SIN-SYD SQ221 vs SQ231 J Class

[gumption]

Hi guys, care to share your thoughts about which flight you would pick if you were in my shoes?

I have a confirmed redemption on SQ231 and my waitlist for SQ221 just cleared. Can't decide if I shld give up SQ231 for SQ221.

SQ231 Pros
-New business class product on 77WN which I havent tried
-secured bulkhead seat

SQ231 Cons
-Sleeper service hence only one meal
-Less time in SYD because of arrival in late morn

SQ221 Pros
-Dinner and Breakfast meal service
-Arrives SYD in early morn hence more time in SYD

SQ221 Cons
-Tried J class production on A380 before
-No bulkhead seats
-A380 feels less exclusive because of the sheer no. of passengers even in J class?

First world problems I know, but would love to hear which flight you guys would pick...

[Kyo]

I prioritise flight timing above all else, so it's almost always SQ221 for me.

[SQueeze]

This is very easy for me.

SQ231 for sure.

1. the New Business Seat is a much much improved version. Best business class seat so far I had tried.

2. Going east, this is a rather short flight, I wouldn't take more than 1 meal anyway. And what is breakfast on SIA flights? It is usually not very imaginative in business class anyway. Omelette and fried noodles or scrambled eggs and fried beehoon. No thanks. If in F, it may be slightly more exciting but breakfast is never their forte.

3. I would rather get more sleep, and it's really nice sleeping on 77WN.

4. problem of departing at 9pm. Can't sleep straight away, so it will be dinner. And then just into 2 hours of your sleep, you will be woken up again, about to land. The flight is very tiring.

5. the good thing about departing at midnight. You will have better sleep because it follows better your natural body clock.

[yflyer]

this is a rather short flight

Takes a certain sort of traveller to see SIN-SYD, 8 hours flight time, 6000+ km, as a short flight

If I were in gumption's shoes, I would choose the 77WN on SQ231 just to try the new J product, as it is still very rare.

I would usually skip breakfast on this sort of red-eye flight too. Too sleepy to wake up, usually...

[SQ228]

Takes a certain sort of traveller to see SIN-SYD, 8 hours flight time, 6000+ km, as a short flight

Hehe, yeah it does and I think I must be one of them too. I get weird looks when I explain to people that my preferred length of flight is 13 hours. I avoid 8 hour overnight flights because I can't manage to get my 8 hour sleep in!

[9V-JKL]

I'll choose SQ231 for reasons #4 & 5 as per SQueeze

[Metropolitan Airlines]

I am a frequent flyer on this route and:

1. SQ 231 offer 2 meals (Refreshments and Breakfast)

2. You should be able to clear immigration and customs at about 12pm, hence the time lost is just the morning. Hotels don't usually let people to check in after noon, so it is great timing that you could have checked in your accommodation then enjoy the afternoon.

3. SQ 231 got less J customers than SQ 221 I think.

[jammed]

i'm a regular on 221 in J, and my reasons here for OP's reference if they are of any use:
- Timings No. 1 important to me (over 231);

- 2ndly, thankful to be able to sleep flat, regardless whether A388 or not;

- there are 2 meals but I typically skipped the 'dinner' (really wont call it that at close to 9pm) and the breakfast looked sad imo

- with A388, I imagine the no. of pax will be crazier than a 777, but with priority disembarkation and Express Path, I'm usually out of airside within 30min (sometimes even less) with only cabin trolley (ie no checked in)

* important caveat, reports coming in that SYD is doing away with Express Path, I dont know how that will impact on arrivals thru Passport and Customs.

hope above serves some reference

[gumption]

Wow thanks guys!! This made it much easier for me.... I've decided to stick to SQ231. Really curious about the new J-class product

[MAN Flyer]

SQ231 Pros
-New business class product on 77WN which I havent tried
-secured bulkhead seat

What row have you got, 3/11 or 14 ?. The reason I ask is that if sleep is of paramount importance then row 3 on the 77W is unbeatable, but row 14 while a great seat always suffers from galley noise due to being right next to it. Row 3 on the 77W beats any other JCL seats on any aircraft so if you've got one of those that would be the deal maker for me.

Takes a certain sort of traveller to see SIN-SYD, 8 hours flight time, 6000+ km, as a short flight

I agree with SQueeze and SQ228, SIN-SYD/MEL/BNE are a tad too short to get any proper rest. This is where HKG and BKK have a slight advantage over SIN imo as they are that little bit further thus giving more chance to sleep if you can blank out the noise. In Y SIN is probably preferable.

In the old days of BA doing LHR-SYD via both SIN and BKK I know a few who used to do the outbound via BKK and the inbound via SIN for this reason.

[gumption]

[QUOTE=MAN Flyer;190819]What row have you got, 3/11 or 14 ?. The reason I ask is that if sleep is of paramount importance then row 3 on the 77W is unbeatable, but row 14 while a great seat always suffers from galley noise due to being right next to it. Row 3 on the 77W beats any other JCL seats on any aircraft so if you've got one of those that would be the deal maker for me.


Is there Row 3 in biz? I got 11K

[SQ747]

Best thing about SQ231 is that when it arrives in Sydney, it is THE ONLY flight to land at that part of the terminal, so it's INCREDIBLY quick to get out. Especially if you are in Business or First (I was in First when I flew SQ231 a few days ago), you can use the express immigration, and by the time you reach the carousel, the bags will be waiting, and you go straight through! Super quick.

SQ221, however, arrives at the WORST time. There are so many other high capacity flights (several A380's) arriving at the same time, and it takes ages to get through immigration and customs, even with express pass.