by FLYGVA and airoli
After we had disembarked we headed to transfer counters, where we had to pass once again security. I put my laptop out of my bag, but learned that I could have left it inside. Well, if you are used to put it out of the bag, you do this automatically. But security took not very long, less than five minutes. So up the stairs and doing some sightseeing in Incheon. The SQ transfer counters were not open yet and airoli wanted to take some pictures of this impressing airport, without too many people running in front of the lens.

After the photo session was done, we headed again to the lounge, which was open this time and we saw the other passengers from our flight waiting for their connections, a couple, who has also been on this flight, and the young lady with her child. The food selection was not yet stocked completely, so we helped ourselves with a coffee (not that I was hungry at all).

I searched the lounge agent to ask and see if the showers were already available, while airoli discovered the food offerings of the lounge

The Asiana First lounge was nicely prepared and offering the same generic, but comprehensive range of food and beverage as it did on our way out. Not sure if somebody really needs ice cream at 7am, but it was there. I believe I treated myself to some yogurt and fresh fruit, and alas there were no fresh rolls, croissants etc. available. Too bad, for I have fond memories of the treats sold in the basement bakeries of the big department stores in downtown Seoul!


While I was able to use the huge shower and refresh, shave and change clothes, airoli was not able to take a shower there, since they somehow forget him (though I have told them there would be two requests for a shower from First Class passengers).

The shower in the lounge was the biggest I have ever experienced in an airport. Towels were available, a shaving kit, combs, lotion, towels, shampoo, bath foam and even slippers. The decoration was nice. The only negative point was that it was a bit cold and the water pressure could have been a bit better.

After I finished the shower, I went back into the lounge, where I was told, that airoli had moved to the SQ lounge and they also took care of a book, which he forgot in the lounge.

The showers were available another 30 minutes later, and as there were only two showers, both of them were occupied once FLYGVA went ahead and snagged the second one. Instead of waiting for him to finish, I decided to head over to the SKL already in the hope for a shower there. I asked the lounge attendant to inform FLYGVA of my whereabouts and then wandered over to the SQ lounge, where I was immediately welcomed in. My request for a shower was quickly acknowledged and the front-desk agent accompanied me upstairs, into the F section and through to the bathroom, where a large marble-clad shower room featuring a large sink and private facilities awaited me. I closed the door behind me, stripped naked and stepped into the shower. It was then that I noticed that there was no towel in sight. Fortunately, I had not yet turned on the shower, for an extensive search of the entire room proved unsuccessful - there was no towel to be seen. Frustrated, I put my underwear back on and jumped into the airline pyjama that I had used on the plane, thinking it would be enough to grab a towel just outside. Too bad that there was not a single towel in the entire bathroom area, and no attendant either. So there I was, looking stupid in my PJs, wandering around a lounge bathroom. Reluctantly, I left the bathroom, scurrying through the F lounge towards the podium at its entrance and raising quite a few eyebrows on the way there. But no attendant was to be found there either. In a mix of despair, ignorance and utter disbelief, yours truly could thus be seen crossing the entire Business Class section of the Silver Kris lounge barefoot and in pyjamas, riding the escalator downstairs to the lounge entrance and confronting the welcome committee of 3 SQ reps (so here they were) with this minor service failure. Within a second, their faces were as red as mine, and with a series of apologies, good wishes etc. I was whisked back to the shower cubicle, with a towel being delivered shortly after.

I am not sure if in hindsight, I should look at this as incredibly funny or very aggravating, but at that time I was definitely in need for a cool shower. It was just my luck then that the water temperature never exceeded 25C and dropped well below 20C in regular intervals. I guess that's just SQ's wake-up regime.

When I was done at last, feeling *thoroughly* refreshed, FLYGVA was waiting for me in a lounge chair, having been told by the attendant over at the Asiana lounge that I had come here. In a well-intended try to serve a customer, she had also given FLYGVA a book that I had "forgotten" (In fact I had intentionally left it behind as I had finished it). Good effort OZ! We both agreed that the SKL was at least equal to the OZ lounge as for the buffet offers, had some breakfast nibbles (croissants were available here) and perused the menus for the different SQ flights out of Seoul, where were available in nice leather binders.

I decided to move to the SQ Lounge, too.

This lounge is in another area of the terminal, closer to the usual SQ gates in ICN. The lounge settling is similar to the one of the OZ lounge, only Business and First Class parts are changed. While entering the lounge the staff asked for my boarding pass and told me that my colleague has arrived. She told me she would take care of the boarding pass, issue a new one and take care of the luggage. I let the documents with her and took the stairs up to the lounge.

The lounge was not empty; a few passengers were waiting for their flight to SIN while some other passengers seem to wait for a flight of TG.

The food selection in this lounge was bigger in comparison to this of OZ and even in comparison to the standards of the lounges in SQ's home base Singapore's Changi Airport. I was not hungry at all and only had a coffee and water, took a seat and waited for airoli to finish his shower.

A little bit later the lounge agent appeared and gave airoli back his passport and the new boarding pass, while she asked me for my ticket, since she was not able to locate my luggage. I gave her the ticket and she disappeared with it to try to find it again. I would not really be surprised if my luggage got lost. She finally arrived and told me, she thought she found it, but was not sure at all. A somehow funny explanation.

At 08:20 we were told our flight was ready for boarding and we should proceed to our gate. Knowing SQ as quite early in making boarding announcements we took our time and went together with the other passengers to our gate. Boarding had not yet started, but the announcement was made in the moment the most passengers from First Class Lounge had arrived there.

25 May 2007
ICN – SIN
[Seoul Incheon – Singapore Changi]
SQ 603 (Singapore Airlines); Boeing 777 – 300
Gate 50
09:00 – 14:15 [effective 09.02 - 14:20]
First Class
Seat 02 B

We boarded through the First jetway which was for First and Business Class passengers only. An agent was standing there and checking boarding passes once again, so no passengers in Economy could use the wrong jetway.

We were greeted while entering the plane and were shown our seat. The flight attendant took care of your jacket. We were asked for our choice of pre departure drink. As usual we ordered a glass of Dom Perignon.

Other passengers were boarding and it seems that Business and Economy Class was nearly fully booked, but First Class was only 50% full. So I moved to one of the free seats in the middle section, so we both had some more space. The crew had not noticed our seat change, since we changed placed before they asked about our choice and had confirmed our name on their list. So they had to ask, who I was and changed it on the list.

Amenity kits and menus were distributed on the ground, headphones and blankets were placed on the seats. A hot towel was also offered while standing on the tarmac.

We noticed that one of the flight attendants probably had not the best day. She did not smile and tried to avoid eye contact with the passengers.

The Safety video was shown and we pushed back at 09:02 and headed for the runway. Unfortunately air traffic control told us to remain on the ground for another 25 minutes, as the captain told us. So we had plenty of time to enjoy our champagne and relax a bit. Finally at 09:30 we accelerated and were airborne.

20 minutes after takeoff we got a snack.

The crew was probably “less good” than on all our flights during this trip. Especially one of the flight attendant serving first class was in a bad mood as written above. It is nothing really worse, but again it was the details in comparison with the high standard of the crews of SQ. For example, if we ordered wine, we could not taste the wine, the glass was filled with the label facing the body of the flight attendant, so we could not read the label and see if it was the wine we had ordered, no eye contact, even worse, the flight attendant tried not to look at us and the passengers. As a passenger across the aisle ordered a cup of coffee, the cup got spilled. The leading flight attendant saw it while coming from the Business Class Cabin and took the cup and brought a new one immediately.

I made as usual notes on the flight for this trip report and Airoli asked for a passengers complaints form.

In the end, I have neither filled in nor returned the complaints form, for my mere asking for it had an immediate and significant impact on the concerned FAs attitude. Plus, within minutes the cabin service director appeared at my seat and asked me if there was anything wrong. I guess that shot across the bow was all it took to rectify the sour attitude.

As airoli had pointed out in the following time the mood of this flight attendant got better and if I am correct, the in-flight manager talked to her after he talked with airoli. Though the curtain was partly closed, I could see from my seat the in-flight manager talking with this flight attendant and after this she addressed us by name and made eye contact. So it might be the talking which changed the behaviour. Don't get me wrong, I would not care about such a situation on let's say Lufthansa, Swiss, United, but if an airline has set expectation you will notice a negative experience at once, though this might not be that bad in comparison to other airlines.

And here is the menu of this flight and the wine list as well (which is the same than on all flight of SQ)

The meal service was done individual. Again our table were laid with linen and each course was served it the previous course was finished.
The food was once again very good. The trilogy of salmon was very good; especially the lime honey sauce tasted interesting. The soup was good but probably the weakest course at this menu while the salad was again good and really fresh. I had seared chicken as main course, which was also good but not outstanding. As I read about the Warm Viennese apple strudel I asked myself why strudel is served that often as airlines food in premium cabins. While airoli had cheese, I skipped the cheese but had some fresh fruit instead.

During the flight I skipped trough the selection of movies on the in-flight entertainment system and read in my book. Flight time passed quite quickly and soon again it was time for the crew to prepare the cabin for the arrival in Singapore.

We touched down on Changi at 14:10 and arrived after some longer taxiing at our gate at 14:20.


The Business Class Cabin was hold back until we had left the plane. The crew wished us good bye and we headed to immigration, where no one was queuing and to our belt. Unfortunately my suitcase never arrived on the belt and I remembered the words of the lounge agent in ICN, who could not locate my suitcase. So I went to lost luggage, while airoli waited at the belt until the final suitcase has made arrived. Luckily they were able to locate the suitcase. Due to the many airport codes they had put it to the point where the entire luggage is brought to for the transfer to the next flights. They apologised and I was reunited with my good old bright red Samsonite suitcase after 20 minutes and we could finally go to the subway for our ride to the Intercontinental Hotel.

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