Tag: travel

Flight Report: SINGAPORE AIRLINES SQ 107 – Kuala Lumpur to Singapore – First Ever Flight on the Controversial Boeing 737 Max 8 Aircraft [July 2022]

After a week of walkathons exploring Kuala Lumpur, it is time for me to fly back to the Philippines. My Singapore Airlines journey from Kuala Lumpur to Manila had a quick layover at Singapore Changi Airport. It was similar to my route to Kuala Lumpur the week before where I first flew from Manila to Singapore, transited in Singapore, then took an onward flight from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur – all sectors with Singapore Airlines. Today’s flight report will focus on the first leg – Kuala Lumpur to Singapore on SQ 107.

This Singapore Airlines flight was special to an aviation geek like me. Why? This was my first ever flight on the Boeing 737 Max aircraft. For those of you who don’t know or don’t remember, the Boeing 737 Max was very controversial back in 2018 & 2019. The aircraft type had 2 commercial flight crashes due to control system problems – Lion Air Flight 610 in October 2018 & Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 roughly 6 months after in March 2019. This aircraft type was instantly grounded by aviation authorities worldwide after the 2 incidents. The aircraft manufacturer, Boeing, addressed all problems & concerns & got the recertification in 2020. Boeing 737 Max flew back into service in 2021 & has been flying on many routes around the world.

Join me in today’s flight report where I will talk about my experience with Singapore Airlines’ Boeing 737 Max aircraft on the flight from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to Singapore. Is it safe to fly the max? How is it different from the previous 737 New Generation aircraft? Is there a change in passenger experience compared to the previous 737 aircraft? Find the answers to these questions in the flight report below.

Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines is Singapore’s national carrier. This award-winning world class airline is based in one of the world’s best airports – Singapore Changi Airport. The airline starred as Malayan Airways in 1947; it then re-branded & commenced operations as Singapore Airlines in 1972. 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. 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 Airbus A350, Airbus A380, Boeing 777, Boeing 787 Dreamliner, Boeing 737 Max & Boeing 737-800 NG. The airline is the world’s largest Airbus A350-900 operator with 60 currently in service & 5 more on order. 7 of the 60 Airbus A350’s in service have the ultra-long range (ULR) premium (only business & premium economy class) configuration. These ULRs are mostly used in the North America routes.

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 networks.

Singapore Airlines is not a new airline on this website. In fact, it is the 2nd most reviewed airline after Cebu Pacific Air.

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

Airfare

I mentioned in previous Singapore Airlines SQ 915 & SQ 114 flight reports that I only paid US$146.69 for the return ticket from Manila to Kuala Lumpur via Singapore. The ticket initially cost US$199.70. I redeemed 7,665 KrisFlyer miles (which I earned back in 2019 from my trip to Europe) & got the ticket for the lower price mentioned above.

My bank charged me ₱7,926.12 including foreign currency conversion charges. This is definitely a great deal considering the ticket includes 25-kilogram check-in baggage allowance, 7-kilogram carry-on baggage allowance, inflight meals & snacks, inflight entertainment & 5-star cabin crew service on 4 sectors / flights. This ticket was even cheaper than those from low-cost airlines.

This ticket was a steal given I got all the benefits of a full-service airline. I believe I got more than what I paid for.

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

Travel Requirements

Singapore is one of the first Southeast Asian countries to open to international tourists this year. The country still imposes entry requirements depending on a person’s vaccination status. Given these requirements can change anytime, I suggest that you check your airline’s Covid-19 Information Page or the country’s border control authority’s website for the updated protocols. Here are the links for Singapore’s Immigration & Checkpoints Authority & Singapore Airlines’ Covid-19 Travel Information Page.

I flew to Singapore only to transfer to my next flight to Manila. During this flight, Singapore does not require anything for transit passengers. The Singapore Changi Airport transit experience is back to its pre-pandemic protocols as long as the passenger has an onward connecting flight under the same booking reference number. Those with split bookings will be required to fulfill the entry requirements of Singapore.

Before The Flight

Like my Manila to Singapore flight on SQ 915, I also received an email reminding me to check the entry requirements of my destination country. The e-mail arrived days after booking this flight & contained helpful links where I can find the said entry requirements.

I did not receive an upgrade offer for this flight (the business class cabin was full) but I got a check-in reminder from the Singapore Airlines mobile application 48 hours before this flight. I checked in for this flight together with the Manila to Singapore leg & had the chance to choose my seat free of charge.

Flight Information

This Kuala Lumpur to Singapore flight was operated by a 2.7-year-old Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft. The plane was manufactured years ago but was only delivered to Singapore Airlines in March 2022. The plane has 10 flatbed business class seats (including 2 throne seats) & 144 standard economy class seats.

The plane left Kuala Lumpur International Airport a few minutes behind schedule at 11:36am & landed at Singapore Changi Airport at 12:19pm. Like my SIN to KUL flight, this flight also took 43 minutes.

Ground & Airport Experience

AIRPORT CHECK-IN

Singapore Airlines divided the check-in counters by class & frequent flyer status. Business class passengers, PPS Club members & Star Alliance status holders have dedicated check-in counters. Economy class passengers also had their own assigned check-in counters. Singapore Airlines has multiple daily flights between Singapore & Kuala Lumpur; check-in schedules for these flights tend to overlap.

I queued at the Economy Class check-in counters at 9:09am & finished after 30 minutes at exactly 9:39am. The check-in agent checked my entry requirements for the Philippines & issued the boarding pass for both my Kuala Lumpur to Singapore & Singapore to Manila flights. I asked the check-in agent if I could change seats for my SIN to MNL flight, but I was told that the system doesn’t allow her to do it. I was advised to request for the seat change in Singapore, right before boarding. I was happy that she still tried to accommodate my request.

PRE-DEPARTURE

After check-in, I went through immigration & airport security check before heading to our assigned boarding gate. Most international flights depart from KLIA’s Satellite Terminal. This terminal can be accessed through the airport sky train. Unfortunately, the sky train was under maintenance on the day of this flight. The airport provided bus services for passengers flying out of the satellite terminal. I took the bus service & headed to Gate C23. I submitted myself to one final security check near the gate then took a seat, enjoyed the arrival of the Boeing 737 Max 8 & waited for boarding.

BOARDING

Boarding started at 10:57am, 27 minutes behind schedule. Business class, PPS Club members & Star Alliance status holders boarded the plane first. Rear economy class passengers followed the first batch. Forward economy class passengers boarded the plane last. The plane doors closed at exactly 11:18am. The whole boarding process only took 21 minutes – probably one of the fastest of all Singapore Airlines flights I previously took.

Inflight Product & Experience

SEAT FEATURES

This Kuala Lumpur to Singapore flight was operated by a Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft. The plane has 10 business class seats on a 2-2, 1-1 (throne seats) & 2-2 configuration & 144 regular economy class seats on a 3-3 configuration. According to SeatGuru, each business class seat has a seat pitch of 49 inches (way bigger than those from the 737-800 NG) & a seat width of 22 inches. On the other hand, economy class seats have a pitch of 30 inches & seat width of 17 inches.

Each economy seat features a personal entertainment screen with audio jack & USB port, a decent legroom, an adjustable headrest, a tray table & a seat pocket with the aircraft safety card & a passenger sickness bag. Economy class passengers also have access to individual air vents, individual reading lights & cabin crew assistance button above each seat. Pillows & blankets are not provided on this short flight.

INFLIGHT DRINK SERVICE

Singapore Airlines mentioned in the ticket that this short hop from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur does not have a meal service. The airline only offered refreshments / drinks to all passengers. After the seatbelt sign was turned off, the cabin crew went around & offered apple juice, coffee, tea & water. Special drinks such as soda & beer & crackers were only available by request.

INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT

All seats on this Boeing 737 Max 8 are equipped with personal entertainment screens. These touch-screen entertainment screens have Singapore Airlines’ entertainment system called KrisWorld. This entertainment system has hundreds of movies & television series to watch, thousands of tracks to listen to & games to play with during the flight. It also has some local Singaporean content which can be beneficial for someone’s stay in Singapore.

The touch-screen personal entertainment screens were responsive & easy to navigate. It also showed some details about the flight was well as the flight path. The airline provided earphones which did its job. It was not noise canceling but it was alright.

What I particularly like about KrisWorld is its option for frequent flyers to personalize their entertainment experience. The system asks for the passengers KrisFlyer membership number & then shows the passenger’s favorites or the last song, movie to television show he/she watched / left unfinished.

Their Boeing 737-800 NG aircraft that I flew with from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur does not have personal entertainment screens. Passengers access KrisWorld through their personal devices. The personal screens were definitely a good addition to the Max 8 seats.

INFLIGHT CONNECTIVITY

Singapore Airlines offered Wi-FI services on this modern aircraft. PPS Club & business class passengers were given a certain data allocation. Economy class passengers who are KrisFlyer members were also given free messaging service. Those who do not fall on these 2 categories can either sign up with KrisFlyer to enjoy free messaging service or avail of the inflight Wi-Fi plans which comes with a cost.

I did not bother connecting to the inflight Wi-Fi on this short flight. I enjoyed playing with the personal entertainment system which took most of the time.

LAVATORY

The flight went by too fast to the point where I didn’t have the chance to check out the 737 Max 8’s lavatory. The aisle was most of the time occupied by the crew giving out the refreshment service & by the passengers going to the lavatory. I didn’t bother joining them.

Cabin Crew Service

I had minimal interaction with the crew on this flight but I noticed that they were all attentive & genuine throughout the flight. The crew welcomed all passengers with their best smiles & attended to all the needs & requests of all passengers during the flight.

Disembarkation

Passenger disembarkation on this flight was done in an orderly manner. Business class passengers left the aircraft first, followed by those in the forward economy cabin. Those seated in the rear economy cabin disembarked last. I did not claim my baggage in Singapore since I had a connection to Manila the same day.

Final Thoughts

It was an ‘okay’ flight with Singapore Airlines. The airline’s hard product & onboard experience remains superb. There are certain aspects where they can further enhance & improve on.

I personally liked the very modern cabin on this Boeing 737 Max 8. All seats have personal entertainment screens & adjustable headrests. The cabin felt spacious because of how the overhead cabins were designed. The hard product is simply excellent. I also appreciate that the airline provided refreshments for this very short hop to Singapore.

I believe the airline can further enhance the check-in process at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. Given they have daily multiple flights leaving KLIA, I hope they can improve the process & make it more efficient for both the check-in agents & the passengers. Also, I hope the ground staff make sure that the passengers are always updated with the flight & boarding status. We did not get any advisory that boarding for this flight will be delayed by almost 30 minutes. The announcements started when they called for the first passengers to board.

Lastly, I mentioned this in my Singapore to Kuala Lumpur flight report & I will say it again here. I hope the airline considers improving their snack service for short flights like this. I’ve flown with airlines who serve snacks like nuts (Malaysia Airlines) & cookies (Philippine Airlines) for flights less than an hour. I hope they can also provide snacks on top of the refreshments offered on board.

Putting these comments aside, I think this Singapore Airlines flight is still far better than many short haul full-service flights out there. Honestly, I can’t wait to fly with them again in the future!

Here are some more details about this short Kuala Lumpur to Singapore flight with SQ:

Airline: Singapore Airlines
Flight Date: 7 July 2022
Flight Number: SQ 107
Route: Kuala Lumpur (KUL) to Singapore (SIN)
Duration: 43 minutes
Seat Number: 61K
Aircraft: Boeing 737 Max 8
Aircraft Registration: 9V-MBN
Engines: 2 x CFM International Jet Engines
Age: 2.7 years old
Delivered: March 2022

This sums up my first ever flight with Boeing 737 Max 8 on Singapore Airlines from Kuala Lumpur International Airport to Singapore Changi Airport. There’s only one thing I’d like to say – it is definitely safe to now fly with the 737 Max 8. It may have had problems & issues in the past, but these have surely been addressed by Boeing. The recertifications by many aviation authorities around the world back the 737 Max 8’s safety.

Do you have any questions about this flight to Singapore or anything about the Boeing 737 Max 8? Feel free to post them in the comments section below. If you’re shy to post them, you may also send them to me via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

Thank you for joining me in today’s flight report! Don’t forget to check my previous flight reports under the said category. Please also look forward to the next flight report – my onward flight from Singapore to Manila on the Airbus A350. In the meantime, you may check out my previous flight reports here. Before you go, can you visit my social media channels –Facebook & Instagram – and like or follow them? Thank you & see you in the next one!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.

3-Day Kuala Lumpur Weekend: Do-It-Yourself Below 20K Trip Around Malaysia’s Modern Capital City [July 2022]

Last July 2022, my friends & I took advantage of the relaxed border requirements & flew to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for a quick 3-day trip. We decided to fly to Kuala Lumpur since it was the cheapest international destination from Manila at the time of booking our air tickets. It was also my friends’ first-time visiting Malaysia. Allow me to share details of this quick & affordable 3 days around Malaysia’s modern capital city.

Airfare

I flew with Singapore Airlines to Kuala Lumpur a few days before my friends did & only paid US$146.69 return. The ticket initially cost US$199.70. I redeemed 7,665 KrisFlyer miles (which I earned back in 2019 from my trip to Europe) & got the ticket for the lower price mentioned above. My bank charged me ₱7,926.12 including foreign currency conversion charges.

The full-service ticket includes 25 kilograms check-in baggage allowance, 7 kilograms carry-on baggage allowance, inflight meals, personal entertainment system & 1.5 hours layover / transit (both ways) in Singapore Changi Airport. This Singapore Airlines ticket was definitely a good deal considering the ticket was booked a month before the scheduled flights & the airline provided full flight service.

My friends flew with Cebu Pacific Air to & from Kuala Lumpur & paid around ₱9,800 return. The ticket included 7-kilograms of carry-on baggage allowance. They opted to fly with Cebu Pacific Air because they found the airline’s flight times perfect for their schedules.

Want to know the difference between full-service carriers like Singapore Airlines & low-cost service airlines like Cebu Pacific Air? Check out this Flight 101 post about these 2 types of airlines.

I wrote separate blogs about my flight experience with Singapore on these flights to & from Kuala Lumpur. Head over to these flight reports to know more: Manila to Singapore, Singapore to Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur to Singapore & Singapore to Manila.

Entry Requirements

Malaysia still imposed entry requirements at the time of this trip. Fully-vaccinated passengers were exempted from pre-departure & on arrival testing requirements & quarantine but were asked to provide & verify vaccination status prior to their flight. We were also asked to register & obtain the Digital Travelers Card (Blue Traveler Card) at least 3 days before the scheduled flight. Partially vaccinated or unvaccinated passengers were asked to provide pre-departure test results, take on arrival testing & isolate / quarantine for a few days. They were issued the Home Surveillance Order (Red Traveler Card) that was checked during the check-in process.

As of 1 August 2022, Malaysia has removed all entry requirements for all incoming international passengers. All travelers are allowed to enter the country regardless of vaccination status & are not required to provide negative test results & undergo quarantine. All quarantine orders related to Covid-19 have been lifted by the Malaysian government.

Please note that these entry requirements may still change from time to time. Make sure to check the Malaysian government’s website, MySafeTravel, days before your trip for any changes in the entry requirements. You may also check these requirements on your airline’s Covid-19 travel information pages.

KLIA to Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) is located in Sepang District, about an hour away from the main city of Kuala Lumpur. There are several ways to go to Kuala Lumpur from the airport & vice versa. The fastest & most expensive way is via the KLIA Ekspres. This train service takes about 40 minutes & costs RM55 one-way or RM100 return.

The cheap & more affordable option is via the hourly bus trip to & from KL Sentral. The fare costs RM15 one-way & the trip takes about 1 to 1.5 hours depending on traffic. Private transfers are also available via Klook & KKday for a little over ₱700.

I took the bus from KLIA to KL Sentral & paid only RM15. On the way back, I booked a private transfer from my accommodation back to KLIA. I paid ₱736 for this private transfer & was picked up from my hostel.

Accommodation

My friends & I stayed at Hotel Westree KL Sentral. My friend Junelle & I booked 3 nights in their superior twin room & only paid ₱2,633.93 for the whole stay. We took advantage of Traveloka’s 20% off promotion & got a ₱650+ discount. We paid the hotel ₱878 per night – that’s ₱439 each per person per night. That is almost the same rate as some hostels in Kuala Lumpur.

The hotel is located at 142 Jalan Tun Sambanthan, Brickfields, right at the back of NU Sentral Shopping Mall. It is close to the KL Sentral Monorail Station & a few minutes walk to the KL Sentral bus terminal & KL Sentral train station. The property is also near a number of convenience stores, shops & restaurants. Its location is a 10 out of 10.

Hotel Westree KL Sentral’s room was just right. It has 2 single beds, air conditioning, a big closet, a desk & a large mirror. It also has a private toilet & shower with complete amenities. The hotel doesn’t offer a breakfast option but has a small shop near reception. They also have a water dispenser near the lounge area where guests can refill their water containers free of charge. The property allows guests to leave their luggage before check-in or after check-out.

Transportation Around the City

Going around Kuala Lumpur is easy. Almost all of the places to visit are accessible by train, monorail, or by bus. My friends & I were lucky because train & bus rides during our visit were free of charge. The government announced free MRT, LRT, BRT (bus rapid transit), monorail, Rapid KL bus & KTM Komuter rides in Klang Valley for a month from 16 June to 15 July 2022. This free ride service followed after the launch of the new MRT Putrajaya Line.

Outside these trains & buses, visitors can also book ride-hailing applications such as Grab & Air Asia Ride. You read that right! Air Asia has a ride-hailing subsidiary operating around Kuala Lumpur. My friends & I used Air Asia on selected rides during our visit. They have cheaper rates compared to Grab.

Places Visited in Kuala Lumpur

My friends were only in Kuala Lumpur for 3 full days. We visited as many places as possible in this short span of time. We also met one of my friends, Geof (from my Siquijor, Siargao & Myanmar trips before), who’s now based in the city. Check out the places we’ve been to in these 3 days.

DAY 1 – BOTANICAL GARDEN, MERDEKA SQUARE & CHINATOWN

Day 1 started with a train ride to Pasar Seni Station & a breakfast meal at a local hawker place. We had our chicken & rice meal for RM8 & a glass of cold the Tarik for RM2.50.

After breakfast, we headed to the bus stop & found out that the old bus route to the botanical garden is no longer operational. We then decided to just walk for 30 to 45 minutes to the Perdana Botanical Garden. We walked around the botanical garden for about an hour. Entrance to the botanical garden is free.

From Perdana Botanical Garden, we took an Air Asia Ride to Suria KLCC. We walked around the shopping mall & then checked out the Petronas Twin Towers from the outside.

After going around KLCC Suria & the Petronas Twin Towers, we took the train from KLCC Station to Masjid Jamek Station. We walked a bit & decided to have a late lunch at Secret Recipe near the Central Market. I got their vegetarian fried rice satay meal for around RM20.

After lunch, we walked to Masjid Jamek Lookout Point @ River of Life, then to Masjid Jamek Pedestrian Bridge & back to the Masjid Jamek station area. We didn’t bother to go inside Masjid Jamek Mosque because we were in wearing shorts.

We then went to see the Sultan Abdul Samad Building from the outside & walked around Dataran Merdeka (Merdeka Square) – the country’s Independence Square.

We dropped by the KL City Gallery to have our photos taken in the iconic I ❤️ KL sign, then headed to the Central Market to meet my friend Geof.

We walked along the Petaling Street Market & headed to Kwai Chai Hong to take photos of the murals.

We had our dinner in the famous Lan Zhou Mee Tarik Restaurant. I ordered their beef daoxiao (knife-cut) noodles paired with their beef barbecue stick & a can of Sprite. The whole meal only cost me RM22.

After dinner, we had our first round of drinks at Pik Wah Restaurant. We then headed to Bukit Bintang to meet with my friends from Couchsurfing for another round of drinks.

We missed the last KL monorail trip so we took the last train to Muzeum Negara Station & walked back to Hotel Westree.

DAY 2 – BATU CAVES, BUKIT BINTANG & KL SKYLINE

Day 2 started with breakfast at McDonalds KL Sentral Station. After breakfast, we took an Air Asia Ride to Batu Caves.

My friends & I went up the 272 stairs to see what’s in the cave. The whole trip up to the cave & back took us around 30 minutes. We left Batu Caves before 11:00am & took the KMT Komuter train back to KL Sentral.

We went back to Hotel Westree to freshen up. Just before lunch, we walked to Little India to check out the area & also drop by the Catholic Church of Our Lady of Fatima.

We took the KL Monorail from KL Sentral Station to Bukit Bintang Station & had lunch at Lot 10 Hutong – a food court / modern hawker center at the lower ground floor of Lot 10 Shopping Mall. We bid our goodbyes to my friend Geof & then went to order food for lunch.

I got char siu pork rice meal & char kway teow (stir fried noodles) with chicken for lunch. I also shared hokkien mee with one of my friends. I can say I ate a lot during that meal.

After lunch, we walked around Bukit Bintang. We’ve been to Jonetz by Don Don Donki (their Donki store originally from Japan) & mostly around The Pavilion Mall.

Around 4:00pm, we took an Air Asia Ride to KL Tower. We bought our tickets (RM110 each on site – I suggest that you buy ahead of time from Klook) & went up the Sky Deck & Sky Box. We took photos with the glass boxes & waited for sunset & night time.

At 7:30pm, we went down from KL Tower & walked to Suria KLCC. We again took photos of the Petronas Twin Towers at night. From Suria KLCC, we walked to the Bukit Nanas Monorail station & took the monorail to Bukit Bintang Station.

We dropped by Jonetz by Don Don Donki to buy some stuff before heading back to Hotel Westree again via the KL Monorail.

DAY 3 – GENTING HIGHLANDS & CHINATOWN (AGAIN)

We checked out from Hotel Westree at 7:00am & walked to the KL Sentral Bus Terminal to take our 8:00am bus to Awana Bus Terminal. We bought the return bus tickets in advance from this website & paid RM18 roundtrip.

The bus trip took about an hour. Upon arrival at Awana Bus Terminal, we had breakfast in one of the convenience stores. Most of the restaurants were still closed. Minutes before 10:00am, we went up to the cable car station & took the regular cable car up to Genting Highlands. PS. We bought the cable car tickets ahead of time & only paid RM31 for a one-way standard gondola & one-way glass bottom gondola.

We walked around Genting Higlands shopping malls & theme parks for a few hours. We had our lunch in the food court. I had chicken char siu rice for the main meal & cendol for dessert.

Around 1:30pm, we took the glass bottom gondola down to Chin Swee Station & walked to the Chin Swee Caves Temple. This Chin Swee Station stop is a free stop on the return gondola tickets.

After an hour, we took the cable car again back to Awana Station & went around some premium outlet stores beside the bus terminal.

At 4:00pm, we took the bus from Awana Bus Terminal back to KL Sentral Bus Station. We went straight to Chinatown to buy some last-minute pasalubong & to have dinner. Around 7:00pm, we took the train back to KL Sentral, walked to Hotel Westree to get our stuff.

Junelle & friends walked to the bus terminal to take the 8:00pm bus to KLIA Terminal 2. Meanwhile, I booked an Air Asia Ride to my next hostel – The Beds KLCC.

Summary of Expenses

I mentioned in the title that this 3-day trip cost below 20,000 all in. This total cost does not apply to me since I stayed in Kuala Lumpur for 8 days. However, it does apply to my friends who went there for 3 full days. Let us look at the breakdown of expenses below.

My friend paid ₱9,758.27 for the Cebu Pacific Air roundtrip ticket to Kuala Lumpur on Cebu Pacific Air. Prior to flying to Kuala Lumpur, she paid her share on the following: 3-night accommodation at Hotel Westree (₱1,316.97), Genting Highlands return bus tickets (₱227.83), roundtrip cable car tickets (₱396.74) & KLIA to Hotel Westree transfer (₱410.34). On the day of the flight, she paid the required travel tax worth ₱1,620.

She brought a pocket money of RM500 (conversion rate of ₱12.50 per RM1 = ₱6,250). This pocket money was enough to cover 3 meals per day (averaging RM10-RM20 per meal including drinks), all Air Asia Rides we took, bus ticket back to KLIA2, KL Tower Sky Deck & Sky Box entry ticket (RM110) & treats (pasalubong) she bought from Jonetz by Don Don Donki & Chinatown.

She spent ₱19,980.15 all in for this 3-day weekend in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. I believe this total trip cost is affordable & acceptable given the following reasons: (a) this trip was booked a month before the intended travel dates, (b) high fuel prices which resulted to higher fuel surcharges in air tickets & (c) current inflation rate. Gone are the days (at least for now) that return international tickets with Cebu Pacific Air were below ₱3,000.

That sums up our recent trip to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The pandemic & the current world crisis may have changed a lot of things, but our love for discovering new places, investing in experiences & traveling on a budget remains. Do you have any questions about traveling around Kuala Lumpur or anything mentioned above? Feel free to post them in the comments section below. You may also send in your questions & comments via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

Thank you for joining me in today’s trip to Kuala Lumpur. Please look forward to the next one! Before you go, can you visit my social media channels –Facebook & Instagram – and like or follow them? Thank you.

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.

Flight Report: SINGAPORE AIRLINES SQ 114 – Singapore to Kuala Lumpur – Delayed Short Hop on One of the World’s Busiest International Routes [June 2022]

In 2019, OAG, the world’s leading provider of digital flight information, hailed the Singapore to Kuala Lumpur route as one of the busiest international routes in the airline industry. According to a report made by Simple Flying, in 2019 alone, this route catered to almost 30,000 flights & offered 5.5 million seats on 9 different airlines. The numbers have gone down since the start of the pandemic but according the OAG’s report for the busiest routes for July 2022, this route is the third busiest for the month with 307,848 offered seats. It is also the busiest in Asia, overtaking the previous busiest Hong Kong-Taipei route.

Last 29 June 2022, I had the chance to fly this busy route from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur onboard Singapore Airlines flight SQ 114. How did this connecting flight go? Check out the newest flight report below.

In case you missed it, I also flew with Singapore Airlines on the SQ 915 flight from Manila to Singapore before actually taking this flight. Check out the SQ 915 flight report here.

Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines is Singapore’s national carrier. This award-winning world class airline is based in one of the world’s best airports – Singapore Changi Airport. The airline starred as Malayan Airways in 1947; it then re-branded & commenced operations as Singapore Airlines in 1972. 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. 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 Airbus A350, Airbus A380, Boeing 777, Boeing 787 Dreamliner, Boeing 737 Max & Boeing 737-800 NG. The airline is the world’s largest Airbus A350-900 operator with 60 currently in service & 5 more on order. 7 of the 60 Airbus A350’s in service have the ultra-long range (ULR) premium (only business & premium economy class) configuration. These ULRs are mostly used in the North America routes.

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 networks.

Singapore Airlines is not a new airline on this website. In fact, it is the 2nd most reviewed airline after Cebu Pacific Air.

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

Airfare

As mentioned in my previous SQ 915 Manila to Singapore flight report, I only paid US$146.69 for the return ticket from Manila to Kuala Lumpur via Singapore. The ticket initially cost US$199.70. I redeemed 7,665 KrisFlyer miles (which I earned back in 2019 from my trip to Europe) & got the ticket for the lower price mentioned above.

My bank charged me ₱7,926.12 including foreign currency conversion charges. As mentioned in my previous post, I think it was really a great deal from Singapore Airlines. The ticket already included 25 kilograms baggage allowance on all 4 flights, inflight meals, inflight entertainment & 5-star cabin crew service from one of the world’s best airlines. Believe it or not, this SQ ticket was cheaper than the tickets sold by the country’s low-cost airlines at the time of booking. The tickets from these LCCs cost around ₱10,000 without any add-on.

This Singapore Airlines ticket was definitely a steal! Glad I thought of using my KrisFlyer miles before they even expire.

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, Singapore Airlines, Philippine Airlines & Cebu Pacific Air. All posts about these flights are found under the Flight Reports category.

Travel Requirements

Malaysia is now open to tourists. However, it’s not like before that you can enter with only your passports. Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the country has imposed some entry requirements for all arriving passengers. Entry protocols depend on the person’s vaccination status.

As of 1 May 2022, fully-vaccinated passengers are exempted from providing a negative RT-PCR test result. They also don’t need to undergo quarantine upon arrival & to present proof of travel insurance. Fully-vaccinated passengers only need to register to the MySejahtera mobile application. They also need to verify their vaccination status in the application & fill-out the traveler section at least 3 days before the trip. Each fully-vaccinated passenger will be issued a Digital Travelers Card (Blue Traveler Card) which will be checked during check-in.

Partially-vaccinated or unvaccinated passengers are required to provide a negative RT-PCR test pre-departure; take a supervised antigen test within 24 hours of arrival & undergo 5 days of quarantine upon arrival. They also need to download & register to the MySejahtera mobile application. Partially-vaccinated or unvaccinated passengers will be issued a Digital Home Surveillance Order (Red Traveler Card) which will be checked during check-in.

Please take note that Malaysia has a different definition of vaccination status depending on the type of vaccine you received. For more details about this & for the country’s updated entry requirements, you may head to the government’s MySafeTravel website. You may also check Singapore Airline’s Covid-19 Information page for additional information.

Before The Flight

Like my Manila to Singapore flight on SQ 915, I also received an email reminding me to check the entry requirements of my destination country. The e-mail arrived days after booking this flight & contained helpful links where I can find the said entry requirements.

I did not receive an upgrade offer for this flight (the business class cabin was full) but I got a check-in reminder from the Singapore Airlines mobile application 48 hours before this flight. I checked in for this flight together with the Manila to Singapore leg & had the chance to choose my seat free of charge.

Flight Information

This Singapore to Kuala Lumpur SQ flight was operated by a 7-year-old Boeing 737-800 Next Generation aircraft. This 737 NG aircraft was originally delivered to then SQ subsidiary, Silk Air, in August 2015 & was converted to a Singapore Airlines aircraft in April 2021. The plane has 12 business class seats & 150 economy class seats.

The plane took off from Singapore Changi Airport an hour behind schedule at 1:49pm & landed at Kuala Lumpur International Airport at exactly 2:32pm. This short international flight only took 43 minutes & covered a distance of 297 kilometers or 185 miles.

Ground & Airport Experience

This Singapore to Kuala Lumpur flight is a continuation of my first flight from Manila to Singapore. I only stayed on the airside of Singapore Changi Airport.

CHANGI AIRPORT TRANSIT EXPERIENCE

Transit process during this flight was back to pre-pandemic times – no negative Covid-19 test result of proof of vaccination required. Passengers must have both flights under 1 booking or itinerary & have their checked-in luggage tagged from their airport of origin to their final destination to enjoy a seamless transit experience at Singapore Changi Airport.

My flights to Kuala Lumpur were booked under one itinerary (shown above) & my bags were already tagged up to Kuala Lumpur when I checked in for the flight in Manila Airport. I had a very quick but fun transit experience at Singapore Changi Airport before this flight to Kuala Lumpur. I walked around Terminal 3 for a few minutes & checked out the shops & restaurants in the terminal. The airport facilities are still one of the best in the world – very modern & efficient. Too bad Jewel Changi Airport was not accessible (even via inter-terminal trains like before) to transit passengers.

PRE-DEPARTURE

After walking around Changi Airport Terminal 3, I went straight to our assigned gate. Our boarding gate opened an hour before the flight. I went through final security, then waited for boarding. Gate A16 shares a spacious waiting area with other gates. These gates were mostly used for smaller regional flights departing Singapore. At 12:33pm (18 minutes after the scheduled boarding time), the ground staff announced that boarding will be further delayed by 15 minutes due to the late aircraft turnaround.

BOARDING

Boarding started late at 12:55pm. Business class passengers, KrisFlyer, PPS & Star Alliance status holders boarded the aircraft first. Economy class passengers seated in the rear cabin came next. Forward economy class passengers, including myself, boarded the plane last. The boarding process lasted for 30 minutes. Cabin doors were closed at exactly 1:25pm.

Inflight Product & Experience

SEAT FEATURES

This Singapore to Kuala Lumpur flight was operated by a Boeing 737-800 Next Generation aircraft. The plane has 12 business class recliner seats on a 2×2 configuration & 150 regular economy class seats on a 3×3 configuration. According to SeatGuru, each business class seat has a seat pitch of 38 inches & a seat width of 22 inches. On the other hand, economy class seats have a pitch of 30 inches & seat width of 17 inches.

All seats have adjustable headrests, individual reading lights & air vents. Seats also feature a tray table, seat pocket with aircraft safety card & universal power outlets under the seat. Pillows, blankets & earphones were not provided on this short flight.

INFLIGHT DRINK SERVICE

Singapore Airlines stated in the ticket that this flight won’t have a meal service due to its short duration. Instead of meals, the cabin crew gave out drinks after the seatbelt sign was turned off. Choices included apple juice, coffee, tea & water. Passengers also had the option to request for special drinks like soft drinks or beer. Crackers were also available by request.

INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT

The Boeing 737-800 NG used for this flight doesn’t have personal entertainment screens. Passengers can enjoy KrisWorld, Singapore Airlines’ entertainment system, on their own personal devices. They only need to connect to KrisWorld after take-off. Passenger safety video was shown on the foldable screens found under the overhead cabins.

INFLIGHT CONNECTIVITY

Singapore Airlines’ Boeing 737-800 NG aircraft are not equipped with Wi-Fi. This includes the aircraft used for this flight.

LAVATORY

This short hop to Kuala Lumpur only lasted for 43 minutes. I didn’t have the chance to visit the lavatory because I was seated in a window seat.

Cabin Crew Service

The cabin crew assigned on this aircraft were lovely, polite & service-oriented. The greeted all passengers upon boarding & during disembarkation with their best smiles. They catered to all the needs & special requests of passengers during the drink service.

Disembarkation & Baggage Claim

All passengers disembarked in an orderly manner. Those seated in the forward economy cabin disembarked first. All passengers had to take the airport train to the main terminal building to clear immigration. After immigration, all bags were already ready for pick-up in the assigned baggage belt.

Final Thoughts

It was a so-so flight with Singapore Airlines. The flight remains outstanding in terms of the hard product & services offered onboard, but its lacking in some aspects.

I enjoyed the following because of the following. First, the transit experience at Singapore Changi Airport was smooth & efficient. No additional documents & tests are required. Second, the lack of personal entertainment screens didn’t hinder the airline from providing onboard entertainment options. KrisWorld was still accessible on passengers’ personal devices. Third, they provided onboard refreshments / drinks for this short 43-minute hop to Kuala Lumpur. They had a great selection of drinks to choose from & even had some available by request. Fourth, the cabin hard product remains competitive in this 7-year-old aircraft. The seats remain comfortable & the headrests are useful. Lastly, the cabin crew hospitality on this flight was topnotch.

This flight also had areas in which they could further improve. First, the ground staff didn’t provide updates about the flight status. We were scheduled to board the aircraft around 12:15pm but we were only told about the delayed boarding schedule at 12:33pm. The delay would have been bearable if ground staff had kept the passengers informed of the flight’s status. Second, the boarding process was chaotic. Only the business class passengers & status holders boarded the plane in an orderly manner. Some economy class passengers didn’t follow instructions & boarded at their own convenience. This resulted to longer waiting times on the jet bridge. The whole boarding process took 30 minutes, slower than my Manila to Singapore flight that only took 26 minutes with almost double the number of passengers. Lastly, I hope the airline can improve their snack service on board this short flight. I’ve flown other airlines which offered nuts (Malaysia Airlines) or cookies (Philippine Airlines) plus drinks for flights less than an hour.

Nevertheless, it was an okay flight with Singapore Airlines. I don’t mind flying with them again in the future. In fact, if there’s an affordable ticket to anywhere with the airline, I will still grab it.

For those who want to know more details of this flight, check out the items below:

Airline: Singapore Airlines
Flight Date: 29 June 2022
Flight Number: SQ 114
Route: Singapore (SIN) to Kuala Lumpur (KUL)
Duration: 43 minutes
Seat Number: 51K
Aircraft: Boeing 737-800 Next Generation
Aircraft Registration: 9V-MGL
Engines: 2 x CFM International CFM56-7B27E
Age: 7 years old
Delivered: August 2015

Have you recently flown Singapore Airlines on their Singapore to Kuala Lumpur route? What do you think of the airlines offerings on the said route? Feel free to share your comments & recent experiences in the comments section below. Do you have a question about the airline or this flight? You may post them in the comments below. If you are shy to post below, you may send your questions, experiences & thoughts 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 Kuala Lumpur also on Singapore Airlines. In the meantime, you may check out my previous flight reports here. Before you go, can you visit my social media channels –Facebook & Instagram – and like or follow them? Thank you & see you in the next one!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.

Flight Report: SINGAPORE AIRLINES SQ 915 – Manila to Singapore – First International Flight After 31 Months [June 2022]

You read the title right! After 31 months of being in the Philippines, I finally flew out of the country again. The last time I went out of the Philippines was when I flew to Europe in 2019 via Singapore. Believe it or not, my last flight out of the country was also on Singapore Airlines SQ 915 back in October 2019. How does this recent SQ 915 flight compare to the pre-pandemic Singapore Airlines flight experience? We’ll find out in this flight report!

Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines is Singapore’s national carrier. This award-winning world class airline is based in one of the world’s best airports – Singapore Changi Airport. The airline starred as Malayan Airways in 1947; it then re-branded & commenced operations as Singapore Airlines in 1972. 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. 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 Airbus A350, Airbus A380, Boeing 777, Boeing 787 Dreamliner, Boeing 737 Max & Boeing 737-800 NG. The airline is the world’s largest Airbus A350-900 operator with 60 currently in service & 5 more on order. 7 of the 60 Airbus A350’s in service have the ultra-long range (ULR) premium (only business & premium economy class) configuration. These ULRs are mostly used in the North America routes.

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 networks.

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, Singapore Airlines, Philippine Airlines & Cebu Pacific Air. All posts about these flights are found under the Flight Reports category.

Airfare

Late May 2022, I randomly saw an affordable ticket to Kuala Lumpur on Singapore Airlines for travel within 30 days. With borders now opening & Malaysia dropping the test entry requirements, I decided to immediately book this ticket to Kuala Lumpur.

The return ticket initially cost US$199.70. I used up my KrisFlyer miles (earned when I flew with Singapore Airlines to Europe in 2019) before they expire in the next 12 months. The ticket price went down to just US$146.69 including 7,665 redeemed KrisFlyer miles.

The ticket included 4 flights in economy class – Manila to Singapore, Singapore to Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur to Singapore & Singapore to Manila – with 1.5-hour layovers at Singapore Changi Airport both ways. The ticket also includes 25-kilogram baggage allowance on all sectors, inflight meals & snacks & even inflight entertainment on board.

My bank charged me ₱7,926.12 including foreign currency conversion charges. It was a really good deal from Singapore Airlines considering the current world market situation & inflated fuel prices. For context, other airlines’ ticket prices were around ₱10,000 to ₱15,000 return at the time of booking this SQ ticket. Some of these airlines don’t even include baggage & meals in the ticket prices.

Travel Requirements

I am only transiting at Singapore Changi Airport & I’m flying to Kuala Lumpur afterwards. On the day of the flight, Singapore does not have any requirements for transiting passengers as long as the passenger has an onward connecting flight under the same booking reference number. Those with split bookings will be required to fulfill the entry requirements of Singapore. Check out the requirements for my flight to Kuala Lumpur & transit in Singapore as per the airline’s website a day before this flight.

Singapore Airlines regularly updates their travel requirements page. You can find the latest destination & transit requirements on this page.

Before The Flight

Days after I booked my flight, Singapore Airlines sent an e-mail reminding me to check the entry & transit requirements for my trip. The e-mail had links where I could check the entry protocols for each flight.

3 days before my flight, the airline sent an e-mail informing me about mySQupgrade. It is their instant upgrade program from economy to business class for a hefty price. The instant upgrade offer cost around ₱30,000 – almost 4 times the price of my return ticket. I did not avail of this upgrade offer.

2 days before this flight, the Singapore Air mobile application notified me that my flight is already open for online check-in. I immediately checked-in for my flight to Singapore & onward flight to Kuala Lumpur & chose forward section seats for both flights. The airline allows passengers to choose their seats for free during online check-in.

Flight Information

This Manila to Singapore Singapore Airlines flight was operated by an Airbus A350-900 aircraft delivered in February 2021. This A350 has the airline’s 2-class regional configuration with 40 seats in business class & 263 seats in economy class.

The flight departed Manila at exactly 8:00am from Runway 06/24 & landed Singapore Changi Airport at 10:58am. It only took 2 hours & 58 minutes to reach Singapore. The flight was generally quiet & stable; not much turbulence happened.

Airport & Ground Experience

AIRPORT CHECK-IN

Singapore Airlines segregated check-in counters per cabin class & frequent flyer status. KrisFlyer & Star Alliance status holders & business class passengers have dedicated check-in counters. Economy class passengers have their own queues as well. Economy class passengers who checked in online have a separate & a faster queue.

I already checked in 2 days before so I lined up at the internet check-in queue. The lady at the counter checked my vaccination certificate & travel requirements for Malaysia & then issued my boarding passes to Singapore & Kuala Lumpur. She also weighed my carry-on bag & advised that passengers are only allowed up to 2 carry-on bags each. The whole check-in process took about 25 minutes; it was not as fast as my previous SQ 915 flight in 2019.

PRE-DEPARTURE

After immigration & security check, I walked to Gate 110 where we’ll board our flight to Singapore. The airline divided the pre-departure area into groups according to their assigned seats on the plane. KrisFlyer & Star Alliance status holders & business class passengers were assigned at Groups 1 to 3. Economy class passengers seated at the rear of the aircraft were placed in Group 4. Those in the middle were assigned to Group 5. I, together with the other passengers assigned in the forward economy cabin, were placed under Group 6.

BOARDING

Boarding commenced 30 minutes before the flight at 7:10am. Business class passengers & status holders under Groups 1 to 3 were asked to board the aircraft first. Passengers who require assistance & those traveling with kids & infants boarded next. Economy class groups 4 & 5 followed. Our group, group 6, boarded the plane last.

Economy class passengers were offered earphones at the jet bridge, just a few steps before the aircraft door. The friendly Singapore Airlines cabin crew welcomed every guest & directed them to the aisle where they will walk to their seats. The whole boarding process only took 26 minutes. Aircraft doors were closed at 7:36am.

Inflight Product & Experience

Singapore Airlines is a full-service airline. This means that the airline features personal entertainment screens, has a more comfortable seat & provides inflight meals & drinks. Check out what Singapore Airlines offers on this flight from Manila to Singapore.

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

SEAT FEATURES

This Manila to Singapore flight was operated by an Airbus A350-900 with 40 lie-flat business class seats & 263 standard economy seats. According to SeatGuru, each business class seat has a 60-inch seat pitch & 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 & a large tray table.

Business Class Seat
Economy Class Seat

Economy class seats have a seat pitch of 28 inches & seat width of 18 inches – slightly bigger than the Boeing 787-10’s 17.5 inches seat width. Each seat comes with a spacious leg room, an adjustable headrest & a personal entertainment screen. Seats also feature a seat pocket with inflight safety cards, 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 in between seats. Pillows & blankets are now available by request.

Check out the screenshot below for the amenities available on this flight:

Singapore Airlines’ economy class seats provide more than what you actually need for a 3-hour flight. The seats & adjustable head rests were comfortable.

INFLIGHT MEAL

The airline offered a complimentary hot meal on this flight to Singapore. Physical menus have been phased out & meal menus can be accessed through the airline’s onboard connectivity service. Passengers had 2 options – Chicken Adobo & Egg Tortilla. I chose the Chicken Adobo meal & was surprised that it still came with a yogurt, a bread roll with butter & drink of choice (coffee, tea, wine, beer, water or juice). I know Singapore Airlines announced in 2020 an enhanced economy class dining experience for short haul flights under 3.5 hours. I expected meals to come in food boxes with sustainable tableware, but I guess the Manila-Singapore-Manila routes were not included in the said changes. I’ve added screenshots below of the menu for this flight.

The chicken adobo tasted great; the meat was full of flavor. The food portions were just right for a 3-hour flight. The crew went around after the meal service to offer a 2nd round of drinks to passengers. An hour after the meal service, I asked for their signature Singapore Sling drink – still their best drink onboard.

I love how the airline continues to use metal cutlery on this route instead of disposable plastic tableware. I hope they can find an alternative for the plastic cups. Oh, one thing! I noticed that they had already removed the towel service before the meal service.

INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT

Krisworld, Singapore Airline’s entertainment system, offers thousands of options to choose from. They have hundreds of movies & TV shows to watch, thousands of songs to listen to, games to play & a few local media content 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 & easy to navigate. It also showed the flight path & even details of onward connecting flights. The provided earphones were alright. They aren’t noise canceling but they did its job.

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

INFLIGHT CONNECTIVITY

Singapore Airlines offered Wi-Fi service on this flight. PPS Club members & business class passengers are given 100MB of data to use up during the flight. The airline also gives complimentary 2 hours of messaging service to KrisFlyer members in economy class. Non-members can opt to either register to KrisFlyer to avail of the data plans on board. Check out the data plans below (rate as of writing this blog) as per the airline’s website.

LAVATORY

I didn’t get the chance to visit the lavatory on this short hop to Singapore. I got a window seat; my neighbor by the aisle was asleep most of the flight.

Cabin Crew Service

Cabin crew service is one area where Singapore Airlines excels the most. The crew on this flight to Singapore were super friendly & accommodating. They welcomed all passengers with their best smiles, served the meals with the happiest faces & catered to the passenger’s needs with utmost attention. They made sure all passengers had an enjoyable onboard experience. The cabin crew service made this flight even more memorable. Thank you, SQ!

Disembarkation & Baggage Claim

Passengers disembarked in an orderly manner. Business class passengers headed out first, followed by economy passengers in the forward cabin. The rest of the passengers came next. I didn’t go straight to baggage claim since I was in Singapore only for transit.

Final Thoughts

It was another memorable flight with Singapore Airlines. Aside from it being my first international flight out of the Philippines since the pandemic, it turned out as how excellent flights should be – with or without the current crisis. The pandemic may have changed some onboard amenities, but it didn’t stop Singapore Airlines from offering a world-class flight experience on this flight to Singapore.

I enjoyed this flight because of the following. First, the ticket price was cheaper than the Philippines-based low-cost carriers. It even provided more value than those from LCCs. Second, the cabin is clean & very modern. Third, the cabin crew service was topnotch. Fourth, the pandemic may have happened, but the airline has not downsized meal service on their Manila to Singapore flights. It had the same portions, 2 options & sides & even retained the metal cutlery with it.

Fifth, they offered a 2-hour complimentary messaging service to KrisFlyer members. The Wi-Fi service was good. They had connectivity issues but overall worked fine. Sixth, the entertainment system remained updated & competitive. They have the latest movies & TV series seasons. They even had the list of connecting flights & respective boarding gates for those with connecting flights. Lastly, the pandemic has forced the airline to digitalize some onboard amenities. Inflight menus & magazines are now digital.

I noticed some services have been downsized compared to how they were pre-pandemic. First, the towel service prior to the meal service has been omitted. Second, pillows are no longer provided in every seat. They are now available by request. These are only minor & have not affected the overall flight experience.

So happy I was able to try their signature Singapore Sling drink onboard. Can’t wait for the next!

At this stage, I will choose to fly with Singapore Airlines over any Asian airline. I’ve had high expectations from the airline & I can confidently say that they delivered. I cannot wait for my next flight with them. Thank you, Singapore Airlines for this enjoyable flight to your home country, Singapore!

Allow me to share with you the technical details of the flight & the aircraft used. Please see below:

Airline: Singapore Airlines
Flight Date: 29 June 2022
Flight Number: SQ 915
Route: Manila (MNL) to Singapore (SIN)
Duration: 2 hours & 58 minutes
Seat Number: 44A
Aircraft: Airbus A350-941
Aircraft Registration: 9V-SHU
Engines: 2 x Rolls-Royce Trent XWB
Age: 1.4 years old
Delivered: February 2021

Have you recently flown with Singapore Airlines? What do you think of their service after the dark ages of the pandemic? Feel free to share your recent experiences in the comments section below. Do you have a question about the airline or this flight? You may post them in the comments below. If you are shy to post below, you may send your questions, experiences & thoughts 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 Kuala Lumpur also on Singapore Airlines. In the meantime, you may check out my previous flight reports here. Before you go, can you visit my social media channels –Facebook & Instagram – and like or follow them? Thank you & see you in the next one!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.

Flying 101: CEB SUPER PASS Review – Is It Worth It?

Last year, the country’s biggest low-cost carrier, Cebu Pacific Air, started offering a limited product called CEB Super Pass. This is a single-use pre-purchased voucher that allows the passenger to redeem domestic flights from 30 days up to 7 days before the intended dates. The pass offers passengers an added level of flexibility without actually planning their trips ahead of time.

Cebu Pacific Air offered their CEB Super Pass promotion thrice in the past – May 2021, September 2021 & March 2022. I availed 6 vouchers during the 2nd offering & got another 10 in their latest offering last March 2022. Allow me to share with you today my experience in availing & redeeming these vouchers. I will also discuss the advantages & disadvantages of these CEB Super Pass vouchers; as well as share my thoughts if it is something that is worth purchasing in the next CEB Super Pass offering.

Disclaimer: This CEB Super Pass review is not paid for or sponsored by Cebu Pacific Air. This is an independent review by the writer.

How much is the CEB Super Pass?

Each CEB Super Pass voucher has a base fare of ₱99. When purchasing one, an administrative fee of ₱250 & value-added tax of ₱41.88 will be added to the base fare. This one-way voucher costs ₱390.88. Please take note that the airline might charge additional fees, such as fuel surcharge, airport taxes & other fees, when redeeming the voucher. These additional taxes & fees will vary & depend on the passenger’s chosen destination.

Buying & Redeeming CEB Super Pass

Cebu Pacific Air rarely offers this CEB Super Pass promotion. Their previous offers happened last May 2021, September 2021 & March 2022. They have not announced when the next super pass promotion will be, but I hope they offer it again in the next few months.

Purchasing & redeeming these CEB Super Pass vouchers is done via the Cebu Pacific Air website. You may head to their airline’s website & look for the CEB Super Pass section or you may directly visit that page using this link https://bit.ly/CEBSuperPass.

Advantages of CEB Super Pass

Buying these CEB Super Pass vouchers comes with these advantages:

Flexibility – Passengers who bought passes need not worry about or plan their trips ahead of time. Redemption of these vouchers starts 30 days up to 7 days before the intended travel date. I’ve used some of my vouchers for last minute trips like these: Legazpi to Manila flight booked 10 days before the flight last November 2021, Manila to Legazpi flight booked 9 days before the intended flight last November 2021 & recently, Manila to Legazpi flight booked exactly 7 days the flight last May 2022.

I only added ₱844 pesos (taxes & fees with 20-kgs baggage allowance) on this Manila-Legazpi Cebu Pacific Air flight last May 2022. I booked this a week before my flight using my CEB Super Pass

Long Redemption & Travel Periods – CEB Super Pass vouchers can be redeemed & used for flights for a little over a year from the last day of the promotion. This gives the passengers more time to redeem & use their purchased vouchers. For example, the March 2022 CEB Super Pass vouchers can be redeemed until April 23, 2023 for trips up to April 30, 2023.

Wide Domestic Redemption Network – All CEB Super Pass vouchers can be used on any flight within Cebu Pacific Air’s wide domestic network. This network includes all flights to & from the main hubs (Manila, Cebu, Clark & Davao) to smaller airports like Siargao & Coron. The vouchers can also be used on regional routes like Cebu-Siargao & Legazpi-Cebu.

Worry-Free Airfare Cost – Airfares tend to be more expensive when it’s close to the intended flight date. These expensive fares can be avoided with the CEB Super Pass. The voucher already includes a flat base fare of ₱99. When redeeming flights, you only need to pay for the additional taxes & fees plus flight add-ons. For example, my flight from Legazpi to Manila cost above ₱3,000 one-way on the website. With the CEB Super Pass, I only added ₱288.88. The one-way flight only cost me ₱679.76 versus the ₱3,000+ shown on the website. Great deal, eh?

I only paid ₱288.88 on top of the previously bought CEB Super Pass for this LGP-MNL Cebgo flight

Available for Purchase for Family & Friends – Yes, you read that right! You can purchase the CEB Super Pass for your family & friends. During purchase, you can name the CEB Super Pass to your family members or friends. He/she can then use it to any domestic flight of choice subject to seat availability.

Disadvantages of CEB Super Pass

The CEB Super Pass is not all about the good points. It also has its disadvantages & limitations. These include the following:

Purchase is Limited During Offer Period – You can only purchase the CEB Super Pass during the airline’s offer period. It is not available for purchase all year round; only on limited timeframes. This also means that the airline already has your money; you can no longer refund, transfer & reroute once purchased & redeemed.

Redemption Limited to Domestic Routes – At the time of writing, the super pass can only be used to Cebu Pacific Air & Cebgo’s domestic network. It cannot be used on the airline’s international routes.

Seat Allocation Limitations – Seats that can be redeemed using the CEB Super Pass are subject to availability. This means that some high-demand flights & routes may not have the CEB Super Pass option upon booking. Also, you can’t use the CEB Super Pass on flights departing & arriving during peak travel periods like long weekends & national holidays.

Future Fares / Offers Can Be Cheaper – Cebu Pacific Air is known for their ₱1 & ₱88 base fare offers. Ticket offers like these can result in a cheaper return ticket than the CEB Super Pass. Last March, the Manila to Davao flight had an ₱88 base fare at the time of booking. I opted not to use my CEB Super Pass for this & went for the ₱88 flight available at the time of booking.

VERDICT – Is It Worth It?

Now that you know more about CEB Super Pass, it’s time for you to have a verdict. Personally, I think this offer by Cebu Pacific is worth it. If you are to ask me the same question when this was first offered in May 2021, I will have a different answer. But after taking my chances on the vouchers last September 2021 & actually using these vouchers for different domestic flights in the last few months, I can definitely speak for the great deal. IT’S WORTH IT!

I believe the biggest perk that this pass gives the passenger is the amount of flexibility he/she has with the pass. Redemption starts 30 days up to 7 days before the intended flight date. This gives the passenger the time to plan everything out. It also gives the passenger the final flight times / schedules at the time of booking. Remember that these details tend to change more often.

The pass also gives the passenger a relief from the high airfare costs because the base fare has already been secured at only ₱99. It may have limitations like seat availability & unavailability during peak travel periods, but it still offers a great value with a high level of flexibility.

Reminder: The CEB Super Pass may not cater to some travelers. Always make sure to study the product & it’s applicability to you & do some due diligence before actually purchasing one.

Do you have any questions about CEB Super Pass or anything related to it? Feel free to post these questions in the comments section below. Have you purchased one in the past & have redeemed it? How was your experience? Please share them in the comments section below so our readers can know about your own experience with the product.

When you get the chance, I hope you can check out the Flight Reports section on this website. I share my flights & experiences with different airlines I’ve flown in the past. I’ve covered airlines like EVA Air, Indonesia Air Asia, Singapore Airlines & Cebu Pacific Air.

Can I ask for a favor before you go? Can you check out my social media channels –Facebook & Instagram – and like or follow them? Thank you & see you in the next one!