Cabin comforts sky high

THE A380 is the undisputed superstar of the aircraft world and Singapore Airlines boasts the widest seats in its business-class cabin.

A Singapore Airlines Business Class plane ticket stub for News Limited journalist Susan Kurosawa, travel editior and writer with The Australian, during her recent flight from Sydney to Singapore aboard an Airbus A380 aircraft.

THE A380 is the undisputed superstar of the aircraft world and Singapore Airlines boasts the widest seats in its business-class cabin; they are akin to small sofas and flip over to flat beds with a cover, big pillow and lined blanket.

The sleeping arrangements are so comfy it seems a waste not to lie down, but this is a daytime flight and there is decorum to be observed.

Passengers are offered a selection of newspapers and magazines plus socks and eyeshades; curiously, the airline doesn't provide a show-off toiletries kit but there are replenished supplies of the basics in the lavatories.

Breakfast is served promptly after take-off (choice of juices, sliced fresh fruit, three hot dishes, cereal, yoghurt and pastry basket) and cleared just as efficiently. There are few passengers on board (later flights from Sydney that day are all booked out in business class) and the ever-serene attendants have time to chat, but never in an intrusive way. Anyone who flies regularly with this carrier will know Singapore Airlines has perfected the art of cabin service; it never falters.

Lunch is served about midway through the seven-hour flight with a starter of marinated salmon with fetta, tomato and cucumber salad and a choice of balsamic or bush tomato dressing. There are three mains, including a roasted chicken breast with barley, chicken and leek ravioli and lemon thyme veloute, created by Matt Moran of Sydney's Aria. He's a member of the airline's international culinary panel alongside the likes of Georges Blanc and Gordon Ramsay. The food is very good, either hot or lightly chilled.

A baked cheese cake is served for dessert and Singapore Airlines offers three coffee blends, espressos and a menu from TWG Tea that includes spicy Indian masala and Paris-Singapore, a green cha mixed with cherry blossoms.

I don't drink inflight but the champagne is Charles Heidsieck and the wine list features two New Zealand whites, an Australian shiraz, a red from France's Medoc and a vintage port from Portugal's Douro valley. You could order a Singapore sling, too, as a suitable prelude to your holiday or stopover, or the rather evil-sounding Sweetness in Darkness, involving red wine and Coca-Cola.

There are plenty of on-demand movies and television shows on the KrisWorld channels, including new and recent releases, classics, National Geographic docos and Red Eye Collections of back-to-back telly faves such as 30 Rock. I am straight into Fawlty Towers and Keeping Up Appearances on Comedy Classics. Basil is describing Sybil's laugh as like "a shotgunned seal being strangled" while Hyacinth Bucket is motoring off with a randy major: "Unhand me ... I am a member of the choral society!"

Bouquets: The inflight Kris Shop is good for emergency gift buys, from kids' Lego watches to Swarovski pendants or a four-pack of soothing Tiger Balm. The service and presentation of the cabin are immaculate.

Brickbats: A small point but a salient one for lovers of mind games. SilverKris magazine puts solutions prominently on the same page as the puzzles, impossible to ignore, and the crossword answers are in Americanised English, which is essential to heed before you start.

Insider tip: If travelling solo, request a window seat. The configuration of 1-2-1 means centre twin seats are best for couples.

Best deal: View seasonal holiday specials on website. The A380 has 23 preferred-seating selections in economy class; pay a $US50 surcharge for these seats with increased leg room (conditions apply). More: 131 011; www.singaporeair.com.

About My Last Flight is an occasional column written by T&I staff.