We have just spent close to a month in China, travelling around Shanghai, Beijing and the North East. The main purpose of the trip was for a friend’s wedding, but we decided to extend it to explore some cities in China that we’ve never been to before.
On our flight back to Singapore, we’ve initially decided to wait for the monthly Spontaneous Escapes promotion. Beijing and Shanghai appear very regularly in the promotions, so we were confident we will be able to redeem business class tickets for a discount.
2 months before the start of our trip, I casually browsed Singapore Airlines’s website and saw that there were First Class tickets available. Although we were hoping for Suites on the A380s, we were happy with First Class as well as we’ve never taken it before.
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This is our full review of the Singapore Airlines B777-300ER First Class experience.
Booking the Flight
For our flight from Beijing’s Capital Airport to Singapore’s Changi Airport, we’ve decided to try out Singapore Airline’s first class product. Routes to China and India are the some of the most worthwhile when it comes to KrisFlyer miles redemption.
We paid 58,500 KrisFlyer miles and 90 CNY (S$16.10) in taxes and fees each for our tickets. This was the First Class / Suites Saver award ticket. We booked our tickets on May 28th, which was just 51 days before the actual flight.
It was a pleasant surprise to us that there were still Saver availability this close to the flight.
Check-in and Boarding
In Beijing’s Capital Airport (PEK), there is a lane of check-in counters for Singapore Airlines. For First Class passengers, there is a dedicated counter located at the end of lane. This will come in handy during peak travelling periods for the airport.
First Class passengers can check in up to 50 kg of baggage, and they can bring as many bags as they want. Even though this was a month long trip for us and we did a lot of online shopping during our time in China, our combined check-in baggages were not even close to 30kg.
Lounges
At Beijing’s Capital International Airport, First Class passengers on Singapore Airlines have access to Air China’s First Class Lounge before the flight. We will have a future detailed review of the lounge.
In summary, the lounge pretty decent and spacious but does not exude a sense of luxury one will expect from a First Class lounge.
First Class passengers who are arriving in Singapore can also access Changi Terminal 3’s The Private Room lounge on arrival. The Private Room is on a whole other level when it comes to airport lounges.
There is ala-carte menu throughout the day and even private nap rooms for passengers to catch a quick nap.
Boarding
During boarding, business and first class passengers will board from the front air bridge while economy class passengers will board from the back air bridge.
The boarding process can still get crowded as business class passengers have to walk past the first class seats. As there are a total of 48 business class seats on this flight, you might not get the privacy you’re looking for in your seat if you board early.
Seat Map
There are a total for 4 First Class seats, arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration in the B777-300 ER aircraft. Every seat has direct aisle access.
The 2 lavatories at the front of the aircraft is reserved exclusively for First Class passengers. Business Class passengers will have to use the lavatories at the back.
For the flight, I chose seat 1C while M chose seat 1A.
Seats
Upon arriving at my seat, the first thing I noticed was how much wider it is compared to the business class seats on the same plane. With a width of 35 inches, this seat is noticeably wider than the business class seats, which are only 28 inches wide.
However, to accommodate this extra space, the First Class seat does not have any usable storage compartments on the sides of the seat.
These First Class seats were first commissioned in 2013, which means it has already been in service for almost 12 years now. The designers decorated the seat coverings with dark oak leather, exuding an old luxury feel that was probably in trend at the time.
If you need to store anything during takeoff and landing, there is a small storage compartment at the front of the seat.
Because these First Class seats lack sliding doors, passengers might worry about their privacy during the flight. However, I did not find it to be an issue due to the small number of passengers sharing the same cabin.
In addition, the walls around the seats are very high. As long as other passengers are seated, you’ll not be able to see the other passengers around you.
For the “honeymoon seats” in the middle, there is a thin divider that can be lowered if you’re travelling as a pair.
By the sides of the seat, you’ll find a couple of USB ports for charging your devices.
By the door, there’s a panel of electronic controls for seat adjustment. These adjustments are only for sitting adjustments and do not transform the seat into a fully lie flat bed. To do that, you’ll need to manually flip the seat, similar to its business class variant.
Amenities
The First Class amenity is provided by Lalique, a luxury french glassmaker that also specializes in perfumery. As a First Class passenger, you’ll get a pair of slippers, eye masks, socks, a gender-differentiated pouch and a set of pyjamas (for flights 6 hours and longer).
To convert the seat into a lie-flat bed, a manual adjustment is necessary. Guests can simply request assistance from the cabin crew, who were always ready to help.
Unlike the business class seat, this bed features a plush layer of duvets placed on top. The crew also ensures that the blanket is folded in a way that allows passengers to easily slide in from the entrance of the seat.
In-flight Entertainment
Every First Class seat comes with a huge 24″ HD LCD screen, powered by the same KrisWorld entertainment system you’ll find in other service classes.
This is one of the largest In-Flight Entertainment (IFE) screens on Singapore Airlines flights (barring Suites). It was truly a great experience watching a movie on this screen.
The headphones are Bang & Olufsen noise-cancelling headphones. These are premium headphones and are much better than any in-flight headphones that I’ve ever used. There was virtually no static sounds (common with most IFE systems) and the quality of noise cancellation was great.
Lavatory
First Class passengers enjoy exclusive access to the two lavatories at the front of the aircraft. These are kept spotless throughout the entire flight. Because of this passenger-to-lavatory ratio, there was never a time when I needed to wait for the lavatory because it was in use.
The size of the lavatory itself is not any different than what you’ll find in other classes. There’s still barely enough space for me to move around.
Similar to the rest of the in-flight amenities, the lavatory amenities are also provided by Lalique.
Meal Service
As we were on a morning flight, we were served the breakfast menu. Even though Singapore Airlines had a special menu for the SG60 celebrations, there wasn’t any difference in the breakfast menu.
For breakfast, it was a 3 course meal, with a fruit appetizer, yoghurt/muesli and a choice of mains. I decided to go with the Lan Zhou Beef La Mian for a final taste of China.
The Beef La Mian noodles were very tender and the soup was very flavourful. I would definitely choose it again if given a choice!
Service
The biggest difference for us between a First Class flight and Business Class flight has to be the service by the cabin crew. Don’t get me wrong, the service on Singapore Airline’s Business Class flight is already generally excellent.
The service on the First Class flight simply takes it up a notch.
On our flight, there were 3 crew dedicated to the 3 First Class passengers onboard. This ensures that the needs of every passenger is taken care of.
One distinct example was right before landing when I headed to the lavatory to change out of my pyjamas. Upon returning to my seat, I found that my bed has already been transformed into a seat for landing without me even needing to request for it.
Final Thoughts
Singapore Airlines B777-300 ER First Class
Summary
Singapore Airlines truly lives up to its reputation as one of the world’s best airlines. The First Class experience is nearly unparalleled and does not disappoint.
The main drawback is the dated hardware. Over a decade old, it shows its age with worn seat decorations, many manual moving parts, and less modern in-flight entertainment compared to competitors.
However, the exceptional service from the cabin crew more than compensates for these issues. With a low crew-to-passenger ratio, the crew can provide individual attention, which in my opinion is the biggest differentiator between First Class and Business Class.
Overall, Singapore Airlines’ First Class experience is unforgettable and will be remembered for years.
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