Flying High on Singapore Air

Have you ever been on a flight so good you never wanted off? For any first-classers out there, this may be commonplace, but for an economy regular like myself, it’s a true rarity. Cramped quarters, rubbery food and stuffy air are unfortunately the dreaded norm, and I typically find myself counting down the minutes till landing from the time I step on the plane.

This all changed on a 14 hour flight north and half way across the world, from Sydney to Mumbai. Dubbed by international travelers as “the world’s best airline,” Singapore Air lived up to the hype and then some.

On Flight SQ422, we were greeted by the gracious stewardesses clothed in elaborate dresses. To help us freshen up before the main event, they greeted us with piping hot, moist towels while we settled into our spacious, Lily Tomlin-esque seats. The foot rest popped down, the steward delivered a newspaper of my choice and a glass of chilled, white wine, and suddenly I was in air craft heaven.

In front me sat my very own, shiny TV with an entertainment lineup fit for Homer Simpson. I had my picking of nearly 100 films, ranging from all those playing in U.S. theaters to the classics and top comedy and foreign films of the past several years. There was a plethora of hit U.S. and international TV programs available, including oldies, but goodies like “Cheers” and some truly fabulous foreign reality shows like China’s “A Date with Lu Yu.”

The offerings also included a built in iPod, where you could choose from over 5,000 songs to add to a play list, you could enjoy while perusing articles from today’s world newspapers. There was also a spot to plug in your camera memory card to watch your photos zoom by. And if that didn’t keep you busy, brush up on your foreign language skills with the audio language lessons available or check out the travel guides of over 25 countries.

I was giddy as a schoolgirl with all that was in front of me, yet it didn’t stop there. The stewardesses soon arrived to deliver these little zipper pouches filled with knit, knee-high travel socks accompanied by a toothbrush and toothpaste. Soon came the glossy flight menus, with glorious food options laid out before us, and the food certainly didn’t disappoint.

Needless to say, I didn’t sleep a wink of the 14 hour flight because I was consistently and exceptionally entertained. For the duration, the fine ladies of Singapore Air continued to parade down the isles, showering us with goodies of all shapes and sizes.

Our experience on flight SQ422 could only be rivaled by our overnight visit to the Singapore airport, which offered everything from a movie theater to a hairdresser to a swimming pool. Clean as a whistle you could literally eat off their floor, it was reminiscent of the bright lobby of a luxury hotel.

Ryan had to hold me back form applauding when the show was over and we landed in Mumbai, India, but let me tell you, I will never forget you, Singapore Air, and I will do everything in my power to fly with you again.