SQ Set on final 744 flight.. Or will 388 checking delay the final phase-out?

Apparently the final flight will be on SQ 747 and 748 SIN-HKG-SIN in April....

More details and history here

I got the e-mail. The most interesting part is this:

Passengers who purchase First Class tickets* on this commemorative flight will receive
an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at Singapore Airlines' cabin crew training facilities, experience our B747 flight simulator, tour SATS Inflight Catering Centre and enjoy
a specially prepared gourmet meal.

*Terms and conditions apply.

Too bad I can't joint this final flights.

Me too... Well, I can... But it would sacrifice other things that are more important than this..

Yes, me too, gutted that I can't be on these flights. But it's the Easter weekend and family does come first!

Unable to go too.... will be flying FRA-SIN on 6 April

You're missing it by a day... Well perhaps there are other FTers and MPers on the flight so they can share pictures with us..

Flight Global has a nice article describing Singapore's presence at the Singapore Airshow and how they featured a mega-top complete with Exhibits inside the plane including the original 1993 waxwork from Madame Tussaud's of real Singapore Girl Lim Suet Kwee.

http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/airline-business/2012/02/goodbye-to-singapores-old-girl.html

Me neither. I'll be in the right part of the world but cannot make detour to take the final SQ 747 flights.

can't go either...but looks like first class is sold out for these flights already.

Neither will I. I am almost never downunder in April and that situation won't be any different this year.

But you still have CX 744 to fly with.. We're stuck with A388s up here..

I wonder whether it was ever available after the final flight was determined. I could imagine the FC cabin blocked off for company officials and other connected VIPs.

Some would say that the A380 is not a bad thing to be "stuck" with, but I understand the sentiment.

I won't argue with that.. I find the 388s to be a wonderful aircraft, but I wanted to have the option of flying the 744 too, especially since I didn't take any pictures while I was on it... Now I will never have the chance to say goodbye to the Gracious Lady Of The Skies..

Besides, with 1,500,000 miles redemption to suites to a mere 135,000 miles on the 744 First... Well, the number speaks for itself...

I certainly agree. I had some nice trips on the SQ 747s, especially in FC, and I'll greatly miss it. These birds were truly gracious in the SQ form and my take is that they are intrinsically intertwined in the growth of SQ and even the country where SQ is an important part of the economy and the culture. It's hard to imagine a vibrant SIN without SQ and the airport and airline certainly were an important part of the economic growth of the nation, its universities, its position in world trade, the development of high tech industry, etc. I suspect that the capability of the 747 in its early days made many routes from SIN feasible technically and economically, so that it would have been hard to develop SQ and SIN as successfully without the 747. I really wish they would reserve one at SIN as a monument and museum.

Not to mention the standard of service they've set from the very beginning.. And 747s became synonymous with SQ, especially at the peak of their operation which accounted for 39 744s..

Somehow, the 744 had become the dominant symbol in SQ throughout its history. In my heart, and everyone who understands, it is simply irreplaceable..

On the service, I'm not so sure of the history of SQ versus CX, where there was similarly impressive service as far back as I can remember. Note that before the handover, HK was an important Asian business destination, orderly efficient and generally English speaking, even though the old HK airport had serious deficiencies.

However, the sex roles on SQ can seem a bit antiquated: Why are there not male equivalents of young SQ girls working in coach, as opposed to men in the purser and other higher roles in biz and FC exclusively?

I can't vouch on that either.. All I know is that Singapore had the drive to be better than Hong Kong..

Well, there are actually.. On all my flights with SQ, there are at least 2 to 4 male FAs in coach at any one time, business usually has 1 male FA, while in F there's usually 1 too.. The Purser is usually male, although there are plenty of flights with female Pursers..

Most of the inflight service directors are male too, as well as the observers/auditors or whatever they're called when they're on board to check on standards, but I've also seen women in both roles. I don't fly coach, but I've never observed these male coach FAs at airports, for instance when the entire crew is waiting for bags in the customs hall at LAX. (My Global Entry gets me to the baggage belt before anyone else on the flight and it's fun to watch the "I didn't realize you were such a VIP" reactions.)

Well, here I can show you some pictures..









I do wish I can get Global Entry.. But I can't...

You look very nice in that outfit. Looked more like a businessmen than a student.

why downunder? the final flights are sin-hkg-sin

Hence why I look very old..

My bad. I thought I had still seen it as SIN-MEL-SIN all the way.

Regardless I still won't be taking any of those two final flights even though we will be in HK Apr 5-19.

I had the pleasure of flying with Ms Lim Suet Kwee once, on SQ972 nearly 4 years ago. She was the IFS and was working in F, I was in 11A. At one point after the meal service, she opened the curtain separating J from F and instantly noticed my empty glass of champagne and promptly asked, "Mr cennas, would you like another round?" This was without referring to any passenger list whatsoever! When I answered in the affirmative, she quickly went to the galley and was soon back with a bottle of champagne and a fresh glass and executed the most gracious and flawless pour ever. She was truly stunning and had an unforgettable smile. I hope she is still flying now.