Next week Singapore Airlines will be launching a brand new long-haul route to Europe, with five times weekly Airbus A350 flights between Changi and London Gatwick taking wing from 21st June 2024, expanding service to the UK capital under a ‘dual airport’ strategy for the first time.
While the carrier has operated to and from London Heathrow since its formation as Singapore Airlines in 1972, this is the first time it will operate regular flights at Gatwick under its own branding.
A scarcity of takeoff and landing slots at Heathrow is the reason for the decision – in order for SIA to expand its London flights it has had no choice but to ‘overspill’ to Gatwick.
When the route was initially announced in late 2023, Singapore Airlines told us they were “reviewing the available options for lounge access at Gatwick Airport”.
With one week to go till the launch, it has now been confirmed which lounge Business Class, PPS Club and KrisFlyer Elite Gold passengers will be invited to use before departure.
No1 Lounge selected by Singapore Airlines
Singapore Airlines has confirmed to Mainly Miles that it will be using the No1 Lounge at London Gatwick Airport, for all lounge-eligible departing passengers on SQ309 to Singapore.
“Singapore Airlines (SIA) has appointed No1 Lounge as our lounge operator at London Gatwick.
SIA Spokesperson
“Business Class customers, PPS Club, and KrisFlyer Elite Gold members departing from London Gatwick will have access to the No1 Lounge, located at Gatwick North Terminal.”
This one is probably a cut above the Plaza Premium Lounge (used by Delta) and the Gateway, but is arguably the poorer cousin of the Clubrooms, also operated by No1 and used by Qatar Airways as its Business Class and elite status member facility.
No1 Lounge access is available via Priority Pass, but access can be denied at busier times if you don’t have an advance reservation, which costs GBP 6 (~S$10). The lounge is also available on a pay-per-use basis by all departing passengers, at GBP 42 (~S$72).
Of course those eligible when departing on Singapore Airlines in Business Class or holding PPS Club or KrisFlyer Elite Gold status in Premium Economy or Economy Class have no need to pre-book or pay in order to enter.
No1 Lounge location
After check-in, you’ll have to pass through security control at Gatwick’s North Terminal to reach the airside area. We expect SIA will provide Fast Track Security for Business Class passengers, and potentially for PPS Club and KrisFlyer Elite Gold members too.
However, if you’re not eligible you can pre-book this service for GBP 6 (~S$10).
The UK does not have departure immigration control (anyone can leave!), so that’s one less queue to worry about.
After security, you’ll have the obligatory tour through the World Duty Free store, before emerging into the main airside departure hall.
Once you’re there, take a left turn and follow signs for ‘Lounges’, which are located towards Gates 45-55 and Gates 101-113.
You’ll then find the entrance to the No1 Lounge in the main lounge complex.
No1 Lounge facilities
The No1 lounge is open from 4am to 9pm each day, though with a departure time for SQ309 to Singapore of 10.15am in the summer season and 9.20am in the winter season SIA passengers are likely to be accessing it only from around 7am.
No1 lounges have a variety of seating options including charging points, plus free unlimited Wi-Fi access.
A fully tended bar is available with complimentary premium beer, wines, sparkling wines and spirits available.
Normally Champagne is chargeable at this lounge, for GBP 8 (~S$14) per glass, however Singapore Airlines passengers are also eligible for complimentary Champagne (Veuve Clicquot was the latest option).
“Customers will be able to enjoy complimentary freshly prepared hot food, snacks and sweet treats, and a selection of drinks such as premium beer, wines, sparkling wines, champagne, and spirits at No1 Lounge’s fully tended bar.”
SIA Spokesperson
While there are restrooms in the lounge, shower facilities are not available, though that’s sadly the case for all third-party lounges at Gatwick.
Hopefully the morning departure timing for SQ309 means you’ve probably come fresh from home or a hotel anyway, somewhat negating the need for a pre-departure shower.
During the morning when Singapore Airlines passengers will be using this lounge, a buffet breakfast food selection is available.
Here’s a link to the example menu.
For those needing to catch up on work, meeting rooms, work spaces and printing facilities are available.
No1 Lounges also provide free digital newspapers and magazines in over 60 languages, for you to download and then read during your journey, via PressReader.
The lounge also has “a view across the airfield, allowing you to watch the world fly by from the comfort of your seat”.
Over at the main Heathrow Airport, Singapore Airlines operates its own dedicated SilverKris Business Class and First Class lounge, however these are currently closed for refurbishment until later this summer.
SIA’s Gatwick flight schedule
In case you missed it, here’s how the Singapore Airlines flight schedule between Changi and London Gatwick looks from later this month.
Singapore London Gatwick
21 Jun 2024 – 26 Oct 2024
| Days | |||||||||
| M | T | W | T | F | S | S | |||
 |
SQ312 A350 LH |
||||||||
| SIN 23:55 |
LGW 06:25* |
||||||||
| Duration: 13:30 | |||||||||
* Next day
London Gatwick Singapore
22 Jun 2024 – 26 Oct 2024
| Days | |||||||||
| M | T | W | T | F | S | S | |||
|
SQ309 A350 LH |
||||||||
| LGW 10:15 |
SIN 06:20* |
||||||||
| Duration: 13:05 | |||||||||
* Next day
From late October 2024 some timing changes take effect to compensate for the UK’s daylight saving cessation in the winter months, plus seasonal wind variations.
Singapore London Gatwick
27 Oct 2024 – 28 Mar 2025
| Days | |||||||||
| M | T | W | T | F | S | S | |||
|
SQ312 A350 LH |
||||||||
| SIN 23:55 |
LGW 06:25* |
||||||||
| Duration: 14:30 | |||||||||
* Next day
London Gatwick Singapore
27 Oct 2024 – 28 Mar 2025
| Days | |||||||||
| M | T | W | T | F | S | S | |||
|
SQ309 A350 LH |
||||||||
| LGW 09:20 |
SIN 06:15* |
||||||||
| Duration: 12:55 | |||||||||
* Next day
KrisFlyer awards (with lower taxes)
These are the KrisFlyer miles needed for the Singapore – London Gatwick route.
| KrisFlyer Redemption (one-way) Singapore ⇄ London |
||
| Saver | Advantage | |
| Economy | 42,000 | 70,000 |
| Premium Economy | 71,000 | n/a |
| Business | 103,500 | 123,000 |
Initial award space on this route when it was first launched was great, as expected, with some dates featuring up to six Saver redemptions in the Business Class cabin on launch.
Of course, that’s no longer quite the case. Nonetheless, there are still some Saver Business Class awards available in both directions on this route from early August, so do remember to check Gatwick availability when searching for a London trip.
Advance availability on this route via the T-355 days award hack is very generous, with six immediately-confirmable seats in the Business Class cabin currently being loaded at the Saver level on almost all Gatwick flights, a year ahead of time.
One benefit of departing from Gatwick rather than Heathrow on an KrisFlyer award ticket is that lower taxes and fees are in force.
While there’s still the very high Air Passenger Duty (APD) payable on award tickets departing from the United Kingdom to contend with out of Gatwick, taxes and fees are GBP 35.24 (around S$60) less than from Heathrow.
That’s not because APD is less (it’s the same), but because Gatwick’s Passenger Service Charge is only GBP 20.57, while Heathrow’s is a steep GBP 55.81.
SIA KrisFlyer Award Taxes & Fees
Business Class, ex-UK
| Airport | APD | PSC | Total |
| London Gatwick |
GBP 202 | GBP 20.57 | GBP 222.57 (~S$384) |
| London Heathrow | GBP 202 | GBP 55.81 | GBP 257.81 (~S$444) |
That makes Gatwick the cheapest UK airport to redeem KrisFlyer miles from, though let’s face it – APD still stings!
Gatwick also has Book the Cook
We recently reported that Singapore Airlines has added its popular Book the Cook option for passengers in Business Class and Premium Economy departing from London Gatwick, effective right from the launch of these new flights.
The menu options are practically identical to those available when departing from London Heathrow, so we expect SIA has contracted the same caterer at Gatwick too.
The introduction of Book the Cook from the get-go at Gatwick leaves Manchester as the only UK airport without any such option, when departing on one of the carrier’s 10 weekly flights to either Houston or Singapore.
Daily Gatwick flights should be on the cards
Once challenge SIA has faced with expanding its London flights was the ability to obtain appropriate takeoff and landing slots.
While that’s almost impossible at Heathrow (unless you buy them for an extortionate price from another airline), it’s also no easy task at Gatwick either, Europe’s busiest single runway airport.
As we reported in January this year, SIA’s original slot application at Gatwick for this summer was actually for a daily flight, but only five times weekly operation was allocated by the airport’s slots regulator ACL.
Daily flights are key to offering optimal connectivity for hub-and-spoke carriers like Singapore Airlines, especially on routes like this where the majority of passengers aren’t travelling to or from Singapore, but instead merely transit through the carrier’s Changi hub.
The good news is that Singapore Airlines has once again applied for a daily Gatwick service in the upcoming northern winter season, which runs from late October 2024 to late March 2025, and this time – success.
That should see all seven days of the week feature a Singapore – Gatwick flight, adding Tuesday and Wednesday options from the Lion City plus Wednesday and Thursday options from the London airport.
Stay tuned for a formal announcement, and hopefully some good award space too.
Summary
Singapore Airlines is contracting the third-party No1 Lounge at London Gatwick Airport for its eligible customers on non-stop flights to the Lion City, which kick off just a week from now.
This looks to be a decent facility with Champagne, a breakfast spread (during SIA’s hours) and runway views, though it’s probably not worth rushing to the airport early for (it’s on Priority Pass, after all!).
The news comes after we recently reported that Business and Premium Economy Class passengers departing from Gatwick would benefit from the airline’s popular Book the Cook service, with the same menu as that offered for Heathrow-origin passengers.
New approvals from the slots regulator at Gatwick should also pave the way for SIA to hike its service to daily from the winter season, for a total of five daily non-stop London flights across the city’s two primary airports.
(Cover Photo: Swissport)