Singapore Airlines has been progressively re-establishing its overseas SilverKris lounge network as travel has returned following the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, and this month it’s the turn of the dedicated Manila lounge to join the list of pre-flight facilities available to Business Class passengers and eligible status holders.
The lounge, which was the fourth on the network to feature the airline’s ‘home away from home’ design concept by Ong&Ong, is now open once again for those departing on all four daily SIA services linking the Filipino capital with Singapore.
The current Manila SKL first opened in July 2015, 10 months after the airline moved into the airport’s Terminal 3, and replaced the former SKL at the airport’s Terminal 1.
Manila SKL has reopened
The SilverKris lounge in Manila reopened its doors earlier this week, with two sets of opening windows designed to time with the airline’s flight departures to Singapore each day.
- 4.30am – 8am (for SQ915)
- 11am – 6pm (for SQ917, SQ919 and SQ921)
Prior to the reopening, SIA was directing Business Class passengers, PPS Club and KrisFlyer Elite Gold members to the PAGSS Premium Lounge at the airport, which from reader accounts was actually quite good, and remains a Priority Pass option.
The SilverKris lounge retains its original location at Terminal 3’s Level 4, after immigration control, and spans 450 square metres (around 4,800 sq ft) with seating capacity for 117 guests.
The Manila SKL continues to have no shower facilities, so plan to freshen up at home or in your hotel before heading to the airport. The first opportunity for SIA transit passengers originating in Manila to take a shower will be at the SilverKris lounges in Changi Airport T3.
Access
The following passengers are able to access SIA’s SilverKris lounge in Manila, 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)
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 the same Singapore Airlines or Star Alliance member operated flight as you.
Aside from SIA services, Business Class passengers or status holders departing Manila T3 on All Nippon Airways NH870 to Tokyo Haneda at 2.40pm each day will also be eligible to use the SilverKris lounge, as an alternative to the PAGSS lounge they are otherwise directed to.
Manila – Singapore flight schedule
Singapore Airlines is exclusively operating its Airbus A350 Medium Haul (Regional) aircraft on its four daily Manila flights during the northern summer season between now and the end of October 2022.
SIA Manila – Singapore Schedule
27 Mar – 29 Oct 2022
| Days | |||||||||
| M | T | W | T | F | S | S | |||
 |
SQ915 A350 Medium Haul |
||||||||
| MNL 07:40 |
SIN 11:20 |
||||||||
|
SQ917 A350 Medium Haul |
||||||||
| MNL 14:15 |
SIN 17:50 |
||||||||
|
SQ919 A350 Medium Haul |
||||||||
| MNL 16:40 |
SIN 20:20 |
||||||||
|
SQ921 A350 Medium Haul |
||||||||
| MNL 18:30 |
SIN 22:20 |
||||||||
These 303-seat aircraft include a 40-seat Business Class cabin, with the latest wide-body Regional Business Class seats first introduced in 2018, providing direct aisle access in a 1-2-1 configuration.
Some Boeing 787-10 flights are programmed on this route for the northern winter season from November 2022 onwards, though that schedule remains tentative and the same Business Class product is offered in any event.
Remember you can check our continually updated reference of Business Class seat types by route and First Class seat types by route across the SIA network for the latest information on what seats to expect when you next travel in these cabins.
Which overseas SKLs have reopened?
The Manila SilverKris lounge is the sixth SKL outside Singapore to reopen its doors since the pandemic, with five other reopenings in recent months:
- London (September 2021, having briefly reopened in late 2020)
- Sydney (October 2021)
- Melbourne (October 2021)
- Brisbane (March 2022)
- Perth (April 2022)
Which overseas SKLs are still closed?
This reopening means only four SilverKris lounges outside Singapore are still waiting to reopen, in:
- Bangkok
- Hong Kong
- Seoul
- Taipei
We asked Singapore Airlines whether there was any specific timeline for these reopenings, especially in view of border relaxations in Thailand and South Korea, however no dates were provided with the spokesperson confirming to us that these decisions would be taken “progressively”.
“Singapore Airlines (SIA) is closely monitoring the demand for lounge services overseas, and will reopen our lounges progressively as travel demand picks up.
“More details will be announced in due course.”
SIA Spokesperson
This should see the return of SilverKris lounges in Bangkok and Seoul, both of which have a good volume of Singapore Airlines flights once again thanks to border relaxations.
Nonetheless, eligible passengers in these locations currently have the option of other Star Alliance lounges prior to departure.
We predict that Hong Kong and Taipei SilverKris lounges will be the last pair to reopen (in no particular order!), since those locations continue to have the tightest COVID-19 restrictions and therefore far fewer passengers, at the time of writing.
In Hong Kong, eligible SIA passengers are currently invited to Plaza Premium Lounge, located on Level 6 near Gate 1.
Former SKLs in Adelaide, Delhi and Kuala Lumpur will not be rejoining the network, having been permanently shuttered during the pandemic.
Singapore lounges
Singapore Airlines has reopened its KrisFlyer Gold lounge at Changi Airport Terminal 3 this week, easing the crowds at the Business Class lounge, which has been acting as the temporary facility for all lounge-eligible passengers during the SilverKris revamp project.
According to Executive Traveller, the SilverKris First Class lounge and The Private Room will open later this month, completing the S$50 million project.
That means all four home base lounges will soon be completed and begin operating, which should mean a more seamless and relaxing experience for transit and originating lounge-eligible passengers, compared to the crowds that have been seen in recent months as travel suddenly restarted.
Good news for transit passengers at Changi is the removal of the Transit Holding Areas earlier this year, with all travellers eligible to use the lounges if they are flying in Business or First Class, or hold the appropriate status level, wherever they started their journey.
Summary
Eligible travellers on all 28 weekly Singapore Airlines flights from Manila to Singapore will now benefit from access to the airline’s dedicated SilverKris lounge prior to departure, as will those departing on some Star Alliance carriers.
This comes in the same week the airline reopened its KrisFlyer Gold lounge at Changi T3, ahead of SilverKris First Class and The Private Room reopenings at the end of this month.
We expect SKLs in Bangkok and Seoul to also rejoin the network in the weeks ahead, which will be great news for those travelling on those quarantine-free regional trips from Singapore.
(Cover Photo: Singapore Airlines)