Flight Test: Scoot

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This was published 11 years ago

Flight Test: Scoot

By Nina Karnikowski
Supersize me... Scoot offers budget flights with add-on perks such as 'super' seats for an extra $24.

Supersize me... Scoot offers budget flights with add-on perks such as 'super' seats for an extra $24.

Route Sydney to Singapore.

Aircraft Boeing 777-200, a refurbished aircraft from parent Singapore Airlines.

Class Economy, seat 42G.

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Flight time Eight hours and 15 minutes. Despite a one-hour delay on the plane's maiden flight arrival from Singapore due to a mechanical fault and medical emergency, we leave Sydney on time at 12.50pm. Arrival time is spot on.

Seat width and pitch This is budget flying so regular blue seats are a tight 43 centimetres wide with a 78-centimetre pitch. Scoot also has bright yellow "Super" seats for an extra $24, with an 81-centimetre to 89-centimetre pitch, and "S-t-r-e-t-c-h" (aka bulkhead row) seats for $79.

Seat configuration 3-4-3 layout for 370 economy class seats.

Seats are squeezy, but there's good legroom.

Seats are squeezy, but there's good legroom.

Service Celebratory complimentary sparkling is handed out after take-off, but a glass of water an hour later is harder to come by. Three presses of the call bell are unheeded and passing cabin crew are scarce. I'm later told that because the call bells are positioned low, passengers are accidentally bumping them with their hips, which explains the incessant "bings" throughout the flight. When I do get served, however, it's with a smile.

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Food and beverages My "FlyBagEat" ticket comes with a meal and drink, plus 15 kilograms of checked luggage. The menu offers four hot options (normally $10 each on board), but because it's the maiden voyage and we've pre-ordered, we are given the choice of chicken with noodles or lamb stew with mash. I opt for the latter and it hits the spot, despite being quite small. Thankfully, peaches in apple juice are part of the package, and I buy snacks later in the flight — water crackers with Laughing Cow cheese and a small tube of Pringles ($3 each).

Luggage Carry-on allowance of seven kilograms plus laptop for economy, and 15 kilograms plus laptop for ScootBiz fares. Pre-booked checked baggage costs from $28 for 15 kilograms, up to $60 for 40 kilograms.

In-flight entertainment For $17 I can rent an iPad2 with a small selection of movies, TV, games and music preloaded.

Comfort The high ceilings of the 777 aircraft give a feeling of spaciousness, and the spare seat beside me does help (although the child with a penchant for kicking the back of my seat doesn't). Blankets cost $9 and eye masks and pillow sets $8.

Flight frequency Scoot flies daily at 12.50pm from Sydney to Singapore. The return flight departs Singapore at 2.10am. It costs from $360, return, low-season, including tax.

Online See flyscoot.com.

Tested by Nina Karnikowski, who flew courtesy of Scoot.

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