Singapore Changi International Airport

Again I took the shuttle bus from the Le Meridien Changi to the Singapore Airport. This time the driver had not passengers for terminal 2 and headed straight to Terminal 1, where the SQ Check In is located. Unfortunately he stopped just in front of the doors at the end of the Terminal, where the counters for the Shuttle Flights to Kuala Lumpur are located, so I had to walk a bit back or Raffles Class Check In.

One counter was empty and so I was able to check in quite fast. My book the cook was confirmed to be on the board and the agent asked me again, if this was the menu I had booked. As I agreed, I was told this menu is very seldom ordered by European people.

The lines at immigration were long, as it was still early in the day, round about 08:25 in the morning and it took ten minutes before I was able to clear immigration. I headed straight to the Silver Kris Lounge. The Lounge again was really full, but there were seats and tables available and so I took a seat and had breakfast with two croissant, some slices oif fruit and a coffee. While reading the Straits Times the lounge became emptier and I finally got a desk at the Internet Terminal with a plug for my laptop. W-LAN is for free in the Silver Kris Lounge, but there is also a Starhub net for free. This must be signal from the lower floor, that I did not notice it last Friday. This time the signal for the SKL W-Lan was not very strong, but better than Friday. I checked Mails and had a fast glance at some other forums I had to watch for work. While being at Flyertalk I heard an announcement for cawhite, but did not know why she was paged.

For me, it was time for a last coffee and I head to the gate after I had a quick look at some duty free shops.

Boarding had not started, as I arrived at the gate and a few people were queuing for security. But again, Changi Airport handled this quite well and I do not have to wait a long time. Nevertheless, I will not understand why this is done at this place and not before entering the Terminal. Boarding passes were checked and I got the immigration form for Bangkok. I waited in the waiting area and had a look at the Boeing 777-300, which will fly me to Bangkok this morning.

After some minutes, the boarding announcement was made for passengers travelling in First or Raffles Class or being Star Gold or having small children. Standing near the jet bridge I was among the first passengers boarding this plane.

29 May 2006
SIN – BKK
[Singapore Changi – Bangkok International]
SQ 62 (Singapore Airlines); Boeing 777 – 200
Gate
10:40 – 12:05 [effective 10:40 – 12:05]
Business Class
Seat 11 A

I was a little bit surprised to see a First Class Cabin, I had thought this was a two class configured plane, but I was wrong. It was again not the Lie-Flat Raffles Class Seats but the older ones. Well, these seats are not that bad at all.

I was greeted by name by one of the flight attendants and offered a glass of champagne as pre departure drinks. I could also have had a glass of orange juice or a glass of water. It was the first time I god addressed by name right from the start (aside the flight with the same Asiana Crew back from Chicago). On the flight to Denpasar I was addressed by name as my Book-The-Cook order was confirmed, but not before and not always on this flight.

Headphones and Menus were distributed on the ground and once again my Book the Cook Menu was checked. A hot towel service was done on the ground. I had booked Nasi biryani. Like the check in agent the flight attendant told me, this order not that often chosen by non Asian passengers. I told her, it was recommended by a friend, who travels a lot in Asia and likes it very much and I liked to try something new.

Also orders for drinks were taken. Because he load was only 50% the first beverage round was done on a tray instead using the cart, like Thai Airways did on the flight Hong Kong to Bangkok. A few minutes earlier “assorted nuts” were distributed.

25 minutes after take offer, the meal service started. This time the cart was used and one got the all courses together on one tray after the tables were laid with linen.

Here is the menu and the wine .


I ordered a Tonic Water, as it was in my eyes a bit to early for wine. My selected menu was good, spicy and partly hot. I liked it and told so the flight attendant as she asked me, if it was good.

I ordered a coffee for dessert and got two refills. It is nice to be addressed by name and one can really get used to it. Well, it would be very hard to fly back in Economy tomorrow from Bangkok I told myself. I enjoyed the rest of the flight, listened to one of the 12 music channels and skipped through the 14 video channels. It was not the Wiseman AVOD system, but for this short flight okay. I seldom watch a movie on this short flights and also I prefer to read on the longer flights instead of watching a movie.

We passed the new airport of Bangkok and from the air it looked really huge, but it is quite a distance into Bangkok city.

The plane was in good condition, though it was an older configuration.

We touched down at 11:50, but as our gate was occupied we hat to wait some minutes and reached it 15 minutes later at 12:05. This time, we had to wait until First Class Cabin had disembarked the plane, but this took only a couple of second.

I had a quick look at the Transfer desk, because I thought I could check in for my flight tomorrow, but the Thai desk was not occupied and I was not in the mood to walk the 700 m to the other terminal, as this would mean I will have to queue at immigration. I passed immigration quite fast and were at the taxi desk outside less than 10 minutes after I left the plane (the watch in the taxi showed 12:14).

And up to the hotel for the next night.

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