Airline review: Singapore’s premium economy is great, but mind where you sit
By Ben Groundwater
The flight
Singapore Airlines SQ212, Sydney to Singapore, Boeing 777-300ER, seat 31H, premium economy. Departure at 7.55am, with a flight time of eight hours, 15 minutes.
Singapore Airlines’ premium economy come with a raft of perks, but choose your seat wisely.
Frequency
Singapore Airlines flies three times daily from Sydney to Singapore.
The loyalty scheme
Singapore’s KrisFlyer rewards program allows travellers to earn and redeem points not just on flights, but also at restaurants, shops and attractions.
Carbon emissions
750 kilograms for one premium economy passenger. In economy, it’s 470 kilograms per passenger.
Checking in
Listen, if you will, for the chorusing of angels and the soaring strains of hallelujah as you saunter past the airport check-in queues and straight to passport control. I’ve checked in for my flight online, and as I’m only travelling with carry-on, there’s no need to do anything at the airport but head for the gate.
The seat
Onboard service is smooth and professional throughout.
The 28 premium economy seats are arranged in 2-4-2 configuration, all with two USB power sockets, a universal power point, a footrest, and double armrests to avoid sharing hassles. Seat pitch is 38 inches (97 centimetres), compared to 32 in economy, and a width of 19.5 inches (50 centimetres), a smidge wider than economy.
Baggage
Though – not sure if I mentioned this – I don’t have any luggage to check in, premium economy passengers are allowed a whopping 35 kilograms to stow in the hold, while they can carry on one piece up to 7 kilograms (the same as economy).
Entertainment
Singapore’s premium economy seats all have 13.3-inch HD touchscreens, which display KrisWorld, featuring more than 1800 entertainment options. Premium economy passengers are also provided high-quality noise-cancelling headphones, and get three hours of free onboard Wi-Fi (which is impressively stable and speedy).
Service
Singapore Airlines has a reputation as a world leader in onboard service, and it doesn’t take long to see why. It’s smooth and professional throughout, and despite the fact I’ve switched seats to allow two brothers to sit together, staff find me in no time to let me know my pre-booked meal is on board.
Double armrests help to avoid sharing hassles.
Food
That’s right, I’ve got a pre-booked meal. Singapore offers premium economy passengers the chance to “Book the Cook” – that is, select a specialty meal before they fly. I’ve opted for a butter chicken with jalfrezi vegetables, which is served with a side salad, a bread roll, and cheese and crackers. There’s also a snack served earlier in the flight.
One more thing
I’ve been given an exit row seat for this flight, which is both a blessing and a curse. Yes, you get unlimited legroom, but on this aircraft, row 31 doesn’t have any windows – just a solid wall – plus you have to stow your entertainment system during take-off and landing, which equates to an hour or so that others are happily amused while you twiddle your thumbs.
The verdict
There are huge advantages to travelling premium economy with Singapore Airlines, from the spacious, comfortable seats to the excellent food, and increased luggage allowance. However, there’s no dedicated toilet in the cabin, which means heading back to economy and queuing up, plus I would recommend carefully considering your personal preferences before reserving an exit row.
Our rating out of five
★★★★
The writer travelled as a guest of Singapore Airlines
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