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A Return to Travel: To Barcelona on Singapore Airlines SQ378/377 SIN-BCN-SIN (Y)

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  • A Return to Travel: To Barcelona on Singapore Airlines SQ378/377 SIN-BCN-SIN (Y)

    "Hot towels...I wish they were handing out hot towels..."

    I thought this to myself as the cabin lights slowly came on, two and a half hours before arrival to Singapore on my flight back home from Barcelona, where I had spent the previous week. I could almost smell and feel the warm, moist towel in my hands, but this was all in my imagination, as since the start of the COVID19 pandemic, SQ had abandoned the ritual of their cabin crew going down the aisles with trays of steaming hot towels.

    So much has been lost over the past two years, and the global pandemic is far from over. But in recent months, with the relaxation of COVID19 measures in many countries, and the roll out of Vaccinated Travel Lanes (VTL) to and from Singapore, travel has resumed for an increasing number of people, both for business and leisure.

    Before this trip, the last time I was on a plane was in January 2020, more than 2 years ago. I had two trips planned in February and March 2020, both to Barcelona, but as COVID19 spread, both were cancelled, and my typical travel schedule of between 20-30 trips a year dropped to zero.

    Strangely, I did not miss travel at all. I spent the last 2 years working largely from home in Singapore. I think Mrs yflyer did miss going on vacations, and we did have several memorable staycations, not to mention many great meals in Singapore. I kept up my running routine -- there are so many excellent running routes and parks / park connectors in Singapore, not to mention the new Round Island Route.

    But since VTL lanes started up, many friends, including several SQTalkers, have resumed holiday and/or business travel. Indeed a few never ever even stopped travelling, putting up with ever-changing rules on vaccinations, testing and quarantines.

    Finally, in mid February 2022, I made a decision to make a work trip to Barcelona. I flew out last week, on Saturday 26 February, and returned yesterday morning, Saturday, 5 March. I was there to attend Mobile World Congress 2022 (MWC22), a large trade show that takes place annually in Barcelona at the end of February. I've done TR's on Barcelona before, however I had made these trips on Emirates and other airlines. This time I would be flying SQ. Unlike other years, where tickets on the SQ's Barcelona flights would be booked solid months in advance, there were still seats available when I made my booking in mid February.

    I flew there and back on SQ378/377 in Economy, with a brief transit stop in Milan in both directions, SIN-MXP-BCN-MXP-SIN. This was operated by Airbus A350-900 XWB's, which seem to be the workhorse of the SQ fleet these days, judging by the aircraft I see coming in to land at Changi when I am out on my runs along East Coast Park.



    Airline miles, hotel points? All these things ceased to matter for 2 years, and perhaps still don't matter. The pursuit of Gold, Platinum status in hotel or airline programmes? It all seemed pointless (pun intended...) in the greater scheme of things. None of this mattered any more. I felt detoxed, in a sense, after going cold turkey for 2 years. I don't think I will ever again devote time to this pursuit of miles, points and status. That said, I sure appreciated that SQ and other airlines renewed my status, and did not let my points expire during this period. I was glad that I was still Krisflyer Elite Gold (The equivalent of Star Alliance Gold) when I made this trip. Gold status did help in several ways, some expected, and some unexpected.

    As for Barcelona, although this was a city I had visited many times before, I don't think I will ever get bored here. What did come as a pleasant surprise was how normal things were now. Along La Rambla, most people enjoyed the beautiful weather outdoors without masks, as restrictions had recently been lifted.



    I revisited many old favourite places, including La Boqueria Market...



    ...and Boadas cocktail bar...



    There were new discoveries too, including many wonderful new places to eat...



    The air travel experience is not what it used to be. There are so many new requirements around vaccinations and pre-travel PCR and/or ART tests. These change regularly, so it is vitally important to check and recheck both airline and government websites on testing requirements and declaration forms prior to travel.

    In my case, there was a pre-travel PCR test before my SQ flight to BCN, as well as a PCR (or ART) in Barcelona, prior to return to Singapore. The added complication of a transit stop in Milan also meant I had to check Italian govt rules as well.

    Thankfully, the rules had been progressingly relaxed over the past few weeks, and I expect that travel will get smoother and smoother as time goes on. As for myself, I was fully vaccinated and boostered, and all my pre-and post travel testing went fine, and I found the overall travel experience very smooth.

    So this TR will cover the travel experience on SQ on the ground and in the air for SIN-MXP-BCN-MXP-SIN, and a few highlights from Barcelona as well.

    I really enjoyed my trip, but I think I will enjoy writing up this TR just as much. It's been a while since I've done this, and the TR count has been at 116 for some time. I'm so glad to be starting on Trip Report number 117...fasten your seatbelts, and thank you for joining me on this TR!

    TR Index

    1. Introduction
    2. Changi Airport T3
    3. SilverKris Lounge
    4. SQ378 SIN-MXP-BCN
    5. Barcelona & Citadines La Rambla Hotel
    6. Run - La Rambla to Barceloneta and Port Olimpic
    7. Arenas de Barcelona, Los Caracoles
    8. Mobile World Congress
    9. Boadas Cocktails
    10. 2254 Restaurant
    11. La Boqueria Market
    12. Barcelona El Prat Airport T1
    13. Miro Lounge
    14. SQ377 BCN-MXP-SIN
    15. Changi Airport T3 Arrival
    16. Final Thoughts
    Last edited by yflyer; 28 June 2022, 08:18 AM.

  • #2
    Singapore Airlines flight SQ378, SIN-MXP-BCN, is a 2345HRS departure. A late evening departure time is, for me, the ideal time for flights to Europe: you get onboard, eat, then get a long night's sleep onboard (Assuming you are the type who can sleep on planes), then wake up in the early morning in Europe.

    I arrived at Changi T3 just after 10pm...



    T3 has always had an air of calm and serenity about it, and that night felt no different.



    This was quite a busy period for SQ at T3, with many long haul flights departing at this hour...



    There was a queue at the SQ check-in counters, but it didn't look overly long...



    No queues at the business or first class check-in counters...



    I had pre-printed my boarding pass at home, so I headed straight in...



    After a quick automated passport scan, which involved facial recognition rather than a fingerprint scan, I was through to the airside area, which was fairly busy...



    Shops were open and pax were shopping. I headed up the escalator to the SQ Lounge...

    Last edited by yflyer; 7 March 2022, 10:26 AM.

    Comment


    • #3
      The current SQ lounge in T3 is the "new" SilverKris Lounge, which is a combined lounge serving all CIP / premium pax, whether Suites, First, Business, PPS Club or Krisflyer Elite Gold (and Star Gold).

      While there is a separate section for F pax in the lounge, this lounge is available for both PPS and Elite Gold, which is a change from before, where SQ Elite Gold had to use a different, and less fancy, lounge than Business Class / PPS pax.



      I believe there are still renovations and alterations going on, so this is likely to be a temporary state of affairs until the lounge renovations are completed.

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by yflyer View Post

        Before this trip, the last time I was on a plane was in January 2019, more than 2 years ago. I had two trips planned in February and March 2019, both to Barcelona, but as COVID19 spread, both were cancelled, and my typical travel schedule of between 20-30 trips a year dropped to zero.
        Hey yflyer, do you mean 2020?

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by reddevil0728 View Post
          Hey yflyer, do you mean 2020?
          Yes, exactly! Corrected! Thanks, reddevil0728!
          Last edited by yflyer; 6 March 2022, 05:04 PM.

          Comment


          • #6
            The entrance to the new SilverKris Lounge is around where the previous Krisflyer Elite Gold Lounge entrance used to be. The new lounge appears to occupy that space, as well as the space of the old T3 SilverKris Lounge.



            A quick scan of the boarding pass at the entrance, and I was in...



            First impressions: a very busy lounge, almost at capacity. It was so full of pax that it was hard to discern any specific style or theme, but it did look modern and comfortable, if not as striking as the very best lounges in other airports.



            The first section of the lounge, near the entrance is "open", under the T3 atrium...



            Sofas and loungers...



            Lots of bar-stool / bar-counter seating...



            ...with attractive feature lighting...



            There were dividers to break up different sections of the lounge to give it a more intimate feel...



            There were self service counters for F&B...



            The far end of the lounge had table seating...

            Last edited by yflyer; 6 March 2022, 05:42 PM.

            Comment


            • #7
              There were customer service counters...



              and a KrisShop showcase...

              Comment


              • #8
                One major improvement to the lounge is the addition of dedicated shower rooms.



                I checked out one of the rooms...



                Sink with large mirror and hairdryer...



                ...and amenities...



                There was a shower stall...



                ...with rain shower...



                ...and a WC (which the previous SilverKris showers did not have).



                Do arrive at the lounge early if you wish to shower though, as the shower attendant mentioned that there were often queues for the shower (You were given a beeping pager) and wait time could be as long as 20-30 min at peak hours.

                Comment


                • #9
                  There is now also a full service bar...



                  ...which is a big improvement to the previous self-service wine/liquor concept in the T3 J lounge.



                  There is bar service from 1730 HRS - 0100 HRS (I guess the 2230HRS cut-off doesn't apply to the airport), and Barista service from 0600 HRS - 1000 HRS.



                  There is still a self service bar within the lounge...



                  ...which had a decent supply of wine and liquor...



                  The liquor selection...



                  The champagne on offer was Jacquart...



                  This was a popular choice, and bottles were frequently replenished...I could not resist a glass...



                  A choice of red and white wine was available in wine dispensers...



                  Just one choice of red and white...



                  Just push a button to get yourself a glass...



                  Soft beverages and mixers available in a separate refrigerator cabinet...

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    There was a coffee/tea island...



                    TWG teas...



                    Two shiny automatic coffee machines...

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Snacks, appetisers and salad were available in sealed plastic containers...



                      Cut fruit...



                      Muffins...



                      Potato chips and bar snacks...



                      Breakfast cereal...

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        There was no buffet spread for the mains. These were instead ordered from an online menu, or at the counter. The selections available included both Western and Asian selections.



                        Spaghetti Aglio Olio with Spicy Buffalo Chicken...



                        Beef Lasagna...



                        Asian selections included a bowl of Laksa, a Dim Sum basket, or an Otak bun...



                        Also available were chicken porridge, and mushroom soup...



                        The Laksa looked especially delicious...



                        Vegetarian and kid's menu options were also available...



                        You could either order at the counter, or order online using a QR code at your table...



                        ...then collect your order once ready...



                        Overall, it looked like a pretty decent F&B spread.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          There is also a First Class section of the lounge, which I did not visit...



                          I sat down for a minute to finish my champagne...



                          ...before leaving the lounge to head to my gate.



                          There were still many construction hoardings around, so do treat this as a work-in-progress snapshot of the new SilverKris Lounge.

                          From what I have seen, things do look very promising, and there are quite a few things I prefer about the new lounge compared to the old T3 SilverKris Lounge, not least the shower rooms, and the full service bar.

                          And at least for now, Krisflyer Elite Gold members flying Economy have access to the same lounge as PPS / Business Class. I hope this becomes a permanent arrangement!

                          Next up, SQ378 to Barcelona via Milan.

                          To be continued!

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Continuing with the TR...

                            I headed to Gate A4, not far from the SilverKris Lounge...



                            This was a large, shared, holding room...



                            At the gate, the aircraft that was to take us to Barcelona was being readied for departure.



                            This was a 4 year old Airbus A350-900XWB, rego 9V-SMS, a very appropriate registration given that I was heading to Barcelona for MWC, the world's leading trade show for mobile operators.



                            Boarding began on time...



                            To say I was feeling a bit emotional would be an understatement...

                            For much of my working life, I have had either a regional or global role...I always joked that I used to live on a plane, except in some ways it was not a joke. I flew everywhere for work, returning only on weekends, and very often on SQ. But for the past 2 years, I had stayed put in Singapore. It was great. I was at home with the family. I spent more time than ever with Mrs yflyer, my younger girl, and the extended family and friends.

                            And here I was, back on the road. It felt familiar, yet strangely unfamiliar, almost like in a dream...

                            I headed down the aerobridge...

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              A warm greeting at the aircraft door...



                              There was a cart with earphones and care kits by the aerobridge...



                              I picked up a care kit, but not the earphones (I had my own...)



                              Some useful contents inside...

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