Transit thru Changi

[kamchatsky]

But surely that's not ideal to be rushing to make onward flights? All to save a few hours? Not fun.

I've started planning June trip to Thailand and can see SQ offering a few 60 minute connections to/from BKK. I'm not comfortable with wife/daughter in tow especially given my luck. I'd much rather have 3-4 hours and relax in between flights.

Definitely not ideal. By for me it was SYD-sin-cough where we went to airport after work, and landed at SIN midnight, and Sin-cough flight was only once per day. So I cannot afford to wait for next flight as it would mean the next day. It worked for us as it meant we travelled overnight and arrived at cough next day morning for sightseeing. Originally the SYD-sin flight was supposed to land on T3 but it changed to T2. It meant even more adventurous trip for us. Definitely not recommended for families.

 

[Stealthflyer]

I’ve had 50 minute SQ-SQ connections in Changi before - the most recent in Nov where the first plane landed in the gate immediately next to my departure gate. If you’re arriving and leaving from T3 it’s pretty straightforward. I leave a long connection between my domestic to international flights in Australia because domestic is so flakey right now, but Changi is a relative breeze. There seems to be fewer appealing connections from SQ flights to and from HBA flights since Covid, so I take whatever I can get.

 

[jpp42]

Thanks: SA web site.

Hi ferntree, just a small terminology note, on forums like this and in the travel industry in general, Singapore Airlines is normally referred to as SQ (their IATA airline code) or SIA (their ICAO airline code and corporate abbreviation). SA is a two-letter code for South African Airlines, which currently doesn't fly to Singapore (or much of anywhere anymore).

Cheers,
Jeremy

 

[AIRwin]

SIA (their IATA airline code) or SQ (their ICAO airline code)

IATA code is SQ?

 

[Bagpuss]

50 minutes is Singapore Airline's minimum connection time. If the Singapore Airlines website gives you the same flight routing and you are purchasing the same flights though a 3rd party you are fine.

As long as you meet the minimum connection time you are fine.

You can look up history flight for the last year and it can be on time. On the date you fly the flight could be cancelled / heavily delayed. It doesn't matter what you allow. However, the most important thing is for it to be on a single ticket.

https://www.singaporeair.com/en_UK/sg/travel-info/transit-through-singapore/

 

[jpp42]

IATA code is SQ?

Fixed, sorry. Muphry's Law in operation.

 

[AIRwin]

Muphry's Law

Murphy's?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Agree with dajop. If all in the one ticket there is little to lose with a short connection, you’ll likely end up on the other flight anyway.

However, 3 hours is more comfortable for a connection if you want to do duty free shopping, stretch your legs, so some emails and have a shower!

 

[jpp42]

Murphy's?

Muphry's law - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[JohnK]

Agree with dajop. If all in the one ticket there is little to lose with a short connection, you’ll likely end up on the other flight anyway.

Which flight? Next flight or some other flight in the future?

In my mind short connections not worth the risk unless no choice.

 

[dajop]

Which flight? Next flight or some other flight in the future?

Most likely the next scheduled service unless that flight is 100pc full. In the last 12 months many flights have been very full, but that is changing rapidly going into 2024. Even when full usually there’s a couple of economy seats that go empty on each flight for various reasons.

Edit: and to KL they might even put IRROPS passengers on to a codeshare partner such as Scoot or Malaysian (and TBH on this route, in economy at least, there is very little difference in the inflight experience between SQ and Scoot).

 

[oz_mark]

Hi ferntree, just a small terminology note, on forums like this and in the travel industry in general, Singapore Airlines is normally referred to as SQ (their IATA airline code) or SIA (their ICAO airline code and corporate abbreviation). SA is a two-letter code for South African Airlines, which currently doesn't fly to Singapore (or much of anywhere anymore).

Cheers,
Jeremy

Next thing, you'll be telling us the airport name is actually Changi.

 

[SeaWolf]

Most likely the next scheduled service unless that flight is 100pc full. In the last 12 months many flights have been very full, but that is changing rapidly going into 2024. Even when full usually there’s a couple of economy seats that go empty on each flight for various reasons.

A few years back when I had a misconnection TPE-SIN-PER they rebooked me onto the next PER flight and gave me an op-up to Business class because there weren't any available Economy seats. I'm *G, but through Asiana. I've also had (more than one) op-ups from Premium Economy to Business when the flight has been oversold.

The most likely outcome is that the next flight will have an available Economy seat and they'll put you into that, but Singapore Airlines is not averse to giving you an op-up to make sure you get where you're going.

 

[JohnK]

Most likely the next scheduled service unless that flight is 100pc full. In the last 12 months many flights have been very full, but that is changing rapidly going into 2024. Even when full usually there’s a couple of economy seats that go empty on each flight for various reasons.

I've seen very full flights especially during school holidays.

There are 3 of us travelling and I would not wants us to be split. Then there's also non refundable hotels either that night or next night that may need to be forfeited. And land transport. Buses. Trains etc.

We've got 6-7 hour transit in SIN in 3 days as that is the only connection available/possible. Waiting patiently is not an issue for us.

 

[super5]

Has anyone done a Transfer at Changi before, with 2 different airlines that have no partnership agreements, without clearing immigration?
For example, enter Changi with 1 airline, buy an outgoing ticket with a different airline during Changi transit, and get the outgoing boarding pass from that other airline, without clearing immigration? Assuming no checked luggage.
The Changi website seems to suggest the 2 flights must be on the same booking, but what if intentionally on different bookings?

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Buy then fly then, fare will be exorbitant.
Buy 1 week before, and then go to a transfer desk to get QR code BP endorsed, can work better, cheaper.
You are also assuming that in the 2.5hrs transit, that your booking made in that 2.5hrs, will be processed there and then, this might work, but the fare will be high, but also, there is a chance that the airline you bought from might not have buy now, fly now availability.
No harm in trying, but I would book the 2nd (next trip), at least a week before.

 

[super5]

Buy then fly then, fare will be exorbitant.
Buy 1 week before, and then go to a transfer desk to get QR code BP endorsed, can work better, cheaper.
You are also assuming that in the 2.5hrs transit, that your booking made in that 2.5hrs, will be processed there and then, this might work, but the fare will be high, but also, there is a chance that the airline you bought from might not have buy now, fly now availability.
No harm in trying, but I would book the 2nd (next trip), at least a week before.

We are allowed to be in transit area for 96 hours in Changi, that is 4 days, plenty of time to buy an outgoing ticket and fly out.
The issue is whether the second airline going out, will allow you to get a boarding pass from the Transfer desk, without knowing how you got to Changi? Is that going to be a problem or not?

 

[AIRwin]

The issue is whether the second airline going out, will allow you to get a boarding pass from the Transfer desk, without knowing how you got to Changi? Is that going to be a problem or not?

It may depend on the airline - last year I flew QF into SIN and was told by the Transfer Desk that Scoot wouldn't issue my boarding pass on a separate booking so I had to clear immigration to check in.

 

[JohnK]

Has anyone done a Transfer at Changi before, with 2 different airlines that have no partnership agreements, without clearing immigration?

Many times over the years but apparently this service has now stopped since Covid although I've not had a need to try.

 

[OZDUCK]

We did that sort of transfer in late December last year - Vietnam Airlines to SQ on different tickets. Everything I could see on the Changi website said that we had to enter/leave Singapore so that is what we did. All up it took abour 35 minutes - most of which was because of the buggy Singapore Immigration terminals - both inwards and outwards. I had left 7 hours between the scheduled arrival and departure times and ended up with about a 4 1/2 hour gap.