I was returning from Australia back to Bangkok and using the return portion of my ticket I bought online for 28,000 THB. ($1000 AUD) with Singapore Airlines.

I had some problems with the on-line check in. I couldn't make my booking PNR register correctly, therefore couldn't check in. I knew that the flight had a 100% loading in all classes, (I called SQ Reservations two days before), so I got to the airport three hours early. I'm not sure where everyone was, or if they had slept in, but there were only 3 people checking-in alongside of me. I asked the QF ground agent about my problems with on-line check in, and asked if my seat-request was still in the system. She asked me to wait a moment, and then went and talked to the SQ supervisor at the other end of the check-in row.
Uh-oh. I got that sinking feeling as she came back and told me that the flight was oversold today in Y class, and would I mind travelling the SYD-SIN sector in J Class? Well, no... I don't think that that would be too much of a problem!  

Here are some shots of SYD International Terminal and the SQ Check In Area:






Immigration and security were a no-brainer, and I was through in about 3 minutes flat.

I stopped at the smoking room for a quick puff and then up to the Singapore Airlines lounge, which was rather small-ish considering they have 3 x 747-400 flights a day between SYD and SIN and v v.

Here are some shots of the SQ lounge in SYD:





I then went down to the smoking room again, and at our gate, our wonderfully graceful 747-400, 9V-SMV, was waiting for us. The aircraft was spotless and positively gleaming in the morning light. Thai (TG) could learn a lesson from them on aircraft cleanliness. Some of the TG aircraft are filthy:



I then strolled around and managed to get some shots of some morning arrivals into SYD:





The boarding call was made, and after a final stop at the smoking room I made my way back to the departure lounge. It was packed, but the J class boarding lane was free so I went straight aboard and upstairs into the "bubble".




Menus were handed out:



The crew were efficient and friendly and very welcoming and addressed all passengers by name. I was offered a hot towel and a champagne, but I could have had orange juice or water as well... champagne it is! ^ (Interestingly, I thought that the hot towel was the same size as the one given out in Y class to pax... I maybe wrong, and it doesn't really matter).

We pushed back right on time at 0830, and the Captain came on the PA and chatted in a friendly manner about our flight today. Apparently, there was a jet-stream which would carry us to Singapore about 45 minutes early! (Unusal for a flight flying from esat-west to catch a jet-stream like that). And hey - I just got a free upgrade to J class! I don't want the flight to end any earlier!!  

We took off from runway 16L, so not a long taxi to get us going. We waited for a Virgin Blue 737-800 to roll ahead of us and then we were off. It was a long take-off roll, and there was only minimal runway left under us as we slowly climbed out over Botany Bay and then turned right and set-course for Singapore.

About 30 minutes after take-off, breakfast was served - fruit, Bircher museli, and Spinach Frittata. It was very nice, well presented and enjoyable:





When flying over Australia, you really do fly over a whole lot of not a lot at all!




The J class bathrooms were equipped with orchids and a nice range of toiletries:



I watched a couple of movies on the AVOD system - KRISWORLD is great! - and then reclined the Spacebed fully and had a couple of hours sleep. When I woke up, it was about 90 minutes from landing and lunch was being served. Lunch consisted of: Pre-lunch drink and snack, (very "Y" class presentation of the snack!), anti-pasta platter, hazlenut-crusted duck and sticky date ice cream. It was pretty good, but the duck was quite dry to be honest:






The crew then prepared the cabin for landing. We actually touched-down in Singapore 59 minutes early (!) and after a short taxi, arrived at the gate.



I thanked my lovely crew and noticed on the departure screens that there was a flight leaving for BKK in about 35 minutes. I was scheduled to have a 5 hour layover in Singapore, so I went to the SQ Transfer desk and enquired as to whether I could change to the earlier flight so as not to have to wait around. With utmost courtesy and politeness, the agent changed my flight in a couple of minutes and told me that he had arranged for my bags to be transferred to the earlier flight! Nice one!

I would have to run though as the gate was closing soon, and, with Changi being as big as it is, the gate was right up the other end of the airport. The nice agent immediately organised a golf-cart for me to take me to the gate.

I was waiting there for the flight to board, and I saw one of the flight attendants off my flight from SYD frantically waving through the glass and beckoning me over! I was seriously hoping she wanted my phone number (yeah, right... ha ha!) and I went to meet her at the service desk in the lounge. She told me that I had left my iPod in the seat pocket and she remembered that I told her I was going through to BKK and then found the gate where the BKK flight was departing from and brought the iPod to me! Now THAT is service! ^ ^ ^ Especially considering the gates were miles apart, and, after a long flight, she probably just wanted to go home and sleep. Cudos, Lisa!! Thank you!! (Another reason why SQ is number 1 for me!) I also wrote a letter to SQ when I got home to thank her.

Anyway, I boarded the flight to Bangkok. It was only about 75% full, so I got a spare seat next to me on the 777-300 (9V-SYD). Appropriate registration considering where I was travelling from! Unusual that they used a 777-300 on this sector as well - it's normally a 777-200.



I didn't get many pics as I actually slept most of the flight, but I grabbed a few. Lunch was good: Pasta salad, chicken with vegetables and cake:



The flight attendant working in our section, Cindy, was absolutely lovely. You could tell that she genuinely enjoyed her job, and really took a pride in making people comfortable and providing great service. She told me she is so proud to work for SQ, and it is a dream job for her. She let me snap a pic of her as we deplaned. Thanks, Cindy!



We landed at BKK 5 minutes early and had a slow taxi to the gate. To say I dislike the new airport in BKK is an understatement, and I won't go into detail here, but it really does have some serious flaws.

There were huge lines at immigration, but as I have an APEC Card I went to those lanes with only 3 people in front of me.

I made it through reasonably quickly, but despite the assurances of the agent in SIN, only one of my two bags came through. :td:  
I made the report in about 15 minutes, and, to TG's credit (they handle bagge for SQ in BKK), they delivered it to my apartment at 10.00am the next day.

So all-in-all, another great experience with Singapore Airlines. I try to fly them whenever I can. They really do know their stuff!