Singapore Airlines Economy Class: Best Transatlantic Experience from North America to Germany!

I recently decided to change up my usual routine of flying to Germany for business by booking Singapore Airlines instead of American Airlines. While the American route from Syracuse, NY via Philadelphia, PA to Frankfurt is more efficient in terms of actual travel time, the last few flights on American to Germany have been Awful. The planes they fly are older Airbus A300's; the seat configuration makes for a tight fit in economy class; the food is the usual boring chicken or pasta served up with plastic utensils and a bland salad; and the flight attendants are old enough to be my grandmother. Now don't get me wrong, I have nothing against my grandmother or older people, but if I am going to be stuck in a tin can flying eight hours in the back of the plane, I want to try to make it as comfortable and enjoyable as possible. Having a young, friendly face, whose goal is to make sure your flying experience is priority number one, makes a difference especially if you are flying in economy

I think it is a well known fact that the Asian culture places a high value on service but in this day and age, I was just amazed at how much these young flight attendants took notice to everyone's need. Unlike the American carriers who come across more like enforcers of security, Singapore was ALL about comfort and well being.

Just in case you don't recognize the photo of the plane, it is an Airbus A380, the infamous double decker. When I flew on Air France back from Paris last year, I flew on an A380 and that particular flight had over 500 passengers on it. The Singapore flight I was on, had 309 seats. I will let you do the math to better appreciate how much more comfortable this plane was due to its layout. Singapore Air is also known for flying the most modern equipment with all the technology bells and whistles once can imagine.

OK, let's talk about the Menu. Yes you heard me right, you actually receive a MENU in Economy on Singapore Air.

When was the last time you flew on American, Delta, United, Air Canada or Lufthansa (I believe these are the only name brand carriers that offer direct flights from the East Coast of North America to Germany non-stop) in economy where you were offered a menu? I have flown all of these airlines over the years, and to the best of my knowledge, the answer is NEVER.

When I reviewed the beverage selection, I decided to treat myself to a Singapore Sling before take off. The Singapore Sling is a classic cocktail that is fruity, herbaceous and tastes like paradise. It's ingredients include a ? lemon juice, ? Dry Gin, ? Cherry Brandy: "Shake well and strain into medium size glass, and fill with soda water." But if your taste buds are more inclined to sip on a glass of bubbly, or a Tanqueray and tonic, that of course was available as well.

Let's talk about the FOOD. On my flight over from New York to Frankfurt, I decided to order a special meal as I knew the airline would serve those first. Since I wanted to try to get some sleep for a change, the flight departed JFK at 21:00Hrs, I thought this would make sense. I opted for the Asian Vegetarian. Oh my God. My only regret is that I did not take a picture to share with you all. On the flight home from Frankfurt, I decided to see what the regular menu had to offer. If you view the choices below, you will see we were not disappointed.

Just for the record, the ice cream was Haagen Dazs! The last time I had that on American, I was flying Business First.

While time is a precious commodity, especially when you are traveling for business, I also think it is important to show up refreshed and rested when you arrive at your destination.

I have had the pleasure of flying when it was still exciting. When people got dressed up, and children got to visit the cockpit at 39,000 feet. Unfortunately those days are long gone by. Most of the airlines, not just the American brands have tried to figure out how to squeeze the last dollar out of their planes and service in an effort to make money. While they may write about how their customer is priority number one, the experience for most of us says otherwise. That's why I wanted to take the time and share this wonderful experience with all of you, to let you know there is at least one airline left in the world that makes sure the flying publics experience in Coach is affordable and oh so desirable.

Flying from Syracuse via JFK to Frankfurt is not the most convenient. In fact this past trip I actually drove the 4.5-5.0 hours because the layover in JFK was too long. Having said that, I will never ever fly another carrier to Germany unless of course I have the pleasure of flying in the front of the plane.

Thank You Singapore for bringing back the excitement of flying!