Singapore Airlines Airbus 380 in all its glory
We had visited Kota Kinabalu in Sabah, East Malaysia earlier this month, and it’s easily become one of our favourites for destination weddings in Asia. Here’s all you need to know about travelling to this city from India. Having experienced a truly luxurious Mumbai-Singapore flight on Singapore Airlines and then on to Kota Kinabalu via the regional wing of Singapore Airlines, SilkAir, we couldn’t wait to share it with you all.
Singapore Airlines offers flights to Singapore from all major Indian cities including Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai and Kolkatta, among others. You can either choose to spend some time in Singapore or take the connecting SilkAir flight from Changi Airport to Kota Kinabalu. We adore Singapore, but we also can’t get enough of its fabulous airport. So we were only too happy when heard that we had a short stopover.
Singapore Airlines Business Class
Singapore Airlines is synonymous with comfort, convenience and hospitality. Since we were privileged to have flown Business Class on the Airbus 380 aircraft, the experience was that much more luxurious! For instance, the seats — the world’s most spacious — transform into fully flat beds or can double up as an office, entertainment hub and gourmet restaurant depending on your needs. The 1-2-1 forward facing cabin layout gives you direct aisle access while offering unrivalled space between seats. It’s pretty much like you have a private cabin in the air!
Smoked Salmon aboard Singapore Airlines Business Class
The beverage menu lists champagne, vintage wines, whiskeys, cocktails like the quintessential Singapore Sling, or the exclusive Silver Kris Sling. Our meal was not unlike that served at a gourmet restaurant and will even appeal to the most discerning epicure. The Singapore Airlines International Culinary panel of celebrated chefs has created its extensive menu.
A table hidden from sight was soon revealed and gently draped with a tablecloth. First came a delightful serving of smoked salmon served with a fresh, crusty selection of bread. We opted for the flavourful Soba Noodles with Prawn and Vegetable Tempura — the perfect main course to match our holiday mood! Aspects — like salt-and-pepper shakers and forks for different courses — added to this truly gourmet experience which, for a minute, made us forget were mid air! Special mention must be given to the tender pulled crab salad, the succulent satay and the generous scoop of Belgian chocolate ice cream, all plated to perfection on our return flight.
In-seat charging dock and USB port on Singapore Airlines
We couldn’t get enough of the abundant KrisWorld in-flight entertainment on the impressive 15.4-inch LCD screen. Discretely secured in-seat facilities like charging ports, USB docks and the vanity mirror kept us busy as we discovered new features.
Singapore Airlines Business Class Seats are the world’s most spacious
Soon enough, we drifted off to sleep after our seats were turned into fully reclining beds in our virtually noise-less cabin only to rise a little after the ever so smooth landing in Singapore! Small but thoughtful touches like the range of L’Occitane products in restrooms and the personalised welcome from the staff on board proves that Singapore Airlines believes that it’s all in the details.
Singapore Airlines is the penultimate in luxury flying, but its regional wing is definitely not far behind. We’ve flown on several regional airlines, but SilkAir gets extra brownie points for comfort, great food and top-notch hospitality. Business Class passengers enjoy the privilege of priority boarding and lounge access, too!
A hearty breakfast aboard SilkAir’s flight to Kota Kinabalu
We were wined and dined on the short flight to Kota Kinabalu while we busied ourselves reading the informative inflight magazine Silkwinds and exploring the Lenovo tablet for inflight entertainment placed at each seat. We even downloaded the SilkAir app on to our iPad using the on-air Wi-Fi network that allowed us to stream any of the inflight entertainment on to our own devices! The ergonomic seating, upholstered in plush leather, was perfect to unwind and stretch our legs ever so often. If the flight was a smooth one, the landing was even more so!
SilkAir’s inflight entertainment can be accessed through its Lenovo tablets or through any of your devices
The SilkAir staff is a warm lot, who go out of their way to ensure that everything is perfect. They even re-heated a bowl of nuts for the gentleman seated near us upon his request! SilkAir connects to a good number of destinations across Asia and Australia. As of now, the airline operates from south India particularly from Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Kochi and Trivandrum, among others. This is one airline we would be happy to opt for on our next Asian wedding!
Credits : Image 1, 2, 4, : Singapore Airlines | Image 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 : Beverly Pereira |
Beverly Pereira is a luxury and lifestyle writer
