Style: July 06, 2018

STYLE | travel 75
Straight to
SINGAPORE
On January 8, 2019, Singapore Airlines will land its A350-900 in Christchurch, ready to
take passengers directly back to Singapore. An aircraft that is quieter and more
fuel economic might not bother you much, but there are other aspects that
will pique your interest. With the A350 comes the opportunity to fly Premium
Economy – a first for this route. How does this stack up between the classes?
Let us highlight what we learnt.
> PREMIUM ECONOMY
24 seats
2-4-2 row configuration
Priority check-in, boarding and luggage
collection
You’ve chosen yourself a much roomier flying
option than Economy – especially if you can
get the front row. There are extra storage
compartments to keep everything tucked away
– yet still right at hand, and you gain a calf- and
foot-rest, noise-cancelling headphones, a bigger
LED screen (28cm to 34cm) and a 3.5cm wider
seat. The recline is 10-degrees greater, too. With
only 24 seats in this section, it also seems quite
secluded, with bathrooms nearby no matter
which seat you secure.
You have all the food and drink benefits as
those in Business – except for that glass of pretakeoff
Champagne.
You also get to choose the fast lane at every
step of the way, with a desk manned by actual
humans at which to check-in, a separate queue
to board the plane, and less wait at the baggage
carousel as yours will be among the first to arrive.
> BUSINESS CLASS
42 seats
1-2-1 configuration
Priority check-in, boarding and luggage collection
With your own defined area and all manner of hidey holes to store
your belongings, you’ve staked your claim on this plane. Then, of course,
there’s the fact your 71cm-wide seat not only has adjustable positions at
a press of a button, it completely unfolds to form a flat surface equipped
with a cosy duvet and plush pillows. Officially, the bed size is 198cm,
enabling passengers to lie diagonally across the bed.
The screen has stepped up in size yet again, and there’s even a backlit
mirror you can slide open. Speaking of lights, there are at least three to
create your perfect reading environment. Like Premium Economy, you
have the noise-cancelling headphones, but here you also get the eye
mask, comfy flight socks and slippers.
You will be treated like royalty. No rushing, and nothing is a problem.
While sleeping is never quite perfect on a plane, at least you can assume
the position with ease in your own partially enclosed cubicle and feel
like you’re the only one on the plane.