What to expect on your next Singapore Airlines flight

For many Singaporeans, the upcoming year-end holidays may be the first time they’ve set foot on a Singapore Airlines plane in more than two years .

It goes without saying that a lot has changed since the pre-COVID days, and while Singapore Airlines may still be a great way to fly, it’s also going to be a very different way of flying from what many remember. 

To prepare passengers for post-COVID travel, Singapore Airlines has launched a new brand campaign called “We Look Forward to Seeing You in the Air Again” (surely there’s a catchier tagline than that!). This highlights what passengers can expect in terms of safety and health initiatives on their next Singapore Airlines flight.

I’ve already experienced what flying Singapore Airlines is like in the new normal, but for the benefit of those whose last flight came before March 2020, here’s what’s changed. 

Masks stay on, even when sleeping

Singaporeans should be used to perpetual mask wearing by now, and it makes no difference whether you’re at sea level or 35,000 feet in the air. 

Singapore Airlines requires all passengers six years old and above to wear a face mask throughout the flight, except when eating and drinking. There is no restriction on the specific type of mask that can be worn; cloth, surgical or KN95/N95 are all equally acceptable. A complimentary mask is provided in the SIA Care Kit that every passenger receives.

And yes, this extends to sleeping too. I know, I know. Sleeping with a mask on is the weirdest sensation ever, but the rules are the rules. I wouldn’t say it’s strictly enforced; I toss quite a bit in my sleep and my mask came off several times, but no one ever woke me up to wear it back. 

Similarly, just like on the ground, “eating and drinking” is quite liberally interpreted. Some passengers nurse a drink for hours, always within easy reach so as to abide by the letter of the law. Others put their masks on in between bites or sips. 

I’d say the crew generally adopts a policy of “by right by left”, and closes one eye towards some things. 

No more hot towel/pre-departure beverages

While the pre-takeoff hot towel service used to be a hallmark of Singapore Airlines, that’s understandably been suspended (the last thing you want is a cabin full of people removing their masks to wipe their faces). 

In a similar vein, pre-departure drinks in Business Class have been suspended (I’m not sure what the situation is in First, but I’ll be sure to review it on my upcoming trip). If you ask for one you’ll still get it, but it’s not the default SOP at the moment. 

Physical menus are gone

Physical menus were one of the small things that made the Singapore Airlines experience special. First Class passengers received handsome leather-bound copies, Business Class passengers had thick volumes padded out by a wide selection of TWG teas and fancy coffees, even Economy Class passengers could count on receiving them.

Not anymore. Physical menus have been replaced with digital versions in the name of hygiene (although there’s obviously a cost-saving element here, both in terms of printing and fuel burn). While I hope this is just a temporary measure in premium cabins, it’s almost certainly permanent for Economy Class. 

A digital inflight menu can be accessed by connecting to the KrisWorld Wi-Fi network and navigating to inflightmenu.singaporeair.com. You can also access this before your flight, if you want to look at the menu for your upcoming trip (max eight days ahead of departure).

For those who want a keepsake of their flight, a PDF copy of the menu can be downloaded too. 

Maybe it’s just me, but I prefer having a physical copy of the menu on hand since it’s more convenient than having to pull up my phone (first world problems alert).

Complimentary inflight Wi-Fi for all

This has nothing to do with hygiene or safety, but it’s still a notable change from the pre-COVID era.

Singapore Airlines was already offering complimentary Wi-Fi to First, Business Class and PPS passengers as early as 2018.  It took a further step in September 2020 by making complimentary Wi-Fi available to all KrisFlyer members, regardless of cabin.

Wi-Fi is available on all Singapore Airlines aircraft except the Boeing 737-800NG. 

Additional Wi-Fi allowances can be purchased at the following prices:

• Chat (2 hours): US$3.99
• Surf (3 hours): US$15.99
• Pro (100MB): US$9.99
• Premium (200MB): US$15.99

If you have a Citi Prestige Card, you’ll be able to enjoy unlimited free inflight Wi-Fi courtesy of Boingo.

No more inflight duty free cart

One of the totems of the inflight experience has always been the duty-free cart, heavy laden with overpriced perfumes, gadgets and watches for men who forgot to buy a gift for their wives/girlfriends/wives and girlfriends. 

Well, that cart may now be a thing of the past. Singapore Airlines has started introducing KrisShop inflight shopping via KrisWorld, allowing passengers to order items on KrisShop.com inflight and have them delivered on the ground. This wasn’t available on my flights to/from Germany; all I saw was a non-interactive screen. But you can be sure they’ll waste no time in rolling it out.

Hand sanitiser outside lavatories

Even though Singapore Airlines’ crew do a valiant job of keeping the inflight lavatories serviceable, it’s still one of the least appealing aspects of the journey. Moreover, with the hypochondriac mentality that COVID-19 has fostered, one tends to get finicky about every last touchpoint- the flush, the taps, the bin, the locks.

While touchless taps do exist on selected Singapore Airlines aircraft, the airline didn’t opt for  other features like touchless bins and flushes. It’s not really practical to retrofit them at this point, so as a workaround they’ve affixed hand sanitiser to the wall outside lavatories.

No more physical magazines

The pre-flight magazine cart has long been a staple of Singapore Airlines’ premium cabin service (at one point the airline was losing S$500,000 of magazines a year through pilferage!), but is yet another casualty of COVID.

Passengers will instead be able to access more than 200 digital titles through the SingaporeAir mobile app. These are available for download from 48 hours before departure, and will remain readable up to one week after the flight. To browse the selection, open the SingaporeAir app, tap More (on the bottom right) ➤ Entertainment & Lifestyle ➤ e-Library 

Even before COVID, Singapore Airlines was trying to get rid of physical magazines in its cabins in order to save on weight. It looks like COVID has finally sealed the deal. 

Conclusion

The recent expansion of the VTL (and concessions made for unvaccinated children) mean a lot of people will be taking to the skies again in the next few months. With some travellers jittery about flying in a post-COVID world, Singapore Airlines is pulling out all the stops to reassure them of a safe and seamless journey.

Their health and safety page is a non-stop list of hygiene measures, from HEPA filters, to sanitised surfaces, antimicrobial coatings and electrostatic spray cleanings, among other things.

I can’t say the new standards are being observed obsessively- on my flight to Frankfurt last weekend, my seat clearly hadn’t been cleaned properly. There were crumbs at the footrest area, sticky residue on the IFE controller and armrest areas, and a stray air sickness bag on the floor (unused, thankfully). The crew were apologetic and filed a report, although it just goes to show that some things inevitably slip through the cracks. 

Any questions about the new normal Singapore Airlines experience?