SIN-HKG-SIN on SQ. My first ever trip report!

[slacker]

Finally, had the determination to write my first ever trip report, hence, do forgive me if I came up short of ** expectations and not being creative enough, and pls do give me some guidance, thanks.

I will be working on this report in a few installments. Also, sorry for the delay, as I have plenty of tests and work waiting for me. Sorry for the poor quality of the photographs too.

Date: 06 Feb 2008 (CNY Eve)
Route: SIN-HKG
Flight: SQ862
Aircraft: B77W
Aircraft Rego: 9V-SWF
Runway of departure: 02L
Arrival Runway: 07L
Load: 100% in Y.

For this Chinese New Year, my family of 5 spent our CNY in Hong Kong. We had purchased this ticket since Sept last year, hence ample time for us to prepare for this trip. Got the ticket at the Sweet Deal price, which is slightly below $500 incl tax.

Prior to this trip, I had wanted to keep a full SQ boarding as a form of souvenir. Had posted on this tread to ask for some advice to obtain that. http://www.sqtalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3381.
My ‘operation’ was a huge success, and I managed to keep both old and new version of the boarding pass. Think there is no harm telling u guys on the details. Can’t be bothered with any SQ spies that is lurking ard here. I did downtown check in the day before, and got the older version there. On the day itself, I just presented all my family passports including mine, and boarding passes including mine were issued without any hassle. Hence, I decided to use the ‘old’ boarding pass issued the day before for boarding, and to keep the new version one. Will explain how I got to keep the ‘old’ version in details when I write abt the return trips.



Some pics of Changi T3:








Feel that T3 is really very underutilized. If not for the excellent architecture and landscaping, I almost felt that I m in some regional airports in some foreign land. However, I really like this airport a lot.


Went to visit resm for some free choc. Find chocs are very effectlive in refreshing and awaking me from my fatigue, as I din slept well the night b4. Perhaps I’m too excited? Thanks for the choc sample, and nice to meet u, resm.

To be continued......

[KeithMEL]

Good going so far, slacker! Looking forward to the rest of the report.

[slacker]

Boarding and takeoff.


9V-SWG or another B77W with engine trouble? With recent spats of engine troubles that SQ or B777 families reported, hope this flight is free of such troubles.

Walked aroung the airport till ard 10.45am before proceeding to our gates.

I always had the habit of proceeding to the boarding area till the very last minute. Perhaps, I may change my habit if I ever fly in J or F, so that I can start the F or J experience earlier. Hope that will happen soon! Had been dreaming so badly for this to happen, thus I thought I could get some 'kick' by using the PPS/F/J line when going thru security? But really, there’s nthg luxury in using this line, n it's time for me to wake up! Everybody was doing this man, no wonder premium travelers are complaining abt this in this forum. In fact, my family who used the actual line for cattle class pple, passed thru faster than me. This may do damage to the premium/exclusivity of the F & J class.

Looked at the queue forming at gate A2. There's only 10 mins till boarding, and there is still such a long queue. Hence, it is always my habit to be one of the last few to board, and preferred to sit and relax in one of those seats in the boarding area that cost thousands of $ each! Any idea why such chairs r so expensive? I had never understand why pple are always anxious to board 1st esp when they r assigned seats already.

Some random pics of the gate/aerobridge/B77W:



Queue looks long.


Nice lights.


Poor photography here! Could have shifted slightly to the left, so that the Gate number could be properly captured as well.


I liked the aerobridges in T3, as it enables u to have a good view of outside, unlike other aerobridges that give u a dark & gloomy feeling.

I was hoping for an empty seat in the B seat as I booked a set of A and C seats, but as Y was fully booked, no chance of that. Already found some1 seated there. So, we gotta swap seats and asked the guy seated in B to move to the aisle. Initially, he was pissed, after realizing that the aisle seat will be more comfortable for him, he gladly moved over.


At ard 11am, we started our pushback. On the B77W, the sound of the engine when it is starting up is really loud and irritating, and my mum even asked me what’s wrong with the plane. With recent engine troubles, any one who don't visit aviation forum would have been worried.

Traffic was very light, and we took off within minutes at the runway adjacent to T3 (02L), the shortest ever pushback-taxi-takeoff time I ever experience in Changi.

Actually, I also took a video of the the taxiing and TO. However, when taxiing, had a lot of conversation w my bro who's seated beside me, hence, not very professional for a trip report. Privacy issue as well? Perhaps, I will try to capture frames from the video and post it here once I completed the whole TR. Had no idea how to do that, nor edit the video.

To be continued.. Up next, inflight and landing....... Do stay tuned.

[jhm]

Thanks for the TR so far, slacker.

I had never understand why pple are always anxious to board 1st esp when they r assigned seats already.

One reason may be the fight for overhead locker space to stow your hand luggage.

[nickbot]

Enjoying the report thanks slacker - look forward to seeing more

[soak01]

Great pics of T3. Looking forward to the rest of your report.

[slacker]

Some Snapshots during Takeoff

This is the first time in recent years to have departed from 02L. All my past four or five flights out of SIN are all departing from 02C.

Takeoff and climb rate was powerful on this aircraft, unlike the A343 that I flew on LX183 last December. Also, on the A343, the aircraft was trembling badly during takeoff, but this was not so on B77W. However, it is nosier on the B77W.

Photos are the some of the snapshots from the video I have taken.

[slacker]

Anybody know which golf course is this?




Pulau Ubin?


Into Malaysia?

[slacker]

Inflight of SQ862

Inflight services only start quite some time after take off after. People who have no interest in looking outside the window would have hated the idea of distributing headsets only after take off. However, I am not that affected, as I always enjoyed the view outside the window. Think that contributed most of my joy when flying.

Leg space and comfort wise, think it is still as cramp as their previous aircrafts, and there is not much improvement. However, the new cabin is much brighter looking. For entertainment, the PTVs are bigger, and the picture quality are much better. Also, I liked the idea that the handset are placed infront instead of at the side of the seats.



For this flight, I didn’t take any meaningful pictures of the cabin, as others have posted good pics on them.



Trying to capture the mood lighting. But as a daytime flight, I can't feel any effect of the mood lighting.

Also sorry that I forgot to take pictures of the meals. Menus are distributed shortly after handsets are distributed. However, meals are distributed only after 12pm, around 1 hour into the flight. Being vegetarians, we collectively ordered two diff version of vege meals (both oriental and lacto-ovo). Having special requests, we got our meals pretty fast. But I can’t say that for the rest. The guy who was seated on the C seats on my row, only managed to get his meals after we have finished ours. Guessed efficiency has dropped in SQ? Pic of the menu cover is below: For the whole menu of this flight, pls refer to this post. http://www.sqtalk.com/forums/showpos...&postcount=102



It was quite an uneventful flight, and the Singapore Gals are at their usual 'robotic' or polite mode.

[slacker]

Landing in HKG

At slightly after 2pm, we started our descent. Not much of a view outside, as it was very foggy outside. Also, referring to this thread: http://www.sqtalk.com/forums/showthr...3507#post43507
Was hoping that the approach path involves the Victoria harbour. As quoted from zxcvbn, the approach was mainly from the south-western side which will make a final turn to the east. Sitting on the left side, my views are mainly the South China Sea and some small islands. Nothing spectacular and it was quite a boring approach.

We landed at runway 07L at around 2.30pm

Snapshots of the approach & landing.



Sigh... Wat's there to see?







Finally that I saw something concrete.



Gonna hit the ground real soon!



Yeah! We are on the land of Hong Kong SAR.






Exiting the runway....

To be continued...

[N_Architect]

Good work, slacker! Looking forward to the next part of your TR.

[v1rotate]

Nice trip report slacker!

That golf course I believe is Changi Golf Club, located at Changi Village off Loyang Ave. To the left of it (shown in the first pic of post #8) is Pasir Ris and Pasir Ris Park. Correct also on Pulau Ubin and Malaysia.

Looking forward to the rest of the report

[jhm]

Anybody know which golf course is this?

I think it's the Laguna golf club according to this thread (see post #13) ?

http://www.sqtalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1788

[v1rotate]

I think it's the Laguna golf club according to this thread (see post #13) ?

http://www.sqtalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1788

Laguna Golf Club is actually on the south side of the airport. You drive past it when coming in on the ECP, and fly over it when arriving on 02L.

[jhm]

Laguna Golf Club is actually on the south side of the airport. You drive past it when coming in on the ECP, and fly over it when arriving on 02L.

Thanks for the correction! It seems that there's the possibility of seeing (at least) the Laguna, Changi and SAFRA golf clubs when taking off/landing depending on the runway ? Perhaps we need a pictorial guide from the air for people like me who don't know one from the other...