No in-flight entertainment or lounge access? Singapore traveller regrets flying business class on Australia trip

Getting on a flight, be it for work or leisure, is a privilege in itself.

But flying business class is an experience many can only dream of. 

So one would think that an upgrade from economy class automatically equates to an improved flight experience, right?

TikTok user Sherman.leesing found out that's not always the case.

His business class flight ticket from Bali to Australia did not come with lounge access or in-flight entertainment.

On Dec 5, he shared more about said experience and provided some tips on when not to upgrade your plane tickets.

[embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@sherman.leesing/video/7173431328392744194?_r=1&_t=8YMDZAgjdD8&is_from_webapp=v1&item_id=7173431328392744[/embed]

Sherman.leesing was open to sharing his blunder as he did not want others to "waste money unnecessarily".

On his flight to Australia, the lack of lounge access was one that took him by surprise.

"We assumed wrongly that business class would entitle us to lounge access," the Singaporean man said. 

Given that he didn't scan the website properly, another shock would await him onboard the plane.

As he got comfortable in his business class seat, he discovered that there was no "entertainment screen" at all.

That's got to hurt, since in-flight entertainment is almost understood as a given for economy class, let alone business class.

He chose not reveal the airline carrier although he did mention that it was not a budget airline. AsiaOne has reached out to Sherman.leesing for more information.

Instead of being grumpy about the sub-par business class experience, he shared tips to travellers on when not to upgrade your economy class tickets.

The number of business class seats on a plane matters, apparently.

"Mind you, it was not a budget airline yet there were only eight business class seats."

Sherman.leesing likened it to taking a domestic flight in the US or Australia.

Tip number two is to consider flight duration. If it's under six to seven hours, soldier on in economy class. He felt the "extra money" to upgrade your ticket simply isn't worth it.

Based on his Australia trip, travellers should also take note how important it is to check the fine print on websites when purchasing tickets. This simple act entertainment screen make a difference between having in-flight entertainment or not.

Lastly, if you're a sucker for business class, three airlines received a shoutout for its impeccable service quality — Singapore Airlines, Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways.

In the comments section, netizens pointed out some Middle Eastern carriers for luxury travel but Sherman.leesing didn't seem too impressed — even when reviewing their first class option.

Receiving tips on whether to upgrade your flight ticket is all well and good but let's come back down to earth, shall we? Business class tickets aren't cheap.

But if you're heading to Japan, there might be a cheaper alternative.

In September, a Singaporean traveller said she paid roughly $529 for a one-way business class flight from Singapore to Tokyo. She flew on Zipair, the budget arm of Japan Airlines.

However, do check their website for the latest prices as ticket prices may vary accordingly. 

Despite travelling business on a budget carrier, she enjoyed similar benefits to the full-fledged business class experience.

The Full-Flat seat option operates similarly to business class in premium airlines while all-aisle access seat configuration is something economy class flyers can only wish for.

ALSO READ: 'To find back money is like 20% chance': Ex-Singapore Airlines stewardess shares tips on how to prevent theft on flights

amierul@asiaone.com

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