Each seat is equipped with USB and power plugs along with an 18-inch screen equipped with the airline's KrisWorld in-flight entertainment system.
Normally, KrisWorld offers more than 1,000 hours' worth of movies, TV shows, music, podcasts, and games. For this route, the airline added another 200 hours of content.
While most airlines provide prepackaged amenity kits, Singapore allows its passengers to create their own from a selection of items that include hand sanitizer, lip balm, earplugs, fabric-wrinkle releaser, and fabric freshener.
The main course that followed varied between Asian dishes like this sweet and sour pork with fried rice and...
...Western-style fare like this lobster mac and cheese. In general, I found the quality and execution of the Asian dishes to be superior to the western dishes.
In between meal service, light snacks are available on demand. They range from Greek yogurt to this delicious bowl of soup noodles with beef and vegetables.
The rear 1/3 of the aircraft is the premium economy cabin. There are a total of 94 seats in this section of the plane organized in a 2-4-2 configuration.
Overall, I found the seats to be spacious and comfortable. Although, a stretch break once every few hours is advisable.
Instead of an 18-inch screen, premium economy passengers get a 13.3-inch high definition touchscreen.
Just as in business class, premium economy passengers are also served drinks and mixed nuts shortly after takeoff. Here, the delivery is considerably less fancy.
Meal presentation was also decidedly less fancy. Meals are served in a single course on traditional airplane food trays. No fine china here. Again, meals include western cuisine like this baked fish filet as well as...
...Asian fare such as egg noodles with Chinese barbecue pork and vegetables. Here too, the Asian cuisine was better executed than the western dishes.
We also served a baked focaccia along with a mango mousse cake and agave lemonade as a mid-flight refreshment to tie us over between meals.
Our verdict.
It's always odd to compare the front of the plane with the back. The economics are these two cabins are so dissimilar that a straight up comparison would be improper. After all, business class costs several times more than premium economy. In this case, that amounts to several thousand US dollar per flight.
However, having experienced the same flight on the same aircraft in both cabin class, it would be fair to ask the question, is the price premium worth it?.
But first I have to preface this by saying that in both cabins, Singapore Airlines staff delivered absolutely impeccable service. They were always warm and inviting. The crew was never rude and always attentive. (The airline isn't paying me to say this. We paid full price for the tickets and I've got the hefty credit card bill to prove it.)
The biggest surprise for me was the premium economy cabin. Premium economy is a somewhat recent development in the airline industry as carrier increased product segmentation to maximize revenue. I had never flown international premium economy before. It's usually either economy or business for me.
So I didn't really know what to expect. However, I found it to be much roomier and comfortable than my wildest expectations.
Back to the main question at hand. Singapore Airlines business class has long been recognized as one of the best in the world. I can firmly attest that its reputation is very much intact. The personal service, gourmet dining, and roomy accommodations are absolutely worth if restful travel is a must on such a lengthy flight.
If can get yourself into business class, by all means, do it. However, if you find yourself back in premium economy, don't fret. You'll be just fine. Sit back, relax and have a Singapore Sling.