So, I'll fight back the jetlag, and begin...
This was the first of 4 legs in my trip over to Manila this week. In the past, I'd done this using the VS200 to HKG, which only leaves a fairly short hop to MNL, but the SQ option carries a few advantages.
Firstly, it's a handy little earner for TPs, carrying 16 in total for a round trip. Not quite so generous for miles, but at least it means I'm all but there with AU requalification for another year (and after only 3 months...), so I might be more tempted to toy with BA a bit for long haul later in the year.
Secondly, it means that I might get a half decent lounge on my way back through MNL, not to mention business class check in (due to the restrictions of my corporate travel policy, HKG to MNL is considered short enough to do in economy). Anyone that's been to the delightful Ninoy Aquino airport (AKA "No Wang-Wang") will appreciate the value of avoiding flying economy...
And finally, the HK flights all seemed very full, which could I guess have something to do with the Sevens next weekend. And that's all I'm going to say about rugby after this weekend, thank you very much.
Back to the flight. Easy security, ok if rather small and basic lounge at T3 (ok ok, I'm just spoilt with the CH I know...), and a fairly painless traipse to the gate. As I handed over my boarding pass, the agent made some comment about changing my seat. I held my breath for a second, thinking, surely not, I couldn't be so lucky as to score an op-up to a suite??
Nope, you're right, I couldn't be so lucky. Apparently my original seat had got some sort of defect, but it was ok, they had put me in another one. Still a single by the window, so nothing lost.
I was one of the first on the plane as I didn't feel the need to loiter in the lounge. It turned out that my 'new' seat was one of the bassinet ones, which basically meant a bench for a footrest rather than the little wedge that most seats give you. However the big downside of this is that the 'bench' had to be stowed during takeoff and landing, which cramped my style a bit in terms of putting my feet up.
Actually, on the subject of the seat, I've found myself starting to get a bit irritated by the overall design on my last few flights. It's wide enough to slide about on, despite the bolster cusion you get; but not wide enough to really stretch horizontally on. I find the material of the seat itself not ideal, hence the comment about sliding, and then there's the footrest, which in the case of my seat was not always available, and was pretty hard when it was down. And it doesn't seem to me that the tray table extends out as far as it could do.
Maybe I'm just getting picky in my old age, but I swear I liked it more the first time...
The flight itself was good overall - A380s are nice and quiet, although there was a bit of rattling coming from somewhere for the first hour or so. Food and wine was excellent - definitely a strong point for SQ. And the service was impeccable, if slightly impersonal, but I accept the cultural aspects there.
And thats it really. Now, just got to stay awake for 3 more hours. If only they had cabanas here...
RC
