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SQ A350 Regional J to MEL: Melbourne is Open for Business! (And Leisure!)

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  • SQ A350 Regional J to MEL: Melbourne is Open for Business! (And Leisure!)

    PROLOGUE

    “Are you finished with your run?”, Mrs yflyer asked me, when I answered my cell phone as I was cooling down at East Coast Park.

    “Yes I am. I’m coming home now.”

    “Good, because I’ve just tested positive…”

    Bummer.

    This was 3 days after we had returned from our trip to Melbourne in late May 2022.

    I had taken an ART (Antigen Rapid Test) the day after we returned. It was negative, and so was hers. We thought we had gotten away with it – a holiday overseas and back without catching COVID.

    But no. That morning, Mrs yflyer thought her throat felt scratchy, and decided to take an ART. A faint red line under the T symbol on the test kit told her all she needed to know.

    Back home, I moved my computer, some clothing, and toiletries into a spare bedroom, and spent the next week or so living there, while Mrs yflyer spent the next week or so in isolation in our bedroom, as she recovered from COVID.

    The next few days were a little tense, as all our close contacts, including our daughter, my sister, my niece and nephew, and both our elderly mums tested themselves each day. A couple of days later, my sister also tested positive.

    Incredibly, everyone else tested negative. That was a month ago, and so the only 2 cases were Mrs yflyer and my sister. Thankfully both their infections were very mild: a sore throat, a stuffy nose, and some coughing and phlegm. Mrs yflyer never even lost her sense of smell the whole time. They were both double-vaxed and boostered – that probably had something to do with it. Thank you, MOH! Eventually their ARTs grew faint and disappeared – with thankfully no long term symptoms.

    To this day we have no idea where Mrs yflyer was infected. Was it in Melbourne, or while we were on the plane home? We flew business class on SQ there and back. Mrs yflyer had a solo J window seat on the return, so it seemed unlikely that she caught it on the flight. While in Melbourne, there were no mask mandates, except while on public transport (trains, trams, buses etc), and apart from travelling on public transport my mask was off most of the time. Ironically, Mrs yflyer was the one who kept her mask on while outdoors.

    In any case, she is up and about now, fully recovered, and if the press is to be believed, it appears that if you have been vaccinated, and have recovered from COVID, you have very good immunity, even better than folks who have been vaccinated but have not yet been infected…

    So with that out of the way, let us move on to the main topic: our trip to Melbourne on SQ…

    TR INDEX
    1. Prologue
    2. Airport/Lounge: Changi T3 and SilverKris Lounge
    3. Flight: SQ227 SIN-MEL in Business Class
    4. Hotel: Brady at Hardware Lane
    5. Dining: Lulu's Char Koay Teow
    6. Run: Yarra River and Flinders Street Station
    7. Dining: Big Esso / Mabu Manu
    8. Dining: Movida at Hosier Lane
    9. Bar: Byrdi
    10. Play: Harry Potter
    11. Dining: Halal Snack Pack!
    12. Chinatown & Chinese Museum
    13. Dining: Mesob
    14. Bar: Beneath Driver Lane
    15. Musical: Hamilton
    16. Queen Victoria Market
    17. Hotel: Hilton Melbourne at Little Queen Street
    18. Bar: Douglas Club
    19. Dining: Pho Thin
    20. Dining: Rockpool Bar & Grill Melbourne
    21. Yarra Valley Wine Tour and Yarra Dairy
    22. Winery: Yering Station
    23. Winery/Dining: Tarrawarra
    24. Dining: South Melbourne Market and a Barbecue in Lilydale
    25. Dining: Mjolner
    26. Run: Melbourne CBD to St Kilda Pier
    27. Dining/Bar: Arbory
    28. Dining: Rococo with SQTalkers Kyo, SQ228 and SQ218
    29. Airport: MEL Terminal 2
    30. Lounge: MEL SilverKris Lounge
    31. Lounge: MEL Air New Zealand Lounge
    32. Flight: SQ238 MEL-SIN in Business Class
    33. Airport: Changi's T3 Arrival
    34. Final Reflections
    Last edited by yflyer; 14 August 2022, 05:05 PM.

  • #2
    Our trip began in mid May, at Changi T3…



    We had heard stories of long queues to check in for our flight, so we showed up at the airport quite early, but in the event, the queues were non-existent, even for Y…



    Minimal wait to check in at the J counters…



    We headed airside…



    The new automated immigration gantries didn’t need a fingerprint, just scan your passport, boarding pass, and smile at the camera (Actually don’t smile, just look neutral…), and you are through. Some folks had difficulty with the automated system though, so some help from the staff was often needed for quite a number of pax in the queues.

    In any case, Mrs yflyer and I were through to the airside area without too much delay.



    Shops were open, and the terminal was busy. Not super crowded, but lively enough, with pax milling around, shopping or making their way to their boarding gates.



    We headed up the escalator...



    ...to the SQ SilverKris Lounge...



    There were still renovation hoardings up...



    A quick check of our boarding passes, and we were in...



    The lounge was busy, but as this was still fairly early in the evening, it was not as packed as when I was there in late February, on my way to BCN (TR here).



    This was just a few days before the Krisflyer Gold Lounge was due to open, so Krisflyer Elite Gold were still eligible to use this lounge.



    The vibe at the bar was relaxed...



    Further into the lounge, most of the seats were occupied...



    Though it was possible to find a seat if one looked hard enough...



    We parked ourselves at the high counters and headed to the buffet area...

    Last edited by yflyer; 22 August 2022, 04:31 PM.

    Comment


    • #3
      First stop: the self serve wine and liquor counter...



      A decent liquor selection...



      Just one white one and one red wine on offer, along with Piper Heidseck Champagne...



      Mrs yflyer headed to the full service bar and returned with a freshly mixed Margarita...



      We also checked out the buffet selections...



      The dim sum looked pretty good...



      There were main courses prepared to order, including duck rice...



      ...and delicious laksa...







      Comment


      • #4
        Western selections included Lasagna...



        ...and pasta...



        Vegetarian selections included Paneer Makhani...



        and vegetables mushroom gyozas...



        Self service tea and coffee...



        Very refreshing looking glass dispensers of chilled, fruit/vegetable infused iced water...



        There are individual shower rooms in the lounge too, which we did not use on this occasion, but I did snap a few pics of the showers in my previous BCN TR.

        There was also a separate F section of the lounge, which we did not visit.



        Overall a decent lounge, although I found the decor fairly ordinary. Perhaps it was too crowded that evening for me to really get a sense of the lounge ambience. Hopefully the opening of the Krisflyer Elite Gold Lounge will ease the crowding and give pax a better experience.



        We left the lounge and headed to our gate. It was nice to see many SQ cabin crew walking through the terminal...they all looked very cheerful and happy to be flying again.

        Last edited by yflyer; 27 June 2022, 09:29 PM.

        Comment


        • #5
          Our flight that evening was SQ227, a 10pm departure...



          Today's gate was B3, in one of the large holding rooms...



          Taking us to Melbourne on this overnight flight was Airbus A350-900XWB registration 9V-SHU...



          This was a very new plane, just over a year old, delivered to SQ on 2nd April 2021.



          Boarding took place on time...



          "Welcome onboard, Mrs yflyer!"



          This was SQ's latest Regional Business Class product, laid out 1-2-1...



          Solo seats by the window...



          The window seats had an alternating layout, some with seats by the window, and console closer to the aisle...



          ...and others with the console by the window, and seat closer to the aisle...

          Last edited by yflyer; 1 July 2022, 10:00 PM.

          Comment


          • #6
            The middle bank of 2 seats had a similarly alternating layout, with pairs of seats with either the seat or the console closer to the aisle.



            Our seats were the middle bulkhead pair in the smaller 2nd J cabin. These had seats close to each other in the middle, with consoles by the aisle...



            These middle seats had a privacy partition which could be raised...



            ...or left lowered if you were travelling with a friend or partner...



            Before settling down in my seat, I took a stroll to the Y cabin...this was laid out in a conventional (and comfortable) 3-3-3 format, with SQ's latest Economy Class seat product.



            Comment


            • #7
              I returned to our J seats and continued my exploration of my seat.



              I had tried this seat product once before, on a flight to Perth, but that was on a 787. Were there any differences on the A359? None that I noticed, so far...

              The side console was large, with an indentation for a drink...



              USB and A/C power in the side compartment, along with noise-cancelling headphones and a bottle of water.



              Pull-out vanity mirror...



              Coat hook...



              Seat controls and IFE controller mounted on the side of the console...



              Large, widescreen HD touchscreen display...



              ...with the latest Krisworld IFE and programmes for the month of May.



              Large, foldout tray table, which felt very stable and solid...



              Slot for safety card and magazines/publications (Although there were none at this time -- only electronic publications on the IFE and mobile).



              Multiple reading lights...



              The seat reclined to fully flat position, and any other angle, with a push of a button...



              Comment


              • #8
                The cubby hole for the bulkhead seats is noticeably larger than those on the regular seats...



                Here is the regular seat cubby hole for comparison...



                The window-side bulkhead seats also have a large cubby hole, and an extra flat surface, which can be used for a bassinet if one is needed.



                The seats have small armrests on the console side.



                These can be pushed down fully flat to be flush with the seat base, so that you have a slightly wider sleeping area.

                Comment


                • #9
                  I examined the inflight amenities provided...

                  On each console was placed an amenity kit from Penhaligon's...



                  The inside of the case was lined with an attractive fabric....



                  The contents of the kit...



                  Socks and slippers were also provided...



                  The IFE headphones came with disposable earned covers...


                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Since the start of the pandemic, there have been some changes to J service format. For a start, there were no more steaming hot towels (sob...).

                    Also by default, there was no pre-departure beverage service. Would they give me one if I asked, I wondered? It was almost time to depart, so I did not have the opportunity to do so, but I resolved to ask for one on my return flight...

                    The safety video was played...



                    ...followed by a smooth and quiet take-off to the north...



                    A very short flight time of just over 6 and a half hours tonight...



                    Funny how, when I am flying in the front of the plane, I am always wishing that we were battling fierce headwinds, so the flight would take longer. In this case, tailwinds were carrying us swiftly towards our destination, for an arrival just after 7am in the morning...



                    Last edited by yflyer; 27 June 2022, 11:50 PM.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Cabin service began with choice of beverage...I asked for a glass of champagne, which really hit the spot...



                      Ambience in the J cabin was quiet and peaceful...



                      Soon the cabin crew came round to prepare for supper service...



                      There were no printed menus, and neither was the menu available on the Krisworld system. Menus were accessible on your mobile device or tablet by turning on your wifi, and accessing the inflight internet (Although there was no charge to access the menu). There was no menu on the IFE, just a QR code to scan in order to access the menu on your personal device.



                      The online menus on the app were fine, but I wish SQ would also put menus on their IFE.

                      Today's supper menu:



                      There was no 2nd meal service / breakfast service on this flight. It was just supper. This was ok, as it would allow pax to maximise sleep time. That said, there was a snack menu available in case any pax got hungry during the flight:



                      The wine selection:





                      Cocktails:



                      Spirits and Beer:



                      Non-alcoholic Selections:




                      Last edited by yflyer; 1 July 2022, 10:04 PM.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Coffee:





                        Tea:





                        The menu also listed the available amenities:

                        Last edited by yflyer; 28 June 2022, 12:32 AM.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          A crisp white tablecloth was draped over my tray table...



                          Supper began with a citrus-scented crab salad..



                          A selection of bread rolls and garlic bread was offered...



                          The crab salad was delicious...



                          I accompanied this with more of the delicious Piper Heidseck Champagne, vintage 2014...



                          For my main, rather than go for the menu options, which were available to view online a week before my flight, I decided to pre-order the BTC, or "Book the Cook", Lobster Thermidor.



                          This had long been one of my favourite BTC choices. That said, they have now changed the recipe for this beloved dish. They no longer serve it with rice, rather the lobster is now served with potatoes and vegetables.



                          While it looked attractive on the plate, the flavour of the lobster was so-so, and I much preferred the old recipe and accompaniments. I especially missed the divine combination of creamy lobster and rice from the previous BTC lobster recipe. An average dish...

                          I gazed longingly at the Beach Road Prawn Noodle option that some of the other pax had chosen from the menu -- I think I would have preferred that to my lobster Thermidor...



                          Dessert was moist caramelised banana cake, which was satisfying...



                          I skipped coffee and went straight to post dinner cocktails, starting with a Grand Pineapple Daiquiri...



                          ....and then a G&T...



                          Those were both enough to send me off to sleep for the remainder of the flight...

                          Last edited by yflyer; 28 June 2022, 12:30 AM.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Before dinner, I had also checked out the onboard bathrooms. For J pax, there were bathrooms at the front, and also in between the 2 J cabins.



                            A very attractive bathroom colour scheme...



                            Perhaps they were an extravagant touch, but I miss real orchids in the bathrooms...






                            Facial mist, hand lotion, and eau de toilette...



                            Toothbrushes and shavers in the drawer...

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              I slept very well on the fully flat bed, and only woke up very close to point of descent, just as dawn was breaking...



                              We landed at around 7am local Melbourne time...slightly ahead of schedule.



                              At that hour, the airport was not very busy, and we breezed through the automated arrival immigration fairly quickly. A short wait for our luggage, and we were out of the airport and in a taxi, on our way to the city.

                              Overall an excellent flight, with superb aircraft and business class hard product. Our cabin crew were great as well. Perhaps on a flight like this, where pax were mostly asleep, there were fewer opportunities to deliver exceptionally personalised service, but we had a great team onboard and as far as SQ's cabin service standards were concerned, everything was as it should be...

                              In the catering department, the verdict is more mixed. I think SQ will need to up the catering back to pre-COVID standards to really delight pax, now that the travel recovery is fully underway. While there are definitely cost pressures, I think the new BTC lobster is far cry from what it used to be. I did not enjoy it so much. On the other hand, I am a huge fan of Singapore street food and the hawker scene, and love the fact that our hawker heritage and local favourites are being showcased on SQ.

                              Next up, Melbourne!

                              To be continued...

                              Comment

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