On time: We pushed back from the pier on time but sat
on the taxiway for about 10 minutes waiting for incoming flights to land before getting airborne and easily made up the time on the way up to Singapore.
How full: Business class has capacity for 38 passengers across the two mini-cabins. At half-full, it felt very roomy.
Fellow passengers: Businesspeople and holiday-makers heading to the Lion City and points beyond.
Entertainment: There's plenty of time to tune out and watch the latest (lengthy) instalment of Mission: Impossible. There was a good range of multi-lingual movies and TV programmes for all ages to choose from, as well as a good selection of musical offerings.
Food and drink: The 5.30pm departure is ideal for dinner and SQ excels at in-flight catering. After a welcome-aboard glass of Taittinger Prelude Grands Crus champagne, followed by chicken and beef satay skewers, an entree of artfully presented chilled crayfish followed. For the main course, four delicious choices were offered: seared chicken breast, baked salmon fillet, braised Wu Xi pork belly and beef rendang. The pork belly came with Asian vegetables and egg fried rice and it was superb. The freshness of the Rheingau riesling was an ideal accompaniment, while dark chocolate mousse cake followed by cheese and crackers and then chocolate truffles, all enjoyed with a Taylor's 10-year old port, made a fine finish.
Service: It's Singapore Airlines, so the service was excellent. Polished and professional, the crew were simultaneously attentive, helpful and unobtrusive.
Baggage: 40kg.
WCs: Spacious and spotless, with a good selection of L'Occitane amenities.
Airport experience: SQ is one of a very small number of airlines to maintain their own lounge at the Perth International terminal rather than using the Qantas lounge. Undergoing renovations until the end of last month, the Singapore Airlines lounge was small but still had everything needed, including some very tasty Asian fare for flights departing from around midday onwards. It at least offers a welcome escape from the rest of the terminal.
Would I fly this again? Yes, any day of the week.
