Today I’ll be reviewing the regional Singapore Airlines Business Class in their Boeing 787-10. My flight was just a short hop from Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) to Singapore Changi Airport. I booked this flight as part of a return economy ticket from London to Vietnam. For 18,500 Krisflyer miles I was able to upgrade this 2 hour leg to Business Class. Despite being such a short flight I got to experience a lay flat seat, 3 course meal and fantastic service. So please read my review below to find out if Singapore Airlines live up to their reputation as one of the best airlines in the world. And please watch my Youtube review below too!
Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) Airport
Despite being Vietnam’s biggest airport, Tan Son Nhat International Airport is definitely one to forget. The airport was built way back in the 1930s and whilst the massive city of Saigon grew around it, the airport did not. Now the airport is very constrained for space and you definitely feel it. The check-in and bag drop area for the international airport is fine. However, once you pass security you’ll find the main departure area is basically just one long corridor. The whole terminal feels cramped and there is very limited seating unless you head downstairs to the gates. Considering this large airport has over 30 million passengers a year, there are surprisingly limited lounge options.
Apart from priority security and bag drop the main perk of flying Singapore Airlines Business at this airport is the surprisingly good Le Saigonnais Lounge. With good seats, fantastic views and a tasty, if limited, selection of food. This lounge is a good place to spend a few hours. Which is lucky, as my flight was delayed by over 1 hour. They even have some showers here, which is super handy if you have a layover or spent the day walking around humid Saigon.
The Plane & Seat
Singapore Airlines use the Boeing 787-10 for regional routes within Asia. The plane is split into two classes, with 36 Business seats and 301 Economy seats. The Business cabin is in a 1-2-1 layout and you can find the full seat map here. Couples should get even numbered (including row 11) middle column seats as are connected together. Whilst for solo travellers I would sit in odd numbered window seats (except for row 11) for maximum privacy and a good view. There is also no row 13 thanks to superstition.
For a 2 hour flight it’s hard to find a better seat than this. My seat, 19A, is a window seat which is nicely secluded from the aisle. The seat itself is wide and made of a soft, comfortable leather with an adjustable headrest. A large pillow and blanket are also provided. The footwell has 2 levels as well, one for your feet whilst sitting upright and a level above which forms part of the lay flat bed. There is a table for drinks as well as a small cubby for storage which also contains a power socket. Lastly the screen is massive and has a very good selection of movies and tv.
A very good seat with lots of nice touches which help enhance the flight. It’s little feature like the quilted panelling on the seat back, or a contactless card reader if you want to make a duty free payment. For comparison I’ve previously tried Iberia’s A350 Business Class seat and it was far worse. Even on short haul flights Iberia’s seat was lacking, but for a long haul flight I took from Madrid to Lima it was terrible. Singapore Airlines Business seat on the other hand does everything better. And they have an even better version of the seat for long haul flights on the A350, A380 and 777.
Food
The food on this short flight was definitely the highlight for me. Due to time constraints it is all served in one go, however, presentation was on point. And every course was delicious. Personally I think food is the most important aspect of a flight. Whilst most average seats are easy to tolerate for a few hour, there’s nothing worse than having to force down inedible food, or going hungry instead. That’s one of the reasons I was so disappointed with my previous Singapore Airlines Economy flight from London to Singapore.
To start there was a Vietnamese seafood salad. This comprised of fresh seafood (prawns, scallops and squid), dragon fruit and salad and a tangy chili dressing. There were 3 options for the main course and I opted for the Vietnamese choice. Ca basa sa ot, which I believe was catfish with rice and veg. Finally a chocolate torte for dessert which was light and fluffy. The only negative was the bread which was a bit stale and not warm.
Overall a very satisfying meal, all the more so as I had a 10 hour layover and 14 hour flight coming up so this kept me going. The presentation was lovely and it all came on nice Singapore Airlines Chinaware. It’s worth noting too that all Singapore Airlines Business passengers are offered a welcome drink on boarding. Many airlines have stopped doing this on short haul flights so it’s good to see it here. I got a glass of champagne mixed with a fruit juice I didn’t catch the name of. Finally I had some green tea after the main meal.
Service
As I’ve come to expect with Singapore Airlines, the staff were phenomenal. In my experience they are always extremely helpful and friendly, and this flight was no different. I didn’t really interact with them much besides ordering food. However, I was impressed that the flight attendant called me by name when asking what food I would like.
Singapore Airlines have done away with the traditional amenity kit on short haul business class flights. Instead you will either find items in the bathroom (toothbrush, shaving kit etc.) or you can request from a member of the cabin crew (eye mask). Whilst it’s a bit disappointing not to receive the usual toiletries and pouch, I can understand it. On such a short flight it’s not really necessary and it certainly cuts back on waste as I imagine most of these kits head to landfill pretty quickly.
Finally, it’s worth noting the delay of over 1 hour. Whilst I don’t entirely blame Singapore Airlines for this, it was a little bit annoying having to wait. And looking at the flight history on this route it seems quite a regular occurence. I had a 10 hour layover coming up so no delay was going to affect me. But it is something you could consider if you’re flying this route and have a tight layover at Singapore.
Final Thoughts
Despite the 1 hour delay I would highly recommend Singapore Airlines Business Class in their Boeing 787-10. The seat is incredible for short haul routes, the food is great, service is stellar, and you can still get an amenity kit if you need it. I can’t really think of any downsides to this except that I wish the experience lasted longer.
It’s difficult to compare prices considering this flight was part of a return ticket. However, considering the cost of a one way economy and business class flight are roughly $100 and $400 respectively, I think I got good value out of this redemption. The 18,500 point upgrade was worth about $300 meaning I got a value of 1.6c per mile.
More from me…
Please feel free to check out other related posts I’ve written:
- Singapore Airlines Economy from London to Singapore – As Good as People Say?
- British Airways Club Europe London to Geneva – Another “business class” short haul flight
- Norse Atlantic Airways Premium from London to Oslo – Another unique widebody flight within Europe
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