Update 24th March
The SKL in Brisbane is now open from 6.20am to 9.05am in addition to the initial opening hours announced below, to also accommodate SQ256 passengers.
It’s been five months or so since we’ve seen any of SIA’s overseas SilverKris lounges reopening, but there’s good news this week with one more rejoining the fold, allowing eligible passengers departing on SQ236 from Brisbane to use the carrier’s dedicated facility once again.
Unfortunately the limited initial opening hours for the lounge will mean only those travelling on this lunchtime departure to Changi will benefit, with passengers on both the morning and midnight flights missing out for now.
SIA’s SilverKris lounge in Perth is now the only one in Australia that has not reopened, with the Adelaide facility permanently shuttered and the Sydney and Melbourne SKLs now in full swing.
The only other overseas SilverKris lounge currently available is at London Heathrow, which was the first to reopen, but frankly has already had its thunder stolen by the superior United Club just along the concourse, which we recommend for SIA passengers and personally always gravitated to first pre-COVID.
The Brisbane SilverKris lounge
Brisbane was the fifth SilverKris lounge on the network to receive the airline’s ‘Home away from home’ makeover, a concept by interior design firm ONG&ONG, way back in 2016.
In fact the lounge was also relocated at the same time, so it was less of a makeover and more of a brand new space in store for the airline’s premium passengers departing from Queensland.
Not surprisingly, the lounge closed in late March 2020 as the COVID-19 outbreak took hold and most of SIA’s Australia flights were cancelled.
This pre-pandemic review of the lounge should help you see what to expect, now that the facility has reopened.
You’ll find the lounge on level 4 in the departure hall of Brisbane’s International terminal, near gate 81 in the airside section after security.
Opening hours
Initially the opening hours of the Brisbane SilverKris lounge are quite limited:
- 11.30am to 2.30pm (daily)
This will cater for passengers departing on SQ236 to Singapore, an Airbus A350 Regional flight departing at 2.45pm each day.
Update 24th March 2022: Opening hours are now 6.20am to 9.05am and 11.30am to 2.30pm, to cover both SQ256 and SQ236 departures.
SIA Brisbane – Singapore Schedule
27 Mar – 29 Oct 2022
| Days | |||||||||
| M | T | W | T | F | S | S | |||
 |
SQ256 A350 Regional |
||||||||
| BNE 09:20 |
SIN 15:30 |
||||||||
|
SQ236 A350 Regional |
||||||||
| BNE 14:45 |
SIN 20:45 |
||||||||
|
SQ246 A350 Long Haul |
||||||||
| BNE 23:50 |
SIN 05:45* |
||||||||
* Next day
Unfortunately if you’re departing on SQ256 (A350 Regional) or SQ246 (A350 Long Haul), the lounge will not be available for the time being.
Prior to COVID-19 the Brisbane SKL operated for three hours before each Singapore Airlines departure, so let’s hope for further opening hours extensions soon to accommodate these travellers.
All SIAs flights from Brisbane to Singapore are designated Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) services, allowing quarantine-free arrival.
In addition to serving SIA flights, the lounge also welcomes eligible travellers flying on fellow Star Alliance carriers, though for the time being there are no such services departing Brisbane in this time window, so the lounge will be SQ-exclusive until other carriers return.
Access
The following passengers are able to access the Brisbane 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)
In all cases your guest (where permitted) must be travelling on a Singapore Airlines or Star Alliance member operated flight, with the exception of Virgin Australia Velocity members’ guests, who must be travelling on a Singapore Airlines flight.
If your guest is flying on a Star Alliance member flight, you must be travelling on the same flight in order to invite them to join you in the lounge.
Some SKLs aren’t coming back
In September 2020 we reported how three of SIA’s 13 overseas SilverKris lounges would not be reopening after COVID-19, with the airline taking the decision to seek alternative arrangements for eligible passengers in Delhi, Kuala Lumpur and Adelaide.
Here’s a summary of SIA’s overseas SilverKris lounges, including which have been revamped with the latest design.
| Older concept |
‘Home away from home’ concept |
 |
 |
|
|
Singapore lounges
Singapore Airlines is continuing to operate its future SilverKris Business lounge at Changi as the temporary facility for all lounge-eligible passengers, while its revamp project continues.
In the second quarter of this year we expect the SKL First Class lounge and The Private Room to open their doors, completing the S$50 million project.
We also recently reviewed the previous temporary lounge facility, which will become the permanent KrisFlyer Gold lounge in the near future, once SIA’s T3 lounge revamp project is finished.
Good news recently for transit passengers at Changi is the removal of the Transit Holding Areas, with all travellers eligible to use the lounges if they are flying in Business or First Class, wherever they started their journey.
Summary
Brisbane is the fourth overseas SilverKris lounge to reopen its doors, leaving six more to go, though operating hours limit the benefit to passengers on a single daily flight initially.
It wouldn’t be surprising to see the final SKL in Australia, at Perth Airport, also reopening soon given the recent border relaxation in Western Australia.
VTLs are also operating with South Korea, Thailand and the Philippines, so after Perth we’d then expect lounges in Seoul, Bangkok and Manila to potentially make a comeback this year, as leisure travel across most of Asia-Pacific gradually makes a comeback.
(Cover Photo: Singapore Airlines)