SQ161 CGK – SIN JULY 25 2004
Eq. : B777-300, Reg : 9V-SYC
STD : 17H00
STA : 19h35

I called SQ Jakarta some hours before the scheduled flight and did a phone check in. The agent was quite friendly and helpful and got me seat 48H for my connecting flight out of SIN to CDG (SQ334) since my first choices were not available anymore or blocked in Singapore. She even explained that 48H was not fully reclining (in fact, I knew about this, but I like to sit in the last row of a cabin section). For the SQ161 flight, I asked for any window seat and got 37A. I could thus arrive just 1 hour before scheduled departure, having completed the phone check in.
Nonetheless, I arrived early at CGK and upon entering the terminal saw a Qatar Airways (A330?) A7-ABX, a CX A340, and an SQ 772. I got my boarding passes within literally one minute. Immigration was pretty fast and I soon searched for the smoking room. This was just after immigration to the right. However, heading towards gate D1 where my SQ flight would depart from, I found another open air café right in the entrance to D1 that allows smoking. Great. The café turned out to be very expensive, but many people just walk in to smoke and not drink.
I arrived at the boarding lounge about one hour before scheduled departure time. The jetways were still empty: Hm, I think this flight is going to be late. Indeed, the aircraft, a B777-300 did not arrive until 16H31. It was then announced that boarding was going to be 15 minutes late (due to late arrival of the aircraft from SIN, it was announced). Saw an EK 772 A6-EME docked on the next gate, and caught a glimpse of AF777 to CDG on a further gate.
Boarding finally commenced at 17H05 in a very orderly manner by row numbers. Two friendly Singapore boys greeted us at the door. The flight was rather full though I was lucky enough to have the middle seat next to me vacant. The inside of the aircraft was clean and I do like the space on SQ777s. It seems that there is more leg room than on their 744. And of course, the monitor is bigger.
The 773 never ceases to amaze me: it is long and simply huge. I could see nothing but the wing, seated on 37A. We pushed back at 17H25 and took off at 17H41 after a roll of about 30 seconds into the clouds that enveloped us for the next 5 minutes. During taxi, hot towels were distributed and the safety video was played on the screens. Seated on A, I was on the wrong side as the terminal was on the other side and had a hard time checking out planes there though I caught glimpses of an Air India, and a nice view of a JAL 767 in the new livery. No headphone was handed out for this sector though the IFE was on and so I tuned in to the flight tracker. Dinner was soon served consisting of a choice of chicken or fish. I chose the chicken which was very tasty except that the veggies were hard. The mashed potato was excellent. Dessert was apple pie.

Connecting flights were displayed on the monitor a number of times, though my neighbour did not see his connecting flight to SYD displayed. Routing took us partly over Sumatra island near the cities of Palembang and, I think, Padang. With a tailwind of 17km/h we flew at a speed of 800km/h on the early part of the flight. 30 minutes out of SIN, our speed was 927km/h and flying at an altitude of 10972m. A bit of turbulences as we approached SIN in the rain with occasional lightning. 10 minutes after lights out in the cabin, we landed in SIN at exactly 20h Singapore time (one hour ahead of Jakarta) and were at gate F41 nine minutes later.
Spent the time in SIN first helping two cute Indonesian policemen en route to Warsaw find their connecting flight which involved changing terminals using the Skytrain, a visit to the open air smoking room to smoke and watch airplanes at the same time (Silkair airbuses and SQ heavies), and marvel at how Changi resembles more and more a mall than an airport it was hard to find signs among all the clutters (pity!). The free internet stations were great, however. Walked to my gate E4 an hour before the scheduled departure time for my flight SQ334 to Paris.

SQ334 SIN-CDG (continuing to Madrid).
Eqpt: B747-400, Registration: ?
STD: 22h50
STA: 06h05
Arriving at the boarding hall, I knew this was going to be a very full flight. I still tried my luck and asked the lady checking boarding passes at the entrance to the hall for an emergency exit row. No luck and was told that the flight was full with only one middle seat left in Y section. Many families travelling with children and many Spanish pax since this flight continues to Madrid. Saw a family with loud adolescents attempted to cut the line to enter the boarding hall and thought that with my luck they would probably sit right next to me. Indeed, the bulky adolescent boy had the seat right in front of me, moved and kicked a lot during the flight fully reclined, making it difficult for me to see the monitor or to move my legs. I decided that I love the Spanish I see in Almodovar films but not families with adolescents on a crowded flight!
Boarding commenced with First and Raffles pax at 22h20, followed by families. Since the announcement was only made in English, many pax attempted to board only to be pushed back by the agent manning the gate. A bit disorderly towards the end, unlike in CGK. Found my seat and settled in only to jump out again to let a couple of Spanish men take the window and the middle seats (well, I never did see the last vacant middle seat). Two Singapore boys again greeted us at the door of the aircraft. Water was dripping down into the part where the jetway meets the aircraft as it was raining hard in SIN. An LH 744 was parked at the gate next to ours. Doors were closed at 22h52, pushback at 23h05 and take off 19 minutes later following an AirAsia 737, Air France 777, and a couple of SQ heavies (777 and 744).
Hot towels, headphones and pretzels were given out. Flying time to CDG was to be 12 hours and 5 minutes. The route was over the bay of Bengal, India, Pakistan, Russia, etc. The beautifully printed menu was distributed: For the SIN CDG sector, dinner and breakfast will be served.
Dinner was a choice of fish or chicken. By the time they got to my row, however, only fish was available. The FA apologized said they would reverse the order for breakfast so that we could have a choice then. The way she apologized it was as if it was her fault ! I ate just the rice and the veggies as there was too much fish already since the appetizer was tuna, potatoes, green beans and a slice of tomato. Dessert was a chocolate cake. Food was OK, though I don’t remember getting offered coffee afterwards.
Watched some tv after dinner which involved reclining my seat fully so that I could be somewhat level with the monitor that was awkwardly positioned as the seat in front of me was fully reclined and pressed even lower by the bulky agitated adolescent (OK, I observe that he is very cute jokingly wrestling with his mother and sister sending my monitor all over the place, but he still bugs me). Lights were dimmed and FAs passed frequently during the night with drinks and snacks (ham buns, apples, etc.). During the flight, two of the rear toilets were not functioning which meant a bit of waiting when I wanted to use the toilet in the rear section of the aircraft. Saw crews on their break walk up the stairway just opposite the toilets to their bunks, I guess. The FAs on this flight were nothing special, sort of standard airline or SQ service: friendly and professional enough. I managed to get some sleep after watching Will and Grace, Absolutely Fabulous (Is this a gay friendly programming or what?) and a bit of Shrek 2. Most of the time I had the flight tracker on.

Breakfast was served two hours before landing and this time I had my choice of omelette (the other being Chinese noodles). The omelette however tasted like cardboard. So I ate the sausage which was good and bread and jam. Coffee was served. At 1 hour 19 minutes from Paris, our altitude was 11600m speeding at 848k/h. The toilets were occupied most of the time with two of them out of commission so I decided to delay activities like toothbrushing and face washing until arrival in CDG.
I needed just to shake my legs….again, I found the seat on SQ744 less roomy than their 777. In general the seat is OK, but if the guy in front of you reclines fully, it’s a bit cramp and hard to see the tv screen. Next flight I would again try 49H or C (exit rows, aisle, though they seem to always be taken even very early), 66H or C which are the last row in Y with only two seats. As you see, all are aisle seats. For exit row seats, the window seats appear crammed in by the protruding lower portion of the door, so avoid them. Saw the lucky guy sitting on 49H sleeping like a baby with his legs freely extended to all the space in front and the tv monitor out from the seat arm steady and at a level that’s easy on the eyes (!!!!)

Finally Paris, where we touched down at 5h45 Paris time, and docked at exactly 6am in satellite 3 in 14 degrees weather. Saw AF 777 land, then QF 744 (beautiful beautiful livery), Thai 744, Saudi Arabian 777, United 777, Gulf Air (Airbus). Madrid pax were told to stay on the aircraft. Passport control, for once, was quick. But true to CDG1 characteristic, I waited and waited for my bags to come out in the conveyor.

All in all, a good experience with SQ thought I prefer very much my flight over whose crew were friendlier and seemed genuinely more caring, but nothing to fault really on this flight. I wish that SQ would give more legroom though it is better already than QF or BA or AF, but still not as good as MH or TG. The food was variable. The night snack services cannot be faulted for their frequency and choice. I also wished that SQ would assign specific seats in advance; last time I tried they noted only your aisle or window preference. The phone check in is great.

Finally to those in Singapore with whom I was in contact, sorry for not recontacting you to do some plane spotting, as I ended up spending little time in Singapore.