👎 Seat is relatively narrow (for SQ), no 'double bed.'
The wife and I got the chance to try out Singapore Airlines 'new' Regional Business Class on their B787-10 Dreamliner from Singapore to Tokyo/Narita!
SQ 638 is a 6hr 35min scheduled flight, leaving Singapore at 11:55pm and arriving in Tokyo (Narita) at 7:30am. It's a perfect, albeit a little short, time-saving flight as you can work a full day, sleep in the plane, and then have an entire day of vacationing in Tokyo (or wherever else you're planning to go to in Japan).
Check in at Changi Airport as a premium passenger is, as always, an extremely efficient affair: Just a couple of minutes and you're all checked-in and past immigration. The SilverKris Lounge (for Business Class passengers) was surprisingly packed, so it might not be the best place to get some rest. The food available was far better than most of the other lounges in the airport, however!
The New Regional Business Class seat is a departure from Singapore Airlines' typical Business Class seats, in that it places the footwell right in front of you (instead of skewed to one side). This is, in our opinions, a HUGE improvement in sleeping position, and therefore is probably a superior seat for (relatively) short red-eye / overnight flights like this one. There are a couple of drawbacks though, namely:
- The seat is noticeably narrower than Singapore Airlines' International Business Class (but still perfectly fine for my 86kg frame.
- There is no "double bed" available, and even in the middle "couple-type" seats you need to lean forward quite a bit to speak to your travel companion.
Dinner was served very promptly after take off. We tried the Hanakoireki and the Seared Black Cod ala Nicoise, which were both filling and delicious. Having said that, it's a little odd to have dinner/supper on a flight scheduled to take off at midnight. Wouldn't a heavy breakfast be a better idea instead?
There was also a light continental breakfast served just prior to landing, which we chose to skip in order to get a little more shut-eye.
As is usual for Singapore Airlines, you get water, socks and slippers and an eye shade, but you don't get pajamas in Business Class. You don't get an amenity kit, either: You're expected to head to the toilets to pick up shavers, combs, toothbrushes, etc if you want them.
Overall, the flight was extremely comfortable, although it being so short (actual flight time of around 6 hours) meant that it was really just board, eat, then recline the seat to get as much (very comfortable) sleep as possible.
