Premium Economy on Singapore and EVA--Who Does It Better?

Last October, I went to Hong Kong and flew Premium Economy on Singapore Airlines. Last month, I  went to Singapore & Taipei and flew Premium Economy on EVA Air. So, who does it better?

Here's the comparison.
On Singapore Airlines:

The seats on Singapore Airlines had a calf rest as well as foot rest so the seats were comfortable. There was a flexible light attached to the seat so you could direct it where you wanted. There was a compartment for water. The pillow was nice but the blanket was thin,

The In-flight entertainment was superb. There were 1000s of movies and you get earphones.

The amenities bag was a little cheesy.

You can book special meals with "Book the Cook" so they were pretty decent.

On EVA Air:

The pitch is similar to Singapore but the EVA seats had no calf rests so they were not as comfortable.  The foot rest just wasn't enough. No flexible light and no compartment for water. The blanket was nicer than Singapore's though.

Despite having earphones, the entertainment experience was pitiful. There were less than 50 movies. Good thing I liked "Crazy Rich Asians" and could stand to watch it a few times.

The amenities bag was nice with lots of goodies inside.

Outbound flight meal of Marinated Shrimp and Roasted Duck, Salad, Seared Sirloin with Red Wine Sauce served with Roasted Red Potatoes, Seasonal Fruit and Haagen Dazs ice cream for dessert. The sides were terrible--the shrimp and duck had an unidentifiable flavor but the steak wasn't too bad. The best thing for dinner though was this adorable tiny bottle of olive oil with Balsamic vinegar.

Right before landing in Taipei, I chose the Chinese breakfast. Cabbage and Shimeji Mushrooms and White Fungus with Soybean (both had a weird flavor and I couldn't finish them), Congee with Shrimp and Butternut Squash (no flavor) and Fish Floss, along with Seasonal Fruit. The best thing on the tray was the roll--it was actually a soft roll and not rock hard as I've had on most flights.

The connection in Taipei was a tough one. We had to wait in a long line to clear security.

Our connecting flight from TPE (Taipei) to SIN (Singapore) was on a Hello Kitty plane. The plane is decorated with Sanrio characters.

The entire flight is a "Hello Kitty" experience.

This was our pillow in Premium Economy--same as the pillows in Economy. There were no blankets and no bottle of water. The seats were the same as on our long transpacific haul though.

The menu and utensils were "Hello Kitty."

Leaving Taipei, I thought our meal might be a little better. No such luck!

Curry Pork Roll Slice with Prune Marinated Celery and Apple Salad, Shrimp with Passion Fruit Flavored Yam and Pumpkin, Yogurt, Stir Fried Noodles with Shredded Char Siew and Vegetables, Seasonal Fruit. I took just a bite of each and opted to go hungry instead of waste calories. Even the fruit was disappointing.

So, who does Premium Economy better? My vote goes to Singapore Airlines. The blanket and amenities bag need improvement but overall it offered a better experience.



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