TG F (LHR-BKK), SQ F (BKK-SIN), SQ Y (SIN-SYD), and On-The-Ground Experiences

[jjpb3]

At BKK - 2

The helpful transit desk agent did give me directions to the F Lounge, but I soon found myself in the wrong part of the airport and had to double-back on my tracks. Some Spanish tourists whom I had passed during my intended quick stroll to the lounge gave me quizzical looks as I passed them again going in the opposite direction.

But I did find the lounge (again not too fussed by the delay, thanks to my wheeled luggage and the empty airport), and the staff welcomed me warmly. I have to admit, the lounge experience is where TG F surpasses SQ F. Not being the familiar face at SIN SKL that CGK or SQflyergirl is, I found (based on this and my subsequent visit) that I, as an occasional passenger, was greeted more warmly by the TG lounge staff.

Secondly – though this might change with the opening of T3 and the yanking away of QPP privileges – the TG F lounge at BKK feels more spacious and less crowded. Before my 0845 flight, the lounge felt a lot more civilised and, dare I say, more exclusive than SKL F.

I also found the shower room less cramped:





and additionally, there was a decent set of toiletries (by L’Occitane) you could take with you:

.

I didn’t show it here because the picture wouldn't be that interesting, but the fact that the toilet was located in the shower room was a lot more convenient for this customer.

A bizarre design choice for the TG F lounge is that the toilets not in the shower rooms are located off to one side of a room that looks like it would be desired by customers wanting a quiet little private lounge area, one without the flat screen TVs and located away from the general seating area. This means that if you do choose this lounge area, you might find your quiet time interrupted by customers heading to the toilets. I don’t quite understand why the toilets were located in this manner.

After my shower (sooo nice that I took my time and chose to forgo the full opportunity to savour the lounge’s food offerings), I went to the general seating area to get a quick breakfast. I had wanted to order the pad thai but they didn’t seem to have it on offer. CGK had highly recommended the wonton soup, though, so that’s what I ordered. A feature of the TG F Lounge I did appreciate is that the staff will bring take note of your choices and bring your food to you; again, it's all about feeling pampered.



As always, CGK didn’t lead me astray. With a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice, the soup was close to perfect as an early morning meal. (Only the SKL F laksa has so far exceeded it, IMHO.) Delicious!

Soon I headed to the gate. I had trepidations about packing the L’Occitane toiletries in my rollaboard (to my luggage mentors StarG and taipeiflyer: yes, it was a 20” G4), but I needn’t have been concerned. I presented my 1-litre ziplock bag, kept the toiletries inside the G4, and sailed right through the security point.

Boarding had already commenced by the time I reached the gate. No crowds in the departure area, so no stress. I could barely contain my smile when I turned left on Door A. Home again on my favourite airline …

[jjpb3]

SQ F (SQ971 BKK-SIN)

As soon as I stepped on the plane, I heard the difference with TG F. On TG, I was pointed to my seat with the polite greeting, “Welcome aboard. This way, sir.” On SQ, my greeting was equally warm, but my BP was read more closely and my greeting was, “Mr jjpb3, welcome aboard. Please proceed this way. My colleague will be with you shortly.” And an SQ girl reached me even as I opened the overhead bin, ready to assist in case I needed help with my luggage. As I closed the bin, another FA appeared with a selection of water and juices. Soon after I sat down with my juice, I was presented with a selection of newspapers and magazines. I adore SQ efficiency.

(Better yet, I was spared the experience of being spoken to, for extended periods at the beginning of the flight, in Thai. Later, after I had settled down, the steward did come to me to apologise about assuming I was Thai – but he still justified the lapse by assuring me that I looked Thai. )

I know that SQ's efficiency creates the impression for some (misguided? ) passengers of robotic-ness, but on this relatively short flight, this meant hardly any detail was overlooked. I think I may have thrown the process slightly off when I got up to use the toilet after takeoff: the cabin crew already had some of the tray accoutrements ready to be set when I ran into them on the way to the toilet.

As soon as I returned to my seat, the familiar service elements were put into place. I began with the fruit platter

.

In the past, many of us have noted and joked about the SQ crews' careful placement of the logos and the dishes, glasses, flatware, and salt and pepper shakers, but IME, the casual placement of these things onboard TG made SQ's meticulous attention to such details that much more noticeable. Compare the relatively casual arrangement of the square dishes' edges and squiggle designs shown in post #18 with the disciplined order in the picture above and below. Remember that lack of sleep could have dulled my appreciation – I was a sleep-deprived customer at this point – but it didn’t. The difference was that striking to me.

Note also the presentation of the fruit platter. I neglected to take a picture of the fruit platter on TG, thinking it was no big deal, but there is a marked difference between the pile of fruit chunks and slices served on TG and the more aesthetic presentation on SQ. I admit, the TG serving was more substantial. But as serving size wasn’t a concern for me at this point, I felt more pleasure digging into the SQ offering.

The quality of the food was also noticeably higher on this regional SQ flight than on the TG flight. I realise I may be being unfair on TG given my single data point, but my breakfast on SQ



was more satisfying than the two meals I had on TG911.

Of course, the fact that I had the cabin all to myself was a huge bonus. I really don’t care that the seats were regional seats:



I quite enjoy these regional flights when I’m the sole beneficiary of the cabin crew's service.

The only lapse in service was that I was given a dinner menu instead of the breakfast menu. The SQ Girl was mortified when I informed her of the oversight. I found it amusing to see a little flaw , in particular one that had no bearing whatsoever on the service delivered during the flight.


To recap and reiterate :

Based on these flights (and I’ve since confirmed these impressions with my return flights), I feel that TG F has some ways to go before it can really be considered in SQ’s league. It’s ahead notably in the ground experience at its home airport, but it lags in service level and consistency; food, seat and product quality; and the little details (e.g., placement of dishes, non-plastic silverware, presence of a drinks menu) that don’t necessarily make or break the F experience but do add up to the impression that you’re in a class of service that stands above that of the competition. Until TG fixes these elements of its offer, CX F is the Asia-based competitor that SQ will need to be watching out for.

Don’t get me wrong – I think being able to experience TG F makes my BD miles very valuable, and I really am looking forward to travelling in TG F again. But if SQ loosens up its F availability on my desired travel dates, you know which airline I’ll be redeeming on.


P.S. I do acknowledge that I'm not the most objective observer of airlines' service quality.

Post Script:

After the very enjoyable flights in F, my continuing flight to SYD was in SQ Y (well, I gotta earn the miles for my next award trip ). Was it a shock to my system? Not at all, for a number of reasons:

• Having no access to the SKL, I had no second thoughts about getting a massage instead at the Plaza Premium Lounge. It was well worth the S$40 or so that I paid for a half-hour back and shoulder massage -- particularly since the best therapist there, a deceptively delicate-looking elderly Chinese woman, was around. She has a knack for finding the knots in my back through the towel she drapes on it, and then kneading them away. And, this pre-flight option was easily much healthier for my liver.
• I had no seatmate on the relatively crowded flight. I did have one initially, but he felt so hemmed in by a seatmate on his left and another on his right (me) that he got up and never came back. Y isn't so bad if you have that extra seat next to you to spread out to.
• The Indian vegetarian meal option on SQ is very good, and it meant I was served first when the normal meal (on this flight, the breakfast) was being served from the back. I was already ready to begin freshening up for arrival by the time the front portion of the Y cabin begun to be served.
• Finally that gracious SQ service that has a knack of making me feel at home in the sky.

Not a bad way to launch into my holiday, wouldn't you agree?

[SQflyergirl]

Ab fab! lah

[mec]

Wow! jjpb3, your detailed TRs make for interesting read

Thanx for being so meticulous in ** observations.



Quickly finish your installments!

I'm waiting with bated breaths....this is better than some wizard boy story book

[Markus Karling]

P.S. I do acknowledge that I'm not the most objective observer of airlines' service quality.

Nor am I. I'm just a good ol' downright biased fanboy of SQ. I admit it though. It's hard to NOT to be an SQ fanboy when all I have out west here is American, Delta and a whole loada half-assed low cost attempts at an airline.

[SQFAN]

Never did thank you for sharing that TR. Much appreciated in that I know what to expect tonight, I hope.

[UMD]

I had no idea why I only stumbled on this report today. But, this must be the best report on SQ talk in terms of quality.

[up and away]

Good TR!

As I mentioned earlier, the passenger in 1A obstinately refused to lower his window shades, so it was a relief to fly into a part of the world that was still in darkness.

Well, honestly I'm with the other passenger there. I simply dislike to close the windowshade. I'd rather sleep in the full sunlight (Don't know why, at least it shows I'm no vampire (yet) )

[jjpb3]

Well, honestly I'm with the other passenger there. I simply dislike to close the windowshade. I'd rather sleep in the full sunlight (Don't know why, at least it shows I'm no vampire (yet) )

You didn't quote the entire passage, and so omitted the key sentence:

We landed at BKK ahead of schedule, but as far as I was concerned, it was soon enough. As I mentioned earlier, the passenger in 1A obstinately refused to lower his window shades, so it was a relief to fly into a part of the world that was still in darkness. No longer was I penalized for having a bodyclock that wasn’t prepared to go to sleep.

If I had wanted to sleep, the open windows wouldn't have been a problem because I had eyeshades. But I wanted to stay up and watch some movies and TV shows. The screen just didn't have the brightness or resolution to cope with the flood of glare of sunlight from across the aisle.

Ultimately, it was his prerogative not to lower the window shades, but it was, from my selfish point of view , an annoying occasion to exercise that right.

[up and away]

Ok, that's a different thing... But can't you change the brightness of TGs PTV?

[jjpb3]

Ok, that's a different thing... But can't you change the brightness of TGs PTV?

You can, but the settings couldn't stand up to the sunshine's glare. Trust me, I tried.