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Background first – I’ve been a lurker here for a while now. QPP 4 this year, very close to TPP. All flights I take are in C above 4 hours – I apply the same rule for personal trips too, with a few F trips here and there but never to date on SQ.
I recently decided to treat myself to an upgrade to try the SQ First product on SQ 12 (the “old” first, although as far as I understand it, the most recent version prior to Suites, correct?) – as a comparison basis I’ve flown international F on BA, NH, EK, AA, LH, AF and UA (if one can call this F). This appeared to be a decent flight to test it out as service to Japan is typically quite up to par (NH is very very good for example).
I will split my feedback in three areas:
1. On the ground, T3 F dedicated check-in is nice enough but I was rather underwhelmed by the bell boy/baggage handler unceremoniously dropping my bag in my hand once he spotted a car with more bags and being passed to no less than 3 people from the smiling girl at the entrance to a rather sour looking guy and, eventually, to the check-in agent. Rather pompous and pointless, especially considering how miserable that last agent looked (not a smile or chat whilst checking me in)… I made my way via the dedicated immigration/security check (excellent) and to the lounge.
The lounge is nice enough but didn’t really win me over the C section – a bit nicer amenities etc but all quite marginal. However I really liked the trolley service (OJ, pastries and coffee) – very nicely done and the staff was gracious and thoughtful… one thing however which I find simply infuriating was being denied access (as I knew I would be of course) to the “Private room” aside from the ludicrous name, I find it rather insulting that non-paying-but-booked-in F passengers cannot access this area… I could, at a push, see the validity of creating a separation from TPP for example but I cannot understand the segregation of passengers who are actually flying F… it gave me a lasting impression which later on would spoil it for me.
2. Boarding was a breeze (it always is) and I was escorted to my seat although the crew member left right away to be replaced by another one. She would handle most of the service and wore a perplexed look for the entire flight – as if never quite sure what to do next… quite disconcerting. Nobody else introduced themselves, compared to other flights where the Chief Purser or CSD made the effort and in some cases spent some time chatting. Oddly enough, I’ve observed that the male attendants are clueless when working in C but in F it seems the exact opposite – the male attendant who served part of lunch was great and proved excellent at following up (a question on the Japanese meal) but the female FA was utterly disengaged although polite enough…
Seat is fine, if very narrow and I found the cabin lacking in privacy - way too many seats packed together. Flight was busy with a large party traveling in F and whilst it didn’t create too much noise I didn’t find it quite as relaxing as I had hoped. Meal was excellent but the female FA seemed bemused I would dare to ask for the caviar starter with the Japanese meal… this seemed to challenge the programming but she managed to recover without short-circuiting, to my relief. Overall, a decent meal but nothing close to NH and in fact, nothing close to AF either. Not comparable probably as it would entirely depend on the departing station but quite a disappointment.
The amenity kit make me chuckle – lame doesn’t even describe it – the brand has no appeal for me aside for their shoes and it all smacks of low quality and sheer gaudiness to warrant calling this a First class item – cost cutting have taken the concept to its extreme. This is quite pathetic.
The main impression during the flight was the lingering feeling that if, on the ground, mileage redemption doesn’t quite make me a fully fledged F passenger, then how would the crew behave once on-board… this may seem unwarranted but I couldn’t help and feel somewhat “different” than other passengers (the deadheading pilot aside!)… I also know that for example, the families of pilots traveling F on crew rate are not provided by amenities (despite paying a fare, no matter how reduced)… so this was not entirely un-founded… It could also have to do with the female FA and her robotic ways.
3. Overall impression – the F service is overall a polished product, as very much expected from SQ. It is however rather clinical and by-the-numbers, again, in line with what SQ has become. By that I mean I felt everything was there but just about… didn’t feel this was a truly luxurious experience, as I have felt in the past with NH for example (and of course this is highly dependent on the crew)… The main issue for me is to feel “different” because of the redemption issue… if I am treated like so in the lounge and know that on-board the crew may also know this, then I couldn’t relax and felt there was a slightly lesser service quality… this kept me from fully enjoying the trip. IMHO this is a huge mistake for SQ – I would never consider paying for F or using miles to redeem again and this can’t be the expected result.
I recently decided to treat myself to an upgrade to try the SQ First product on SQ 12 (the “old” first, although as far as I understand it, the most recent version prior to Suites, correct?) – as a comparison basis I’ve flown international F on BA, NH, EK, AA, LH, AF and UA (if one can call this F). This appeared to be a decent flight to test it out as service to Japan is typically quite up to par (NH is very very good for example).
I will split my feedback in three areas:
1. On the ground, T3 F dedicated check-in is nice enough but I was rather underwhelmed by the bell boy/baggage handler unceremoniously dropping my bag in my hand once he spotted a car with more bags and being passed to no less than 3 people from the smiling girl at the entrance to a rather sour looking guy and, eventually, to the check-in agent. Rather pompous and pointless, especially considering how miserable that last agent looked (not a smile or chat whilst checking me in)… I made my way via the dedicated immigration/security check (excellent) and to the lounge.
The lounge is nice enough but didn’t really win me over the C section – a bit nicer amenities etc but all quite marginal. However I really liked the trolley service (OJ, pastries and coffee) – very nicely done and the staff was gracious and thoughtful… one thing however which I find simply infuriating was being denied access (as I knew I would be of course) to the “Private room” aside from the ludicrous name, I find it rather insulting that non-paying-but-booked-in F passengers cannot access this area… I could, at a push, see the validity of creating a separation from TPP for example but I cannot understand the segregation of passengers who are actually flying F… it gave me a lasting impression which later on would spoil it for me.
2. Boarding was a breeze (it always is) and I was escorted to my seat although the crew member left right away to be replaced by another one. She would handle most of the service and wore a perplexed look for the entire flight – as if never quite sure what to do next… quite disconcerting. Nobody else introduced themselves, compared to other flights where the Chief Purser or CSD made the effort and in some cases spent some time chatting. Oddly enough, I’ve observed that the male attendants are clueless when working in C but in F it seems the exact opposite – the male attendant who served part of lunch was great and proved excellent at following up (a question on the Japanese meal) but the female FA was utterly disengaged although polite enough…
Seat is fine, if very narrow and I found the cabin lacking in privacy - way too many seats packed together. Flight was busy with a large party traveling in F and whilst it didn’t create too much noise I didn’t find it quite as relaxing as I had hoped. Meal was excellent but the female FA seemed bemused I would dare to ask for the caviar starter with the Japanese meal… this seemed to challenge the programming but she managed to recover without short-circuiting, to my relief. Overall, a decent meal but nothing close to NH and in fact, nothing close to AF either. Not comparable probably as it would entirely depend on the departing station but quite a disappointment.
The amenity kit make me chuckle – lame doesn’t even describe it – the brand has no appeal for me aside for their shoes and it all smacks of low quality and sheer gaudiness to warrant calling this a First class item – cost cutting have taken the concept to its extreme. This is quite pathetic.
The main impression during the flight was the lingering feeling that if, on the ground, mileage redemption doesn’t quite make me a fully fledged F passenger, then how would the crew behave once on-board… this may seem unwarranted but I couldn’t help and feel somewhat “different” than other passengers (the deadheading pilot aside!)… I also know that for example, the families of pilots traveling F on crew rate are not provided by amenities (despite paying a fare, no matter how reduced)… so this was not entirely un-founded… It could also have to do with the female FA and her robotic ways.
3. Overall impression – the F service is overall a polished product, as very much expected from SQ. It is however rather clinical and by-the-numbers, again, in line with what SQ has become. By that I mean I felt everything was there but just about… didn’t feel this was a truly luxurious experience, as I have felt in the past with NH for example (and of course this is highly dependent on the crew)… The main issue for me is to feel “different” because of the redemption issue… if I am treated like so in the lounge and know that on-board the crew may also know this, then I couldn’t relax and felt there was a slightly lesser service quality… this kept me from fully enjoying the trip. IMHO this is a huge mistake for SQ – I would never consider paying for F or using miles to redeem again and this can’t be the expected result.
(and no before anyone asks i have zero SQ status) It was a little OTT if you ask me but it was a little bit of a novelty.
), but I have never felt like I got second class treatment because of my ticket (the TPR situation aside). The IFS's have always found the time to introduce themselves and their colleagues, and the better crew members (i usually find the LSS's more personable than the LS's) are a rather cool lot. A huge difference from JCL which is where I get the clinical feel. So hopefully you'd give them another go and put this down as a somewhat anomalous experience.
(and no, I did not flag my Solitaire card - that's not me). And here I thought if I did not have my meal, my request for a can of Coke Light instead of a small cup would have been granted.
And the flight was actually about half full so this wasn't because the crew had nothing else to do. 
) and this adds to the annoyance and frustration of the crazy access rules to TPR.
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