Review: Singapore Airlines Business Class

The route: Heathrow to Perth, via Singapore, on Singapore Airlines’ A380.

First impressions: Singapore Airlines’ SilverKris Lounge at Heathrow’s Terminal 2 was being refurbished when I tested out the route, but it reopened on August 1 and can now hold 242 passengers in separate business and first-class areas. It’s open from 5.30am to 10pm opposite the B36 departure gate, so passengers can start their journey stress-free. On the return leg, I tried the airline’s signature Singaporean dishes in the Perth lounge, starting with my first taste of kaya toast – thick white toast slathered with butter and coconut jam, dipped in a soy-spiked soft-boiled egg. I recommend clients give these classics a go.

The facts: Singapore Airlines flies four times a day from Heathrow to Singapore on both the A380 and B777-300ER. It also operates five flights a week from both Manchester and Gatwick, with the latter due to rise to daily next summer on the A350-900. For clients who are travelling on to Australia, there are four daily connections to Perth and one to Darwin. Each business-class cabin has a one-two-one configuration, so all seats have direct aisle access, with ample storage. There’s a sizeable screen to access inflight entertainment, albeit some touchscreen and remote-control functions were less than responsive on my system. The seat folds out into a spacious lie-flat bed with a proper pillow. There’s also a double-bed option in the centre of the aircraft. While in-air Wi-Fi can be hit and miss, this carrier lived up to its promise of unlimited internet in business class with a speedy service that remained connected for most of the flight.