Singapore Airlines Regional Business Class: The Worst Of The Best
- Konrad Tillman
- Aug 28
- 5 min read
Intro
Ooof, I don’t say this lightly, but having taken 20 flights in 20 days across 9 airlines, I want to touch base on a flight I took today on Singapore Airlines Business Class on their regional A350. Disappointed doesn’t even begin to cut it, American Airlines' business on their A321T was miles better…
Let’s Start With The Seat/Cabin…
Whoever designed this seat, I’m not quite sure what they were thinking. I mean this with the utmost respect, but if we take a look at the Starlux A350, the Delta A350, and the Aeroflot A350, there is so much space to work with. So, yes, the cabin looks sleek on paper, but the seat is so unconventional.
Not only is there basically no storage, minus the small cubby off to the side, but my biggest pet peeve with the seat is the side partitions. The seat is great for sleeping and lounging, but if you want to work? Say goodbye to that. One of your arms becomes constricted, and you cannot stretch out enough to use your laptop properly.
Lastly, my other issue with this seat is that there were a couple of maintenance issues. As an example, the tray table kept slipping and wouldn’t hold in its regular position. For a plane that is 5 years old, it certainly could be kept in better shape…
All this to say: it is nice to have a lie-flat seat on a 4-hour flight from Hong Kong to Singapore, but working on planes is my most productive time, and the seat isn’t designed for it. I’ve had more space in Ethiopian economy than this (dumb) partition that gets in the way…
IFE/Wifi
Okay, on a more positive note, the IFE was decent, and thankfully, the screen is touchscreen on their A350, unlike their 777s. There was plenty of content, including all of the Pirates of the Caribbean, which is my all-time favorite series.
However, the wifi? They might as well just not even offer wifi. It took 25 seconds to load the word “hello”. Thankfully, the wifi is free for business class passengers, but I have had better wifi on a sleeper train in Ukraine than on this flight. Sometimes you just have to laugh, and yes, we are on a plane, but if I can stream content on Aeroflot and Air Côte d” d'Ivoire, Singapore Airlines has to do better.
Service
Remember, in my review of Japan Airlines, I talked about how kind the flight attendants were, but the service was reactive versus proactive. I am sad to report that the same happened on Singapore Airlines. On the whole, I will say that the service was a bit better, as the FAs would pick up the loose garbage, but it wasn’t polished (compared to F on SQ, which is the most polished in the world in my eyes). Here are a few things that stood out to me:
Took 11 minutes after asking to get a glass of champagne as a PDB
Since I moved to an empty seat in the middle, it seemed to confuse the staff. I work from my seat, and put the meal tray on the other seat. Granted, most people don’t do this, but it should be more polished here.
Once airborne, I was never asked for a drink, just served water. It reminded me of the last time I flew SQ J when they forgot my meal full-on…
Granted, this is a small thing to notice, but when I eventually asked for a sparkling water, they gave me half a glass and I had to ask to keep the rest of the can. It’s a pet peeve of mine when airlines do this, and yes, it’s the small things that stand out.
Never once did the crew offer me a drink; I had to wait until after my main course was served, and then, I had to ask for one. I don’t get why the crew at what is supposed to be one of the top airlines in the world doesn’t ask “what would you like to drink after takeoff”. Even EgyptAir does this…
Another small quip, but I asked for a coffee, and the FA said that they couldn’t serve hot drinks due to turbulence. Understood, since it is safety first (always), but the other FA comes by a minute later with a pot of coffee 🥴. It’s the message…
Another small thing, but most airlines in the region pour champagne at your seat, SQ does not…
Lastly, and this is not something that I really mind, but carriers in the region often do, the cabin crew do not speak to you at eye-level. In the likes of Thai, Garuda, and MH, they have done so, so this was noteworthy. As I said, I don’t mind; it’s just another added aspect to the experience.
However, on some positive notes from the service:
At the door upon boarding, the purser met us all with a great big smile
Flight attendants offered to show us to our seats
They were willing to accommodate my change of seating
Quite efficient with the service, which is always something I value (some do, and others don’t)
Just overall, I have to say that I was disappointed on the service front. Had this been a one-off, I would have let it go, but it hasn’t been a one-off. This flight represented my last few experiences with Singapore in Business Class…
Breakfast
Okay, this post has put Singapore Airlines through the wringer, but the whole meal service on today's flight was nothing short of exceptional. Not only was the service efficient, but the food was delightful all around. The menu was extensive, but I had pre-ordered the beef through “book the cook”. Combine that with a glass of Piper Heidsieck and a Perrier; it was a delightful hour and a half.
Final Thoughts
There is no doubt about it, Singapore Airlines has been going downhill in the past few years. Does it still rank in the top 20 airlines globally? 100%. However, with how good the carriers are in the region, I’d seek out flying Thai, Garuda, EVA, Cathay, and Starlux, to name a few. With constricted seats (on their regional planes), service that has been going downhill, and extremely poor wifi, this isn’t the product for me.
I’ve gotta say: watch out for Thai Airways with their brand-new business class product coming soon, the best service in the world, and over 60 787s on order. With a hub so close, I wouldn’t be surprised if we see TG beginning to take a larger hold in the market within the next 5-7 years, especially with US-bound flights coming soon.
I'll have a full report out soon!
Oh my gosh, I am posting this from the lounge, and this is the worst lounge wifi I have ever seen in my life. Friggin Mogadishu airport has better wifi...
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