I think one has to have actually experienced the 15 hour sector, (SFO-HKG in winter for example), before passing judgement on this subject.
Yes bunks are provided and if one's rest coincides with the body's night time then a reasonable rest can sometimes be achieved. Often the rest period comes only a couple of hours after leaving the hotel during the day and bunk rest is a joke, then a comfortable seat, a reasonable meal and some limited privacy, such as is provided by the business class cabin, can facilitate rest and possibly lead to a couple of hours of prone bunk rest later. The facilities of the EY cabin are no comparison to business class and not, in any way, conducive to rest.
What SIA should, I think, have considered is placing a couple of the original business class seats in a quiet part of the EY cabin and surrounded by a curtain, similar to the ones used when carrying stretcher pax etc. but this is a poor compromise.
Improving the quality of the business class product and expecting crew rest to bear the cost of doing it is simply not an option as now commercial considerations are being allowed to impinge on flight safety.
Last edited by BlueEagle; 15th Aug 2002 at 01:24.