Last month, I wrote about this redemption and how I was about to book seats on Singapore Airlines Business Class for the entire family for a trip on Christmas eve. We were all set to fly from Mumbai (BOM) to Singapore (SIN) on December 24th and then to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam after a short layover in Singapore. This particular flight was on their Airbus A380-800. Singapore Airlines operates two flights daily on the Mumbai Singapore route. Here’s a quick review of our flight.
Singapore Airlines Business Class Review
Mumbai’s traffic during holiday seasons meant that we barely any time to visit the lounge. If you’re flying Business Class or First Class at Mumbai Airport, then you’re entitled to use the Adani lounge, which has a separate section for people flying premium cabins from the airport. Singapore Airlines doesn’t have any branded lounge of their own at the airport.
Check-In
The check-in process was smooth. We checked in from the Business Class counter and there was just one family ahead of us. After checking our documents and issuing our boarding passes, the agent issued seven lounge invitation passes for all of us seven passengers. If you’re flying premium cabin and need to access the lounge, you must present a lounge invitation pass, so staff at BOM are trained to produce those for you before completing all check-in formalities.
After we got our documents, we headed to the dedicated security area for premium cabin passengers. One of the great things about Mumbai airport is that if you’re flying premium cabins, then you not only have a dedicated security screening area but also a dedicated area for clearing Indian immigration. India has also launched expedited immigration services, similar to Global Entry. You can read all the details about that here.
Boarding
I’ve flown this route multiple times over the years. So, this time around, the boarding process was smooth as well, with a dedicated boarding area and jet bridge for premium cabin passengers.
The boarding process was smooth and we slowly settled down into our seats. The cabin temperature was perfect as it was slightly cold outside and the lighting was the standard mood lighting on the flight. The cabin had a 1-2-1 configuration.
Pre-Boarding Service
Before we were about to take off, flight attendants passed around some hot towels and then offered a choice of Apple juice, Orange juice or water as a pre-departure beverage.
I’m a tall guy and the seat was pretty comfortable for me. In addition to decent in-flight entertainment options, the seat was also well equipped to help connect and recharge your devices while in flight. Moreover, there was enough storage space to keep small items.
Due to runway congestion, takeoff was delayed by about 20 minutes.
Food & Beverage
Right after take off, we were served with some alcoholic beverages. There were a ton of options to choose from, but I went with just a glass of champagne.
After sipping some champagne, it was time for a late dinner. Bear in mind, the flight almost took off after midnight, so I had my dinner at almost 1 AM. I opted to go for Indian options, going for a kebab platter.
I was served an appetizer, Aloo Tikki (potato fritters) and it was yum. In addition to the appetizer, the crew was serving some fresh bread and the garlic bread was delicious.
Main Course
Which brings me to the main course. Honestly, I was left a bit disappointed. It was an assortment of Tandoori kebabs with some Roti (bread) and rice on the side. There was some gravy served along with it. Overall, I found the food taste to be pretty bland and frankly speaking, I’ve tasted much better Indian food on Singapore’s competitors, even in Economy class.
While the food didn’t quite impress me from a taste perspective, the portion sizes were generous and the service was efficient.
For dessert, I tried some Rabdi (Indian Milk based dessert) and found it good enough for my needs. It was cold and sugary enough to make me drowsy for bedtime. The taste was decent but nothing out of this world to be frank.
After having a heavy meal, I requested turndown service and my bed was ready in minutes.
By the time I was about to sleep, there were only about 3.5 hours left on the flight. So I decided to have a quick nap and wake up early in the morning per Singapore time. From a timing perspective, we were able to catch up mid air despite the late take off and the flight landed in Singapore on time.
The Pundit’s Mantra
Overall, while the food was a tad disappointing this time around, Singapore Airlines still delivered a very good quality hard product. The service was very efficient and the flight attendants took good care that all our needs were taken care of as a big group of seven. They even tossed in a tiny teddy bear for our toddler, she slept well with it.
The seats were comfortable, the IFE good enough to keep you busy during the flight and the electronics worked well to help recharge your devices or get work done while in flight. I was able to catch a short nap and was woken up just before landing.
I’ve flown this particular route multiple times over the years and would love to do it again. This flight offers some amazing opportunities to not only connect to the US, but also to various Asian destinations. Over the last 10 years, I’ve taken SQ 423 to land Singapore in the morning and then connect onwards to nearby destinations like Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesian and New Zealand!
Which is your route to fly business class on Singapore Airlines? Tell us in the comments section.
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