Review of Singapore Airlines flight from Singapore to Auckland in Economy

Hello !
We live in Tahiti, French Polynesia, and we fly to France 1 or 2 times a year, with Air France via LAX. I’m tired to always fly with the same companie, the same plane, always transiting in LAX.
Here are the Flight Reports of my first round-the-world trip, with my family (2 adults and 1 child 3 years old), in Economy class.
Routing is PPT – LAX – CDG – TLS – FRA – SIN – AKL – PPT
Companies will be Air France, Lufthansa Cityline, Singapore Airlines and Air Tahiti Nui

1ST PART : From Tahiti to France : I did it my way Papeete [PPT] - Los Angeles [LAX], Air France AF77, B772, Economy, January 26, 2014 CLICK HERE Los Angeles [LAX] - Paris [CDG], Air France AF77, B772, Economy, January 26, 2014 CLICK HERE Paris [CDG] - Toulouse [TLS], Air France AF7788, A320, Economy, January 27, 2014 CLICK HERE 2ND PART : Going East : New Horizons Toulouse [TLS] - Frankfurt [FRA], Lufthansa Cityline LH1099, CR7, Economy, February 17, 2014 CLICK HERE Frankfurt [FRA] - Singapore [SIN], Singapore Airlines SQ325, B77W, Economy, February 17, 2014 CLICK HERE 3RD PART : Back to Tahiti : Full Circle Singapore [SIN] - Auckland [AKL], Singapore Airlines SQ285, B77W, Economy, February 22, 2014
YOU ARE HERE Auckland [AKL] - Papeete [PPT], Air Tahiti Nui TN102, A343, Economy, February 23, 2014 CLICK HERE

The registration hall is huge, bright and pleasant

For our flight, check-in zone 3

There are few people and therefore no waiting time

The check-in hostess will be very friendly, and tag our luggage to the final destination, with little difficulty, PPT is a destination she discovers on that occasion, but it was impossible to issue boarding passes for the next flight in the absence of agreement between the companies (different PNR).
Here is my pass for the next segment of this trip

Passport control is quickly crossed

I discovered the airside area beautifully decorated and ornate

Currently at Terminal 3 is the Leaning Tower of Pisa

And pervasive orchids

Eating trendy

Singapore is the country of prohibition. In your opinion, which one didn't we respect with the trolley ?

Transporting child on trolley of course ;)

We have a walk in the terminal

A playground for children

Sofas seem pleasant to sleep

M & M's Store

Hidden eye’s blink (Hello Durian)

A332 Singapore

We leave to the other side to gates A

Because different lounges are there (on the first floor)

As you already know (or not), SQ provides 2 lounges, SilverKris lounge reserved to its own Business and First class passengers, and KrisFlyer Gold Lounge for StarAlliance Gold passengers traveling in economy class. This will be the 2nd choice for us

A first inner space

Then a second open space, mezzanine over the terminal

Overlooking a quiet area

Press

Soft drinks

Shotty beer out of order :-(

Spirits’ choice

Red and white wines

Eating :
Some mini sandwiches

And some hot dishes

Kid’s selection (no need for a sophisticated choice)

Finally, this lounge is nice compared to the ones I knew, but we regret the absence of toilets inside
When boarding time is near, I see that the gate of our flight has changed from side A to side B of the terminal

So let’s go for a walk

We arrive at the gate just before the start of the pre-boarding security controls

We find ourselves in a room whose main interest is to wait sitting

Some SQ Girls are going to prepare our plane

An internet station allows me to let Flight-Report.com as homepage

But the main advantage of this waiting area is to see my B77W with livery Staralliance (9V-SWI, a bird that would celebrate its seven years of flight a few days later )

Pre-boarding room is now busy

Boarding starts with a little delay

Through the Business cabin

Then arrived in the economy cabin

Our 3 seats, on the right side of the cabin

Cushion, blanket and headphones ahead

Pitch 32

IFE with good size screen (notice how I'm teasing with the reflection of my T-shirt in the screen ;))

Safety card

In-flight magazines have not changed since 4 days

A small digression with the sale on board of Tahitian pearls

View from my seat during boarding

Oshibori

Then the gift for the kid (Angry Birds is honored)

We push back at the theoretical departure time, and we should turn off the phone

Taxiing is particularly long, 30 minutes

We finally take off

Let’s go to the night and the Pacific

Distribution of amenity kit (which contains only toothbrush and socks) with headphone and remote for IFE

The choice of movies is almost infinite

I select a blockbuster

Menus are distributed

Appetizers and drinks

2 choices of hot dishes for the first service

Snacks during the flight

And 2 choices for the second service

Appetizer is served within 30 minutes after takeoff : Singapore Sling for me (very good)

Then comes the Childmeal tray, still plentiful

The adult tray arrives 40 minutes after the appetizer

As starter, potato salad and smoked chicken is not bad (a little less successful than the same potato salad and hot-smoked salmon in the first flight)

For main course I choose the deep fried pork fried with oriental coffee sauce, which was good

Distribution of ice cream as dessert

We are over Indonesia when we finished our dinner

It is almost midnight and cabin lights will turn off soon

The opportunity to highlight another small detail well designed for pax comfort : the viewing angle of the screen. Just in front it can be clearly seen, but once you move away from the axis of vision, brightness decrease significantly, thus you are not bothered by the screen of your neighbor who wants to watch movies all night when you want to sleep
Pic to illustrate, with cabin lights on

and lights off

So it is time to sleep, and I dozed less than 5 hours when the mood lighting starts almost 2 hours and 30 minutes before landing

We are flying over the east coast of Australia

I just missed Sydney

Indeed, except the wingtip, nothing to see out of the window

Oshibori

I still have time to see another movie, Gravity (in English, no French version available)

Distribution of breakfast trays
Childmeal first

With an unidentified dish (I did not tasted), probably lasagna

Asian choice : stierfried rice vermicelli, with sliced chicken and vegetables

And western choice : omelette with mixed herbs, veal sausage , tomato and potatoes

Adults trays were both considered pretty good but not great
Now is the time to worry about immigration forms in New Zealand

We are now approaching NZ coasts

Final approach

We land just before noon

Welcome to Auckland

3 different liveries of Air New Zealand, side by side at the domestic terminal : in the foreground, the historic blue livery, amidst, the ephemeral black livery, and finally the latest livery, silver fern on a black background, inspired by the All Black plane

B738 Virgin Samoa (Ex Fly Pacific Blue)

We are at our parking stand 5 minutes after, disembarking through the Business class cabin

Then the First class cabin

Last pic of our bird

Let’sgo to the terminal

The welcome sign is still there

Just on the right is the security checkpoint for international transit and return directly airside within a few minutes (as for my travels from Tahiti to Australia, for example)

But … There’s no agreement between Singapore Airlines and the next companies (Ticket Air New Zealand, operated by Air Tahiti Nui). We don’t have boarding passes for the next flight. We must therefore follow the whole process of entry into the NZ territory.
We pass under the famous Maori door

B77E Air New Zealand

Crossing the duty free zone

Passport control

Carousel

We only passed our way, our luggage are registered to PPT

But we have to queue like everyone else for customs controls

We are finally on the NZ territory 30 minutes after landing, It’s not very long for that kind of procedure (entry in a foreign country), but we have not finished with our troubles …
One more step to go home, to be continued …