Cost cutting

[9V-SIA]

This is my first post. I flew 12 times last year on SQ, 3 times on SIN-EWR-SIN. Signs of cost cutting are apparent everywhere on SQ. Despite this, given a choice, I will fly SQ because they remain the best airline on balance. Other airlines are also cutting costs!

SKLs are crowded. The food is awful. I've stop going as a result. Most Asian airports have a lot to keep one occupied thanks to the trailblazing standards of Changi.

The amenity packs given out in J class are adequate: Socks and eyeshades.Could do with ear plugs though because the noise cancelling headphones begin to hurt my head after 18 hours in the air!

The quality of the food is variable. Steaks are usually a safe choice surprisingly. BUT BRING BACK MY SATAY on regional flights!!!!

I don't like the new 77W J seats. Am I the only one to dislike them?Claustrophobic "cabin". Does not recline enough to snooze (I don't want to sleep sometimes). Snoozing in full recline, and at a oblique angle(except for the front row 11), gave me a cricked neck. No armrest (for both arms).

The thing I worry about for SQ is ticket pricing. SIN-EWR-SIN is now $11k plus on J class. SIN-BKK-JFK-BKK-SIN on TG is $5k plus. SIN-HKG-JFK-HKG-SIN on CX is $9k. I think SQ is in danger of alienating FIT like myself.

[LampStack]

I think it is remarkable how much SQ J fares have risen over the past two years. Apparently, there are plenty of people with money to pony up that much dough to fly SQ.

fclass

[SQ LPP]

A quick reply before I go for my singapore airlines' dream

This is my first post. I flew 12 times last year on SQ, 3 times on SIN-EWR-SIN. Signs of cost cutting are apparent everywhere on SQ. Despite this, given a choice, I will fly SQ because they remain the best airline on balance. Other airlines are also cutting costs!

Welcome to SQTalk. I am glad to hear that SQ is still the best airlines, among all the trend-cost-cutting... But I do have my comments regarding your following statements.

SKLs are crowded. The food is awful. I've stop going as a result. Most Asian airports have a lot to keep one occupied thanks to the trailblazing standards of Changi.

Which part of SKL is crowded? With the new T3 opens, I heard SKL is not that crowded. If you are talking about SKL at ICN, hmm I saw not that crowded...

The amenity packs given out in J class are adequate: Socks and eyeshades.Could do with ear plugs though because the noise cancelling headphones begin to hurt my head after 18 hours in the air!

I am confused... ear plug is for reducing the noise coming to the ear like when you want to sleep, and you don't want to hear voices from your seatmate or pax around you. And being hurt from the headphones will not get better by using ear plugs.
And for your information, ear plugs are available on board SQ, perhaps not loaded for the very short distance flights. But you are talking about 18 hours with headphones, thus you are talking about very long flight time.. and I am sure the ear plugs are available on board.

The quality of the food is variable. Steaks are usually a safe choice surprisingly. BUT BRING BACK MY SATAY on regional flights!!!!

I am so surprise to hear that steaks is a safe choice on SQ. I have heard the reverse from other flyers who took SQ J. Like when I take UA C, the beef/steaks are the best bet... not too overcooked which had happened on SQ J according to my friends.
And why would you say "bring back satay on regional flights"? There is no cut in satay service. The one that definitely a big cut is the "caviar" service due to the shortage all over the world. But satay, I don't notice there is a change. SQ16/18 SIN-ICN I still see satay served, like 3 or 4 years ago. SIN-HKG, I don't think satay is served in that route for years.

I don't like the new 77W J seats. Am I the only one to dislike them?Claustrophobic "cabin". Does not recline enough to snooze (I don't want to sleep sometimes). Snoozing in full recline, and at a oblique angle(except for the front row 11), gave me a cricked neck. No armrest (for both arms).

I am curious how many times have you been on 77W? You are talking about row 11 which is a bulkhead.. and row 14 is a bulkhead as well.. thus shouldn't be included in your exception about oblique angle (which I don't really know the meaning. Sorry my English is not that great here...) The seats are wide.. so the armrests are way apart... One of the thing I do to create an armrest is by putting pillow on my side.. thus I wil have both arm rests...
And the flat seat bed mode is a heaven for sleeping in a long haul flight! And you are talking about claustrophobic? Hmm try other airlines herringbone style flat bed... I like them as well, but if I have the choice, I will take the new SQ seats any day...

To add: sleeping at an angle on 77W is similar to other airlines with herringbone style... NZ C has an angle... your head by the window and the feet goes towards the aisle... AC new C has similar style... the difference is that on SQ, your feet is inside a cubby-hole-like for non-bulkhead seats...

The thing I worry about for SQ is ticket pricing. SIN-EWR-SIN is now $11k plus on J class. SIN-BKK-JFK-BKK-SIN on TG is $5k plus. SIN-HKG-JFK-HKG-SIN on CX is $9k. I think SQ is in danger of alienating FIT like myself.

If you do SIN-EWR-SIN 3 times a year, hmm you are QPP already.. not Elite Gold.
But again, if you think SQ doesn't do the right thing for you, just get what the best for you. If the ultra-long-haul SIN-EWR not worth the time savings compare to the costs of having a connection somewhere, then why not just do a connection? It's all very personal preference...

[UMD]

Satay service is not cut. It is served on a SIN - BOM - SIN routes as well.

As for the new J, SQ new seats beat the new CX J (herringbone but a very claustrophobic design) and the new TG or MH J seats which are quite similar to the outgoing SQ Spacebeds. IMHO SQ new J seats on 77W and A380 are the best in their class now. I truly fall in love with the amount of space and the number of well thought out details these new J seats can offer.

I can make myself really comfortable on these new seats.

[A350]

well, SQ J class is actually considered to be P class in other airlines

quite a good bargain IMO

the CX J Class seating arrangement is actually used by most airlines like AC, VS, air NZ... don't like it as i feel really squashed up... prefer something that is spacious

[9V-SIA]

While I fly a lot, my experience is limited to SQ as I think they are the best airline, as well as having the best network out of Singapore. I consider alternatives only to destinations to which SQ does not fly eg Vienna, Chitose.

I would like to express my opinion on 2 aspects of the SQ experience.
1.Cost cutting
2. SQ product in J class

I have noticed the cost cutting that has over the years been introduced. Most don't impact me as I have developed coping strategies.

a.SKL food is not as good as before; the last 3 times I visited ( Shanghai x1, Kansai x2), I was unable to get a seat. What draws me to the lounge? Not food or drink ( I'm non alcoholic) , not internet access but reading a copy of the Straits Times to catch up on news from home! Nowthat I give the overseas SKL a miss, pre flight I walk around the architecturally beautiful airports (KIX, HKG) and read my Straits Times on board. In Singapore, I have access to another premier( banking) lounge.

b. No ear plugs in the amenities kit on SIN-EWR forcing me to keep the headphones on. Maybe I have a big head but wearing those headphones for any length of time hurt my ears. So I bring my own ear plugs and have a pair of Seinheiser 250 which is more comfortable. It may seem like nit picking but the only thing I miss is the satay! Yes, they still have it on some flights but not all ( SIN-PEN used to have it ). It doesn't escape my attention when I don't get my satay! To me, it is as iconic (too strong a word?) of SQ as the Balmain designed kebayas.

2. SQ product in J class
Let's talk J class seat design. I prefer the spacebeds on the A345 compared to the 77W (with qualifications). The term wide body for twin aisled jets was coined to give passengers the promise of SPACE. And the design of previous generation aircraft did achieve this (and I include the A345 J cabin here) succeeded in giving this open feel. I would argue that the new generation of J class seats (SQ77W, herringbone config) fails in this regard. The emphasis is on personal space not collective space so the cabins have a clautrophobic feel which I don't like.( I like to sit right at the back of J class to give me that feeling if space. When I flew 744, avoid the upper deck.)

With regard to the SQ 77W seat specifically, it converts into a very comfortable bed but is a less comfortable seat (the opposite of the A345). The seats are too wide. Using a pillow as an armrest is not as good as a proper armrest. Besides, when the weather gets white knuckle and cold sweat bumpy, I like to hang on to something! Try that in the new seat! I am planning to fly it to Barcelona later this year or early next year so I gave it a test drive to Hong Kong and back. So I guess the decision whether to take SQ would depend on whether one intends to sleep most of the way or watch movies! To be fair, my wife likes the new seat. (Another tip to some out the turbulence is to sit over the wings)

Incidently all the improvements the A345 seat needs to be perfect is more seat padding( I carry a seat cushion from a Swedish manufacturer when I fly SIN-EWR) and fully flat as opposed to the slight head up tilt it has.

[SQ LPP]

b. No ear plugs in the amenities kit on SIN-EWR forcing me to keep the headphones on. Maybe I have a big head but wearing those headphones for any length of time hurt my ears. So I bring my own ear plugs and have a pair of Seinheiser 250 which is more comfortable.

Ear plugs are not given in the kits. The cabin crew has them in their storage. Well not all pax wants earplugs. Why would waste them. You should have asked the cabin crew for the ear plugs.

It may seem like nit picking but the only thing I miss is the satay! Yes, they still have it on some flights but not all ( SIN-PEN used to have it ). It doesn't escape my attention when I don't get my satay! To me, it is as iconic (too strong a word?) of SQ as the Balmain designed kebayas.

I do apologize. I started to fly on SQ about year 2000-2001. Thus my experience here is based on the travel for the past 7 years... And yes, the satay that they serve now is like a canape... thus preceding the lunch and dinner meals service. Thus satay that I am used to, is the satay that I enjoy while having the drinks...
After checking here and there, the satay that you are talking about is a normal main course in a casserolle. But again, SQ has not done that satay as the main dish dish long time ago, i.e. prior to my journey flying SQ. Thus, this has nothing to do with cost cutting. The demand for satay as main course declined, and the menu had changed...
Of course now SQ has this local favourite dish in their main course choices. So perhaps there will make a come back occasionally. But for me, I would not want to have satay as the main course. Snack, may be...

[EWR]

I just received my final paper account statement today

[MAN Flyer]

I just received my final paper account statement today

Was this meant to post elsewhere ?.

[MAN Flyer]

I agree the SKL at PVG gets badly overcrowded. It is no longer designated a *A Gold lounge to try and alleviate the crowding but it's still not good. It's just too small but in fairness the other lounges I've been to in PVG are too small as well, so maybe it's down to the authorities there. Not that I'm saying SQ would shell out to make it bigger even if they could. That would cost pennies...

I have only used the SKL at KIX once so can't offer many examples of how that is. Again it's small but it was very quiet when I used it prior to flying to BKK to be honest.

Ear plugs are always available. They don't hand them out but you just need to ask the crew. I always ask when they are handing out the socks and eye shades. I've even had them on regional flights when I've asked so maybe they have them on every flight.

I am surprised to hear the OP prefers the SpaceBed to the new Raffles seat. I think the new seat is the best J class seat around, although I haven't tried BA's seat.

I can't disagree with the title of the thread, as there has been cost cutting going on in certain areas for a while now. Especially the (cough) loyalty (cough) programme. Some of the recent changes there were simple penny pinching.

However, they can get away with this as they have such a good product in the air. They know this and worked out that people won't like it but will stick with them. They may be a lot of things, but they ain't stupid.

We've basically got three choices. We can carry on flying and not say anything. We can carry on flying with them and moan about it, which I'm doing. Or, we can tell them to Foxtrot Oscar and go and fly with other airlines.

They don't currently have enough aircraft to cope with demand, so it's a win-win situation. The only way they could come unstuck is for this threatened global recession to get appreciably worse and people start cutting back on travel, another bad SARS or Bird Flu outbreak in the region, or (God forbid) a major terrorist attack. Then they might find a distinct lack of loyalty in return if things got a little sticky.

[N_Architect]

However, they can get away with this as they have such a good product in the air. They know this and worked out that people won't like it but will stick with them. They may be a lot of things, but they ain't stupid.

I'd second that.

We've basically got three choices. We can carry on flying and not say anything. We can carry on flying with them and moan about it, which I'm doing. Or, we can tell them to Foxtrot Oscar and go and fly with other airlines.

Again, agree. And I don't think there are many Kris/PPS members who are going for choice no. 3 at the moment (yet).

They don't currently have enough aircraft to cope with demand, so it's a win-win situation. The only way they could come unstuck is for this threatened global recession to get appreciably worse and people start cutting back on travel, another bad SARS or Bird Flu outbreak in the region, or (God forbid) a major terrorist attack. Then they might find a distinct lack of loyalty in return if things got a little sticky.

Recession - well, currently anything's possible. SARS/Bird Flu - again, possible, but probably with a slighter less chance to happen (although if it occurs again in Asia the effects will be immediately felt). Terrorist attack - I don't really believe it can happen (in SQ, I mean), that's one of the reasons why I fly with them...

What about competition? The Arabs for example (EK, QR, etc.) are investing heavily, expanding routes, buying more planes, upgrading their products. Traitor Air go-ahead for the deal with China took SQ back (momentarily) but when you lose a battle does not necessarily imply you will lose the war.

Personally I find all this very interesting and wait to see how it will evolve (I mean the whole game, taking into account the competition from all sides). And I also can't wait to see what SQ will do to keep up to the high standards they've already set, after the competition catches up.