When planning our trip to Sydney my girlfriend and I decided it would be fun to go through Hong Kong in order to fly Singapore Airlines Suites class. We especially wanted to fly in SQ Suites to finally experience the famed double bed in the sky. Luckily, when we searched for flights we found two Suites class seats from Hong Kong to Sydney via Singapore. Both the Hong Kong to Singapore and Singapore to Sydney flights were operated by Singapore Airlines’ A380s.
At first our goal was to fly Singapore Airlines’ new Suites the whole way, but sadly space never opened up on the Singapore to Sydney leg of the trip. Instead, we ended up flying new Suites from Hong Kong to Singapore and the old Suites to Sydney. Although we were a bit disappointed at first, we quickly realized that it would give us a unique back to back comparison which I’ll share soon.
Anyway, I’ll pick up this trip report from Singapore where my girlfriend and I just left Singapore Airlines’ The Private Room Lounge. The lounge is reserve for Suites class passengers which means it’s incredibly private (as the name implies). However, this isn’t a lounge that I’d look forward to spending a ton of time in.
After leaving the lounge we made our way to Gate A2 where we waited for our 12:45AM flight to board.
Boarding Singapore Airlines Old Suites To Sydney
About 40 minutes prior to the scheduled departure time the gate agents began the boarding process. As with most flights, the boarding process began with customers needing extra assistance shortly followed by Suites passengers.
As the boarding process began we rushed toward the front of the designated Suites lines to be among the first passengers on board. As we noticed with our prior Singapore Suites flight, very few Suites passengers actually board early. Instead, most seem to wait toward the end of the boarding process.
After the gate agents scanned our boarding cards we passed through the boarding gate doors. Once through the gate doors we entered a long glass walled and carpeted hallway which led to the jet-bridge door.
As we reached the end of the above hallway we found three doors. One was entirely for Suites passengers which lead to the L1 boarding door. The other two doors lead to the L2 boarding door and the upper deck boarding door.
Since the old Suites are located toward the front of the lower deck we boarding through the L1 boarding door. When we finally arrived at the aircraft we found two lovely Singapore Airlines flight attendants waiting for us.
As we reached the boarding door the purser checked our boarding passes and directed us to our Suites. One thing you’ll quickly notice about Singapore Airlines Suites is that the service is outstanding. From the moment you arrive the crew will always address you by name and go out of their way to make sure you’re comfortable at all times. More on that a bit later.
Singapore Airlines Old Suites A380 Cabin
As I mentioned above, the old Suites on the A380 are found on the lower deck. The cabin features 12 individual suites arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration. Rows 1 and 4 however only feature two window seats and lack the two center suites.
The one thing we quickly noticed with this configuration is that the entire cabin feels a bit dense. The Suites take up a substantial amount of real estate and feature high walls which make the cabin feel quite small. That’s not to say that the cabin isn’t nice or spacious, it’s simply that when compared to more open designs, the cabin itself feels a bit tight.
Thankfully, the same can’t be said for the Suites themselves. As you enter your Suite you’ll be pleasantly surprised by just how big your individual space is.
Inside The Old Suites
Once inside your individual suite you’ll find a large diamond stitched leather chair. The chair is exceptionally comfortable, and thanks to the two movable armrests on either side, incredibly spacious.
Along the center of the Suites (along the window of a window Suite) is a large console table. This table is home to some storage, outlets, a cup holder, and the movable tray table.
Finally, as you take a seat in your Suite you’ll find the oversized In-Flight Entertainment monitor and the suites ottoman.
The ottoman also offers a leather throw pillow mostly for decoration, however, the ottoman doubles as a seat for another Suites passenger. This is a feature my girlfriend especially enjoyed during the meal service. In that case, the throw pillow actually came in handy.
Exploring The Old Suite Seat
As we eventually took our seats the cabin crew stopped by each of our Suites to show us around. The first item the cabin crew highlighted was the Suites control center. Located along the aisle side of the suite are several buttons which control the Suites lighting, flight attendant call buttons, and do not disturb button.
Just below those buttons was the Suites IFE remote. Finally, toward the rear of this area was the Suites trashcan which I came to greatly appreciate. It’s nice to have a designated space to put the various plastic wrappers you’ll encounter as you unpack the complimentary amenities.
On the seat’s armrest are the seat controls. You can basically recline the seat or adjust the leg rest. Otherwise, seat adjustments were minimal unlike more modern first and business class seats.
Located on the far suite wall was is the magazine rack and another small storage container with a plastic window.
Along the rear end of the long console table was another much larger storage area divided into two compartments.
Just ahead and below this storage area on the console table were the seat power outlets and IFE headphone outlet.
The headphone outlet connected to the oversized IFE screen using a three pronged outlet found on the complimentary headphones.
A hidden and lesser known feature of the old Suites is the vanity mirror located next to the IFE screen.
This mirror is quite small, but could prove handy if you need to freshen up upon landing.
Singapore Airlines Suites Pre-Departure Service
Prior to takeoff the cabin crew made various stops at each Suite to make sure all passengers were comfortable. With one of these various visits we were offered a pre-departure beverage. As Singapore Airlines famously serves Dom Perignon or Krug Champagne in first class I opted for a glass of vintage Dom Perignon.
After delivering my glass of pre-departure Champagne the flight attendant returned with a set of Lalique pajamas for the flight.
Shortly thereafter she returned with a commemorative Singapore Airlines teddy bear which is often offered to premium cabin passengers.
The pajamas set also came with a Singapore Airlines branded eye-mask, ear plugs, and flight socks typically found in an amenity kit. Amenity kits were also distributed prior to takeoff, but I’ll unpack the amenity kit a little later.
Around this same time the flight attendants dropped off the in-flight menu which came in a leather booklet opposed to simply passing out paper menus.
As we pushed back from the gate and began the taxi to the runway the cabin crew collected the pre-departure service items. While this was going on I quickly browsed the menu to see if I wanted to order any food prior to going to bed.
Singapore Airlines Suites Menu
Browsing the menu was no small task considering how extensive the Suites menu was on our flight.
As I opened the menu I found a greeting from the Singapore Airlines kitchen which welcomed guests to the flight and introduced them to the menu.
As promised by the welcome note, when I browsed the menu I first found the “sleeper service” menu which contained a variety of breakfast items.
On the next page of the menu I found the introduction to the extensive wine menu and beverage menus.
As I flipped through the wine menus I found the Dom and Krug staples as well as several other white and red wines.
As I’m not much of a wine drinker I simply flipped the pages to pass the time as we climbed to our cruising altitude.
Before long I made it to the signature cocktail and other beverages pages which were a bit more appealing.
Even further back in the drink menu was a list of even more alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.
Finally, on the back pages of the in-flight menu were equally extensive coffee and tea menus.
Ultimately, the last pages of the menu featured several tea options from TWG Tea.
The final page of the menu featured the Singapore Airlines Crane on both the paper menu and the leather booklet.
As we had both eaten before our flight in The Private Room we passed on any meal service after departure and instead requested the signature Singapore Airlines turndown service.
Old Suites Lavatory
The turndown service takes a few minutes for the crew to convert each Suite into a bedroom. To pass the time, my girlfriend and I decided to visit the lavatory (separately) to change into our pajamas. The lavatories on the old A380 are surprisingly small and boring when compared to the refreshed upper deck Suites cabin.
As you walk into the lavatory you’ll find a plain room with a single flower for decoration. The sink isn’t much nicer than what you’d expect in an economy lavatory, but it is a bit larger.
Along the sides of the sink you’ll find various “amenities” such as feminine hygiene products, barf bags, and combs.
On the other side were additional amenities such as razors and dental kits.
Under the sink were a few different Lalique products, but again, the presentation was far from elegant.
The toilet itself is nothing to write a blog about either. It’s a standard lavatory toilet angles toward the door.
There is however a nice leather bench which folds down and is nice to have when changing.
I personally preferred to put my Lalique pajamas on the leather seat opposed to the toilet.
Likewise, by using this leather bench you avoid putting your fresh pajamas on any potentially wet surfaces around the sink.
Overall though, the lavatories in the old Suites class are by far the most underwhelming aspect of the product.
Perhaps the most exciting aspect of the lavatory was the foot controlled waste disposal cover.
Singapore Airlines Double Beds
On the other hand, the most exciting aspect of the old Suites cabin is the double bed. Since my girlfriend and I were seated in seats 2C and 2D we were able to convert our Suites into a double bed.
The double beds aren’t quite perfect however. The only drawbacks about the double beds is that they aren’t actually a single bed. Instead, it’s both Suites’ beds lined up next to one another. This creates a small gap in between the beds.
Likewise, the walls of the Suites do impede on the double beds slightly which limits the ability to sit close to one another while sitting more upright.
However, at the end of the day, it’s hard to complain about anything when you’re sleeping in a double bed on a plane.
The beds themselves are a bit hard which is consistent with other Asian carriers. I personally prefer a hard bed so this wasn’t an issue for me at all, but it’s worth mentioning.
Additionally, throughout the night the cabin did get a bit warm, which is again consistent with Asian carriers. I didn’t find it uncomfortable to sleep in, but would have preferred a slightly colder cabin. A colder cabin would have also been preferred because of the excellent Lalique bedding provided which offered plenty of warmth. Again, double bed in the sky, hard to complain.
A Spare Suite Seat
One of the only notable “issues” with the double bed Suite setup came as I woke up about an hour before my girlfriend. As I was awake and trying to adhere to my arrival time zone I decided to stay up from that point on. Since I was trying to stay awake I decided to watch something on the IFE screen and order a coffee. However, I didn’t want to disturb her with the smell of the coffee or the glow from the IFE screen.
Thankfully, the window Suite next to mine was vacant throughout the flight. So, as I got up I moved to the next door suite to enjoy my morning coffee and watch a few shows.
This really is the only “issue” I found with the double bed Suite concept. See, because the two center Suites turn into a larger single suite the light from the IFE screen floods the entire combined Suite. Even under the most dim setting I found the light from the IFE screen much too bright. I know at this point I’m nit picking, but it’s something worth considering if you’re thinking about booking this product.
To that point, the bed in the standard Suite folds down from behind the seat. This means that once the bed is deployed you’re stuck in bed mode.
That’s because the seat folds onto itself and the bed folds down over the seat back. Next, the console table swings down and over to protrude just beyond the bed frame.
This is an extremely clever design and one that I appreciate greatly, however, it creates a small issue if you want to switch between seat mode and bed mode.
Breakfast In Our Suite
Once my girlfriend woke up we quickly converted our double beds back into seats in preparation for breakfast. At that time I also joined her in her suite so that we could dine together.
The suites tray table folds out from the center console table and rests perfectly in the center of the suite. This allows another Suites passenger to occupy the ottoman during the meal service. Personally, I preferred the concept of dining together over the double beds.
Breakfast service began with a fresh pastry and of course I ordered the croissant.
Next came a serving of fresh fruit which I found to be a bit… conservative.
Then for my entree I naturally ordered the pancakes.
The food on this flight wasn’t anything special. Everything we tried tasted fine, but nothing stood out. I’m not sure if this was unique to our flight or if this is consistent with the breakfast experience on Singapore Airlines. By comparison, Singapore Airlines’ dinner service is excellent.
A Quick Look Around The Suites Cabin
After the crew collected the breakfast service items I decided to look around the Suites cabin a bit more. One thing I noticed immediately was just how large the combined Suite was when compared to a single window Suite.
Going forward, if I ever had the chance to fly the old Suites again I’ll definitely go for a window seat if traveling alone. However, even so, I would gladly switch to a middle Suite if the seat next to it was vacant. Having the center partition open just makes the entire Suite feel massive and space is hard to come by on an aircraft.
Another thing I noticed on the Suite when looking around was the hidden closet.
Located between the Suites is a small closet large enough to hold a jacket or two.
This closet doesn’t replace the need to seat storage, but it is a nice place to store your street clothes if/when you change into pajamas.
Another thing I noticed about the Suites cabin is the small lavatory indicator located along the front wall of the cabin.
This indicator only turned red with both Suites lavatories were occupied. Naturally, if you do get up and the lavatories are occupied the flight attendants will come by your seat to get you when it opens up. However, this indicator light is nice to notice to prevent you from getting up and walking to the lavatory if both are occupied.
Suites Class In-Flight WiFi
One thing that absolutely shocked me about Singapore Airlines Suites class was the WiFi. Suites class passengers receive Complimentary WiFi* with a major catch.
If you look above, Suites passengers only receive 100MB of complementary data. That is an utterly minuscule amount of data that I honestly found humorous.
Connecting to the WiFi was simple enough, but after I opened a single e-mail I was out of free data and I decided to just give up. I didn’t need to access the WiFi so instead I put my phone down and enjoyed the rest of the flight.
Lalique Amenity Kits
At the time of writing Suites passengers were all handed Lalique amenity kits shortly after boarding. As we began our initial decent into Sydney I decided to crack mine open and have a look inside.
The amenity kits were a bit underwhelming and only contained a few products from Lalique. Specifically the amenity kit came with body lotion, a facial mist, and lip balm all from the Encre Noir line.
Sadly, the amenity kit also came with a bottle of complimentary Encre Noir cologne for me.
I say sadly because this was without a doubt, the worst smelling cologne of all time. Honestly, I finally tried it out in our hotel in Sydney and ended up throwing out the bottle. It was horrible. I can only imagine this what Sex Panther from Anchorman smells like.
Joking aside, I much prefer the former Salvatore Ferragamo Azul Blue amenity kits handed out in 2017. I actually still use my Azul Blue cologne from that flight today.
Singapore Airlines Suites Service
Perhaps the thing that surprised me most about this flight was the service. The thing is, the service on the flight was fantastic as expected. However, it wasn’t the over the top excellent that I’ve come to expect from Singapore Airlines. Sure, the crew was incredibly friendly and always made it a point to refill my drink or satisfy any other request I may have had. But, I didn’t really have any requests…
We boarded the flight, took our seats, changed, and went to bed. When I woke up there were about 2 hours left in the flight and I ordered a coffee. With an hour left we ordered breakfast which was cleared with about 30 minutes left in the flight. After that, the crew prepared the cabin for landing and took their seats.
Unlike my other Singapore Airlines flights, I just wan’t alert enough throughout the flight to enjoy the service. However, while I was awake the service I did receive was great. I hope that makes sense.
I guess what I’m trying to say is… If you are going to pony up the points/cash to fly Singapore Airlines Suites class, do yourself a favor and stay awake for it all.
Final Thoughts
As expected Singapore Airlines’ Old Suites class is still amazing. Even more than 10 years after it started flying it’s on a short list of the top first class cabins in the world. However, as you look around the cabin and get over wow factor of the suite you’ll quickly notice that it’s a 10 year old product. Everything on-board just seems a bit dated.
Surprisingly I prefer the layout of the old Suites cabin over the new Suites. I also think the old Suites cabin is a far better option for couples traveling together over the new Suites. Still, I think Singapore needs to modernize the old Suites to offer a competitive hard product. With a little bit of modernization, I think the old Suites could still easily compete in the running for the world’s best first class.
Either way, my girlfriend and I loved our flight from Singapore to Sydney in old Suites. It’s a very exciting way to get from one place to another and we hope to have the ability to do it again in the future.
