Jordan Butler indulges in Some Long-Haul Luxury In A New A380 First Class Suite

There seems to be a competing school of thought that premium cabins are not for passengers who want to enjoy the view from the windows, but not for everyone. The product of this school is that it is impossible to look out of the window when you are cross-legged or lying on the bed with your head down. ¹

The old Singapore Airlines suites were much better in this respect. The slow motorized rotation of the chair towards the different parts of the suite on board the A380 is in a kind of Dr. Bad fashion, which means you either have to get up to follow the chair through the rotation, or stay seated and raise your legs in some weird calisthenic exercise to pull your feet up. The chair is not adjustable, and the comfortable deep relaxation of the Z-bed felt like a missed trick that day. ¹

But I appreciate how big the suite feels and how thoughtful the design is. When I look at the Murphy bed folded against the wall, I get the feeling that this is what you would expect from a camp, not a world-class product. ⁵

I chose the middle suite, which merges with the adjacent suite to form a double bed. I’m sorry I didn’t choose the King or Princess Derek. I realise they could have won the title, but I chose Singapore Airlines “KrisFlyer profile. ⁶

This was my third flight in the Singapore suite that day, so I didn’t go crazy with lots of pictures. We left at 10pm and were ready to sleep after the delicious chicken and rice dish I had pre-ordered and booked for cooking. The bed was perfectly laid out and we had a night of Hennessy care and of course a film to touch. This was a 7 hour 40 minute flight. ⁴

I arrived at Singapore Changi Airport and went to the Singapore Airlines counter to check in. I had forgotten that the airport has a luxurious check-in lounge with a first-class suite for passengers, which stands out from the rest of the check-in area. When I joined the queue to check in, I was greeted by the staff. ⁶

Singapore Suites passengers use a dedicated First Class check-in and reception area with private entrance at Singapore Changis Terminal 3. As my flight departed at 9: 20 a.m., I arrived at the airport at 7: 30 a.m. to enjoy some time in the airline lounge. Moments later, my taxi pulled up and a porter was there to pick up my bag from one of the check-in desks. An agent confirmed my travel and ID details, took my carry-on luggage and escorted me to the special Customs and Immigration checkpoint, where I breathed a sigh of relief. ²

Mingle with the masses of first-class Singapore Airlines passengers at their own private security queue at the immigration checkpoint. I handed over my Golden Suite ticket and headed to the First Class Lounge. Feeling like George Clooney, I crossed the security queue in less than a minute and found the escalator that took me to the Singapore Airlines first class lounge. The lounge agent greeted me, saw my ticket and escorted me to my seat.

Quade ended the chat by saying he was making up the first six to seven hours of the 13-hour journey from Frankfurt to Singapore and asked for a bed for the crew. Our seats for the 13-hour trip were in 3C / 3D. With so much space in the Singapore Suites, it was the perfect choice for traveling. ⁴

As soon as you enter the room, a Singapore Airlines stewardess transforms your suite into a bedroom with a plush mattress on a large bed. Adjacent to the suite, an empty partition is inserted to create a double bed. Once everyone enters the suite, the light is switched on to indicate when it’s time to sleep. It is not possible to lie down in the suite when the seats become flat. ⁶

Having said that, I have the feeling that Singapore Airlines is not fulfilling its full potential with this new suite. I feel like they’ve gone into the design process, starting with the concept of wanting separate seats and beds and wanting it to look a certain way. In the process, they lost the plot. ⁵

Singapore Airlines unveiled a new, industry-changing first-class suite in November 2017 as part of a complete cabin overhaul of its double-decker Airbus A380. The suite, a virtual hotel room in the sky, is 50 square meters in size, has a closed door for privacy and features a Poltrona woman leather armchair, a double bed, a 32-inch entertainment screen and other features. There are 30 of these suites in Singapore’s entire fleet of six A380 aircraft, and the airline plans to upgrade its 14 old and new A380 suites by the end of 2020. ²

Singapore Airlines is now offering first-class suites on board Airbus A380 aircraft, offering an oasis of tranquility for the select few. The airline’s new first class cabins have 6 suites in the front cabin of the upper deck, compared to 12 suites on the lower deck of the old aircraft. Each suite has a separate flat bed with adjustable backrest and a plush leather swivel chair that allows passengers to relax on the chair and rest on the bed without having to convert the bed into a sitting position. Along with the travel bed, the first two suites also have a corridor that can be converted into a double bed. ³

If you need to rest after a long day at work, the First Class cabin on the Air Frances A380, known as La Premiere, has the extra space you need. From tables and seating to extra storage space and minibars, the A380 “s designers and engineers have thought of everything that adds luxury and comfort to Qantas” A380 cabins. Seated A380 First Class Suites at Asiana Airlines A380 airlines offer reclining seats and, in some cases, full-body beds for business and first class passengers. Seats and beds in La Premiere on Air France A 380 First Class One of the most memorable features of the A380 First Class are the bathrooms and spas. ⁷

This is the best first class in the world.

Sources:

[0]: https://www.topmiles.com/blog/article/73/my–16-000-christmas-flight-on-singapore-airlines-first-class-suites-for–480

[1]: https://runwaygirlnetwork.com/2020/04/10/op-ed-lessons-airlines-can-learn-from-singapores-a380-first-class/

[2]: https://www.travelandleisure.com/airlines-airports/singapore-airlines-first-class-suites-airbus-a380

[3]: https://theluxurytravelexpert.com/2020/04/27/top-10-a380-first-class/

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[7]: https://www.iflya380.com/fly-smart/flying-business-and-first-class-on-the-a380-is-it-a-plane-or-a-luxury-hotel.html