Impressions of SQ New A380 Launch Event (Programme, Catering by SATS, Goodie Bags)

[yflyer]

9V-JKL and I attended the SQ A380 new cabin products launch event at Suntec Convention Centre on Saturday, 4 Nov 2017, as guests of 9V-SIA and his lovely wife.

A rundown of the new cabin products from the event has been posted in the main new cabin classes discussion thread here. [Update: A trip report on the new A380 Suites and Economy class can now be found here.]

Rather than post distracting pictures of the food and festivities in that thread, I thought I would post my impressions of the event itself in a separate thread here.

This was the last of a series of launch events over the period 2-4 November. The first event on 2 November was for the media, with events for travel and industry guests on 3 November. The events on 4 November, including the evening event we attended, looked to be mainly VIP or top tier frequent flyers (I would guess Lifetime Solitaire PPS) and other invited guests (If anyone has a more accurate profile of guests that evening, do share...).



By any standards, this was a lavish affair as far as F&B was concerned...

Guests were welcomed at the door with beverages of their choice...champagne, red or white wine, a signature cocktail, or soft beverages...

Before being shown to their seats at high tables and bar stools in front of a large screen...





A seemingly never ending flow of hors d'oeuvres were served, including caviar on blini...



...duck rillette...



...and other delights...

[yflyer]

SIA Senior Vice President, Products & Services, Marvin Tan kicked off the event with a welcome speech...



...followed by a brief video presentation and a musical performance by a small group of cabin crew...



...after which the wraparound video screen behind the stage lifted in dramatic fashion to reveal the exhibition area with all the new cabin products.

[yflyer]

Invited guests were divided into groups based on the "Destination" indicated on our personalised ID lanyards, and given brief tours of the new Suites...



...while other guests were invited to either view the other exhibits on their own, or help themselves to a sumptuous buffet spread, while awaiting their tour slot...



What made the buffet spread memorable was the fact that it was catered by SATS, and included some favourites from the inflight menu, including SQ's delicious satay, served as a prelude to lunch or dinner, on many of SQ's flights in J or F.



In any event, the catered selection was quite delicious, starting with a range of delectable appetisers...



...including creations such as Shanghai Cold Beef Knuckle with Yellow Bean Jelly...



The satay...



..with traditional condiments: rice ketupat, onion and cucumber, and a spicy peanut and chilli sauce...



Egg custard ("Chawan Mushi") with oyster and sea urchin sauce...



Mains included Thai style spicy and sweet prawn...



Grilled barramundi...



Slow roasted duck...

[yflyer]

Hainanese chicken rice (Delicious!)...



...and a savoury, authentic, lamb briyani...



The dessert spread was no less inspired, with Fusion selections, such as this layer cake with berries...



...Western desserts...



...and Asian dessert selections...

[yflyer]

The wines served included this full bodied Shiraz from Dandelion Vineyards...



Dandelion Vineyards has been a regular on SQ's Business Class wine lists for many years now (Including an unusual and delicious red with Shiraz and Riesling grape varietals), and I was delighted to see a Dandelion wine served at this event...

Also on the beverage list was an unusual cocktail: #70 from local Singapore small batch cocktail maker Sunday Punch...



...which was a very easy-to-drink combination of gin, pineapple, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, vermouth and ginger...



A very pleasant cocktail...Where can I get a bottle of this in Singapore?

[yflyer]

We spent a long time examining the new SQ products in detail as well...







Full coverage of our tour of the new products can be found here.

9V-SIA, 9V-JKL and I were all bowled over and very impressed by the new products, which were far more impressive than you could imagine just by looking at the PR (Or leaked) photos.

At the end of the event, guests were each given two goodie bags: One from SQ, and one from Lalique, containing a selection of SQ souvenirs, including SQ teddie bears and the 70th Anniversary amenity kit (Actually more of a hotel laundry survival kit...) and Victoria's Secret perfume (Not pictured) and a separate bag containing several Lalique freebies. Just a few of the items in the goodie bags pictured below...



There was also a lucky draw, where one lucky guest won 2 Suite tickets to a destination of their choice. The venue fell silent for a moment as the name of the winner was drawn and announced. What a lucky winner! The winner was not one of our party, but I can bet someone in our party this evening, or on SQTalk, will be providing a first hand review of these new products at some point soon!

A well organised event which left guests feeling pampered and excited about the new products....

Thanks again, 9V-SIA for guesting me (And 9V-JKL) to the event!

[Tonitan]

Great photography and commentary! My Wife is on one of your photograph,we are seated directed opposite the lucky draw grand prize winner on the left side of the centre stage. In any case,we truly enjoyed ourselves and are impressed with all the improvements across the different classes. Kudos to SQ for the effort to engage their passengers and here’s to more great flights together everybody!

[Tonitan]

Just for laughs : There is a bottle of Victoria Secret’s perfume in a pink box in the goodie bag with a $52 price sticker underneath the box.. makes me wonder if they obtained them in a SaSa stock clearance sale.. .. ..

[SQavgeek]

Invited guests were divided into groups based on the "Destination" indicated on our personalised ID lanyards, and given brief tours of the new Suites...

Just a thought I got when I saw the guy holding up the "SYD" sign, maybe the destinations that everyone got at the event will be the destinations for the new A380's?

[Tonitan]

Just a thought I got when I saw the guy holding up the "SYD" sign, maybe the destinations that everyone got at the event will be the destinations for the new A380's?

Its a good Guess but It’s highly unlikely as “destinations” such as “Stockholm” will be a near future A380 destination. Invitees were assigned a “destination” and pasted on the ID tag being part of a “destination” group for tour commencement on the new Suite introduction.

[9V-SIA]

It would have been an even better night if one of us had won the lucky draw prize. 2 ticket... in Suites... to anywhere you want to go

[CarbonMan]

It would have been an even better night if one of us had won the lucky draw prize. 2 ticket... in Suites... to anywhere you want to go

You sure that wasn't a scam?

http://www.straitstimes.com/singapor...l-with-sharing

[CTK]

It would have been an even better night if one of us had won the lucky draw prize. 2 ticket... in Suites... to anywhere you want to go

the problem would then be: the destination for the new Suites would be rather very limited in the foreseeable future?

[Tonitan]

Rather surprised that there are only 3 prizes for the draw... it would be nice to have a pair of new business class tickets for the second prize! The top prize winner was just seated across me on the right side of the stage and he doesn’t look any surprised or elated when his name was announced. Still,it was a really nice gesture of SQ to have this draw. On a side note,are we also expecting another product unveil for the new regional business class?? It seems like the first B787-10 is due for delivery very very soon

[yflyer]

Great photography and commentary! My Wife is on one of your photograph,we are seated directed opposite the lucky draw grand prize winner on the left side of the centre stage. In any case,we truly enjoyed ourselves and are impressed with all the improvements across the different classes. Kudos to SQ for the effort to engage their passengers and here’s to more great flights together everybody!

Thanks, Tonitan! Wish we had known that there was another SQTalker present that evening! (I am sure there were others too!)

In any case,we truly enjoyed ourselves and are impressed with all the improvements across the different classes. Kudos to SQ for the effort to engage their passengers and here’s to more great flights together everybody!

Yes, a wonderful event!

Just a thought I got when I saw the guy holding up the "SYD" sign, maybe the destinations that everyone got at the event will be the destinations for the new A380's?

They had a sign for "CBR", but I wouldn't get my hopes up for A380 service there any time soon...

It would have been an even better night if one of us had won the lucky draw prize. 2 ticket... in Suites... to anywhere you want to go

Instead of a lucky draw, they should have given away the Suite tix through a contest like the Mediacorp Subaru Challenge...