Flight Review: Singapore Airbus A350-900 Business Class – MAN-IAH

This was the end of our trip to Corfu and Albania. After a night in Manchester, we were headed back home through Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH). Boarding was quick and painless and we were quickly welcomed onto the Airbus A350-900 (the same aircraft type that we flew to Manchester Airport (MAN) at the beginning of our trip). The outbound flight review can be found here.

Anthony’s Take: We got boarding passes at the airport and there was no line for Business Class passengers. The service was better on this flight and the food equally tasty. I do not find the seats comfortable for sleeping, but fine for a daytime flight. This route is going away in April 2025 (more here) and I’m glad that I got to fly it before it was cancelled.

Booking

I booked our roundtrip flights through American Express International Airline program when I saw a great sale back in January. Each roundtrip Business Class ticket cost $1,844.20. This is a great price for Business Class across the Atlantic and for Singapore Airlines. These tickets booked into D Class and I am crediting the flights to United Airlines as I am working to potentially retain Premier 1K® status.

Boarding

Boarding was speedy as there were separate lanes for Business Class, Premium Economy, and Economy Class passengers. The gate agents called for Business Class right on time and we were on the plane and in our seats moments later.

On-Board

On Singapore Airlines’ Airbus A350-900, Business Class contains 42 seats in a 1-2-1 configuration. We selected seats 12D and 12F, which were in the second row center of the Business Class cabin. I always go for the bulkhead seats, but these were booked already when I bought these tickets.

The front Business Class cabin was completely booked. There are no overhead bins over the center seats, which makes the cabin feel even more open.

The seats are large and spacious when sitting upright. I felt like I had tons of room and did not feel as claustrophobic as I do in United Polaris® for example. A pillow was on the seat when I arrived. Another pillow and blanket were tucked behind the seat.

A bottle of water and headphones were in one compartment.

Amenity kits and slippers are available on request. These are Penhaligon’s branded.

Socks and slippers were also delivered.

Seat Features

The seat had lots of compartments, buttons, a remote, and the ability to flip it over into a bed.

Additional controls were on the left side of the seat.

There were multiple lights (two pictured above).

The seat provided another light, an outlet, and a few USB ports.

The screens at each seat are a sizable 18 inches. They are not touchscreens and the remote must be used. The entertainment selection included lots of new movies, a good number of TV shows, and live TV.

A compartment holds an individual mirror. There are no individual air vents in the cabin.

Another compartment is available for storage of small items.

Food

Menus were already at each seat when we boarded. They detailed both meals for this flight as well as the return and the onward flight to Singapore. The menus also outlined the wine and other beverages available. There was a large selection.

Champagne and Bellinis were offered as a pre-departure beverage along with water.

Once we were in flight I had a Bitter Lemon.

Packaged nuts were also served.

Chicken Satay came next. These were quite tasty.

A tray was brought next with the Hot Smoked Salmon Rillette Tian. Multiple types of bread were offered from a basket.

I did not preorder a meal for this flight. I chose the Stir Fried Scallops and Prawns in XO Sauce.

For dessert, I tried both Tartufo Nocciola and the Gratinated Lemon and Raspberry Slice. I enjoyed both.

Chips were offered as a snack midflight.

Lunch was served almost two hours prior to landing. It started with Pata Negra with Tomato Salsa and Burrata Cheese along with more bread.

Next, I chose the Steamed Chicken with Chinese Pork Sausage in Superior Soy Sauce

For dessert, I was full but my husband had the Cookie Dough and Pecan Cheesecake. He enjoyed it.

Wi-Fi

The Wi-Fi on this flight worked well throughout the entire duration. It’s free for Business Class passengers and all I had to enter was my last name and seat number. This worked on multiple devices and is a nice touch that I wish more airlines offered.

Lavatory

There is one lavatory at the front of the plane and two right behind Business Class. I only used the forward lavatory and it was standard size. I was surprised to see the walls splattered with what looked like feces. Flight attendants cleaned it later in flight. It also was stocked with various amenities and cloth towels.

Service

The flight crew was friendly, gracious, and fairly attentive. The service was much better than the flight to Manchester Airport (MAN). I found the flight attendant working my section to be polished and she frequently checked if I needed anything.

Overall Impression:

We departed on time and arrived on time. The flight was very good with attentive service. Food was tasty and plentiful. The bed is not comfortable, but the seats are great and feel incredibly spacious. These are plenty comfortable for a daytime flight.

Anthony’s Credit Card Pick: The Platinum Card® from American Express is my go-to for booking airfare from the airlines to earn 5x points (up to $500,000 per calendar year booked directly with passenger airlines or through American Express Travel). The card has an annual fee of $695, but it provides many travel benefits and will always be my go-to for lounge access (both Delta Sky Clubs® and Centurion Lounges) and taking advantage of all that the Fine Hotels & Resorts program offers. Learn more. Rates & Fees. Terms apply.