Blast from the past: SQ BKK-SIN

[icn.sg]

BKK continues to be an extremely popular destination for Singaporeans. We have always been blessed by the number of airlines operating between these two cities nowadays. But long before Scoot, Jetstar, Tiger made their presence felt, the SIN-BKK-SIN route was ruled by wide body aircrafts and by long haul carriers that viewed BKK or SIN as a means to fill their aircrafts before the long trek back to Europe or North Asia.

If my memory doesn't fail me, we had Finnair, Swissair, Scandinavian, Asiana, Turkish and even Korean Air. However, these airlines offered at most a single daily flight with limited timings. The two major airlines that ruled this route was, and still is Singapore Airlines and Thai. Both offered multiple flights a day when there were no LCCs to speak of.

I was tidying up photos I've taken over the past 15 years on Photobucket this evening, and chanced upon a little album titled "Bangkok". In it contained limited photos from my last visit to Bangkok, all the way back in 2004! That was about the same time I was in this crazy phase of exploring best ways to photograph inflight meals. Back then, I chose my seat according to the direction the aircraft was flying and which side of the aircraft the sun would be shining from. It all sounds so silly now, but that was what made flying fun for me

Anyway, just for the kick of it, here's a mini-trip report from the past. Ok, not quite a trip report, but some pictures to show how things have changed over the years.

Don Mueang Airport. I've never actually seen or been to Suvarnabhumi Airport... it's been that long since I last set foot in BKK.

Chaotic and bursting at its seams while Suvarnabhumi encountered delays after delays during construction.


Air side with pretty good duty free shopping, but nothing compared to what Changi T1 and T2 offered at that time.


Before 767s had winglets.


In 2004, SQ operated at least one 744 turnaround a day to BKK. Inflight service was as impeccable as it is today. My preferred seat on the 744, the two seats at the back of the bus. Loads of space to dump your shopping after take-off, leaving extra room under the seat in front of you to stretch out... .








I miss the blue and purple seat covers


I still think the 744 is the most beautiful commercial aircraft ever built. I can never get enough of its elegant winglets (is that what it's called?)

[icn.sg]

It was an evening departure out of BKK, and that meant that the sun about to set. The starboard was the best seat to be in for my 'photo-shoot'..



Looking at yflyer's latest SQ BKK trip report, I realised that despite intense competition from LCCs, TG, CX and years of cost-cutting, SQ has not cut back on its inflight catering on this route one bit! That in itself is mighty impressive.















I don't recall how the meal tasted. I recall the flight was chocker-block that evening, and the Singapore Girls continued to provide their signature inflight service that continues till today. Many often look back and claim that SQ's service has deteriorated over the years. I beg to differ. To me, they have always been consistent, consistently very good. Even when I have a set of mediocre crew serving on my flight, they are still very good by any benchmark.

Thanks for reading. Hope this little trip down memory lane was as enjoyable for you as it was for me to post.

Have a good weekend all.

[saobangpo]

thank you so much for this. the pictures look perfect and really enjoyed the walk down memory lane

cheers

khob khun mak ka

[SQflyergirl]

Ah yes. That was SQ66/67*!I remember flying it one time around the time of some celebration for the king and everyone was wearing yellow. I coincidentally had a yellow dress on, which was well appreciated by the Thais! (didn't know about it)



*Or was it 67/68?

[SQGamespeed]

Thanks for this blast from the past icn.sg!

Great to see pics from when DMK was the BKK and SQ still had Megatops (they were stilled called that in 2004).

I took this particular flight (I think there was also a similar flight numbered SQ64) a couple of times and found the timings rather convenient.

[yflyer]

This is fantastic, icn.sg! Who transported you back in time to do a TR at a time TR'a weren't even invented yet!

Those pics, those camera angles...they were MADE for social media!

I still remember the thrill of SQ's first seat back video screens, running in 2 hour loops...

I remember that extra empty space in the last few 2 seater window rows of the 744s...

I remember the ceramic Y meal casseroles...

A great read!

[Pinkfloyd]

Cheers for the blast from the past photos... Still quite found of the 747's as it was in one of those I had my first F experience (SIN-FRA).

[icn.sg]

Thanks everyone for your positive comments.
My bad, this trip took place in 2005, not 2004. It's been a decade since I last set foot in BKK! Time to make a trip back!

@SQflyergirl - I believe it was SQ67 (?). It departed BKK around 5pm. The sun had set by the time I arrived in SIN.

@yflyer - TRs were 'invented' much earlier than 2005! I was reading TRs way back in 2000 on airliners.net! This was the last serviceware that featured ceramic casseroles before the first melamine ones made their appearance on SQ in early 2007. And well, Social Media was in its infancy back in 2005...

Here's more blast from the past! SQ AKL-SIN light meal from the 70s (I think). Look at how descriptive the menu was back then... Brussels sprouts! German potatoes! Sounds like a ingredients fit for present day J class. Y class passengers only get generic mash potatoes and 'seasonal vegetables' (a.k.a carrots and string beans) nowadays.







*photos courtesy of my good pal SIN7 of airliners.net

[dfs24]

Great report. I remember riding those 744 to BKK in '02. It was on SQ64 for me and we flew through quite severe turbulence immediately after takeoff from SIN.

Love those pair seats. It was where I choose to sit as well. And yes, I also choose the side based on the direction the aircraft flies. You're not alone.

[yflyer]

@yflyer - TRs were 'invented' much earlier than 2005! I was reading TRs way back in 2000 on airliners.net! This was the last serviceware that featured ceramic casseroles before the first melamine ones made their appearance on SQ in early 2007. And well, Social Media was in its infancy back in 2005...

OK, I stand corrected! I headed to airliners.net to have a look, and yes even way back in 2000, we had TR's!

What strikes me about those, is that very few of the TR's in the first few years had photos, all were text, and many are still good reads (For me, the classic all text SQ TR has to be macabus's 8 Bottles of Dom on FT...)

Love those pair seats. It was where I choose to sit as well. And yes, I also choose the side based on the direction the aircraft flies. You're not alone.

By the way, I also choose seats on flights based on which direction the flight is flying in so I don't get hit by sunlight from the windows :-)

[orionmiz]

Wow, that's a nice TR on the past.

My first SQ flight was to Bangkok, and that was in 1999. Still remember playing Super Mario on the plane IFE.

[MAN Flyer]

Great TR. Thanks for the memories of a fabulous period on SQ.

Ah yes. That was SQ66/67*!

*Or was it 67/68?

I believe it was SQ64/67 that had the Meagatops. I stand to be corrected on that but I am almost certain those were the flights I used to go out of my way to take between the two cities. I regularly used them to finish and start another ex-BKK RTW ticket, much to the amusement of the crew.

(For me, the classic all text SQ TR has to be macabus's 8 Bottles of Dom on FT...)

All that way and just 8 bottles. That's amateur stuff.

[SQflyergirl]

I believe it was SQ64/67 that had the Meagatops

Now that you mention it - yes! 64/67 was the right combo.

[SilverChris]

Very nice report indeed. Thanks for bringing back those sweet memories of the 747 and not-so-sweet flashbacks of DMK

All that way and just 8 bottles. That's amateur stuff.

Reminds me of a certain group of people who devoured the equivalent of SQ's 6 month's supply one fine day in 2012

Now that you mention it - yes! 64/67 was the right combo.

Was that the SIN-BKK-NRT flight?

[SQflyergirl]

Was that the SIN-BKK-NRT flight?

no - that was 996/995 i think