Singapore Airlines closes all First Class lounges at Changi

With daily departing passengers on Singapore Airlines flights from Changi Airport now counted in the hundreds, plus the news that from this evening none of its flights will operate out of Terminal 2 until at least late 2021, it’s another unsurprising move to cut costs and ‘right-size’ the ground facilities from the national carrier today.

The airline usually operates seven of its own lounges at its home base across T2 and T3, catering for KrisFlyer Elite Gold members, Business Class passengers and PPS Club status holders, right through to those flying in its First Class and Suites cabins.

Only one lounge will remain open

Singapore Airlines has confirmed today that it will close all its lounges at Changi, with the exception of the SilverKris Business Class Lounge in Terminal 3.

The two KrisFlyer Gold lounges, T2 SilverKris First Class lounge and The Private Room had already been closed since 1st April 2020, and with the last SIA departure from Terminal 2 having already taken place, the SilverKris Business Class lounge there is now also shuttered.

Only two lounges therefore remained, however it is presumably an unjustifiable amount of space, cost and staffing to keep the Terminal 3 SilverKris First Class open alongside its Business Class counterpart, hence today’s announcement.

Singapore Airlines is now operating only four or five flights each day from the airport, with a theoretical capacity for around 1,500 passengers, but in reality the loads aren’t even half that.

This was therefore only a matter of time, given the almost non-existent passenger demand during what’s effectively become both a regional and international lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Sadly it means there will be no dedicated First Class lounge options for Solitaire PPS and those flying in the First Class or Suites cabins during this period, though their numbers will of course be tiny.

The Terminal 3 SilverKris Business Class Lounge will now operate 24 hours a day as the only facility for all KrisFlyer Gold, Star Alliance Gold and those flying in Business Class, First Class and Suites, for the foreseeable future.

Singapore Airlines has also made some catering changes at its lounges in view of the situation.

“Please note that we have suspended buffet meal services and reduced all other food and beverage offerings at our lounges with the welfare of our customers and staff in mind.” Singapore Airlines

SilverKris lounges worldwide are closed

All of SIA’s 13 overseas SilverKris lounges, including those at airports where the airline is still flying during April such as Bangkok, London and Sydney, are also closed until further notice.

Other SilverKris lounges closed around the world:

That leaves the Changi T3 SilverKris Business Class lounge as the only one on the network still open.

Summary

A skeleton schedule calls for a skeleton ground provision, and that’s what Singapore Airlines is now offering at its home base for a few hundred customers each day, during what we hope is the peak of flight cuts due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Of course we haven’t said goodbye to all these lounges, though if this shake-up becomes prolonged the airline may choose to accelerate or change the order of its T3 flagship lounge renovation project, which should see brand new facilities fit for the next 10 years open their doors by mid-2021.

Let’s hope by then we’re all travelling again and able to take full advantage.

(Cover Photo: MainlyMiles)