Business class transit through Singapore (Changi): an absolute farce

[Mattg]

I'm in the Silverkris lounge now. Certainly is busy! Most of the terminal is dead though. Most shops closed.

I'm in the SilverKris lounge in SIN now as well. It was absolutely packed around 10.30pm so I actually left and came back. It's better now.

Great food though!

 

[woodyren]

I believe pre covid you could get a blanket, find a sofa and take a long nap in the Silverkris lounge if you had a long layover.

What is the situation now? Is the lounge open 24/7?

 

[Denali]

Not that Ive done it for a few years (ha ha) but my last Silverkris visit (for a shower and short layover) made me a firm believer to just book a transit hotel and enjoy a shower without people lining up outside the door and the peaceful rest.

 

[AIRwin]

Will look at Moscow and BCN.

SQ has suspended Moscow:

https://www.singaporeair.com/en_UK/sg/media-centre/news-alert/?id=l063cfj8

 

[dajop]

Not that Ive done it for a few years (ha ha) but my last Silverkris visit (for a shower and short layover) made me a firm believer to just book a transit hotel and enjoy a shower without people lining up outside the door and the peaceful rest.

Yes a problem when you have "waves of departures". Other solution is fly first, or fly enough in paid business class to have access to the First Lounge (I don't but by virtue of my partner's status with SQ, I get access to F Lounge), never had to queue for shower there

The other options for those with a 2-3 hr connection to a late night European departure (which is when lounge is at its busiest) and don't want to spring for a transit lounge would to access a paylounge with showers (via priority pass or paying for it) or (pre-COVID, when it was actually open) to schlep over the much quieter lounge in T2.

 

[Chicken]

enjoy a shower without people lining up outside the door and the peaceful rest.

It's Mardi Gras season, so the experience of people lining up outside your shower waiting for you maybe very different, being a much more appealing and exciting experience!!!

 

[Must...Fly!]

I'm in the SilverKris lounge in SIN now as well. It was absolutely packed around 10.30pm so I actually left and came back. It's better now.

Great food though!

Ah it could've been an impromptu AFF meet up! Oh well.

I thought the food was pretty average to be honest. Had some of the vegetarian pulao rice, and it was passable but really nothing amazing. However, catering on board was absolutely stellar.

 

[Mattg]

Ah it could've been an impromptu AFF meet up! Oh well.

I thought the food was pretty average to be honest. Had some of the vegetarian pulao rice, and it was passable but really nothing amazing. However, catering on board was absolutely stellar.

If only I'd been looking at AFF! Oh well indeed.

The vegetarian/Indian options looked like nothing special, but there was another food station further into the depths of the lounge with laksa, dim sum and various other things which I thought was pretty good.

 

[AIRwin]

The vegetarian/Indian options looked like nothing special, but there was another food station further into the depths of the lounge with laksa, dim sum and various other things which I thought was pretty good.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Not that Ive done it for a few years (ha ha) but my last Silverkris visit (for a shower and short layover) made me a firm believer to just book a transit hotel and enjoy a shower without people lining up outside the door and the peaceful rest.

Not that I have been in the lounge since the pandemic, but when I last there, they had a portable buzzer system. So no queuing, you just got your buzzer, and relaxed at your seat till it went off.

 

[Mattg]

Not that I have been in the lounge since the pandemic, but when I last there, they had a portable buzzer system. So no queuing, you just got your buzzer, and relaxed at your seat till it went off.

This system was in place yesterday.

 

[SYD]

Further developments (no date that I could see), but SIN looking to get back to a new normal?

Why are Singapore hotel prices so high right now?

Travellers are returning to the Lion City, but face all-time high hotel prices.

www.executivetraveller.com

 

[Mattg]

Further developments (no date that I could see), but SIN looking to get back to a new normal?

Why are Singapore hotel prices so high right now?

Travellers are returning to the Lion City, but face all-time high hotel prices.

www.executivetraveller.com

The headline is somewhat misleading as this has not been announced yet.

Yes, of course they are going to scrap the VTL at some point - obviously - but this article doesn't contain any dates and the headline makes it looks like this has been officially announced already.

 

[SYD]

The headline is somewhat misleading as this has not been announced yet.

Yes, of course they are going to scrap the VTL at some point - obviously - but this article doesn't contain any dates and the headline makes it looks like this has been officially announced already.

Agree. I noted that there were no dates in the article but they have moved quickly in the last couple of days/weeks to remove/simplify some of the hoops and jumps to enter or transit. No doubt proactively trying to manage health risks and reopening SIN as a major hub (especially while some competition ie HKG are in the hurt locker thanks to their overlords…).

 

[dajop]

Agree. I noted that there were no dates in the article but they have moved quickly in the last couple of days/weeks to remove/simplify some of the hoops and jumps to enter or transit.

Not just that, but domestically they have reduced isolation period for those who only have mild or no symptoms but test positive - to only 72 hrs plus however long after that it takes to return a negative ART test. So this was a significant step. Unfortunately though lots of local restrictions still remain in place. But it's a staged retreat, to save face and also not to seem reckless in amongst the citizenry.

 

[SYD]

SK Lounge absolutely packed tonight. SQ222 ex-SYD arrived 40 mins early - so we managed to get two seats at a table. Pounced on some “comfy“ chairs as they freed up. Approaching midnight and starting to thin out.

Not sure I like the new lounge compared to old but I guess it’s going through some growing pains. Curious to see what it’s like in a few weeks time heading home (and no holding pen!)

 

[dajop]

Not sure I like the new lounge compared to old but I guess it’s going through some growing pains. Curious to see what it’s like in a few weeks time heading home (and no holding pen!)

The situation will probably only improve once the new Krisflyer Gold Lounge opens (eliminating KF, VA and Star Golds travelling in economy or premium economy) and to a lesser extent, the First Class Lounge/Private Room both open. These should collectively reduce the burden on the SilverKris Lounge. Probably just as well there are still a lower number of flights departing during the midnight block than there used to be (such as NRT, KIX, cough, NGO, PEK, DEL).

 

[Rob E]

The situation will probably only improve once the new Krisflyer Gold Lounge opens (eliminating KF, VA and Star Golds travelling in economy or premium economy) and to a lesser extent, the First Class Lounge/Private Room both open.

Any idea what the timeline for the opening of these lounges is? I had heard Q1 2022 when the new SilverKris lounge opened but haven't heard any updates since. Flying with SQ in J to Europe at the end of June so really hoping the Gold lounge is at least open by then.

 

[dajop]

Any idea what the timeline for the opening of these lounges is? I had heard Q1 2022 when the new SilverKris lounge opened but haven't heard any updates since. Flying with SQ in J to Europe at the end of June so really hoping the Gold lounge is at least open by then.

The latest tip is that the F lounge might be opening sometime during May. But that doesn't necessarily mean the gold lounge will be open by then, who knows!

 

[Michaael]

The latest tip is that the F lounge might be opening sometime during May. But that doesn't necessarily mean the gold lounge will be open by then, who knows!

Fingers crossed on that prediction. Also flying F in second week of June on my way to urop - really want to road test the new private room.....also alas 13hr layover......dont want to stay in a hotel, but more than happy to spend 13hrs wining, dining and snoozing in the F lounge.