Recently I flew as a guest of Embraer to attend the company’s Media Day in Portugal. Living in Asia, I was dreading the long flights to and from Europe, especially because I had several connections to make. Embraer was kind enough to book me in Business Class there and back on a combination of Singapore Airlines (SIA) and Lufthansa, which have a codeshare agreement. It gave me a chance to compare East versus West in a way and I had not flown Lufthansa since the 1990s, so I wanted to see what the experience would be like.
East (i.e., SIA) easily wins the prize for the better passenger experience. I first flew on SIA from Phnom Penh to Singapore and connected to a Lufthansa 747 for the flight to Frankfurt. SIA Business Class, even on a 737 MAX, is a great experience. Business Class on Lufthansa is a different story. The planes are old, the seating is outdated, and while the cabin crew was competent, they certainly did not have the top-notch sense of service possessed by SIA’s cabin crew. Once in Frankfurt we switched to an A321 and Lufthansa’s sense of Business Class, on a narrowbody, is to cram as many people into the cabin as possible so there was a 3+3 layout in Business Class. Not exactly overwhelming in the passenger experience department.
But I arrived on time in Lisbon and missed the first of two connections on this trip — my ride to the hotel was lost in the crowd so I hopped in a taxi and made my own way. Two days of meetings with Embraer’s top officials later I prepared to leave for the return trip. Unfortunately, I was back on a Lufthansa A320neo and back in the 3+3 Business Class. I arrived late in Frankfurt due to work being done on one of the airport’s runways but had a few hours to kill so was not worried about making my connection to Singapore. A sidenote here about Frankfurt Airport. When I last visited in the 1990s, it was a sight to behold. Today it looks a lot like an American airport, and not in a good way. I, of course, took full advantage of Lufthansa’s Business Class lounge, which actually was very nice and the one place where Lufthansa’s staff went out of their way to make the experience enjoyable. Time came though to board my flight to Singapore.
Imagine my surprise (and joy) when I arrived at the gate and saw a beautiful B777 in SIA’s livery. Having flown SIA in Business Class many times, I knew I was in for a treat and the airline did not disappoint. It was a 1+2+1 layout so everyone had access to the aisle, the cabin crew was on point with their high-quality service thanks to the team of Zeno, Maverick, Chelsea, Simran, Kimmy and Nine. The food was up to spec, and yes, I took full advantage of the Champagne and wine before the flight and with dinner. SIA ticks all the right boxes when it comes to service.
Unfortunately, the runway work in Frankfurt delayed our departure by about an hour so I knew I would miss my connection in Singapore to Phnom Penh. And indeed, we were late getting in so I did miss my connection. The SIA staff were great, offering me compensation of SG$200 (which I declined because Embraer had paid for the flight), but I had lost my Business Class seat on the later flight home (cue violins playing). But sometimes, a missed flight can lead to a little serendipity. While waiting at the lounge, a very familiar face passed by.
It was the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize co-winner Maria Ressa, a journalist whom I had met several times in Hong Kong at the Foreign Correspondents Club. I introduced myself, we talked about journalism, China, and people we knew in common. Then it was off to the boarding gate for my flight home. SIA scored top marks again when they managed to “find” a Business Class seat for me.
What all this adds up to is simple: Airlines that go out of their way to provide high-quality service on updated or new planes and interiors will always win out over those that pinch pennies. It takes money to make money, and operators like SIA will get my business over any Western airline. It also means that sometimes, when you miss a connection, make the best of it and if you happen to meet a Nobel Prize winner because of a missed connection, all the better.
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