For us the prospect of finally doing this review was very exciting. It’s probably our most anticipated new product this year (albeit released in late 2017). We attended and covered the launch event and were awed when we first saw, touched and experienced this newly designed Suite. We loved the 2006 Suites product installed on the first Singapore A380s, it was groundbreaking, but the world has moved on.
Background
Jacques Pierrejean was responsible for the design and Zodiac Aerospace for the realisation. Combine that with Singapore Airlines’ award-winning service – it seemed like a sure-fire recipe for success.
We described our booking process in our Round-the-world in First Class article. As we mentioned there, it wasn’t exactly ‘smooth sailing’. Still we were happy to be finally able to sample the full ‘double bed’ 2017 Suites experience.
Flight details
- Flight: SQ856 Singapore Changi T3 to Hong Kong T1
- Class: Suites
- Seats: 1A & 2A
- Aircraft Type: Airbus A380-800
- Aircraft Registration: 9V-SKU
- Aircraft Age: 1.3 years
- Date: July 2018
- Departure / Arrival: 09:55 / 13:55
- Flight Time: 4h 00m
- Cost: 70,000* KrisFlyer miles + S$34.00 per person
* Note this is the ‘Advantage’ redemption rate for this route. If you can secure a ‘Saver’ rate the cost is 37,500 KrisFlyer miles per person.
Check-in
Singapore Airlines First Class and Suites Class passengers are invited to check-in at a dedicated First Class annexe of Changi Terminal 3. As you pull up to the red-carpeted entranceway, porters assist with your luggage and you are whisked through to take a seat at a private check-in desk. The whole process is very speedy – so fast, in fact, it doesn’t really justify the large general seating area, cold towels, soft drinks and abundance of staff, but it’s a quiet private area with a welcoming and cosy ambience.
After the brief check-in formalities are completed, you are presented with ‘The Private Room’ invitations, handwritten in gold pen and directed to the private immigration and security channel. Unsurprisingly there was no queue and we were through to the departures area in less than 10 minutes.
Lounge and boarding
The Singapore Airlines Terminal 3 lounges are located up an adjacent escalator from the exit of the private immigration channel. On arrival, the hosts quickly spot ‘The Private Room̵