TR: SIN-CDG-LHR on A380. LHR-SIN on 77W.

[9V-SIA]

Very nice report. Makes me "gian" lah....

After this week, I really need a trip somewhere!

For me, nothing raises the spirits like a flight on SQ's F/R class.

To hijack TK's ad slogan.. "you feel like a star"

Great TR so far (as usual)!
Looking forward to the next parts.

Thanks. Part 2 coming soon..

The Kyo-Kaiseki meal looked so delicious I wish I could have one right now.

How can it not be? SQ named it after a legendary SQTalker.

Really nice!

Nice, thanks for shaing.

Thanks. Glad you are enjoying it.

[9V-SIA]

London

UK is like a second home to me having spent a good part of my youth here.

There was the pilgrimage to my old haunts..

• Swiss Cottage/Finchley Road
• Selfridges
• John Lewis
• Bond Street
• Queensway ( Gold Mine now, Hung Toa & Kam Tong in the past )

London in the summer is great. Long days and fine weather.

It was bright at 5am when I wake up ( jet lag ) so I took 2 hour walks.

London is still asleep & you have the whole city to yourself.

See if you can guess my morning walk route...

World's most famous zebra crossing



London's most expensive petrol station.. ESSO. First time I've seen power point for car!



Too easy..



I can smell the duck..

[9V-SIA]

LHR-SIN by 77W F

Heathrow

Check in

This was my second visit to LHR since the SQ check-in was moved, together with VS, to the left side of T3 drop off point.

Got the minicab to drop us right in front so I avoided the long walk I had on my trip last year!

Minicab was £28 including tip ( cheaper from not having to park for airport pickup ) doorstep to doorstep.

I went to the F check-in where the man sitting there doing paperwork ignored us.

2 counters away, the guy at the business class counter called us to check in with him.

I told him we were flying in F but J check-in man said he'll check us in ( all the while, F check-in man kept his head buried in his paperwork )

So we had to drag our bags over to him.

While checking us in, he had to go over to the F counter to get our boarding passes.

Our bags took a while to appear at SIN at the end of the flight too.

I guess I shouldn't complain too much if this was the low point of the whole trip, but I expected more flying F.

View of the tarmac from F Lounge

SAS winglet-equipped 738



It was a long walk to our departure gate 22. Think lounge is left of gate 9



Looking back at lounge from outside gate 16



Our long walk to gate 22 was halted when the door in front of us closed to allow PAXs to disembark from a CX flight.

After a short wait, the door was reopened and we continued.

The remaining CX passengers then waited on the aerobridge for us to pass before continuiing disembark.

My first experience of sanitizing arriving from departing PAXs. Only happens in LHR?



And finally 9V-SWE awaits us..

Hi! Haven't seen you since you took me to SFO in Dec

Reported here.. SIN-ICN-SFO

[Nick C]

Another great write up in the TR series. Always a pleasure to read your TRs 9V-SIA! Great pictures!

[9V-SIA]

Another great write up in the TR series. Always a pleasure to read your TRs 9V-SIA! Great pictures!

Thanks Nick C

[kelvgoh]

I've had the exact opposite of your experiences at LHR T3 check-in - I've nearly always been checked in at the F counter even though I'm flying J or Y. Quite inconsistent I must say.

Also +1 to your observations re the departure gates for SQ 319. I recently had to walk to gate 35, and while it was ok for me, I can only imagine how difficult it will be for people with difficulty walking!

[FN-GM]

Thanks for the report. I was watching for updates and you posted them last week. You saved me from boardem at work. Thanks

What was the distance covered in your cab journey?

Thanks

[9V-SIA]

I've had the exact opposite of your experiences at LHR T3 check-in - I've nearly always been checked in at the F counter even though I'm flying J or Y. Quite inconsistent I must say.

Guess I caught them on a bad day. Thing is.. I wanted a seamless check-in.

Until last year, Dad was an independent traveller.

But feeling his age, for the first time, I had to handle everything ( bags/check-in ) plus him.

Also +1 to your observations re the departure gates for SQ 319. I recently had to walk to gate 35, and while it was ok for me, I can only imagine how difficult it will be for people with difficulty walking!

We took the buggy halfway then wheelchair, thank goodness!

Have you noticed the number of PAXs requiring wheel chairs lately? Reflects our aging population, I reckon..

Thanks for the report.

Welcome.

What was the distance covered in your cab journey?

19 mile ride. But the fare is flat rate.

Cab company will tell you how much when you book

Well worth it if 2 PAXs traveling together.

[9V-SIA]

Push back more or less on time. I think A340 looks gorgeous.. So does VS livery

Never flown VS. Next year, when I need to fly regularly to BOS, one of my options is SQ/VS via LHR..



Spotted TG 744 behind a couple of Virgins...

In retro livery, to celebrate TG's 50th Birthday



One thing about the long walk to gate 22 is the short taxi to the runway. We were number 3.

No 1 CX250 744 HKG bound..



No 2 AA107 772 heading for JFK..



And then it was our turn. Note AA 772 just lifting off at end of the runway



As we thunder down the runway, I see the new LHR museum, dedicated to BA.

They used to be a great airline but couldn't adapt to climate change





And then we were on our way home. Nice view of LHR as we left.

[9V-SIA]

The cabin

We were full, 8/8 in F. There was a VVIP traveling onboard.

I'm a creature of habit so I sat in 2A.

Started looking around to see what I'd missed from my first time in 77W F last year.

Well, the armrest compartment is usable in sit/lounge/sleep mode unlike in R.



Bigger too. And that's where my LX3 was kept during the flight.



I love switches & buttons to press





The lights need a re-design. There are no less than 3 lights per seat ( either side of the seat & overhead ) but adjustability is lacking



Can you see the limited forward/backwards adjustment of the light?

7 o'clock vs 6:30.

Left/right light adjustment even less. I took pictures but you can't tell the difference.



Centre seats. Privacy screen down..



Privacy screen up.. Note the portable armrest cushion on the seat.



Overall, I'm getting to like the F Diamond Plus seats.

Compared to J, I appreciate having more legroom, the armrest they give you & greater seat recline.

And of course, looks much more plush

[FN-GM]

when did you do. Is that a christmas decoration in the second to last picture?

[9V-SIA]

when did you do. Is that a christmas decoration in the second to last picture?

Well spotted! Artistic license on my part

From my previous flight on 9V-SWE SIN-ICN-SFO in December!

[9V-SIA]

Dinner

I had BTC'ed Kyo-Kaiseki SIN-LHR but that option does not exist LHR-SIN.

However, for F/R only, there is a Japanese meal option which I selected for dinner & breakfast.

But when I got on the plane, I changed my mind for dinner after looking at the menu..





Satay



The stage is set..



Foie gras & chicken liver parfait

I took a bite before I remembered to snap..



Cantonese style chicken soup..



Korma style lamb curry..

This was why I decided not to eat the Japanese meal.

I should add that I had decided to cancel my pre-ordered meal a few days before the flight but the food was still loaded at LHR. Ex-LHR, I find the food is very good.



Plum & Hazelnut Tart

SQ desserts are quite boring but this one was great



Cheese platter

I normally surrender before getting round to the cheese but everyone in F had gone to bed.

The lovingly prepared fruit & cheese trolley was sitting in the galley untouched.

So I indulged while watching Shutter Island. Good cheese, bad movie..



I skipped the salad.

[pavion]

Good TR so far, but the favourite photo is of the desert with the missing spoon and fork!

[jjpb3]

Very nice, 9V-SIA.