers had the option to choose between creamy tuna pesto pasta and chicken rice as the main course. The main dish came with a mixed seafood salad, a bread roll and butter, coffee jelly with tapioca, a cup of water, and another drink of choice – coffee, tea, wine, beer, soft drinks, water, or juice. The crew went around again to offer a second round of drinks and offered water, coffee, and tea to those who wanted them.

I went for the chicken rice meal with a glass of apple juice and enjoyed it. The chicken was soft; it tasted good. The food portions were just right, enough to make me full during the flight. I admire the airline for using metal cutlery and recyclable food containers during meal service. It helps a lot in eliminating solid waste; it is environment-friendly. I hope they can find a sustainable alternative to plastic cups.

An hour after the dinner service, I requested for the airline’s signature cocktail, the Singapore Sling. The crew came back and gave me two Singapore Slings and two packs of peas and crackers. This Singapore Sling drink is already a staple every time I fly with the airline.

INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT

Krisworld, Singapore Airlines’ entertainment system, offers thousands of options to choose from. They have hundreds of movies and TV shows to watch, thousands of songs to listen to, games to play, and a few local media pieces to check out. All these options can be accessed via the touch-screen personal entertainment screens found in front of every seat. The touch-screen screens were responsive and easy to navigate. It also showed the flight path and even details of onward connecting flights. The provided earphones were alright. They are not noise-canceling, but they did their job.

Krisworld also gives frequent flyers the option to personalize their experience. The system asks for the passenger’s KrisFlyer membership number and then shows the passenger’s favorites or the last song, movie, or television show he or she watched or left unfinished. I hope Singapore Airlines installs cameras in their A350’s that passengers can access and view during flights.

INFLIGHT CONNECTIVITY

Since July 2023, Singapore Airlines has offered complimentary unlimited onboard Wi-Fi access on all its flights except those operated by Boeing 737-800s. Passengers are required to log in using their Krisflyer accounts to use the onboard Wi-Fi service. Those not registered with Krisflyer can register during the flight to access the said service.

Unfortunately, the Wi-Fi service on this flight did not work. I tried to connect multiple times, but I always got no internet in my mobile browser.

LAVATORY

The lavatory on this Airbus A350-900 aircraft was clean throughout the flight. It had additional amenities such as paper cups, dental kits, and moisturizing hand lotion. The sink had cold and warm water and had hand soap and tissue beside it.

Cabin Crew Service

The cabin crew service on this flight was excellent. From the time we entered the aircraft, to the meal service, and until disembarkation, the cabin crew served us with their biggest smiles. The crew had to pause the dinner service due to turbulence, and the crew apologized for the delay. Several members of the flight crew went around the cabin throughout the flight and attended to every passenger’s requests. They even went around and offered glasses of water to those who wanted them.

The assigned crew on this flight showed true Singaporean hospitality. They made sure that passengers had an enjoyable flight onboard Singapore Airlines. Their top-notch service made the flying experience a lot better.

Disembarkation

Before arriving in Singapore, the airline displayed on the inflight screen the list of flights and assigned boarding gates for passengers with connecting flights. The airline also indicated the assigned luggage belt for those who need to get their bags to Singapore. They also had the same announcement in the mobile application.

Upon arrival in Singapore, all passengers disembarked in an orderly manner. The business class and forward economy class passengers went out first. The middle and rear economy class passengers followed.

Flight Experience

It was an almost-perfect flying experience with Singapore Airlines on this SQ 921 flight from Manila to Singapore. It could have been a perfect mark if only everything went right during boarding and onboard. The onboard product is indeed one of the world’s best, especially on the modern Airbus A350-900 aircraft. Let me share with you the hits and misses of this short hop to Singapore.

The first and probably biggest win of this flight is its cheap return tickets. My parents and I got the return Manila-Australia-Manila tickets for only US$497 each, or around 28,000 PHP. The tickets included carry-on and check-in baggage, inflight amenities, and superb service on an Airbus A350. Second, the Manila-Singapore legs utilize modern Airbus A350 and Boeing 787 aircraft. The A350 we used on this flight had modern cabin features, state-of-the-art inflight entertainment systems, and comfortable seats.

Third, Singapore Airlines onboard hard and soft products are exceptional. The entertainment system had thousands of choices, and the onboard meals and snacks were great. The airline has brought back the appetizers to the meals. Fourth, the cabin crew service on this flight was warm, hospitable, and world-class. Lastly, the airline’s sustainability efforts are worth commending. The airline uses metal cutlery, reusable food containers, and has removed physical menus.

The flight also had its misses. First, the ground staff did not make any announcements regarding delayed boarding. They announced that the flight from Singapore has arrived, and that is it. It would have been ideal if the passengers were informed that there would be delays in boarding. Despite this delay, the flight still managed to touch down in Singapore ahead of schedule. Acceptable.

Second, the onboard Wi-Fi did not work during the entire flight. Bummer. Lastly, I hope the airline can find sustainable alternatives for the plastic cups used on this flight. There were over a hundred plastic cups used on this flight alone. Changing these cups to environment-friendly options is ideal.

Despite these misses, I still had an enjoyable and almost-perfect flight to Singapore with Singapore Airlines. I was happy to introduce and let my parents experience the airline’s world-class and 5-star service for such an affordable fare. Will I fly them again? Definitely. I am already excited for my next flight with the airline, even if I do not have anything booked as of this writing.

Here are some of the aircraft and flight details about this quick hop to Singapore:

Airline: Singapore Airlines
Flight Date: 26 August 2023
Flight Number: SQ921
Route: Manila, Philippines (MNL) to Singapore (SIN)
Duration: 2 hours and 50 minutes
Seat Number: 63K
Aircraft: Airbus A350-900
Aircraft Registration: 9V-SHC
Engines: 2 x Rolls-Royce Trent XWB
Age: 4.6-years-old
Delivered: February 2019

Have you flown Singapore Airlines recently? How was your experience? Will you fly them again soon or by any chance have questions about anything mentioned above? Feel free to share your ground and flight experiences or post your questions in the comments section below. You may also send them via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

Thank you for joining me in today’s flight report! Watch out for my onward flight from Singapore to Sydney also on Singapore Airlines. In the meantime, you may check out my previous flight reports here.

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PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.