Hot on the heels of brand new cabin products revealed earlier today for Singapore Airlines’ narrow-body Boeing 737-8 MAX aircraft, the carrier has now announced that the first section of its lounge redevelopment project at Changi Terminal 3 is nearing completion.
From 23rd November 2021 at 5am Singapore Time, departing passengers eligible for lounge access will now move across from the existing temporary facility to the first renovated section in the future SilverKris complex itself.
As part of the next stage of the ongoing upgrading of the SilverKris and KrisFlyer lounges at Changi Airport Terminal 3, the existing Singapore Airlines’ SilverKris Lounge will be relocated with effect from Tuesday, 23 November 2021 at 0500hrs (GMT+8).
Singapore Airlines
Singapore Airlines is calling this a new temporary lounge, no doubt because it wants to save the ‘big reveal’ for the project’s full completion, but we understand this new space is either all or part of what will become the permanent SilverKris Business Class lounge.
Revamps of the First Class facility and The Private Room continue in the background, while the temporary facility that has been in use since late March 2021 is set to be reflagged as the KrisFlyer Gold lounge further down the line.
As a result of the relocation, the current temporary lounge will be closed.
That lounge has been suffering from overcrowding in the evenings since the VTL programme and other border relaxations took effect, with some of our readers even reporting being accommodated at the SATS Premier Lounge next door because the SKL had reached capacity during peak hours.
Hopefully this new temporary lounge in the renovated section has more space to cope with the increase in passenger numbers.
We got a sneak peek of the new SKL lounge during our last visit to the temporary lounge.
24-hour opening
SIA has also confirmed that from the opening of this new temporary lounge on the morning of 23rd November, the SKL will return to 24-hour operation.
We are also pleased to announce that following this move, the SilverKris Lounge will operate 24 hours daily.
Singapore Airlines
That’s great news for transit passengers with overnight connections, who currently have to find an alternative location during the current temporary lounge‘s closure between 2.30am and 5am each morning.
Most SIA transit passengers can now use the temporary lounge, which is part of the reason for the increased crowds.
Access
The lounge access policy will remain unchanged from that in force at the current temporary SilverKris Business lounge.
The following passengers are able to access the Changi T3 SilverKris lounge, when departing on a Singapore Airlines or Star Alliance member operated flight:
- in Suites Class or First Class (+1 guest)
- in Business Class (passenger only)
- in Premium Economy or Economy class and holding KrisFlyer Elite Gold, PPS or PPS Solitaire status (+1 guest)
- in Premium Economy or Economy class and holding Star Alliance Gold status (+1 guest)
- in any class holding paid membership to United Club or Air Canada Maple Leaf Club Worldwide (+1 guest)
Additionally, only when flying on a Singapore Airlines flight:
- Virgin Australia Velocity Platinum and Gold status members, in any cabin class (+1 guest)
- Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Gold status members, in any cabin class (passenger only)
Guest policy
KrisFlyer Elite Gold, PPS Club and Solitaire PPS Club members can bring one guest into the lounge with them, provided their guest is departing on a Singapore Airlines flight on the same day.
If your guest is travelling on a Star Alliance flight on the same day, you must be traveling on the same flight as them in order to bring them into the lounge.
Virgin Australia Velocity Platinum and Gold status members can bring one guest into the lounge with them. The guest must be flying on a Singapore Airlines flight, but it does not have to be the same one as the member.
First Class section
While the exact footprint of this new temporary facility isn’t yet clear, SIA has also confirmed that there will be a designated First Class section for eligible passengers.
Suites and First Class customers, as well as Solitaire PPS Club members departing on Singapore Airlines or Star Alliance flights will be invited to the First Class section within the lounge.
Singapore Airlines
That’s in common with the current temporary lounge, which has recently repurposed its transit passenger section into a First Class zone.
Q1 2022 for the project completion
As part of this announcement, Singapore Airlines has confirmed that the new timeline for the lounge renovation project completion has slipped into Q1 of 2022.
Redevelopment of the SilverKris and KrisFlyer Gold Lounges commenced in August 2019 and is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2022. We look forward to welcoming our customers to our brand new lounges in 2022.
Singapore Airlines
Here’s a recap of the new lounges we’re expecting once the project is complete:
- KrisFlyer Gold Lounge T3
- SilverKris Business Class Lounge T3
- SilverKris First Class Lounge T3
- The Private Room
New lounges
The flagship Singapore Airlines lounges at the carrier’s Terminal 3 base at Changi Airport were originally set to be included in the ‘home away from home’ lounge redesign concept way back in 2013/14.
That plan was abandoned, with SIA sticking to outstation ports for the revamp, however in July 2019 the airline finally announced a S$50 million makeover for these facilities by mid-2021.
As the carrier has revealed today, we can now expect these lounges to be completed by the end of March 2022, an approximate 9-month delay.
This is likely to be the last lounge renovation we’ll see from SIA at Changi before it moves to Terminal 5 in the 2030s.
The design is by US firm Hirsch Bedner Associates, with a fresh look and ‘modern yet homely’ feel promised. The firm, which specialises in hotels, was in charge of recent facelifts at the Fairmont Singapore and the Four Seasons Singapore.
The Business Class lounge will get a full service bar and will be split into four distinct ‘zones’:
- A ‘relaxed café’ for short transits, featuring light snacks.
- A full ‘dining hall’ featuring a selection of Asian and international cuisines, including live stations that will offer signature local delights.
- A full service manned bar, which doubles up as a self service breakfast station in the mornings (but we hope still pours a Champagne or Bloody Mary even at those hours!).
- A ‘Productivity Pod and rest area’ for customers who need a discreet corner to catch up on work, or get some sleep on a chaise lounge before their flight.
It’s not yet clear whether any of these benefits will be part of the temporary lounge section from 23rd November, but we can probably safely assume that COVID-19 precautions will mean the manned bar and dining experiences will be put on ice for now.
KrisFlyer Elite Gold and Star Alliance Gold members flying in Economy or Premium Economy, meanwhile, will rejoice in the news that their dedicated Gold lounge will finally get its own toilets and showers once the project is finished!
The project will also include a brand new ‘The Private Room’, accessible only to passengers flying in First Class. Singapore Airlines has said that “customers can look forward to an enhanced epicurean journey with fresh and seasonally curated dining offerings, on top of the perennial local favourites.”
Overseas SKLs are reopening
The increase in travel to and from some key markets has also led Singapore Airlines to reopen three of its overseas SilverKris lounges:
- SKL London Heathrow (since 1st September 2021)
- SKL Melbourne (since 1st November 2021)
- SKL Sydney (since 1st November 2021)
Check out this recent guest review of the London Heathrow lounge to learn more about the post-COVID experience.
Summary
Lounge eligible guests will get a taste of the first redeveloped section of the SIA SilverKris lounge complex at Changi T3 from next week, when the temporary facility moves into what we understand is at least part of the future Business Class lounge.
While there’s no big reveal planned for this phase of the temporary arrangements, an event is likely being planned for the official opening in the first quarter of next year.
Nonetheless we should get a good look at facilities including the new SKL’s showers and Business Class bar as part of this relocation – the first taste of the brand new lounge experiences we can all enjoy from early 2022.
(Cover Image: Singapore Airlines)
Awesome! Looking forward to visit this new lounge on my flight to Dubai by mid Dec.
Great news! We are hoping to arrive at the 23th of November early morning. Will report back if this lounge have champagne for Business Class pax 🙂 .
That would be a great improvement! 🤞🏻
Perfect timing! I transit through Changi in the evening of 23 November. Will be nice to see it when it’s brand new and sparkling (and with some sparkling Champagne too)
Enjoy and fingers crossed for the Champagne!