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SQ 787-10 Dreamliner New Business Class to Perth, Margaret River Glamping & Vineyards

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  • SQ 787-10 Dreamliner New Business Class to Perth, Margaret River Glamping & Vineyards

    As I emerged from slumber into wakefulness, still lying in bed under a feather-soft duvet, my eyes opened into near total darkness. There was just a glimmer of early morning sunlight emerging from under the curtains and fabric covered windows. The crisp, cool air in the room had a hint of the scent of olives, flowers and fresh herbs. But what was that sound? A beautiful polyphony of insect, animal and bird calls filled the air around me.

    It was only then that it hit home that our accommodations for the night had no walls. We were in a canvas tent, whose soft fabric sides were practically invisible, acoustically speaking: the sounds of nature and wildlife filling my ears were crystal clear, as if we were sleeping in the open, by a lake near a forest. Which in fact we were: A small lake was ahead of us, just meters away, right outside the wide panoramic glass doors. And nearby, the forest and olive tree groves of the Olio Bello Olive farm at Margaret River.



    Apart from sprawling olive tree plantations and a wonderful cafe, Olio Bello had just 6 tent-like accommodations located on their grounds. These were large canvas tents, but built as hybrid structures, with wood flooring, electricity, air-conditioning/heating and proper bathrooms. This gave guests perhaps the best of both worlds, the romance of a flowing canvas tent, along with all modern comforts, not to mention cutting edge décor and styling. So this was what glamping was about…

    Mrs yflyer, my younger girl Miss yflyer no.2, and I had arrived in Perth the day before, arriving at midnight on SQ215 SIN-PER, operated by Singapore Airlines’ new Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner.

    We had flown from Singapore to Perth in Business Class on 3 x Krisflyer Saver redemption tickets, and spent the night at the Four Points Sheraton in Perth, before renting an SUV the next day for a pleasant 3+ hour drive down to Margaret River.

    We spent our time in Margaret River touring the sights and wineries in the region. Apart from our stay at Olio Bello Lakeside Glamping, we also moved into the town of Margaret River for two days, which was our base for further exploration of this beautiful part of Western Australia.

    Back in Perth a few days later, we stayed at the Westin Perth, a very impressive new hotel, just 7 months old, located in the heart of the city. We explored the city on foot, and I also managed to squeeze in a run from the hotel to Kings Park, where great views of the Perth city skyline, and Swan River, could be had.



    We flew home on SQ216, a red-eye service, again operated by SIA’s 787-10, in business class, but not before checking out the SilverKris Lounge in Perth Airport.

    Although we flew all sectors in business class, I could not resist a peek into the economy class cabin as well, to see how SQ’s 787 Y cabin compared to other carriers. Some pictures and brief impressions of the Y cabin coming up, along with full coverage of SIA's new 787 Regional Business Class.

    TR INDEX

    1. SilverKris Lounge - Changi T3
    2. SQ215 SIN-PER - 787-10 Regional Business Class
    3. Four Points Sheraton Perth
    4. Olio Bello Lakeside Glamping / Margaret River
    5. Margaret River Sights / Wineries (Leeuwin, Fraser Gallop, Cape Grace, Heydon, Vasse Felix)
    6. Margaret River - Vintages Accommodation
    7. Margaret River Dining (Miki's Open Kitchen, Squid Lips) / Mammoth Cave / Farmer's Market
    8. Run - Margaret River to Surfers Point
    9. Margaret River Dining (Berry Farm, Morries) / Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse
    10. Westin Perth
    11. Perth Sights and Dining
    12. Run - Kings Park
    13. SilverKris Lounge - Perth Airport
    14. SQ216 PER-SIN - 787-10 Regional Business Class
    Last edited by yflyer; 9 January 2019, 07:23 AM.

  • #2
    SQ215 to Perth is a 6.40pm departure. We arrived at Changi Airport T3 on an overcast afternoon in early December.



    Christmas decor was up along the T3 Driveway...



    Inside, however, rather than Santa, what was saw was Harry Potter...



    What Harry Potter has to do with Christmas is anybody's guess, but folks at the airport seemed to enjoy the large Diorama setup in the middle of the T3 landside departure area...



    Business class check-in queues were short...



    We were airside in no time...



    We headed straight to the lounges, accessible by escalator one level above the main airside departure level...

    Last edited by yflyer; 15 December 2018, 09:05 AM.

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    • #3
      Today's lounge was the SIA SilverKris Lounge...



      This lounge has still not yet been upgraded to the new "Home Away From Home" decor theme, and still sports a dark wood, leather and marble theme...





      The lounge atmosphere was relaxed and uncrowded when we were there...



      ...with ample plush seating, as well as bar seating available...



      This lounge had an impressive beverage selection, including Charles Heidseck champagne...I poured a couple of glasses of bubbly for myself and Mrs yflyer to celebrate the start of our trip...



      A few choices of red and white wines...





      The liquor selection...



      Tiger Beer on tap...



      Tea and coffee...

      Last edited by yflyer; 15 December 2018, 11:06 AM.

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      • #4
        There is a large hot and cold buffet selection comprising both international and local dishes...



        Some selections from the buffet...

        Salads...



        Bread/pastries...



        Both Asian and Western style soups...



        Mains...





        Chicken drumlets...



        Several vegetarian options were available...



        ...including Indian style vegetarian dishes...



        Dessert...



        There was also a live station setup, although it was closed at the time we were there...



        You could enjoy your meal at a proper sit down dining area...



        With such a large F&B selection, we had to take care to pace ourselves and not fill up before our onboard dinner...
        Last edited by yflyer; 9 January 2019, 07:26 AM.

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        • #5
          There are showers in the lounge...





          ...as well as a business center area...



          We spent some time in the lounge before heading to our gate...
          Last edited by yflyer; 18 December 2018, 10:26 AM.

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          • #6
            Our gate today was A11...



            There was no dedicated security lane for business class or priority passengers, but queues moved fast and it didn't take us too long clear security...

            At the gate, Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner registration 9V-SCC...



            This was a 7 month old aircraft first delivered in May this year...



            Boarding was called on-time, and we were warmly welomed as we boarded through Door 1.



            First impressions: A very elegant business class cabin...



            Seats were laid out in a forward-facing staggered 1-2-1 layout.

            Christmas decor was up, which gave the cabin a very festive feel.

            The aisle seats, with alternating rows either closer to the aisle or the window...



            The middle bank of seats were arranged with either seats close to each other in the middle or closer to the aisle...



            In the middle bank, the seats closer to the aisle have a console and side table in the middle, which means a good amount of space and privacy between you and your neighbour. Notice as well that there is a small passageway between these seats.



            In the alternating rows in the middle, the two seats are close together, with the console/side table by the aisle, which means you are right next to your seatmate.



            If travelling as a couple, the middle seats are great. That said, these are strictly speaking not couple seats, as there is a retractable privacy screen between the seats. Even when the screen is lowered, there is a fixed partition between the two sides that preserves the separation between the two seats.

            There is a similar staggered arrangement for window seats, with alternating seats closer to either the window or the aisle. The next picture shows a window seat closer to the window.



            The next picture shows a window seat with the seat closer to the aisle. It also shows how the footwell in front of the seat goes under the side table and console of the seat in front.

            Last edited by yflyer; 15 December 2018, 01:05 PM.

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            • #7
              The first row seats in the J cabin were different from the others. The window-side seats had an additional shelf/surface for bassinets, which could also be useful for storage during the flight. The footwell was larger for the first row seats.



              The first row middle seats also had a large center console, although without the shelf space for bassinets. The main differentiator for the first row was the large footwell, which had significantly more width than the regular seats.



              Another view of the row 11 bulkhead Business Class seats...



              Toilets were forward of the J cabin, just behind the cockpit.





              Amenities and cloth hand towels...



              Last edited by yflyer; 15 December 2018, 11:21 AM.

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              • #8
                The seats themselves looked very well built and finished, with high quality materials and leather...



                The inner part of the seat was finished in soft padding which felt luxurious and comfortable...

                Each seat came with a pillow and blanket...



                The seatbelt is a 3-point seatbelt with a detachable shoulder strip which works like a car seatbelt shoulder strap...



                The shoulder strap is only required for taxi, take-off and landing, and is easily detachable in-flight for greater comfort. Once detached, it retracts almost fully into the seat, completely out of the way.



                Apart from the overhead lighting, there are 3 (!) reading lights embedded in the wing of the seat.

                Last edited by yflyer; 15 December 2018, 12:54 PM.

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                • #9
                  Seat controls are on the side of the console by the side of the seat. The controls appear as a dark strip, and only light up when touched...



                  I thought the Do-not-disturb button was a useful feature.

                  The bed reclines to fully flat (Or any angle in between) at the touch of a button, without having to get up to flip...



                  When fully flat, your feet can extend into the cubby hole in front...



                  There are armrests on each side of the seat which can be lowered flush with the seat base to provide greater width when required...





                  The window-side arm rest...

                  Last edited by yflyer; 14 December 2018, 09:45 PM.

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                  • #10
                    A large and bright hi-def widescreen touch-screen for IFE. This had the latest Krisworld system, with a huge selection of programmes...



                    Headphones were a pair of high quality, and very comfortable, noise cancelling headphones...



                    Note that apart from the IFE volume control buttons, there is also a volume control dial on the headset itself...



                    The tray table is a large and very sturdy affair, which folds out from under the IFE screen...





                    On the side console, there is a small cubby hole that can be used for small items...



                    The cubby hole is also where 2 USB ports and a universal A/C power socket are located -- very handy and convenient.

                    There is also a slide-out vanity mirror....



                    To round off this tour of the new seat, there is also a slot in the back of the curved shell for reading materials...



                    ...and a coat hook...



                    First impressions of the new SQ regional business class seat? Very impressive! The seat had great build quality, features and comfort.

                    There are larger and more spacious J seats out there (Not least SQ's own J product on the 77W or A380), but I thought the spaciousness of the seat was fine for me (My height is 1.66m and am of average build), both in terms of seat width and length when fully reclined.

                    This could pass for a long haul J product on many airlines, as a regional J product, this is superb -- possibly class-leading.
                    Last edited by yflyer; 17 December 2018, 09:00 AM.

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                    • #11
                      Given where I spend most of my time in the air (My handle should give you a hint as to where that is...), I was also very keen to check out the Economy Cabin.

                      During the boarding process, I took a stroll to Y to check it out...



                      The Y cabin on SQ's 787-10 is laid out in 9-abreast 3-3-3. While this is slightly disappointing, since 787's can also be laid out in 8-abreast 2-4-2 in Y, I can understand why SQ went with 9-abreast for Economy Class. Almost all other carriers have also gone 9-abreast (With the notable exception of JAL, which flies 2-4-2 configured Dreamliners). For regional routes, this slightly denser configuration might still be acceptable to pax.



                      In any case, to my surprise, I found that SQ's 787-10 Y cabin had fairly decent ambience, even at 9-abreast. Perhaps it was the seat model they chose: this is the same Y seat frame as SQ's new A380 cabin config.

                      Subjectively, the cabin felt quite spacious and comfortable, at least when walking through it, and occasionally sitting down to check out the seats. I can't say for sure until after I have actually flown a long flight in them, but at least from first impressions, this seemed to be fine as a hard product.



                      There was decent legroom, and no underseat obstructions...



                      Note, however, that SQ has dropped footrests from regional configurations. Though some pax dislike footrests, I have always liked them, and often use them while resting, even on shorter flights.

                      Seat recline was good...



                      As good as Y gets, I think...



                      Armrests go all the way up...



                      The bulkhead seats...



                      Emex row...



                      In terms of seat width, here is how the 787-10 Y seat compares to other types.

                      Here is the 787-10 with 2 Krisworld magazines laid out on it...



                      For comparison, here is SQ's new A380 Y seat...



                      It is clear that SQ's A380 Y seat is wider, despite being a similar seat frame. That is the benefit of the A380's wide cabin.

                      And also SQ's A350 seat...



                      It seems that the difference in seat width between the A350 and 787-10 Y on SQ isn't night and day.
                      Last edited by yflyer; 17 December 2018, 09:01 AM.

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                      • #12
                        The 787-10 Y seatback is similar to the one on the new SQ A380.

                        The IFE screen is a large highi-def touchscreen with the latest Krisworld.



                        There is USB charging on the seatback...

                        ...and universal A/C power near the base of the seat...



                        No issues with limited recline in the last Y seats of each cabin...



                        These last-row seats recline just fine...



                        The Y restroom...



                        Cabin ambience from later in the flight...



                        Surprisingly good cabin ambience for a 9-abreast 787 economy cabin...



                        ...I haven't yet figured out what kind of interior design magic trick SQ has pulled off here to make a 3-3-3 Dreamliner cabin feel comfortable, but I have to say that this was one of the better, if not the best, 787 cabins I have seen, at least based on this brief tour of the cabin.

                        I will reserve judgement until have actually flown a sector, but first impressions were very positive!

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          After a brief stroll around the Dreamliner to check out the Y cabin, I settled back into my seat, 12A in Business Class...

                          The cabin crew were doing a round of pre-departure drinks...



                          Economy class pax boarded through the second door behind the J cabin, so no Y pax had to pass through the J cabin during the boarding process. This meant that cabin crew could go about their pre-take off service in the J cabin unimpeded by a stream of boarding Y passengers, and resulted in a very good pre-take off passenger experience in the J cabin. Thumbs up!

                          I opted for a glass of bubbly...



                          A piping hot towel to freshen up...



                          Amenity Kits were provided on this flights, pre-stocked in the cubby holes. Today's kit was black in colour...



                          The contents of the kit...



                          Eyeshades, socks and slippers were also provided (Placed on the seat, not part of the kit).

                          As a safety requirement, the seat-side cubby holes were closed prior to take-off (And landing)...



                          The safety video played was the same Singapore themed one also found on other aircraft types...



                          The safety card...



                          4 and a half hour flight time to Perth today...



                          J cabin ambience just prior to push back...a very serene, spacious cabin with good passenger privacy...

                          Last edited by yflyer; 15 December 2018, 12:10 PM.

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                          • #14
                            Pushback and taxi past another SQ 787-10, rego 9V-SCB, which by coincidence was the aircraft that would fly us home on SQ216 a week later...



                            While the 787-10 has the same 60m wingspan as the other members of the 787 family, the fuselage of the 787-10, at 68m, is 5m longer than the 787-9, which is 63m according to the Boeing website. The difference in length was quite apparent as we taxied past Air New Zealand's 787-9, which was parked next to SQ 787-10 9V-SCB...



                            A long taxi from T3 over to runway 02C, which is the runway on the T2 side of the airport, which meant taxiing on the aircraft overpass over Airport Road...



                            ...before lining up for take-off on 02C...



                            A powerful, yet quiet take-off at dusk, with great views of the Jewel, lit from within, out of the left side windows...



                            Views as well of Changi Village, Changi Beach Park and Pulau Ubin as we climbed out, with Johor also visible just north of Singapore...

                            Last edited by yflyer; 15 December 2018, 12:21 PM.

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                            • #15
                              Not long afterwards the seatbelt sign went off, and I got up to stretch my legs...



                              Time to get comfortable in my seat. Here is the seat in a comfortable lounging position, partially angled...the recline is continuous from upright position to fully flat...



                              I also checked out the seat in bed mode...



                              I found that I could stretch out comfortably and lie fully flat with a good amount of space remaining (I am 1.66m). It was also possible to turn sideways and even angle myself slightly, although this wasn't especially wide. No issues with sleeping comfort for me.

                              Here is a picture of the cubby hole, with a Krisworld magazine for reference to help estimate the size...



                              For those who are taller/larger or who need more space, the first row J seats (Either window or middle) have noticeably larger cubby holes...





                              Almost double the width, in fact...

                              Last edited by yflyer; 15 December 2018, 12:22 PM.

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