26 May 2002
Singapore Airlines SQ 340
Singapore Changi International(SIN/WSSS) to Rome Leonardo Da Vinci-Fiumucino
Int'l(FCO/LIRF)
Boeing 777-212/ER
Registration: 9V-SVF
Departure Gate: E8
Arrival Gate: Remote stand(unknown)
Scheduled Departure: 0100 hrs
Schdeuled Arrival: 0725 hrs
Flight Time: 12 h 25 mins
Actual Departure: 0105 hrs
Taxi: 0113 hrs
Takeoff: 0117 hrs
Landing: 0713 hrs
Time Parked: 0722 hrs
Block Time: 12 hrs 17 mins
We arrived at the airport and did a check in at 11 pm. During check in,
the CSA informed us that the J class cabin was fully booked and an
upgrade would only be possible at the gate. We checked our baggage in
and went for supper at the Changi Kopi Tiam restaurant at the viewing
gallery level. After finishing our food, we went straight to immigration
and, finding we had a lot of time, we went to explore the transit
facilities at Terminal 2.
Soon, it was time to board and we got to our departure gate at E8. This
gate is the last gate of the finger pier at T2 and involves a lot of
walking. Upon reaching the gate, there was a long line of people waiting
to clear the security check. There was a very long queue at the security
check area, and it was mostly filled with Italians and Australians. We
were one of the only Chinese in the group of passengers.
We finally cleared security at 1225 hrs and went into the holding room.
Soon after, the gate agent called us and told us there were 4 empty
seats. In the end, my dad, my brother and me got upgraded while my mom
accompanied my grandma in Y. We then got our hand-written boarding
passes, and by then, the plane was already boarding. The boarding
announcement could not be heard due to the huge amount of noise. I asked
for the registration of today's aircraft and he told me it was 9V-SVF,
one of the newest planes in SIA's 777ER fleet.
We boarded and settled in for our 12 hour journey. One thing I noticed
that on the Boeing 777-212ER, the J class seats are the same as that of
the F class seats on 9V-SYF, which I had flown exactly 5 months before,
only the seat covers were blue,instead of purple or maroon.I immediately
reached for the Silver Kris and KrisWorld magazines and read them. The
automated announcement requesting or passengers to buckle up their seat
belts kept going.
The captain then came on and announced that we would be departing in
five minutes. Following that, an Indian stewardess came and asked what
we would like for our pre-takeoff drink. I took an orange juice, my
father got a Coca-Cola and my brother an apple juice.
Doors were closed at 0103 hrs and we then pushed straight back onto the
apron. The safety video then came on. Hot towels were given out after
the video and then collected while taxiing. The stewardess came along
again and asked us what we would like for our post-takeoff drink.
Taxi began and we turned left for the short taxi to Runway 20L. Looking
around the airport, I noticed there was not much activity at this time
of day. We then turned onto 20L and 5 seconds later, we commenced our
takeoff roll. We lifted off near the SATS Inflight Catering Center 1 and
I could see the skyline of Singapore.
The shrill whine of the flaps being reset after takeoff filled the cabin
and we made a right turn, providing spectacular views of the Singapore
skyline. We continued along the Singapore coast on a standard Europe
departure and at the same time, climibing to FL280.
The stewardess then came along and asked what we wanted for our supper.
This is the supper menu.
APPETIZERS
Salad of smoked snowfish and sundried tomatoes.
MAIN COURSES
Fondue of chicken in forestiere sauce with tomatoes and fettucine pasta
Olive bread with smoked salmon and onion, grilled vegetables
Short rib of beef in Chinese wine-five spices with seasonal vegetables
and fried rice
CHEESE
Selection of cheese with garnishes
DESSERT
Tiramisu
HOT BEVERAGES
Coffee/Tea
I chose the fondue of chicken and asked for an orange juice to go along
with it. By now, we were past the coast of Malaysia and I turned on my
PTV, which has WISEMEN 3000, and selected the movie, Ocean's Eleven.
Although I have watched it before, I decided to watch it again to kill
boredom as I didn't find the other movies interesting.
Supper was finally served while over the Andaman Sea. Today's flight
routing would take us over India, the Arabian peninsula, Iran, and while
avoiding the no-fly zone over Iraq, into Turkey, over Greece and finally
over mainland Italy.
Then a leading steward came along and offered us some garlic bread and
brioches. Being hungry, I took two slices of garlic bread. My meal
finally came along and, due to an empty seat next to me, I decided to
dump my pillow into that seat. Wrong move. Every 10 minutes or so, a
stewardess will come by and refill your cup with Evian water.
I ate my supper hungrily and it was actually good. My brother had a
children's meal and my dad took the beef. My brother was playing the
games on the KrisWorld system. Supper was finally finished and cheese
was offered, which I declined. I paused my movie and went to the
washroom, after which I went into the Y cabin to try the new seat, which
was in between my mom's seat and my grandma's seat, which was blocked
off for our enjoyment.
On the way, I saw a lady with three seats to herself, push up the
armrests and make a bed for herself. Smart, eh. I went in, got a seat
and tried the new chair with its new lumbar support feature. Sat for a
while and then went back into the J cabin. We were now past India and
heading for Saudi Arabia. A lady from 3 rows ahead came up and asked if
she could take another pillow. I said yes and to my surprise, she took
BOTH pillows.
But nevertheless, I let her be. We were going to enter UAE airspace and
my brother decided to go to the washroom, followed by my dad. I then
took the chance to get the window seat and looked down at a sleeping
Dubai. My brother came out of the washroom and shouted at me for taking
his seat. He then tripped over the legrest and spilled orange juice all
over my shirt, pants and the seat. Luckily the broken glass fragments
did not end up on my seat. I then went to the toilet to get some tissues
to clean up my shirt and pants.
The stewardess came and then removed the glass and pulled out the seat
cushion, which was attached to the seat. My father then scolded me and
my brother and then went over to my seat and sat down, while my brother
continued playing his games. I then watched the next movie, which I
cannot remember.
The movie ended and I decided to sleep, as I was very sleepy. I awoke
while we were overflying Iran, about to turn left into Turkey. It was
still dark and a steward came along, and asked if I would like some
biscuits. I said yes and he came back with some apple juice and
biscuits, after finishing, I went back to sleep. I awoke just in time to
select what I wanted for breakfast. The lights were turned on and the
stewardess asked us for our breakfast choice, which was this:
Juices
A choice of apple, tomato and freshly-squeezed orange.
Fruit
A selection of fresh fruit
Light starters
Cereal
Fruit yoghurt
Wholesome beginnings
Braised udon noodles with seafood, black mushrooms and Chinese
greens
Trilogy of beef, turkey and chicken sausage in herb jus, roasted tomato
and potatoes
Chive omelette with veal sausage, grilled tomato and potatoes.
From the bakery
Assorted breakfast rolls
Butter-fruit preserve
Hot beverages
Coffee/Tea
I chose the trilogy of beef and asked them for a yoghurt as well. In the
meantime, the seat cushion was washed and dried and the LSS placed it
back, allowing me to have my window view back. Breakfast was served and
the LS came along with some bread, from which I took garlic bread yet
again.
Firstly, the yoghurt was served, followed by my main course. The man
diagonally opposite was eating the omelette and I regret choosing the
trilogy because the omelette looked so much nicer. One thing I noticed
was that the potatoes were soggy and soft.
The plates were cleared and we had 1 hour left of our flight. We were
now overflying Greece and it was daylight. We began our descent half an
hour later and we were now overflying a cloudy mainland. The FCO 16R
appproach is pretty funny, as it brings you over the city of Rome and
makes you do a 180 degree left turn to align with the runway. Flaps were
then set at 30 for approach.
We were now at 2000ft at a Virgin Express 737-300 shot by, perhaps for
Runway 16C. We made several more left turns and we began our approach to
Runway 16R. We overflew farmland and we could see the highway leading to
the city.
We were now flying very low and the runway was still not in sight.
Finally, I saw the perimeter fence and the taxiway leading to the
runway. I actually thought we were still in the sky as the landing was
very soft, with no shaking in the cabin.
Reverse thrust was applied and the spoilers went up. We turned left just
after the terminal building and a Continental 767-400ER(N69909 I
believe), together with AA 767s and another Delta 767-400. Spoilers were
closed and the flaps were reset, and the welcome announcement came on.
We then turned onto the apron and parked two stands away from a Cathay
Pacific A340-300(B-HXL). Doors were opened and we then proceeded down
into the first airfield bus to bring us to the International Arrivals.
The bus drove along the apron and lots of Alitalia Aircraft could be
seen. VH-EBW, which had landed after us, also from Singapore, taxied
into the Terminal C compound, before parking next to a Thai 747-300.
We arrived at the Arrival hall and waited to meet my mom and grandma. 15
minutes later, they arrived and we went to clear immigration and collect
our baggage. We went into the public area and my grandma and I waited
while my parents, together with my brother, went to confirm our Alitalia
flights to Catania and back.
Everything was completed at 0900 hrs, and we got a taxi out of the
airport to our hotel. |
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