Short review
Lounge (Condordia Premier in Surabaya): 4/5 (A decent lounge for a short regional flight)
Cabin: 5/5 (A rather empty wide-bodied airplane for a short 2-hour flight)
Service: 5/5 (Good service all around)
Food and beverages: 5/5 (Enjoyable meals)
Pros:
- Excellent service overall
Cons:
- The lounge was rather crowded, although this is perhaps nitpicking
Long review
This was a short flight from Surabaya to Singapore for me and my family. Singapore Airlines SQ931 was scheduled to leave Surabaya at 10:10 and arrive in Singapore at 13:30 with a total flight duration of 2 hours and 20 minutes. They actually arrived in Singapore slightly earlier than the schedule.
Our journey began in the Condordia Premier Lounge in the Juanda International Airport, Surabaya. Near the lounge entrance, I saw a list of airline passengers and credit card holders that could access the lounge. The list was quite long, which was typical in Indonesia based on my experience. The lounge was crowded at first, but then it died down before our boarding time.
I didn’t have high expectations because usually airport lounges in Indonesia are rather underwhelming. This one was actually above my expectations. It was fairly large; well at least larger than what I originally thought. The food options were relatively varied. I said relatively because they were all Indonesian dishes, although there were some familiar dishes, such as fried rice, noodles, and congee. The drinks were standard, including juices, tea, and coffee. Alcoholic drinks could be ordered from the bar at the far end of the lounge. There were also a couple of Indonesian traditional herbal drinks, which were refreshing. Overall, it was a positive lounge experience. My only negative comment is that the lounge was rather crowded when we first entered. The long list of passengers who can access the lounge as I mentioned earlier most likely was responsible for this.
We spent about 50 minutes in the lounge before it’s time for boarding. The boarding was again quick and smooth because there were only a few business class passengers today. We were warmly welcomed and showed into our seats located in the very first row of seats. Welcome drinks and warm towels were distributed as per the norm. They also had a baby package for us, which included a small box of tissue, nappies, and a bib. They also offered a small teddy bear, which was gladly accepted by Josie. Amenity kit bags were not provided, which is completely fine for this short flight.
The cabin was the classic Singapore Airlines’ regional business class. The seats were organised in a 2-2-2 configuration, meaning those seating on window seats would not have direct access to the aisle. It didn’t really matter for this 2-hour hop though. The cabin was rather empty, making it feel like a private flight.
Singapore Airlines website described the personalised seat is designed like a shell, with a gentle incline as it converts into a flat bed (flat but not horizontal to the floor). The leather seat comes with a control panel that lets passengers personalise their seating preferences so they can be at their most comfortable. Josie managed to have a short nap actually, so the seat was comfortable enough I suppose.
The business class cabin offered the usual excellent KrisWorld inflight entertainment. Josie used headphones for the first time, and she was very excited.
Now let’s see the light lunch menu available in this flight.
Appetiser
- Prawn Caesar salad: prawns with romaine lettuce, parmesan cheese and croutons, and creamy Caesar dressing
Main course
- Vadouvan curry spiced-chicken breast with preserved lemon accompanied by potato puree and sautéed bayaldi vegetables
- Braised egg noodles with beef brisket and Chinese vegetables
- Ikan gulai Padang: Malay style spiced fish with vegetables and steamed rice
Dessert
- Crème caramel
My wife ordered the vadouvan curry, while I ordered the braised egg noodles along with a glass of white wine. The curry was tasty and was the better option. The noodle dish was nice, but perhaps a bit on the dry side for me.
We were satisfied with the service from the flight attendants. They were efficient, while still friendly and warm. Overall, we were very happy with our experience and Singapore Airlines has again successfully delivered their high standard of service.
