For the first time ever, and for only 4 days, Singapore Airlines (SIA) opened its training facilities to residents of Singapore. Inside, SIA sold out in an hour. For those who didn’t get tickets, don’t worry. We’ll let you peek into this exclusive behind-the-scenes-tour of SIA for SGD32 per person (about 24USD).
After we checked in, we were given a goodie bag and a passport. We were told that we’d receive an additional goodie after collecting 5 stamps. I was eager to collect my stamps but had to get in line for my tour that was starting soon.
Heritage Center:
Our tour began with a bird’s eye view of Singapore Airlines’ story through the ages.
Wine Appreciation Room:
We then moved to what is arguably the happiest place in the entire training facility–the wine appreciation classroom!
For about SGD40, guests could get a taste of SIA’s sommelier training before or after their tour.
Etiquette Training Room
Next door is the etiquette training room where crew members learn, amongst many other things, the art of movement. Fittingly, this looks like a dance studio.
Makeup Training Room
Down the aisle is the Makeup Training Room, where Lancome’s Makeup Artists teach stewardesses how to apply their makeup in a way that complements the color of their uniform and their unique features.
For less than SGD100, ladies could attend a grooming workshop and unlock the secrets of the Singapore Girl look.
Aircraft Mockups
Of course, a Singapore Girl is not defined simply by her appearance but also by her service. There are several mockups – we counted at least 7 – meant to recreate the cabin configuration for every class on every aircraft in the SQ fleet. These mockups are amazingly detailed, aiding crewmembers in their roleplay of customer service.
While we waited to avoid crowding, we were served SIA’s standard inflight snack and fed with tidbits of trivia as we quizzed our guide.
One of the questions I asked was if crewmembers have nutrition advisers and fitness trainers. Apparently, they do! In a separate building, which we were not granted access to, SIA has its own private gym for its staff.
Safety Slide & Pool
Crewmembers have to be as strong as they are graceful–like ballet dancers. They have to be physically and mentally fit to handle emergencies that they practice for using these evacuation slides and in this wave pool.
Flight Simulator
To practice dealing with various dangers, from turbulence to hazards far too dangerous to practice in an actual plane, pilots use the flight simulators here.
For SGD535, you could have “flown” for 75-minutes a simulator that SQ pilots use for training.
We spotted guests trying their hand on the 777, 737 Max, and 787 simulators. Airbus simulators are located in a different building that is jointly operated by both Airbus and SIA.
Sustainability
At the end of our tour, we were presented with some of SIA’s sustainability initiatives–from their training to identify potential poachers to their use of greener materials.
Fringe Activities
We were famished by the end of our tour and were glad to pick up our meals that came with our tour ticket. I was curious to compare the Malay nasi lemak served on SQ flights with Shermay Lee’s nasi lemak that was made especially for Restaurant A380. If you haven’t already, check out our review of SIA’s Restaurant A380 (link: https://simpleflying.com/review-singapore-airlines-incredible-a380-restaurant-in-business-class/ ) — another extraordinary event that SQ created to rise above the crisis of COVID-19.
We collected all other stamps for the free fringe activities and redeemed a beautiful set of SIA iron-on patches. And for those of us who can’t get enough of SIA’s merchandise, we could shop at the KrisShop that even had decommissioned bar carts–not usually available for purchase.
There were so many things that were unique and memorable about this experience. If you’re keen to see and hear more about our experience…
This article was made possible with a collaboration with Eventful Globe:
What do you think of this experience? Let us know in the comments below!
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