Singing Singapore Airlines' Praises enroute to Beijing!

Ah, Singapore Airlines, without a doubt one of the worlds greatest! Airgroove had the pleasure of flying to Beijing in business Class as a part of a Star Alliance Asia Circle fare, that would allow me to visit China, Japan and Korea. And love every second onboard, even though it was not the A380 :-( Perhaps next time...

Check-in was swift, and very professional, I was promptly given my selected seat on the upper deck and had a 'free' seat next to me all the way to Singapore :-) I also had my desired seat assignment from Singapore to Beijing... Nice! The Singapore Airlines Business Class Lounge is small and intimate, not as good as the Air New Zealand Lounge, as noted before on my blog, but it does the trick nonetheless!

I was anxious to board, I love a good sip of Piper Heidsieck before take-off and Singapore Airline will pour me a glass, even before noon! Taking off without a Champagne or 2 seems just plain wrong! Almost as if 'we cannot go yet, where are the bubbles!' As ever, the flight attendants were amazingly friendly and welcoming, ah, 7 hours of pampering ahead! Nice one!

After reaching cruising altitude, the hunger pangs began, more Champagne flowed, it was vital and our first meal was to be served! Ah, spoilt for choice... After some fab fresh fruit, I decided on the Roast Duck Noodle Soup - delicious! I could have eaten more than 1 bowl! All served in classic Singapore Airline style, awesome!

After a more than satisfying beginning to the flight, it was time for a movie and a snooze... There is seldom a time when one gets to zone out, no phones, the laptop was securely in the overhead locker and I enjoyed 'me' time. Books, magazines and a movie... Good times. The flight was only 8 hours, so before I knew it the smells of another meal were wafting through the upper deck! What to have, what to have...To begin: prawns, mango relish prosciutto ham with melon and mozzarella with tomato, all good and fresh... I had obviously studied the menu for the main course and opted for the Matt Moran (Aria Restaurant, Sydney) inspired Ocean Trout with Miso Crust in Sesame Dressing, Bok Choy and Shiitake Mushrooms with fettuccine, just divine! YUM! All washed with a crisp glass of 2007 Wither Hills Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand, equally as good! Satisfaction, yep, satisfaction!

Culinary delights, followed by landing at the new Terminal 3 at Changi Airport, another first class experience! See the below picture that will lead into my next post: Thanks Singapore Airlines, you so deserve your 5* Rating! :-)

Boarding soon: Singapore, China, Japan and Korea!

Airgroove has been so busy - I have posts to come from Singapore, China, Japan and Korea... I will endeavour to make posts over the coming few weeks, before we head off on holiday to the Middle East and Europe.

Again apologies for the boarding delay! ;-)

AG :)

Jet Airways! Good, but dry...

After an amazing week in Mumbai - a city that pulses energy, 24/7 ( I loved it!) I was ready to board Jet Airways to Delhi for a few final days in India. I have read many great reviews on Jet, and I actually enjoyed my flight, but I somewhat expect a lot from an airline - when you spend so much time flying, it's expected... :-) All in all, I was happy!

Check-in was easy and painless, which is great after being in meetings for 10 hours. I swiftly cleared security and went to the lounge -which was average... It was very cafe style and not an alcoholic beverage to be found! Aaaargh! After such a busy week, I really craved a cold beer or nice glass of wine, oh well I will have one on the plane...

Boarding was via a bus, and the transit was long! We finally arrived at the aircraft and the plane was a shiny new 737-800 aircraft! I was happy indeed, upon entering the aircraft the flight attendants were so friendly and I felt welcome on board, a nice touch indeed... I was now ready to explore another Indian city, Delhi here we come! The Business Class cabin was in 5 rows with a 2X2 config, with recliner seats which were really comfortable.

After taking my seat, I was offered lovely fresh juice and realised that Indian domestic flights are 'dry'... I'd have to wait until my hotel for that well deserved glass of wine! :-) The service was amazing on this 2 hour flight, I was very impressed by the level of professionalism. I opted for the Indian curry for main, but had to send it back, as it was tooooooo hot! I had the pasta instead, both pictures look average, but the food was good! The salad and soup were delicious! The cake was yum. Sugar plus!

Overall, I recommend Jet, the service was so great and I look forward to flying with them again when I visit India in the future! Thanks Jet!

India - Thai-riffic all the way...!

Airgroove would like to apologise first of all for the delay in posting my trip report to India - things have been hectic and I have many more trips to add... They will be posted over the next few weeks.

Again, I had the pleasure of flying Thai from Sydney to Bangkok, connecting to Mumbai - all flights were great. Check-in in Sydney was easy with no queue, I then proceeded right to the Air NZ lounge for a quick breakfast before boarding my 777-200 to BKK. The service on this flight was exceptional, the crew worked really hard to provide fantastic meal service and were visible the whole day flight making regular rounds with drinks etc.

First up was fresh fruit and then I decided to have the Thai option which was chilli prawns with noodles - delicious! It sure beats airline 'eggs' which I despise, there is something about eggs at 35,000ft. that just don't seem right. All in all a good start to the flight - the best options on the menu.

After breakfast, it was lights out! Very strange for this day flight, they closed all the window shades and turned off the lights! Right after eating, it was so sudden! I had a nice sleep though, I was full after breakfast, ZZZzzzzzzz...

I awoke from my long nap to the regular Thai kebabs in a fabulous sauce. Yum! I asked for a second serve :-) Then came the scallops with smoked salmon - really fresh and whetted my appetite for the main course! Duck! It was heaven!

I was SO full, but the cheese and raspberry tart looked too good to refuse - the flight attendant basically forced me to have the tart - which I am glad she did, it was yummo! After having 2 more courses, I was about to explode. The fantastic crew on this flight made the food all the more enjoyable.

After a quick stop over in Bangkok, I boarded my flight to Mumbai, an older style A330 with recliner seating - rather comfortable for a 4 hour flight. The menu on this leg was equally as good as the SYD-BKK flight. To begin: Curry puffs, of course and they were tasty! I could already feel India! The starter was great also, rolled beef and rolled kingfish - truly splendid! I could have had a second serve of this! The main affair was a delicious Madras Lamb Curry - Thai were setting the mood for my first arrival in India!

Another stellar flight with Thai and I arrived in India full of good food - and lotsa wine ready to embark on my first trip on the sub-continent - thanks again Thai!

Incredible !ndia...

Airgroove is excited! I am off to India for the first time next week!

I will be visiting Mumbai and Delhi, and the primary reason for my trip is business. I am hoping I will have a some short periods to fit in some shopping in the evenings...! Hurrah!

I will be flying with Thai in C Class via Bangkok to Mumbai where I will begin my trip. After my business meetings conclude in Mumbai I will be taking my first flight with Jet Airways to Delhi... This will be great as I have never had the chance to fly with Jet before, and I hear mostly good things about them... I will be travelling on a 737-900, so I am assuming this aircraft will be somewhat a new addition to the fleet. After completing my business obligations in Delhi, I will make a quick day trip to Agra to visit the Taj Mahal, of course!

On the return journey I will be flying out of Delhi to Bangkok and then home to Sydney again in C Class. Interestingly, my flight to BKK from SYD and vice-versa will be day flights, which is great, it will allow me to enjoy the smooth as silk service from Thai... I normally take the evening/overnight flights, so it will be a different experience... And I am certain Champagne will have something to do with it!

I will of course post a full trip report upon my return!

Cheers, AG :-)

Smooth as Silk, again...!

I have no doubt by now that everyone knows that I rather like flying with Thai... There are 2 simple reasons for this: the reasonably priced business class fares and the food and service are mostly great; better than some of the 'premium' airlines.

After arriving at BKK from a long flight - I made a much needed visit to the Royal Orchid Spa for a foot massage. Every time I visit the spa, I thank my lucky stars! It is such a nice touch and of course delivered with lovely Thai charm and grace. I also really like the cinnamon tea and muesli bar they give to you at the conclusion whilst you recover in the waiting area! Apart from leaving the spa relaxed and ready for a shower, it puts me in the mood for my next flight.

As I approached the boarding are for my next flight, I was slightly stressed I was going to be late, as I had to have that quick shower! But as the gate became visible in the huge BKK terminal, all was OK... Boarding was delayed by 20 mins :-) I boarded and took my seat 16F, my home for the next 10 hrs... As always, the crew was so welcoming as they took my jacket and I relaxed in my seat prior to take-off. I have to be in the mood to talk to my seat mates on long flights, I soon realised my fellow traveller in 16E was a nice chap and we sparked up a great conversation. In no time we were away and served the fishcake welcome dish, what Thai deem the 'Hot Savoury'... I have mentioned these before... Yum, a great start!

After the fishcakes, I was ready to have a small feast! Next for Airgroove was the Marinated Salmon, Tossed Brown Soba Noodles, Smoked French Ham with Melon Balls and Mirin Dressing in Tomato. All were really good and I enjoyed a glass of Macon Cruzille, Les Avoueries 1999 with my meal - and jolly good it was too! All the components of this meal worked well and I was now hankering for my main course...

For main course, I decided to have the Lamb Noisette with Fresh Peppercorn, Pan fried Spatzley with vegetables. I have to say the lamb was a little over fatty, I found that I could only eat half of the dish as I was cutting away so much fat... Shame, but what I did eat was OK... Not the best dish though, Thai... To accompany my meal, I had a glass or 3 of Chateau Garraud, Lalande De Pomerol, 2004 - the wine was much better than the food, the only saving grace...

After dinner, I opted to have a bit of a nap and pass the movie selection... I literally remember falling to sleep and waking up to breakfast being served, it had a been a long second flight after all! I was fickle about breakfast and eventually decided on the Noodle Soup with Fish and Shrimp Balls - it was good! Just what I needed - I was over cheese and bread, so this was a great alternative and given I don't eat eggs on a plane, it certainly hit the spot!

Again, thanks Thai... As smooth as silk...

In the pointy end: FRA-BKK...

After almost 2 beautiful weeks in Europe, it was time to head home... :-( But don't worry, Airgroove will be back! As always, check-in at Frankfurt is so easy... Much to my delight my seat request of 4D in the nose section of the jumbo was honoured, the only Business Class single seat! Fantastic! Equally fantastic is the new 'boarding Business class Lounges'. LH have designed mini-lounges inn Terminal 1 in section C of the airport to ensure all Business Class pax can just walk directly onto the flight from the lounge, a very nice touch indeed! It was modern, slick and clean...

I was delighted with seat 4D, I would have no seat mate snoring in my face overnight... Bliss! Athough it felt weird at first just sitting in this 'middle' seat, all on it's own! But I soon realised it was the best seat on the plane - if you are flying alone. I like LH's C Class seat, it is not broken into sections, so not lumpy in anyway... When the bed is flat, it is just one long bed, a comfy one at that! See my seat below an the view into the 'nose' of the 747...

After take-off, the cabin wash awash with Champagne! The FA's were constantly popping corks, what a thirsty bunch we were! Menus were handed out and I immediately know my choices! To begin: Marinated King Prawns with a Curry Mayonnaise and Glass Noodle Salad - it was refreshing and hi the spot, as I am a prawn lover! A cold glass of the Leo Riesling was the perfect match for this dish...

Then for my main course, the LH traditional Roast Goose with Red Cabbage, Potato Dumplings and Herb Crumb Butter. One the of the best meals I have had on a plane - totally delicious! Yum, even! If you ever have the chance to try this dish, do so, it will not disappoint! The crew were efficient on this flight during meal service and seemed to be interested if we were enjoying our meals, a nice touch... To drink: a glass or 3 of 2004 Chateau Haut Madrac, Cru Bourgeois Haut-Medoc, Frankreich. This wines subtle spicy aromas complimented the gamey taste of the goose perfectly...

After a great sleep, I awoke to the clanging of glasses being filled with fresh juice, cranberry for me please! I skipped the full breakfast in favour of cold cuts with some freshly warmed croissants! I was still full from dinner, the goose was seriously good!

Ah, LH you have yet to disappoint! Thank you! I was now keen to leave seat 4D and head directly to the royal Orchid Spa for a massage and then shower before my next flight... The journey home was only half complete!

Hola, Barcelona!

Whilst in Europe, apart from enjoy Germany, Airgroove flew from Frankfurt to Barcelona in C Class... My trip went a little something like this:

Check-in at Frankfurt Airport is painless, there are so many check in agents that one vary rarely waits in a queue... We like that! After check-in, I proceeded to the Senator Lounge for a quick brunch. II enjoyed some delicious sausage (of course!) and some salad with a pretzel... My only gripe was the the lounge was SO crowded... It seemed really cramped and small. Oh well, the sausage was good!

After a boarding gate change, which was at the other end of the terminal, we boarded slightly behind schedule... I was seated in 1F and much to my delight had the whole of row 1 to myself! Most European airlines have an average C Class cabin... It is really economy style seating with the middle row blocked and turned into a bigger armrest... Quite strange, really, just put in a bigger comfier seat, please! But the service on both flights to Barcelona was great...

As the plane levelled out, lunch service began, I was intrigued to see what I was going to be served on the 2 hour flight, and it was really good! The theme was apple?! All the dishes had some kind of apple connection... The dishes consisted of the following delicacies: baked apple slices with poultry mousse, fillet of pork served with apple jelly and cherry apples as well as apple and potato salad with fillet of salmon and halibut... Dessert was apple jelly, of course! All very tasty indeed! The apple theme seemed to satisfy Airgroove's taste buds and promoted healthy eating - check it out...

After soaking up Barcelona, now one of my favourite cities it was time to head back to Frankfurt to further discover all things German... As I waved goodbye to this beautiful Spanish city, I began to wonder what food theme awaited me for my return flight? Oh, the suspense! Much to my joy, this flight was offering a regional flavour - not a food group flavour! The 'Flavours of Baden' were going to tantalise the taste buds today. The menu consisted of the following specialities: mushroom salad with walnuts, guinea fowl terrine, potato salad with smoked trout and of course to finish, black forest cherry gateau. It was all very pleasant and went well with the crisp dry chardonnay from Italy...! The FA on this flight was great and made me feel at home...

Another great flight with LH - in fact my first continental flights as we flew over the French Alps, we were treated to an amazing view of the Matterhorn - truly stunning, the Captain ensured that all passengers had the chance to view the amazing mountains as he announced over the PA to look left! Thanks LH! :-)