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Long time SQ traveller, first time poster here.
Some reflections on what I think about SQ ---
WHAT I LIKE ABOUT SQ:
- New route to Kuwait. This is great news for the gulf. Kuwait is very expensive at the best of times and any extra competition will help keep prices just that little bit more competitive. I'd prefer it to run straight from SIN, rather than from Abu Dhabi - but at least it is a start.
- Not axing Dubai to Istanbul. This route was under threat of being abolished early last year. SQ have perservered with it, to their great credit. Plenty of expats in Dubai go across to Turkey for the weekend and the 4am departure actually works well out of DXB. On my 2 flights on this sector, the crew always seemed to turn off the flight show as we neared the Iraqi border (to not alarm the pax?!) always found that interesting.
- SIN to Barcelona via Milan. Finally fills a gaping hole on the map = two rolled gold destinations that have universal appeal.
- Any talk of changing the SQ girls uniform. It is a classic - keep it!
- It looks like some KUL-SIN shuttle flights are now being downgraded to Silk Air. This is a worrying sign. I've been on SQ 777s on the shuttle with only 30 or 40 pax on board. Fantastic! It would be a different story on an A320.
- Upper deck of the A380 in economy - those side storage boxes are fantastic! (The only other place I've seen them in Y was on the upper deck of a high-capacity JAL 744 doing the Haneda to Gimpo shuttle - which also has Y on the upper deck).
WHAT I DISLIKE ABOUT SQ:
- SIN to Riyadh via Dubai. SQ seem to change their mind about this destination frequently. Pilgrims from SE Asia going on hajj don't want to go via Dubai. The Saudis prefer to go on their own carrier. So why bother with the DXB stop at all? It is a routing that lacks sense - unless because SQ don't want their crews to overnight in Riyadh which I suspect.
- The regular threat of Cairo being jointed onto DXB or some other stop en-route instead of express from SIN. If something is working the way it is, why change it. With CAI being Egypt Air hub, you would think SQ would want to link it nonstop from SIN so people could get from SIN to places like Casablanca, Lagos and Nairobi with only 1 stop.
- The low capacity into Athens. I tried booking a reward flight SIN-ATH and it was booked solid for days and days in advance. SQ seem quite half-hearted about Athens. Clearly people want to go there - why not run it at a decent frequency?
- Abolishing economy in the A340-500s. I would of liked to of done SIN-EWR one day, but without an economy option the price rapidly becomes prohibitive.
- Axing BKK to Kansai. I went on this flight once (a red eye flight with mostly Japanese on board) - another victim of cost cutting.
- SQ partner airlines like Air China never knowing for sure whether KrisFlyer miles will be accrued on their flights. It is a gamble going on them, as they never seem to know what fare classes are going to count on SQ Krisflyer, especially if you book on expedia or similar.
- If you want to go on SQ to Australia in the last three weeks of December forget it! I tried many combinations and couldn't get a fare that wasn't extortionist in price. (I ended up going somewhere else on another carrier).
- Suspending Cape Town seasonally from next month. It is Sth Africa's best city. Shocking and sad decision.
- Axing Armritsar, whilst keeping Ahmedabad and Hyderabad. All three seem to be much the same boat, no? If anything, Armritsar is probably the more attractive and touristic of all three.
SUGGESTIONS FOR SQ:
- Introduce service on SQ to Iran! A country that SQ happily flies over but never stops. Only 71 million of us dream of the day when SQ comes to Tehran!
- Start a codeshare on the weekly Air Seychelles 767 between SIN and Mahe. It is so exotic - it would be hugely supported, but nobody knows about it. Air Madagascar is much the same.
- Launch SIN to South America. It is the ultimate missing piece of the puzzle to become a member of the 6 continent club.
- The occassional talk of co-operation and codesharing between SQ and Saudi Arabian airlines that never actually seems to eventuate into anything - they could easily codeshare Jeddah-SIN and benefit from each others' regional flights. People do transit Jeddah believe it or not!
- Beirut. Malaysian(!) can do it, why not SQ? It is an under-served market and all the gulf carriers run in the middle of the night.
- Malta. Another under-serviced market - ripe for picking with few competitors and none from Asia.
- Larger juice glasses. Drinking from a thimbel just doesn't cut it.
- I am addicted to the chicken rice shop in SIN T2 upstairs near Burger King. I go there every time I fly through SIN (even if I am using T3!). I would be devastated if they ever changed it!
Some reflections on what I think about SQ ---
WHAT I LIKE ABOUT SQ:
- New route to Kuwait. This is great news for the gulf. Kuwait is very expensive at the best of times and any extra competition will help keep prices just that little bit more competitive. I'd prefer it to run straight from SIN, rather than from Abu Dhabi - but at least it is a start.
- Not axing Dubai to Istanbul. This route was under threat of being abolished early last year. SQ have perservered with it, to their great credit. Plenty of expats in Dubai go across to Turkey for the weekend and the 4am departure actually works well out of DXB. On my 2 flights on this sector, the crew always seemed to turn off the flight show as we neared the Iraqi border (to not alarm the pax?!) always found that interesting.
- SIN to Barcelona via Milan. Finally fills a gaping hole on the map = two rolled gold destinations that have universal appeal.
- Any talk of changing the SQ girls uniform. It is a classic - keep it!
- It looks like some KUL-SIN shuttle flights are now being downgraded to Silk Air. This is a worrying sign. I've been on SQ 777s on the shuttle with only 30 or 40 pax on board. Fantastic! It would be a different story on an A320.
- Upper deck of the A380 in economy - those side storage boxes are fantastic! (The only other place I've seen them in Y was on the upper deck of a high-capacity JAL 744 doing the Haneda to Gimpo shuttle - which also has Y on the upper deck).
WHAT I DISLIKE ABOUT SQ:
- SIN to Riyadh via Dubai. SQ seem to change their mind about this destination frequently. Pilgrims from SE Asia going on hajj don't want to go via Dubai. The Saudis prefer to go on their own carrier. So why bother with the DXB stop at all? It is a routing that lacks sense - unless because SQ don't want their crews to overnight in Riyadh which I suspect.
- The regular threat of Cairo being jointed onto DXB or some other stop en-route instead of express from SIN. If something is working the way it is, why change it. With CAI being Egypt Air hub, you would think SQ would want to link it nonstop from SIN so people could get from SIN to places like Casablanca, Lagos and Nairobi with only 1 stop.
- The low capacity into Athens. I tried booking a reward flight SIN-ATH and it was booked solid for days and days in advance. SQ seem quite half-hearted about Athens. Clearly people want to go there - why not run it at a decent frequency?
- Abolishing economy in the A340-500s. I would of liked to of done SIN-EWR one day, but without an economy option the price rapidly becomes prohibitive.
- Axing BKK to Kansai. I went on this flight once (a red eye flight with mostly Japanese on board) - another victim of cost cutting.
- SQ partner airlines like Air China never knowing for sure whether KrisFlyer miles will be accrued on their flights. It is a gamble going on them, as they never seem to know what fare classes are going to count on SQ Krisflyer, especially if you book on expedia or similar.
- If you want to go on SQ to Australia in the last three weeks of December forget it! I tried many combinations and couldn't get a fare that wasn't extortionist in price. (I ended up going somewhere else on another carrier).
- Suspending Cape Town seasonally from next month. It is Sth Africa's best city. Shocking and sad decision.
- Axing Armritsar, whilst keeping Ahmedabad and Hyderabad. All three seem to be much the same boat, no? If anything, Armritsar is probably the more attractive and touristic of all three.
SUGGESTIONS FOR SQ:
- Introduce service on SQ to Iran! A country that SQ happily flies over but never stops. Only 71 million of us dream of the day when SQ comes to Tehran!
- Start a codeshare on the weekly Air Seychelles 767 between SIN and Mahe. It is so exotic - it would be hugely supported, but nobody knows about it. Air Madagascar is much the same.
- Launch SIN to South America. It is the ultimate missing piece of the puzzle to become a member of the 6 continent club.
- The occassional talk of co-operation and codesharing between SQ and Saudi Arabian airlines that never actually seems to eventuate into anything - they could easily codeshare Jeddah-SIN and benefit from each others' regional flights. People do transit Jeddah believe it or not!
- Beirut. Malaysian(!) can do it, why not SQ? It is an under-served market and all the gulf carriers run in the middle of the night.
- Malta. Another under-serviced market - ripe for picking with few competitors and none from Asia.
- Larger juice glasses. Drinking from a thimbel just doesn't cut it.
- I am addicted to the chicken rice shop in SIN T2 upstairs near Burger King. I go there every time I fly through SIN (even if I am using T3!). I would be devastated if they ever changed it!
Flying an Iran Air Airbus should be safer, was told.
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