Credit: Giphy
Earlier this year, we took a trip to West Japan (Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, Okayama, Hiroshima, and Yamaguchi) and discovered a different side of the country. Our first stop was Osaka and thanks to Scoot's direct flight from Singapore to Osaka, travelling there (and back) was less of a hassle!
#HHWT Tip: Planning a getaway soon? Book your flight tickets with Scoot and enjoy fares as low as SGD194 one-way when you fly to Osaka from Singapore!
P.S. Do note that from 22 October 2019 onwards, Scoot has shifted operations from Changi Airport Terminal 2 to Terminal 1. Find out more details about the move here.
Direct flight from Singapore to Osaka
Besides Singapore Airlines, Scoot is the only other airline which flies direct non-stop from Singapore to Osaka and the flight time was around 6 hours. We chose Scoot as the flight timing was really convenient.
We flew on TR804 and our flight time was at 10.20am which means that we didn't need to wake up super early or take a red-eye flight ? (we know how inconvenient that can be for some of you!) By the time we reached Osaka's Kansai International Airport at 6pm, we were just in time for dinner! On our flight back, we also took a non-stop direct flight on TR805 which left Osaka at 6.30pm, giving us enough time for some last-minute sightseeing and shopping ?
While Scoot has 10 weekly flights from Singapore to Osaka, do note that there are only 4 non-stop direct flights. If you prefer shorter flights, we recommend flying Scoot to Osaka via Kaohsiung on TR894 and back on TR895. Check the flight schedules here.
Flight prices displayed are from Scoot's website as of 22 Oct 2019
Scoot offers 4 tiers of flight prices - Fly, FlyBag, FlyBagEat and ScootPlus. The different tiers vary according to checked baggage, meals and more comfortable seats (for ScootPlus). You'll be able to see the different tier options when you book your flight online.
We chose the FlyBagEat option and we recommend it as you'll get 20kg checked luggage, a hot meal, drink and a snack. Trust us, you'd want that extra luggage for all the shopping that you'll be doing in Japan ?
#HHWT Tip: We recommend booking this bundle in advance as it's cheaper than purchasing your meal inflight and extra luggage later on.
Scoot 787 Dreamliner
Scoot uses the Boeing 787 Dreamliner for their non-stop direct flights from Singapore to Osaka and this made all the difference!
P.S. Do note that if you're flying to Osaka via Kaohsiung, the aircraft may be an Airbus 320.
Spacious aircraft
For one, we loved the wide-bodied aircraft (3-3-3 seat configuration) as it's more spacious than other Scoot flights we've taken previously. Not to mention that the seats also had more room (31" seat pitch), which was perfect for our 6-hour flight. If your impression of budget carriers is one of cramped seats, then the 787 Dreamliner will definitely change your mind!
#HHWT Tip: Want more comfort on your flight? Then opt for Scoot's Stretch seats (+ approximately SGD40) which are placed in the front row with 50% more legroom or the Super seats (+ approximately SGD20) which will give you 30% more legroom. Plus, adjustable headrests too. If you're looking to catch some sleep on your flight, then the ScootInSilence would be perfect as it's a quiet zone in Economy Class with no kids below 12.
Features of the 787 Dreamliner
Did you know that the Dreamliner has some amazing technology to ensure that you have a restful flight? One of the things we noticed was that the engines were quieter than other models of aircraft that we've sat on. Besides that, the cabin also has 4X cabin moisture and fresher air, though it wasn't very obvious on our flight.
Another highlight of the 787 Dreamliner is this lovely colour changing mood lighting. If you're lucky enough, you'd be able to catch the lights turn into rainbow colours!
But if there's one feature that we really loved, it'll have to be the Dreamliner's window dimming system. How this works is that you can control the amount of light coming through the window using a button. Personally, as someone who loves window seats, I enjoyed the fact that I didn't need to shut any window shades when it became too sunny; I could still look out into the window and admire the gorgeous clouds outside ? The size of the windows on the Dreamliner was also bigger than in other planes so that was a plus point!
All Economy Class seats on the 787 Dreamliner were also equipped with in-seat USB power outlets so we could charge our mobile phones (at a small fee). Even without an in-flight entertainment system, we could catch up on our Netflix downloads ?
Halal meals on Scoot
Feeling hungry during your flight? Scoot's got you covered with their halal meals on-board! Do note that not all the dishes on the menu are halal but you can look out for the 'H' sign for the halal meals.
For our flight from Singapore to Osaka, we pre-ordered our Signature Nasi Lemak Hot Meal with the FlyBagEat option and it came with an option of Coca-Cola or Polar Mineral Water and Ritter Sport Cornflakes (halal-certified). We were pleasantly surprised by the nasi lemak - the rice had the right amount of coconut taste while the sambal was sweet and a little spicy. Not to mention that the prawns were pretty fresh. We just wished the serving was larger ?
On our flight back from Osaka to Singapore, we pre-ordered the Beef and Mushroom Lasagna, Makhani Chicken with Basmati Rice and Alfredo Spinach Fusilli (comes with Coca-Cola/Polar Mineral Water and Ritter Sport chocolate). Our favourite was the Beef and Mushroom Lasagna which was pretty yummy and came in generous portions too!
#HHWT Tip: The Scoot Café menu has just been refreshed with new options as of 1 November, including signature meals such as Oriental Treasure Rice and Chicken Biryani (both Halal). Do check these out at their website here!
Inflight Wi-Fi
As we had some last-minute planning to do for our trip, we decided to try Scoot's inflight Wi-Fi!
There are 3 data plans to choose from - Tweet 20 (20MB data), Surf 80 (80MB data) and Indulge 200 (200MB data) - and prices range from USD4.99 (SGD6.80) to USD32.99 (SGD45). We recommend pre-purchasing the data plans before your flight as it's cheaper than buying it during your flight.
Logging on to the in-flight Wi-Fi was a simple process! We connected to the 'Scoot_WiFi' hotspot network, launched our web browser and within moments, we were directed to the Wi-Fi portal loading page. As we had pre-purchased our Tweet 20 data plan, we had received an access code prior to the flight. All we had to do was to login with our details and access code and soon, we were connected ?
It felt surreal to be using Wi-Fi on a plane! Of course, we decided to test it out and send a couple of WhatsApp messages to our colleagues back in Singapore ? The messages took a while to get sent but eventually it did! We also surfed a few sites on our web browsers which took some time to load successfully but generally, the internet speed was decent for inflight Wi-Fi.
On our flight back from Osaka to Singapore, we even successfully posted this video on Instagram! Whether you're intending to do some last-minute research for your trip or if you really need to send some urgent messages, we'd say the 20MB data plan is more than enough ☺️
Final thoughts
We had a comfortable experience on Scoot for our 6-hour flight from Singapore to Osaka (and back!). Needless to say, we had a good rest on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, with its adequately spacious seats, quieter engines, window dimming system and in-seat USB power outlets. Not to mention that the option of halal meals was easily available and the quality of food surpassed our expectations as well. With flight prices starting at just SGD194 (one-way) direct from Singapore to Osaka, it's definitely value-for-money for a budget carrier!
This article is brought to you by Scoot.