A first in First… and last

[SQFM]

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.

SQ comes from asia and the work ethics encompass hardworking, humble, 'actions rather than words', 'team before self' & adhering to company rules. This is what makes SQ famous for its inflight service worldwide. Of course, there's always areas of improvement. I know what I would rather choose even though it may seem clinical.

I agree SQ F can swing both ways. I had my disappointment with SQ F service mainly down to crew. Maybe they were tired due to jet-lagged or lost of enthusiasm. Though they lost that sparkle, the overall service was still consistent and above others.

Long gone were the days where F was truly luxurious. You can't find it anymore anywhere anytime now.

[badabing59]

I guess our expectations of service are all quite subjective, and imho really do depend considerably on the crew-if the are good, you'll forgive older planes etc.
I recently did DXB-SIN-SYD return in F (773 and 747)
We were fortunate enough to have excellent crew (and Krug ) on all sectors, which made the trip a delight, and more than made up for a less-than-comfortable regional F.
When you compare the SQ F experience to say the UA F experience, even the worst SQ experience has been better than my UA experience to date.

[SMK77]

But I do agree that it's the small things that make the experience nicer - and they have succeeded in that regard as you, SMK77, being a PPS have noticed the additional greeting.

I still think that these small gestures go a long way to retain customers - you feel more welcome being greated by name.

When I was flying to KUL on a one hour flight in Y, I was pretty impressed that the Leading Steward would show up to introduce himself at the back of the plane and offer his assistance in case I would need any. I like this very much as it underlines SQ's service promise and adds to the usually fantastic service attitude of SQ crew!

[Kyo]

I've found every flight I've had in J (even the worst one), I've been addressed by name throughout anyway. I've come to expect that this is the norm for J.

On any F flight, I've always been introduced prior to take-off. So, that's the main difference I've observed.

And I'm not even KF ES.

But I do agree that it's the small things that make the experience nicer - and they have succeeded in that regard as you, SMK77, being a PPS have noticed the additional greeting.

It matters more to some than most. I had a truly fantastic SQ J flight last night and the crew could've almost fooled me for thinking it was F service. Truly remarkable and I'm very glad I used my KF miles for that upgrade even though it was only short-haul. I don't think they could have done more, even if I was a PPS.

[SMK77]

QPP for 12mths and you got Krug in Y?! Krooooooog?!?!?! For 5 bloody years, I got bugger all as QPP when I flew in Y. Maybe on 1 or 2 occasions I got greeted by name, but that's bloody it. No mythical spare seat next to me, no legendary exit row seat, only bulkhead on one occasion and I suspect only because I was dogsbody to someone in F who needed to deplane chop chop.

Having said that, I acknowledge that I got the same attention that others in the same cabin (Y or J) got, regardless of whether I was full-paying, points upgrade, or on award.

I was just QPP for three months... :-) The full story is here:

http://www.sqtalk.com/forums/showthr...highlight=Krug

I just got of the plane from FRA in J - purser introduced himself before take-off and I was addressed by name throughout the flight.

[Bitterroot]

The manifests say nothing about passenger tickets. They do show KF status, so the crew does see who is PPS, for example.

[SQ All The Way]

… 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.

Siimilar to feedback from SQJunkie below, I don't believe this is the case and FA's would not know a pax is on a redemption ticket. Is anyone able to confirm this and the fact that the manifest would not indicate whether a pax is on revenue or redemption ticket?

cheers.

[SQJunkie]

I will split my feedback in three areas:

… 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 don't think the cabin crew know if one is on a redemption or paid ticket, so one should not feel that the cabin service was compromised by this.
I speak from experience, I've been on 2 F redemptions this year, Syd-Sin, and the cabin service was excellent on both occasions. Of course the personalities of the cabin crew were different, but not robotic in the least. Crew were engaging, jokey and friendly, without being patronising.
I have not been in F on a paid ticket, but the service would not be better, I'm sure.

I must say that the cabin service does make up for all the angst I sometimes feel with ground service.

I understand your disappointment especially being the first time, but I definitely feel your experience was not representative.

My 5 cents!

[Danny Bhoy]

Welcome to SQTalk, plim. While I share a couple of observations I was a bit puzzled about some of your comments - claiming to be a QPP for 4 years you should have sorted out some things already.

"compared to other flights where the Chief Purser or CSD made the effort and in some cases spent some time chatting"

Being a QPP you will get attention even flying in Y - I am a QPP for 12 months now and crew including the Leading Steward are stopping by for a chat. I have gotten Krug in Y and fantastic service all the way up to F.

"compared to other flights where the Chief Purser or CSD made the effort and in some cases spent some time chatting"

How many flights have you taken in four years with SQ? 100? 150? More? You should have found out that SQ service is mostly very warm and friendly and FAs go out of their way to make you happy. Why would one flight with a disengaged FA call for a trip report like yours?

"I would never consider paying for F"

Pretty contradictory to your comment that you couldn't enjoy your F experience because on Award you felt treated like a second-class passenger. Again, as a QPP you will always get full attention on board regardless of whether you fly on award or full-fare. (One of my worst experiences of services was on Suites - and that ticket was full-fare for sure including access to TPR).

QPP for 12mths and you got Krug in Y?! Krooooooog?!?!?! For 5 bloody years, I got bugger all as QPP when I flew in Y. Maybe on 1 or 2 occasions I got greeted by name, but that's bloody it. No mythical spare seat next to me, no legendary exit row seat, only bulkhead on one occasion and I suspect only because I was dogsbody to someone in F who needed to deplane chop chop.

Having said that, I acknowledge that I got the same attention that others in the same cabin (Y or J) got, regardless of whether I was full-paying, points upgrade, or on award.

[plim]

Thanks MAN Flyer and others - constructive comments.

All's been said - high expectations on an over-hyped product result in disappointment... that's the issue I have aside from some truly stupid rules such as TPR...

[concept|infinit]

I wonder if the length of the sector has anything to do with how the service feels. I do lots of SQ F, have been PPS for a long time, and most of my sectors are really long-haul: IAH -- SIN; JFK or FRA -- SIN; SIN -- SFO. My impression is that the longer sectors are always very, very fine; shorter ones (like SIN - HKG) a little more rushed.

I agree that the LSSs are more likely to come over and chat, but generally, it's up to me: if I engage the crew, they're always responsive and friendly.

And I've always gotten greeted by name, welcomed back, and acknowledged by the purser.....................

Not necessarily I guess. My first (and only so far) flight on F SIN-HKG was fantastic. All the cabin crew were wonderful and when I told them it was my first SQ F flight they went all out to make it memorable for me.

Guess the cabin crew were rather poor in this case.

[jjpb3]

Welcome to SQTalk, plim. I think your viewpoint is a fair and reasonable one, and I hope you won't feel put off by the 'passion' in the discussion here. I also hope SQ management reads your account to remind themselves of how disappointed a passenger can be with their experience before and during the flight.

The depth of your disappointment, however, may be causing you to close down your options prematurely. The experience on one flight isn't indicative of the average quality, and now that you've discovered the dirty truth about the SIN lounges, you can also relax in the knowledge that you aren't missing much.

I think some are perhaps a little hasty in discounting the validity of others' experiences if it does not match their own.

Very true. I like how the comment applies equally to SQ fans and SQ critics.

[SMK77]

Sounds like an overly dramatic "accusation"

A first in First… and last - the title was set up by the OP not by me...

[stargold]

Your boarding pass to First is not paving you the way to paradise... At the end of the day every flight is just a flight and you cannot walk over water because you upgraded (!) to First... If you expect the water to split, the music to set in and the staff to go on their knees to worship you, it is time to get a life and forget about your movie dreamworlds...

Sounds like an overly dramatic "accusation" - I don't think the OP was asking for that, and neither am I when criticising certain elements of SQ service.

As long as they are warm, welcoming, competent in their job and able to listen to and understand passengers' requests, that's all you can really ask of an FA. No worshipping on knees needed.

[SMK77]

Your boarding pass to First is not paving you the way to paradise... At the end of the day every flight is just a flight and you cannot walk over water because you upgraded (!) to First... If you expect the water to split, the music to set in and the staff to go on their knees to worship you, it is time to get a life and forget about your movie dreamworlds...

The good old times of glamorous travel are long gone - and airlines are not really trying to bring them back. Introduction of Suites is a good example of how an airline wants to make reference back to the good old times and then fails miserably on the delivery.