The Great Winter Escape (BOS-IAH-DME-SIN-CGK)

[BOSqq]

Good news: Winter break has arrived!
Bad news: The weather makes a really bad travel experience for some people.

I was heading home to Jakarta for my winter vacation, and I left on December 21st from Boston, which is the 3rd day of the snow storm in the Northeast U.S. which already caused major delays and cancellations for some flights... Due to that I did not take many pictures... sorry...

Part 1: Escaping the storm

I was booked on a Continental flight to Houston-IAH which is scheduled to depart at 6.50 AM from Boston on December 21. I have checked weather.com for the past 5 days, and it shows snow for the whole weekend. Heavy snow fell on friday, followed by couple of snow showers on saturday. I left for Logan International Airport at 3.30 AM hoping to get an earlier flight to Houston-IAH. It was just flurries at that time, and when I arrived at the airport, the check-in line was incredibly long. All of the people lining for Continental are going to Houston. There were only 3 check in counter opened. One of the staffs then announced that all Continental flight to Newark-EWR are cancelled, which caused a lot of problems. Thankfully, I was heading to IAH. I checked through my baggages all the way to Jakarta-CGK. So I received my boarding pass for:

Continental Airlines: CO 683
Depart: Boston @ 6.50 AM
Arrive: Houston-IAH @ 10.20 AM
Equipment: B737-800
Seat: 16C
Date: December 21, 2008
Gate: A5


I passed through security and tried to get into the earlier flight to IAH. I did not manage to get into that flight, and need to stay on the 6.50 flight. I was very worried because the news said that sunday's snow storm would be worse than friday's. However, as I checked outside the view of the tarmac, the weather was only cloudy. The flight boarded, and it was a very full flight. The ground staff even asked some of us to volunteer to give up a seat for a $200 coupon. The flight got 35 minutes delayed due to de-icing the aircraft. We took off just in time, although kinda bumpy. We passed through the clouds and finally can see the sun. We headed south to Texas and managed to escape the snow storm

More to come...

[BOSqq]

The flight was a very smooth ride after the bumpy take off. The cabin crews then serve breakfast on board. We got a cereal, muffin, banana, and a drink. It is unusual to receive free food on board a domestic U.S. airlines... After a 4 hours and 15 minutes ride to Houston, we finally arrived at Houston-George Bush Intercontinental Airport.

Part 2: Panic at IAH

We arrived at 11 AM at IAH terminal C. Transiting at IAH is very easy, because terminals E, C, and D are connected. Couple of stores and restaurants, and if anyone has a connection flight to terminals A or B, there is a skytrain that connects the terminals. I have another 6 hours until my SQ flight. So I walked around the terminal, and see the Flight info screen. Many flights are either delayed or cancelled, especially flights to the northeast, midwest, and northwest U.S. I walked to the food court at IAH to get some lunch, and I saw an incredibly long line at the Continental customer service counters. People were talking on the phone, saying their flights were cancelled, or they are stranded in Houston, etc.

At around 1 PM, I walked to terminal D, and saw the airport staffs setting up the Singapore Airlines check in counter. The First class and Business class carpets were rolled down. The Economy class line was formed, and was quite long. SQ only has 6 check in counters. 1 for F, 2 for J, and 3 for Y. I soon approach and was in the very front of the Business Class line. Soon 2 more people followed and formed a line on the Business Class line with me. The First Class line remains empty even after I left. I got my Boarding passes for IAH-SIN and SIN-CGK. I also got a customer review form for compliment and complaint. Finally, I got my lounge invitation. I read at SQ's website that they use the British Airways lounge, but to my surprise:



I was kinda surprised that SQ uses CO's lounge. So, I walked to the lounge in terminal C. It was a 10 minutes walk from the gate to the lounge. There were announcement about increasing security level to orange. At every check in counters and gates there were signs of the increasing security level. No more Liquids, Gels, and Aerosols at all for all flights out of IAH. Not even a little. I proceed to walk to the lounge, but some part of the terminals were blocked by security, and apparently the walkway to the lounge was blocked. So, I was redirected to CO's president's club in terminal C south. I proceeded inside the lounge. Looked fancy, but not much food selection. Only snacks and drinks. Very fast wifi internet though... Almost everyone there complaining about how they are stranded there, or how their flights are cancelled and delayed. Some people tried to find a flight out of HOU instead of IAH. At around 2.30 PM, I went outside and decided to take a walk through terminal C. I passed through the check in counter which looked like a war zone. Very crowded and panicky!!! I looked at the screen and continued to see more flights cancelled. Many TV reporters came to the airport to show the situation there. At 3.45 PM I walked to Terminal D and arrived at the gate.

Singapore Airlines: SQ 61
Depart: Houston-IAH @ 4.50 PM
Arrive: Moscow-Domodedovo @ 1.25 PM
Equipment: B777-300ER (9V-SWH)
Seat: 34A
Date: December 21, 2008
Gate: D11

Arrived at gate D11 at around 3.55 PM. I arrived on the same time as the cabin crews. The crews proceeded inside the aircraft. Our plane is parked between a KLM 747 to Amsterdam and a Emirates B777-200LR to Dubai.


In front of the gate


9V-SWH that will take me to SIN

Around, 4 PM there was the pre-boarding announcement for SQ 61 to Moscow and Singapore. Boarding process:
1. Family with Children and Infant and Passenger needing assistance
2. First, Business, PPS, Kris Flyer Gold, and Star Alliance Gold
3. Economy (Back cabin)
4. Economy (Front cabin)
At 4.20 PM, I proceeded inside the airplane, and was greeted by 2 SQ girls. Walked past through the jumbo Business Class seats. Finally got into my seat and settled down at 34A. Around 4.45 the cabin doors were closed, and menus and hot towels were distributed. I am not sure about the load for F, but J was very quite empty, at most 10 people. Y on the other hand was very full. We needed to wait for a couple of minutes until all the cargo is loaded. The captain then announce another 5-10 minutes delayed due to strong winds. At around 4.15 PM, we were pulled back from the gate. Safety video was shown. We were the first one to depart, due to the domestic flights' delays and cancellations. We has a bumpy take off and the captain still have the seat belt sign on until 15 minutes after take off. After that headphones and amenity kits were distributed. Dinner was served after peanuts and drinks. I have posted the menu in the SQ Y menu thread. Shortly after dinner the mood lights started to kicks in. Cabin lights soon turned off. I watched a couple of TV shows and movies, and listen to some musics in krisworld and some from my USB. We flew towards the northeast and passed Greenland, Northern Europe, and flew to Moscow. We had a bumpy ride above the Northeast U.S. and Northern Atlantic. As we approached northern Scotland, another meal was served after hot towels were distributed. We approached Moscow with a cloudy weather. We landed at Domodedovo airport at around 1.15 PM local time. We approached the terminal and soon disembark. The whole trip from IAH-DME took around 10 hours.

[WittyBoston]

hey! i go to school in Boston too... but I either fly out of EWR or JFK. what an odd routing you take.... I would *greatly appreciate* if you could post a detailed TR with lots of pics on the SQ route... thanks! BOS is warm today.. about 7C.

[BOSqq]

Part 3: Moscow-Singapore-Jakarta

Weather in Moscow was around -10 degrees Celsius or 14 degrees Fahrenheit. After I deplaned, I proceeded to the security checkpoint for passengers transiting to Singapore. I headed to the Airport Business Lounge and took a quick shower. Not much food selection... Just had a glass of juice, and there was an announcement for all passenger on SQ 61 to Singapore to proceed to gate 10. I head out and walk to the gate.

Singapore Airlines: SQ 61
Depart: Moscow-Domodedovo @ 2.35 PM
Arrive: Singapore-Changi @ 5.30 AM
Equipment: B777-300ER (9V-SWH)
Seat: 34A
Date: December 22, 2008
Gate: 10

First, Business, PPS, and EG were already invited to board, while the Economy class line was already formed.... It was a very long line. I proceeded inside the aircraft and return to the same seat. Hot towels and menus were distributed as usual, and safety video was shown. Flight was full in Y. The Business Class was also quite full. I believe there are some people in F. The plane was definitely more filled up in DME-SIN sector than IAH-DME sector. We took off just in time, and on our way to SIN.



Headphones were soon distributed. However, for some reason we did not get any amenity kits Drinks was served followed by meal. The mood lighting started to do its job after the meal, and I decided to sleep. When I woke up we were approaching South East Asia







I watched a couple of TV shows and movies and breakfast was served. The Singapore guide video was also shown.



As we were approaching Singapore, we were told that our flight will arrive at Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 3, Gate A13. We landed on a cloudy morning at around 5.25 AM. It was a smooth landing, and we soon taxi to the gate.

I took the skytrain to terminal 2 and saw that my flight SQ 952 will leave from gate E27. I went to the SATS premier lounge. Although it was renovated, I did not see much of a difference. I took a shower, and I must say that the showers are not good. There were soap, but no shampoo.

I browsed the internet for a while, and was asked to buy some medicine for my brother. So I went out the lounge and look for a guardian or watson store in the terminal. Afterwards, I went to gate E27 for my flight to Jakarta.

Singapore Airlines: SQ952
Depart: Singapore-Changi @ 7.50 AM
Arrive: Jakarta-CGK @ 8.25 AM
Equipment: B777-300 (9V-SY*)
Seat: 33A
Date: December 23, 2008
Gate: E27

I met two of my friends in the gate, but we have separate seats. The flight was quite empty in J. Economy Class was full. We took off 10 minutes late. Breakfast was served. The flight was smooth, and we arrive at CGK around 8.30 AM. The weather was cloudy. I deplaned and joined my friends through immigration and to the baggage claim. Many people especially students came from the U.S. We got our baggages and that concludes my trip from Boston to Jakarta. Thank you for reading.

[tychau305]

Thanks for posting the trip report. This is the trip i plan on taking during March 2009, the IAH-SIN part that it, so looking forward to that. Can you tell me what is in the amenity kit? Is it in the Givenchy bag, as some of other fliers got? Thanks and have a good holiday.

[slacker]

Can you tell me what is in the amenity kit? Is it in the Givenchy bag, as some of other fliers got? Thanks and have a good holiday.

Think Y amenity kit comes w the Givenchy bag. But really nthg to write home abt.. N it only contain a pair of socks + toothbrush + v small tube of toothpaste.

[kelvgoh]

hmm. the amenity kit is a bag with the words "Givenchy" printed on it - haha. I do think its rather strange that they use the "high class" bag in Y, and use a simple, unbranded drawstring pouch in J. I like the drawstring though.

[Jet Blast]

Thanks for the trip report.

I'm curious to know if you took the same flights back to Boston. If so, how were the loads and service on the return trip?

As soon as SQ allows United miles to be used on IAH-SIN, I plan to take that flight.

Thanks again.

[BOSqq]

I took the IAH-BOS sector last August... The load was very high and all the seats were taken...

[kkjay77]

As soon as SQ allows United miles to be used on IAH-SIN, I plan to take that flight.

IAH-SIN is available using UA miles in Y.
F and C, of course, isn't available as it is served by 77W but you get the point.

[BOSqq]

For SIN-IAH, the SIN-DME sector was very full in all classes. However, the DME-IAH sector was quite empty. Especially in Y, most people could get 3 seats all for themselves. The 2nd Y cabin had less than 10 people in it...

[Jet Blast]

IAH-SIN is available using UA miles in Y.
F and C, of course, isn't available as it is served by 77W but you get the point.

Yes, thanks. I should have been more specific. I meant premium class redemption.

[Jet Blast]

For SIN-IAH, the SIN-DME sector was very full in all classes. However, the DME-IAH sector was quite empty. Especially in Y, most people could get 3 seats all for themselves. The 2nd Y cabin had less than 10 people in it...

Many thanks for the update.

Good luck with your studies in Boston.