SQDAZZ to Thailand, Sing, Philippines and Bali (JQ Y, SQ F, SQ C, AK Y, FD Y)

[sqdazz]

We had been informed by check-in we could use either the TG Royal First Lounge or the SQ Krisflyer lounge. Of course we went for the TG First lounge. We were warmly welcomed inside on the SQ F boarding pass, and were immediately offered drink service to our seats, no need to go to the bar here, 2 glasses of Moet and Chandon were delivered to our table immediately, and were constantly replaced by the ever attentive staff.


Take your pick!


Food made to order and delivered to the table



You could go to the food area and there was a display of the food available to order, I ordered the club sandwich and wonton soup, my partner took the omelette option. Everything was prepared freshly in the kitchen and then delivered to the table. Food was very good indeed. I felt like some cake and fruit after there, I walked up to the buffet area, and the staff insisted on preparing the food on the plate for me and delivering it to the table. Simply amazing service.

Here are some pics of the lounge surroundings:







The flight was boarding from D concourse, and with security screening available immediately outside the lounge, we were out of the lounge and on board the aircraft in just a few minutes.


Gate holding area


Ready to go


Our bird today, 9V-SYA


Some DOM prior to takeoff please

[sqdazz]

SQ973 Bangkok to Singapore - First Class

SINGAPORE AIRLINES FLIGHT SQ973 BANGKOK TO SINGAPORE

Here are the flights stats:

Operated by Boeing 777-312 9V-SYA - Delivered new 10.12.1998



STD: 1115
ATD: 1111
STA: 1430
ATA: 1425


Y Load Factor: 100%
C Load Factor: 100%
F Load Factor: 72%

Departure Runway: 19L
Arrival Runway: 02L


My partner and I were going on a 1 week holiday from Bangkok, decided to maximise FF miles by flying BKK-MNL via SIN, just 22500 miles in F. A good deal for 6 hours on board in total. Decided on a quick overnight in SIN taking full advantage of the <24 hour not really a stopover rule. You can not make a stopover normally on a F Saver redemption, but if it is under 24 hours it's ok.

Woke up nice and early to take in the Thai Royal First lounge, up at about 0700, and in the cab by 0730 or so. Was a quick ride in to the airport from my apartment in the Ramkhamhaeng area.


Looking out from my apartment window before heading to the airport, not the best view I know


Approaching the terminal in the taxi


FID

Checkin was not too busy at this time, and there was nobody waiting at the First counter, was warmly met there by a lovely female checkin agent who handled my seat requests on the SIN-MNL sector for the following day, I wanted 1A and 1B but was unable to choose them online as they were designated bassinet seats. We would be in 3A and 3B for this sector. We were handed our Thailand Elite Fast-Track immigration cards and directed to the right hand side of the passport control area to be processed immediately. There was no waiting at all, although if you were not fast tracked, the queues were quite long on the other side!


Checkin


Fast track makes you Elite!

[milehighj]

Thanks for posting

[Kyo]

Keep it coming mate, doing well!

[KeithMEL]

A great start, sqdazz. Looking forward to more.

[sqdazz]

Hold short of Runway 27 please, Qantaslink Dash 8 landing on the cross runway


We had quite a bit of cloud to get through before the seat belt sign was off and the crew commenced handing out the Video ON Demand portable units, I had prepaid for one of these for AU$12 at the time of booking. I was asked for my drivers licence as a 'deposit' for the unit. With the seat next to me free I set the unit up on the tray table beside me, it contained a reasonable selection of new release movies, most of which I had seen. There is also a nice selection of Australian made movies. There is a limited selection of TV shows. Definitely enough to keep you entertained on this 9 hour sector, although if you travelled more than once in a month you may run out of options! I used my SONY noise cancelling headphones with the unit and settled in. For those not hiring the AVOD units, there is main screen entertainment of various TV shows and one movie during the flight, as well as numerous audio channels available from you armrest.


Video On Demand Unit


Audio channels from the armrest, from the Qantas days


Crew at work, but not much work, not many customers!

Meal service was offered about 60 minutes into the flight, I did not purchase anything, having had lunch on the ground and prepared with snacks in my carryon bag. The service was briefly interrupted with some moderate turbulence over South Australia and crew and passengers asked to be seated.


Endless desert in Australia, a familiar site to all regular Aussie passengers going to Asia

As we crossed the Australian coastline over Derby, the Captain came for a walk around the cabin, to stretch his legs I guess? This was quite unusual for me, I hadn't seen a pilot so far back in the cabin that I could remember. He was EXTREMELY friendly and made small chat with a lot of the passengers as he walked by, giving hints and tips about Thailand for those Thailand newbies we had on board (almost everyone I think).

We experienced some moderate turbulence over the Kuching area and had to divert around several thunderstorm cells. The seat belt sign was on for quite a while around there, with the crew also obeying the seat belt sign every time it was switched on. And, when flying JQ, if the seatbelt sign is on, you MUST stay in your seat. Every time someone gets up, the cabin manager makes an announcement for that person to sit down! Quite a refreshing change from Asian based carriers who don't seem to care!


Storm activity around Kuching


Airshow shows us diverting around the weather

At about 1 hour 30 mins to arrival the crew came around with the second meal service, I again politely declined. I am not paying AU$15 for a meal when I can be eating Thai food in my local soi next to my apartment for FAR less than that in just a couple of hours time!

The sun was going down by this stage as we came up the gulf of Thailand and the fishing boat lights scattered all over the gulf were visible, there is just so many they must be running out of fish by now! By the time we started descent it was completely dark, with the lights of Pattaya and Rayong out to the right of the aircraft. A lot of 'ooohs and ahhhs' from the inexperienced passengers as they saw the lights of Bangkok for the first time. It's a real 'holiday' mood on board, so very different to flying a legacy carrier where it is all very business like. I myself prefer the business like vibe of SQ, and even TG has a more formal, business type feel on board, even if half of the passengers are holiday makers. This latter part of the flight saw a video showing on the main screens with highlights of Bangkok and arrival procedures at the airport.


Fading light as we head up the Gulf of Thailand

We were arriving on Runway 19R tonight, which means flying past the airport and making left hand turns to head south again, forming a kind of U shape track onto final approach. A smooth touchdown, firm braking with reverse thrust saw us off the runway and onto the taxiway still almost parallel with the end of Concourse E. We would be parking on Concourse E, so a short 5 minute taxi to the gate and we were disembarking. I heard an Aussie couple discussing how they might be able to take an Air Asia flight to Phuket that night, but they had no idea where to go, so I helped them out a bit, pointing them in the right direction so they could buy a ticket on the 2120 departure to Phuket with Thai Air Asia. The immigration queues were short, waiting only 3 minutes, bags were our 5 minutes after that and I was out the door at 2000 and into a taxi!


Docking at the gate

Overall a good flight, considering it was Jetstar and I just hate flying when I know I am not earning any miles!!! Had the flight been full I'm sure I would have hated it, but with so many vacant seats it was a real pleasure.

Next its SQ F, BKK-SIN!

[sqdazz]

continued


Terminal construction underway


Qantas Domestic


Id rather be boarding this one!


Instead Im going on this one

The aircraft operated from Sydney to Melbourne immediately prior, and a number of passengers from Sydney were continuing to Bangkok, these passengers were brought upstairs from the arrivals level and into the departures area by JQ staff having been processed in Sydney. A number of the Thai based crew seemed to be working both sectors also, a long day for them SYD-MEL-BKK. The flight crew and about 4 or 5 Australian based crew seemed to be commencing their working day in Melbourne and arrived separately. Today's aircraft is VH-EBC, delivered to Jetstar 23 December 2006 from Qantas. This aircraft is just on 6 years old and it was the same aircraft that took me on my first trip to Thailand just 2 years ago, I have been back 15 times since! You might say I kinda fell in love with the place! I now have an apartment I permanently rent in Bangkok, so its basically a second home to me these days.


Crew arriving


Boarding

Boarding was on time with ex-Sydney passengers asked to come forward and board first. Then it was Starclass and passengers in the rear economy cabin next. The gate-agent I handed my boarding pass too did not take the stub off the boarding pass of the people in front of me, nor mine, but I noticed the other agents tearing stubs off, so I went past her then turned back and said, 'hey do you want my stub?'. She had already forgotten who I was and said, WHO CHECKED YOU?? Almost accusing me of having slipped by her, I told her it was she who had checked my passport and boarding pass. This attracted the attention of the other gate agents and I informed them that she had forgotten to take the stubs of numerous passengers. My stub was then taken whilst the very embarrassed gate agent came down the aerobridge where she found the cabin manager tearing stubs at the door, thankfully she had picked up the error, otherwise we may have been delayed working out who was and wasn't on the plane! The gate agent apologised to the cabin manager and took her stubs back up to the gate.




Welcome aboard


Exit row legroom for sale


That hideous 'lets fly away' music plays continuously when you board Jetstar aircraft, I hate it! I took my seat 56K and settled in, there was nobody seated in my entire row, nor the seats in front of me, or behind me. With doors safely closed, I relaxed, knowing I could stretch out here and watch the world go by my window. The captain welcomed us all on board, estimated flying time today is 9 hours and 9 minutes with a departure to the south on Runway 16, the very same runway the the Emirates A340-500 over-ran whilst taking off 3 days prior. Hopefully today we would not be repeating that! Most domestic departures and arrivals were off Runway 27, we pushed back, taxi'ed out and across RWY 27 after awaiting a Qantaslink Dash 8 to land in front of us, and took off, with a couple of right hand turns setting us on course.


I would rather be on any of these 3 aircraft!


Very empty flight!


Leg Room

[sqdazz]

I never really look forward to flying Jetstar Intl, but on this occasion I was budget wary and went ahead with the booking. Other options were Air Asia via KUL for about $500 and Thai for $600 but 0 miles. I elected to take Jetstar, with the plan to use Krisflyer miles to return home on SQ C class.

I booked my taxi the day before for 1210 and it arrived in my driveway right on schedule! Arrived at the airport just 15 minutes later, yes I live quite nearby to Tullamarine airport in Melbourne.

There are no International departures for about one hour before and after this flight today so the International Terminal curbside was deserted as was the check-in area. There was a total of 3 people at the Jetstar check-in desks and only 3 desks open, 1 star class and 2 economy. The passenger in front of me was being refused check-in as he was on a one way ticket to Thailand, with no visa and no printout of onward travel from the Kingdom. Fortunately for him he was able to go to an internet kiosk and print off an itinerary he had for a flight to the USA out of Thailand and was then checked in. At the other counter, a family was arguing furiously about their excess baggage charges but the check in girl was having none of it.

I stepped up and was of course extremely organised with just my 14kg checkin bag, plus I had my onward Singapore Airlines e-ticket printout. I noticed a sign at the check-in desks offering the Star Class on departure upgrade for $350. Personally I think that is a tad high, I believe it used to be $300, and when you add $350 to my ticket price you could almost have purchased the Star Class ticket online for the same price. Not a significant enough discount for me to bother with, and with the look of the check-in area
I could see this flight was far from full and would have room to stretch out without paying any extra. I was asked why I had selected a seat so far to the rear of the aircraft (56K) , I replied that I was hoping to have a vacant seat beside me, and was it vacant? Yes, it is, she said. I was check-in sequence #99 and I assumed most Jetstar passengers would have arrived before me as they tend to be holiday makers arriving very early to the airport, so it was looking like a nice empty flight.

After Hungry Jacks for lunch (I had not pre-paid Jetstar for food) I went through passport control, there was NOBODY there at all, no line at security either. I was subjected to the explosives test and a full pat down by the screeners. Was through and into the departures area in only a couple of minutes though. I got myself a latte and prepared to wait the 30 minutes or so until boarding, no lounge access sucks! Here are some snapshots of the terminal and aircraft parked there :

[sqdazz]

Hi all, I thought I would do my first trip report here, hope you enjoy it. I am in Thailand basically every month, and this time I took my Thai partner on a trip from Bangkok to Singapore, then on to Manila, then Bali and back to Bangkok. Used some miles to take SQ F on one of the last F flights BKK-SIN.

I needed a one way ticket to Bangkok from Melbourne and decided to take the cheap way out and fly Jetstar International for AUD400, as compared to SQ for AUD800.

JETSTAR INTERNATIONAL JQ29 MELBOURNE - BANGKOK 24 MARCH 2009

Here are the flights stats:

Operated by Airbus A330-202 VH-EBC (The All-white A330) MSN506



STD: 1410
ATD: 1406
STA: 1955
ATA: 1938

Estimated Flight Time: 9 Hours 9 Minutes
Actual: about 9 hours 20 minutes

Y Load Factor: approx 45%

Departure Runway: 16
Arrival Runway: 19R

Initial Cruise FL340 >> step to FL360 >>> step to FL380

Route: Overhead Melbourne - Woomera - Ayers Rock - Derby - Denpasar - Kuching - then up the Gulf of Thailand.

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