My Singapore Airlines 777-300ER First Class flight from Jakarta to Singapore was short but sweet, with excellent service and the added bonus of having the entire cabin to myself.
Singapore Airlines 777-300ER First Class Review (CGK-SIN)
While Singapore Airlines has stopped selling first class on many flights within Asia, it still sells first class on its 546-mile route between Jakarta (CGK) and Singapore (SIN). I used KrisFlyer miles to book an award ticket in first/suites class from Jakarta to London via Singapore.
Check-In
I arrived around 4:00 am at Soekarno–Hatta International Airport in Jakarta and proceeded to the Singapore Airlines check-in area (terminal 3), where I found a dedicated counter for first class passengers.
After checking in, a porter was assigned to carry my bags. I thought this was a very nice touch, but unfortunately the porter only walked with me as far as the security entrance. If Singapore really wanted to offer a premium ground product in Jakarta, its greeters/escorts should accompany first class passengers through security and passport control to the lounge, then onto the plane. That’s something carriers like Air France and Lufthansa/SWISS (at some stations) do very well.
Singapore Lounge CGK
Singapore Airlines operates its own lounge, or at least a quasi-lounge with a separate first class section inside the Plaza Premium Lounge in CGK Terminal 3.
> Read More: Singapore Airlines Lounge Jakarta (CGK) First Class Review, A Lounge Within A Lounge Within A Lounge
Boarding
Rather than be first to board, I was last (it’s usually one or the other for me), which gave me time to get some work done and savor my coffee in the lounge.
Singapore Airlines 951
Jakarta (CGK) – Singapore (SIN)
Wednesday, November 5
Depart: 5:25 AM
Arrive: 9:05 AM
Duration: 1hr, 40min
Aircraft: Boeing 777-300ER
Distance: 546 miles
Seat: 1A (First Class)
Boarding was via two jetbridges, one for first class only and the second for the other cabins onboard.
At the end of the jet bridge, I was welcomed by the purser who was waiting at the door.
Seat
The first class cabin on the 777 features four seats and they are massive…35 inches wide and they convert to a bed that is 81 inches long. Seats do not have doors.
What makes these seats unique is the way they convert into a bed. Instead of the seat simply reclining flat, the backrest folds forward and a separate mattress pad is placed on top to create a sleeping surface. On a short regional flight like this there was obviously no need to make the bed, but I find the sleeping surface is very comfortable on longer flights (this seems to be a point of bitter disagreement between frequent flyers).
Controls are located on the side console and allow you to adjust the seat position or recline it into a lounge-like position that is ideal for dining or relaxing. There is also a large ottoman that doubles as a buddy seat, meaning another passenger could join you for a meal (not that it mattered on this flight since I had the whole cabin to myself).
Storage is plentiful, including a large compartment next to the seat for headphones and small items, plus additional space under the ottoman where you can place a backpack or moderately-sized carry-on bag. Because there are only four seats in the cabin and no overhead bins above them, the space feels very open and uncluttered.
Showing its age, the seat does have a universal A/C and two USB-A outlets, but also has an HDMI and a rather ancient iPod AV / control port that older aircraft IFE systems used so passengers could connect an iPod or iPhone directly to the seat system)
Even though this was a short hop, it was a treat to enjoy one of the most spacious first class seats in the sky all to myself!
The cabin was designed by interior design firm James Park Associate in collaboration with DesignworksUSA. The fluorescent light is pretty ratty on a 777, but when mood lighting is turned on, the cabin feels much more posh.
Service
There were a couple of other passengers in the first class section of the lounge, so I thought the cabin would be 3/4 filled, but as I walked onboard, the purser Christine said, “Welcome back, Mr. Klint.” After I was seated and offered a pre-departure beverage, she told me I was the only passenger onboard and that we’d arrive on-time at Changi Airport for my rather tight connection to London.
That really set the tone for the flight. Christine was a fabulous purser and the entire first class crew was lovely. Imagine being doted over by four FAs…
Amenties
While an amenity kit and pajamas was not offered on this flight, toiletries were available in the lavatory (details below) and socks and slippers were waiting at my seat.
Food + Drink
Before takeoff, I enjoyed a pre-departure beverage (fresh squeezed orange juice) and a warm towel.
Singapore Airlines offers both “Book the Cook” (an expanded menu of food items you can order prior to your flight) as well as the ability to pre-reserve meals. From Jakarta, however, there is no Book the Cook available. Instead a standard menu of three offerings were available, with breakfast entrees that included:
- Scrambled eggs with French Toast
- With grilled vegetable and chicken pastrami
- Nasi Kuning Udang Serundeng
- Yogyakarta spice coconut prawns with shredded eggs, spiced vegetable and tumeric rice
Chicken Congee
- Yogyakarta spice coconut prawns with shredded eggs, spiced vegetable and tumeric rice
- Chicken Congee
- Sliced chicken in rice porridge with Chinese crullers
(special dietary or religious meals can be ordered on this route)
Despite the short flight, a full menu was offered, including two types of Champagne:
- 2007 Charles Heinsieck Blanc des Millenaires Champagne, France
- 2015 Louis Roederer Cristal Millesime Brut, Champagne, France
I pre-ordered scrambled eggs with French Toast for breakfast. It was served after takeoff along with hot pastries, fruit, yogurt, and coffee:
I could have tried the Nasi Kuning Udang Serundeng or Chicken Congee as well (flight attendants offered it to me), but I wasn’t even hungry for the eggs and knew I’d have a feast onboard my 14-hour flight from SIN-LHR.
Looking back, I should have been bit more adventurous and tried the Nasi Kuning Udang Serundeng because neither the French Toast nor the eggs were very good and the chicken pastrami was particularly poor.
By the time I finished breakfast, we were already starting our descent. I was offered more fresh-squeezed orange juice and coffee, but declined, but the coffee I had with breakfast was the highlight of the entire meal. Singapore Airlines partners with illy for onboard coffee and the single-origin, small batch Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee had an excellent flavor.
Not bad for a one-hour flight!
IFE + Wi-Fi
Singapore Airlines offers its KrisWorld inflight entertainment system on the 777-300ER and each first class seat features a large 24-inch high-definition screen mounted directly in front of the seat.
The system includes a wide selection of movies, television shows, music, and games, not that I watched anything during the short flight to Singapore.
I spent most of the flight looking out the window as the sun gently rose:
Noise-cancelling headphones from Bang & Olufsen were provided.
The handset controller is stored beside the seat and allows you to navigate the system easily without leaning forward toward the screen.
Singapore Airlines also offers inflight Wi-Fi on this aircraft, which is now free for all passengers (as long as you are a KrisFlyer member).
If you are flying this aircraft on a longer route, however, the combination of KrisWorld entertainment and complimentary Wi-Fi makes it very easy to stay entertained or productive…
Lavatory
The first class cabin has two dedicated lavatories in the front of the aircraft. I loved all the amenities available and took a couple of dental kits with me, which I use when I travel…it’s nice to have a high-quality toothbrush in a durable plastic carrying case. Kudos also to Singapore Airlines for the “real” towels instead of paper towels in the lavatory.
CONCLUSION
The only problem with this flight was that it was far too short. I quite enjoyed flying the 777-300ER in first class and would not hesitate to do so long a longer flight, though the A380 Suites Class offers a far superior product. Also keep in mind that when Singapore finally takes delivery of its new 777-9 aircraft, it will have a “next generation” first class product onboard.
But for now, the existing 777s offer a solid first class product with good food and excellent service. SQ is consistently excellent.
You wrote that you had the entire F/J cabin all to yourself. That can be nice. —>> Question: Have you ever flown on a scheduled flight and been the only ticketed passenger on the plane? — just you and the crew with all of the F/A’s likely hanging out in the rear galley having told you that “if you need anything, just press the (F/A) call button, located on the panel about your head..?” Well, have you?
Closest I came to that was having the entire 48-seat Polaris cabin to myself during the pandemic on a Tokyo – LA flight:
https://liveandletsfly.com/united-airlines-business-class-all-to-myself/
I’m glad you had the cabin to yourself and didn’t have to deal with “the other brains onboard.”
“One [jetbridge] for the other brains ”
… you’re not wrong but it’s an odd phrasing
Ja, cabins.
Two exclusive bathrooms for 4 passengers seems excessive, but presume there is significant cost for such privilege.
That’s real “first class” for you!
Well it’s those are actually the crew loo too!
I would definitely have had the prawns with rice, and probably half a bottle of that 2007 Blanc des Millénaires. A match made in heaven, even at 0530.
Thanks for the review! Can’t wait to get back to that area of the world. I could very well be wrong, but I don’t think the ottoman can serve as a buddy seat because it’s kinda tucked under. Maybe there was a way to maneuver it that I wasn’t aware of, but I remember being bummed I couldn’t do face to face dining as I think that’s such a unique offering to F.
The F seat on the 77W is the same seat as Singapore use as a business class seat on their long haul fleet, the F version is just a bit wider with a greater pitch.
I have regularly rated it the worst seat in the sky. The flip over to bed means you can’t relax, recline and drop off. There is no lumber support nor arm support without numerous cushions which slip and slide all over the place, usually onto the floor. I avoid SQ as an LPPS member these days to avoid that seat.