I arrived at London Heathrow Terminal 2 nice and early for this evening flight to Singapore. I am personally not a big fan of the automated check-in process there, or in any airport for that matter, just simply because it lacks the human touch. Thankfully, Singapore Airlines has many check-in counters for its passengers at Heathrow, to allow for a very quick check-in and bag drop process.
Since I was early for my flight, I decided to head to the Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge for some light refreshments prior to boarding.
The lounge was quite empty during my visit, so I had no issues finding a seat. However, the selection of food and beverage was somewhat subpar. But knowing that dinner was to be served after take-off, that didn’t bother me much.
Arriving at the gate, I was pleased to find the area large enough to accommodate all passengers such that there was no overcrowding. At about 35 minutes prior to the scheduled departure time, the gate staff began calling First Class, followed by Business Class and PPS Club members for boarding.
This B777-300ER aircraft featured the 2013 Business Class seat, which is an excellent long-haul Business product. Seats are arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration, providing all passengers with aisle access, the gold standard for Business Class these days. All the window seats were taken at the time of booking, so I had to settle for seat 18F.
Settling down in my seat, I stretched out to relax while taking a quick glance at the menu.
Passengers were quick to board, and before long all doors were closed and we were on our way.
Once we attained our cruising altitude, the cabin crew commenced the dinner service, beginning with Singapore Airlines signature satay. The moist and tender meat skewers did well to whet my appetite.
Up next was yam neau, or Thai barbecued beef salad, along with some dressing that complemented the dish very well.
For the main course, I chose the roasted lamb loin, lamb jus with roasted apple, baby spinach and baked apple-potato gratin. Again a risky move, but it paid off. The meat was done just to my liking, although the dish could do with a bit more jus.
To round it all off, I had the baked lemon mascapone cheese cake, which had just the right amount of tartness. A splendid way to end the dinner service.
As it was nearing bedtime in London, I changed into something more comfortable before flipping the seat back over to reveal one of the biggest lie-flat beds in Business Class. I had several hours of restful sleep as we cruised over Europe and South Asia.
At about two hours prior to arrival, the cabin crew began distributing hot towels in preparation for the breakfast service. Between the complete and continental option, I picked the former.
The breakfast began with a plate of sliced fresh fruit, which is almost always the case onboard Singapore Airlines.
Up next was a warm croissant and a cup of yoghurt. I wasn’t too hungry so I skipped the cereal.
For the main course, I had the English breakfast, which comprised chicken breast, pork sausage, grilled tomato and potato. The portion was just nice, and the sausage was seasoned well.
After the Captain provided us with the latest arrival and weather information, the cabin crew began to prepare for landing. In an almost SOP fashion, all seat backs were upright, window shades raised, and tray tables stowed. We touched down in Singapore right on schedule, marking the end of yet another awesome flight with Singapore Airlines.
