Trip Report: Singapore Airlines Business Class SQ983 B787-10 - BKK to SIN (Bangkok to Singapore)
Airline: Singapore Airlines | Aircraft: 787-10 | Class: Business | Flight: SQ983 (BKK-SIN)
Bangkok is one of my favourite cities to visit for a short weekend and I typically stay at the W Bangkokwhich I have been frequenting since I was a Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Member - you typically get a nice upgrade into a Studio Suite without having to ask for it, if it is available. Between Singapore and Bangkok, I typically redeem either Avios or KrisFlyer Miles on Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines respectively - I prefer the latter as the cabin product is newer and the food is noticeably better.
Regardless of whether you are flying on Cathay Pacific (which will cost only 16,500 Avios, with a slightly higher cash amount) or Singapore Airlines (21,500 KrisFlyer Miles but can be lower during Spontaneous Escapes), you will be departing from the Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK). If you are traveling on Singapore Airlines in Business Class, do yourself a favour and check out the beautiful Singapore Airlines SilverKris Lounge in BKK. Even though the lounge does get pretty busy in the evening (on a normal day), it is really quite a nice spot to hang out before your flight. I opted for a plate of delicious Pad Thai at the lounge as well as fresh young coconut (you can have as many as you want!) to go with it. There is also a decent bar area within the lounge but I will leave you to read the review if that is something that you are actually interested in.
As the boarding gate was located just a short stroll away from the Singapore Airlines SilverKris Lounge in BKK, I left the lounge pretty late and managed to make it to the flight on time (even though I was probably one of the last passengers). For this flight, I decided to pick Seat 19A as it was further away from everyone else and it was one of those days that you actually prefer to do your own thing (e.g. take photos of my food) without getting judged by other passengers.
For some reason, the flight back from Bangkok to Singapore on SQ983 was operating with a light load (at least in Business Class). The cabin was probably 30-40% occupied which is great if you do not like crowded spaces. As I have mentioned in various reviews of the Singapore Airlines Regional Business Class product, the 1-2-1 cabin layout makes it ideal for individual travellers which do not wish to be seated next to a stranger. Now Cathay Pacific offers a similar product on the same route but the latter option is certainly showing signs of age in recent years.
Without going into too much details (as I have already done so on many other reviews), the Business Class seats on Singapore Airlines 787-10s as well as some A350-900s offer 60" of seat pitch and 30" of seat width - there are 36 seats in a 1-2-1 layout on the 787-10 and both A and K seats are the best if you are traveling alone. Depending on which row you have selected, the console may either be on the window-side or the aisle-side and Row 16 seats in A and K are missing a window so you might wish to avoid them.
The Regional Business Class product on Singapore Airlines' 787-10 features a 18" touch-screen which is great for watching movies and simply following the flight path. Do note that WiFi (100MB) is also complimentary for Business Class passengers (yes, this applies to you even if you have redeemed your flight as opposed to a revenue one) but it is sometimes hard to get connected when using an iPhone - try using Chrome to gain access if Safari fails.
The side compartment located near the headrest of the seat is the perfect place to leave your passport, mobile phones and other personal effects prior to take off - there is also a light above so it is highly-unlikely that you will leave something here unknowingly. There are two USB Charging ports as well as a universal power outlet (angled, so it fits MacBook Pro chargers too) here so your devices remain juiced as you catch up on the latest movies.
All the controls can be accessed via the touch panel on the side of the seat - this is where you will be able to recline your seat into a flat bed if required (but this is only a 2-hour flight).
If you are sitting at a window seat and have the console on the aisle-side, your seat actually enjoys plenty of privacy (especially after reclining it into a flat-bed). I enjoyed a glass of Champagne (sadly just LP) while waiting for dinner service to begin. At the time of writing, Book the Cook is not offered on flights departing Bangkok but you are able to pre-select your meal from the in-flight menu if you would like.
For the choice of my main course, I went with the Naravin of Beef Cheek with was served with vegetable stew, potatoes, and natural jus. The beef cheek was actually quite tender (to my surprise) and delicious so I would highly recommend this dish if you see it on the menu. Other choices of the main course include the following:
Stir-fried Prawn in Ginger Garlic Sauce
Kai Krapow
I also opted for some garlic bread (of course, right?) to go with my meal, another glass of Champagne and finished off this delicious meal with a hazelnut creme brulee.
I stuck with my glass of Champagne after the meal and the cabin crew were great as usual in terms of refilling my glass, and keeping me keeping. While a lot of people have decided to cut-back on personal trips with the recent Covid-19 outbreak (there are extra precautions that you should take on flights), I personally believe that it is still safe to travel to most cities but you should definitely consider getting a good travel insurance in case you need it.
Business Class passengers now enjoy complimentary inflight Wi-Fi when traveling on Cathay Pacific.