SQ 68 SIN-BCN-GRU (Sao Paulo) Inaugural, with Hotel Fasano and more

[StarG]

A few months ago MAN Flyer and I started talking about doing this inaugural flight to Sao Paulo. We thought it would be interesting as this was going to be the first SQ destination in South America ever. With this flight SQ would be serving six continents.

I'm happy to report that we have made it to Sao Paulo, and will post some of the pictures I have taken from the trip.

Saturday, March 27 was quite a long day for me, having to wake up at 3:30 am in the morning to fly to Solo City for some family matters. My GA flight departed at 5:50 am from CGK and I was back into CGK at around 2:00 pm. Went to Sheraton Bandara near the airport to take a quick shower at the Fitness Centre and off I went back to the airport.

My GRU trip was off to a good start when I boarded my CGK-SIN flight SQ 961. The LSS took my jacket and said "I don't need your boarding pass this time as it will be the only jacket up front".
The flight was served by the Star Alliance B777-300 (9V-SYE) with the ancient seats. Still quite comfortable for 1.5 hours hop though.


Food onboard: Sauteed jumbo prawns served with capsicum confit and parmesan flavoured potato cake. Quite tasty.


Some aerial pictures enroute

[kris]

Really looking forward to this!

[SQflyergirl]

Enjoy sir StarG!

Boa Viagem com Ganso de Ouro para São Paulo!

[StarG]

Arrived SIN and met up with MAN Flyer at TPR.
Lots of pics of the TPR has been posted here so won't bore you guys with more.

Boarding pass and invitation to gate event at B5. MAN Flyer was in 1A.


Brazil/Sao Paulo promotional area in Changi T3



Gate B5


Notice the missing "Sao Paulo" wordings at the gate and on all the depature info boards. Just "GRU". Must be some technical error.


Festivities at the gate



The inaugural souvenir - crystal football paperweight



The new SQ CEO Mr. Goh Choon Phong making a speech on the new route


Joined by the Ambassador of Brazil to Singapore (which travels on this inaugural with his wife all the way to Sao Paulo)

[KeithMEL]

Very nice - thanks for sharing! I love reading about inaugurals. Look forward to more!

[StarG]

Boarding commenced at 11:55 pm exactly. First Class was full (8/8), with passengers, a couple of SQ captains repositioning to BCN, plus the Singapore Ambassador to Brazil.


We were greeted by lovely crew in F, lead by IFS Ms. P.

MAN Flyer's reputation for his love of Dom preceded him into the inaugural flight.
After a welcome greeting onboard, the next thing the IFS said was "I believe you love Dom Perignon very much, Mr. MAN Flyer?"
I will leave him to explain why.

We had a good chat enroute with one of the captains seated in the F cabin, one with the name of two Hong Kong movie stars.

After pushback


PJs and amenity kits (the new style) were distributed. It is made of clear plastic with leather trim & strap. It is actually not that bad. I received a pair of large red slippers for the first time - don't know whether it is something new.


First of lots of bubbly for the journey: this one's Krug


SQ 68 SIN-BCN Supper Menu



Combination of malossol caviar with lobster-fennel salad


Didn't feel like eating much in such late hour, so I opted for this from the snack menu: Roasted capsicum and santa lucia mozzarella sandwich. Not recommended.

[StarG]

Noticed new things onboard: the ottoman now has leather surface, not cloth like before. The bed now has a new smoother surface.


Breakfast setting


Fresh fruit plate. Sorry - the mango looked so delicious that I forgot to take a pic of the fruit plate in entirety.


Fresh eggs prepared on board (boiled baked or scrambled), with your choice of veal sausage, chicken sausage, vine rippened tomato and mushrooms


My seat 2A after breakfast service


More cabin pictures




My ottoman seemed to be broken but has been fixed temporarily. Need better solution.


Approaching Barcelona

[milehighj]

Look forward to the GRU pics, and the MAN Flyer report!

[milehighj]

MAN Flyer's reputation for his love of Dom preceded him into the inaugural flight.
After a welcome greeting onboard, the next thing the IFS said was "I believe you love Dom Perignon very much, Mr. MAN Flyer?"
I will leave him to explain why.

Ah, so the latest CGK turnaround was a success on the Dom consumption target?

[StarG]

Right side pax seemed to have better views than us during landing


Water cannons ready to greet us on the way to the gate







Sala VIP lounge at BCN T1




Views from the lounge

[Chris]

What a fantastic experience! Thanks for sharing.

[StarG]

SQ advertisement in BCN T1


Inaugural event at gate D18





We missed the lion dance by a minute


Our 9V-SWA at the gate

[Chris]

Is that TAMs onboard uniform?

[StarG]

Re-boarding 9V-SWA




Champagne Bollinger. Not in F menu AFAIK! Dom not allowed on the ground in BCN.


Jetways retracted and we were ready to go


BCN air traffic control tower


SQ 68 Inaugural BCN Take Off video

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Leaving BCN


Proper Champagne, finally!


More cabin pictures

[9V-JKL]

Hooray! An Inaugural TR so quick.

So where's MAN Flyer's?