Review: Singapore Airlines’ longest California flight [PHOTOS]

Great airlines differentiate themselves from good airlines not by how the typical day-to-day things go, but by how they respond when flights do not go according plan. When a technical malfunction marred the celebration of a recent inaugural flight event in Los Angeles, Singapore Airlines showed why they are one of those great airlines.

I was invited by the carrier to join the highly anticipated relaunch of its non-stop flight from Los Angeles International Airport to Singapore’s Changi Airport. At 8,763 miles, or 17 hours and 50 minutes in the air, it ranks as the fifth longest flight in the world and the longest out of California.

Please note: This post is written by correspondent Tim Jue. Singapore Airlines covered the cost of his roundtrip and two nights hotel in Singapore

To mark the occasion, lion dancers, a ceremonial ribbon-cutting and a humongous cake greeted travelers at the gate at LAX as we arrived for our late night departure. Singapore’s top executive in the Americas, Vice President Sek Eng Lee spoke of the importance of the new non-stop link to the company.

On board, the crew of 13 flight attendants and four pilots were top notch — providing a full-on taste of Singapore’s legendary service. Staff knew I was onboard documenting the inaugural flight for SFGate readers, so they paid extra attention to the guy in seat 12D in business class.

But despite all the fanfare and anticipation, something unexpected happened: An hour after taking off from LAX, the pilots told us that an oil metering indicator had gone off in the left-side engine. The captain decided that the safest option was to return to Los Angeles to have it checked out.

After a safe landing back at LAX, and checks by the mechanics, we were all good to go again. But the flight crew, who had been caring for passengers during what turned into a three-hour sit at LAX in the wee hours of the morning, had exceeded duty limits. We needed a new team of flight attendants and pilots if we wanted to fly.

See slideshow at the top of this post for images of my adventure onboard.

But instead of canceling the flight, Singapore Airlines called in an entirely new team of flight attendants and pilots from the nearby hotel.

In the middle of the night. In Los Angeles. At three in the morning. Seriously, I thought, who does this? I thought the flight would surely be canceled. But nope.

When the new team of flight attendants and pilots stepped on-board they all looked immaculate, as if they had planned to fly all along.

At around 5 a.m., it was take two, we were off again on our 17-hour voyage across the Pacific. Despite the painful delay, I was still excited to be on this unusual and modern new jet- my first ever Singapore Airlines flight– taking photos and documenting this historic first flight.

Take-off, again

On the new Airbus A350-900ULR, or ultra-long range, jet that operates between Singapore and Los Angeles for Singapore, fliers are at first pleasantly delighted to find out what’s not onboard: standard economy seats.

With just 67 lie-flat business class seats and 94 premium economy seats with extra-legroom and shoulder space, Singapore has bucked the trend of other airlines by giving all passengers extra wiggle room on these flights that clock in at 17 hours or more. There’s no scrunched 10-across seating in the back of this bird!

In premium economy, passengers will find a 19.5-inch wide seat with 38-inches of pitch arranged in 2-4-2 across. A sizable 13.3-inch wide seat back monitor is loaded with 1,200 hours of entertainment to help pass the time.

Currently, fares for mid winter trips in premium economy are running about $1,425 round trip in SIA– quite a deal considering the upgraded space and service. In business class, fares are running about $3,925 roundtrip on the LAX-SIN run.

In my business class cocoon, I found a vast selection of movies that spanned new Hollywood releases like “Ant Man” to some old childhood favorites, including all the Indiana Jones flicks. I was equally impressed with the number of TV shows on offer: Bourdain to stoke wanderlust, “Modern Family” to elicit some giggles, and “Top Gear” for the auto fanatics onboard. It took me forever just to scroll through the lengthy list.

I ventured back to the premium economy section and saw that the seat comes with both a leg rest and a foot rest to cradle passengers on long journeys. According to James Boyd, Singapore Airlines’s Vice President of Public Relations in the Americas, the new premium economy seat was developed with lessons learned from the past: the more seat support, the better the flight experience, particularly for those in the back.

In business class, the seat back manually flips forward to become a 180-degree, 28-inch wide bed. Lie-flat seats found on other airlines recline back into a flat bed at the press of a button, but Singapore opted for something else entirely with this forward fold-down design.

Why? When SIA made the switch to the forward folding seats, mechanical failures caused by broken gears vanished, and so did passenger complaints, Boyd said. Flight attendants can also help passengers with a turndown service, fitting the space with blankets, pillows and mattress pads, giving another opportunity for the airline staff to interact with its premium customers, he said.

Flight attendants helped me turn my seat into bed mode, a process that took at most, 45-seconds.

On these long flights, the LED cabin lighting adjusts to simulate sunsets and sunrises to help with body clocks and sleep schedules. (Windows remained closed for nearly the entire flight.) The temperature cools slightly to help passengers comfortably doze off.

During my flight, the business class bed provided the best sleep I’ve ever had on an airplane: more than ten solid hours of uninterrupted zzzz’s. The 78-inch long sleeping surface felt like a lot like my mattress at home.

To stay connected, onboard wifi is available for purchase, and unlike U.S. carriers, Singapore charges for increments of megabytes instead of time usage. (Business and first class passengers get 30-100MBs of wi-fi included in the ticket- but that small amount is used up quickly.)

On my flight, I was not able to connect to the internet during the first few and last few hours of the flight — although I found speeds to be quite robust when the service was available.

Time to eat

In August, we wrote about the partnership Singapore forged with Arizona-based wellness company Canyon Ranch to devise ways on how passengers can eat, feel and sleep better on these marathon flights. More about that here.

Singapore has tinkered with the inflight experience by adjusting mealtimes, the food, and the cabin environment to help passengers fight the dehydrating effects of ultra-long-haul flying and jet lag that happens when your circadian rhythm goes haywire.

Flight attendants distribute full sized water bottles to business class passengers, and in premium economy, the drink cart comes by often to quench thirst.

The Canyon Ranch menu option I chose is served in both business and premium economy cabins and offers foods that are rich in water content and less caloric.

The appetizer featured red beets and moist burrata. A flavorful main course of grass fed beef short rib accompanied by turmeric-infused mashed cauliflower (instead of potatoes). And for dessert, it was creme brûlée with a candied orange peel topping — a much healthier alternative to the ice cream sundae cart.

See slideshow at the top of this post for images of my adventure onboard. 

Other heartier Singaporean favorites were also available: like Bak Chor Mee (a dish of egg noodles swimming in pork broth), Chinese dim sum, and Singaporean fried carrot cake. In business class, passengers have the option of dining on demand from a menu that featured warm sandwiches, soups, cheeses and fruit. Passengers in both business and premium economy have the option of pre-selecting some meals online before the flight through Singapore’s “Book the Cook” feature.

Two items on the menu struck me, and I knew I had to try them before we landed: the Machaca con huevos and Randy’s donuts, delivered fresh from the Los Angeles institution. The Machaca came in burrito form which made it easier to eat in an airplane seat.

Inside the warm tortilla was a hearty mixture of scrambled eggs, pulled braised beef brisket and melted cheese. It was served perfectly warm, and soaked in a spicy red sauce. The plump burrito was served on a bed of piping hot coriander rice. Yes, a burrito on a flight to Singapore, consumed over the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

The donuts were a doozy: I went full millennial and picked a frosted glazed pastry embedded with Fruit Loops. Seeing it carefully plated on china was a whimsical moment — even Singapore Airlines can turn Randy’s donuts on Manchester Blvd. into a premium dessert. Of course I ate it with a knife and fork!

Singapore has partnered with Randy’s for a while to bring the pastries on its flights out of LAX. For its flights out of SFO, the airline also goes local by serving Its-Its ice cream sandwiches and a hearty Angus cheeseburger (complete with an egg of course) with potato wedges and ranch dip for a taste of Northern California cuisine.

“It’s comfort food,” Boyd said of the food.

A whimsical dessert that I’ve never had on an airplane before: Randy’s Donuts from the Los Angeles institution, served on Singapore Airlines china.

A whimsical dessert that I’ve never had on an airplane before:…

US Growth

These are exciting times for Singapore Airlines, which is planning a 43 percent growth in non-stop passenger capacity between the United States and Singapore. All of it has been made possible by a new generation of long-range, fuel-efficient jets like the Airbus A350 and Boeing 787.

In October Singapore announced it would operate non-stop from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport four times a week beginning September 2019. By December 10, non-stop flights between LAX to Changi Airport will jump to 10 flights weekly.

Come Nov. 28, the all-premium A350-900ULR jet will begin flying three times a week between Singapore and San Francisco when the carrier expands the SFO schedule from 14 weekly flights to 17. Singapore’s existing SIN-SFO daily non-stop flight sees an Airbus A350-900 that is configured with standard economy seats in a layout that’s not so premium heavy. Midwinter fares on SFO-SIN in premium economy are slightly cheaper than LAX– around $1,250. Business class is running at about $4,250. Economy class is about $800 roundtrip.

Singapore operated non-stops between Singapore, Newark and Los Angeles for 10 years before ending both services in 2013. The aircraft that flew both routes, the Airbus A340-500 guzzled  pricey jet fuel, and ultimately, economics spelled the demise of both routes.

With the addition of a lighter, more fuel efficient new jet, the airline is hoping to tap into the robust American economy and woo business travelers with the increases, according to Lee, Singapore’s Vice President for the Americas. “You can save five to six hours round-trip,” versus taking one stop flights, he said of the LAX-SIN non-stop.

Photo: Singapore Airlines

An illustration of the Singapore Airlines Airbus A350-900ULR jet used on the LAX-SIN run. See slideshow for more photos!

An illustration of the Singapore Airlines Airbus A350-900ULR jet…

Are we there yet?

Back on board…we landed about 1 p.m. Sunday Singapore time (about six hours later than expected), two days after departing Los Angeles, and at that point I was looking forward to getting off the flight. I had spent a sum total of 23 and a half hours on the Airbus A350-900ULR — hopping on early to check out the business and premium economy products (see the slideshow at the top).

I desperately needed a shower, and there was no better place to unwind than at the Shangri-La Hotel and Resort where the put me up during my 48 hours time in the city. This hotel, built in the 1970s and well-maintained since then, was the first Shangri-La hotel and remains the flagship of the brand.

Located in the heart of the city near the Singapore’s shopping mecca along Orchard Road., the five-star hotel is undergoing somewhat of a renaissance, according to hotel communications director Dora Tan. As Singapore becomes more of a tourist destination, she said that the hotel is shifting from being primarily a hotel for business travelers to one that also embraces holiday travelers.

Family zones have been carved out in the spacious Horizons Lounge on the 24th floor and at The Line, the first floor buffet that rivals those found in Las Vegas. (Pro-tip: try the Indian food station — it was magnificent.)

2018 has also been a watershed year for the city-state, Tan said. World events like the Sentosa Island summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un and several ASEAN conventions have thrust Singapore into the spotlight. And all that comes on the heels of the blockbuster best-selling book and hit movie, Crazy Rich Asians, which essentially served as a travel documentary for Singapore.

Visitors — including yours truly — have flocked to many of the filming locations featured in the film, like the iconic Marina Bay Sands Hotel, Gardens by the Bay and the Newton Hawker Food Center.

TravelSkills correspondent Tim Jue onboard a brand new Singapore Airlines Airbus A350-900ULR

TravelSkills correspondent Tim Jue onboard a brand new Singapore…

And with the staggering increase in the number of non-stop flights between the U.S. West Coast and Singapore, you can easily do it too. But be prepared: While it may be less expensive than ever to fly to Singapore, it’s very expensive to stay there.

Despite a later arrival to Singapore than I originally planned, the delay didn’t set me back since all of the meetings I had were planned for the following day. All that extra time on the flight gave me an opportunity to catch up on work, sleep and watch movies (plane are where I do most of my movie-watching nowadays). It was also very humbling to be a part of Singapore airlines history, and to be able to brag to other aviation geeks that I got to spend nearly an entire day on a brand new airplane — and enjoyed every moment of it.

Have you flown Singapore Airlines before? Would you? Please leave your thoughts in the comments!

Disclosure: Singapore Airlines covered the cost of travel and accommodations for the author’s trip to and from Singapore.

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Chris McGinnis is the founder of TravelSkills.com. The author is solely responsible for the content above, and it is used here by permission.  You can reach Chris at [email protected] or on Twitter @cjmcginnis.