There’s been a fair bit of positive news regarding airport lounge reopenings here in Singapore and overseas lately, including all seven Singapore Airlines lounges at Changi, and from 22nd February all five Oneworld options too, with the return of the Cathay Pacific Singapore Lounge in T4.
One casualty of the pandemic, however, is now confirmed as the Thai Airways Royal Orchid Lounge in Terminal 1, which temporarily closed at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
All references to this lounge on the Changi Airport website and Star Alliance website were removed last year, and during our last visit to T1 we noticed that all branding has been removed from the facility, located on Level 3 of the transit area next door to the Qantas Business Class lounge.
Thai lounge is permanently closed
This week the airline confirmed to us in a statement that its Changi Airport lounge has indeed been permanently closed, adding that “any plan for future re-opening will be updated on our webpage”.
Prior to the pandemic, the Thai lounge was only open from 5.30am to 8.00am, then again from 10.25am to 8.45pm daily, specifically designed to cater for those departing on the airline’s own departures to Bangkok, which operated five times daily on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays, and four times daily on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Currently Thai is operating four times daily from Singapore to Bangkok, a restoration of 88% of pre-COVID capacity by flight volumes.
Lounge-eligible Thai Airways passengers are now directed to the Marhaba Lounge in T1, located next to the Qantas First Lounge on Level 3 closer to the ‘D’ Gates.
At the time of writing, Thai Airways has reopened selected domestic and international lounges in Bangkok, plus domestic lounges in Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Phuket.
None of the carrier’s overseas lounges appear to have reopened, including those in Kuala Lumpur, Manila and Taipei, with many of these apparently also facing the permanent axe.
The lounge that probably won’t be missed
The Thai Airways Royal Orchid Lounge in Singapore was a small facility and nothing to write home about, effectively a single 335 sq m room with seating capacity for 105 guests.
A food and beverage selection was available, including beer and spirits, but no wine or Champagne was offered.
Toilets were located outside the lounge (as they still are at the T2 KrisFlyer Gold Lounge), and of course there were no showers available either.
For a pre-COVID overview of the lounge, check out this KN Aviation review from June 2019.
Effectively, lounge-eligible Thai Airways passengers are now getting a superior experience at the Marhaba lounge in T1 anyway, so this one won’t likely be missed.
The removal of this facility does mean there are no more Star Alliance lounges in Terminal 1 at Changi Airport, which is predominantly a Oneworld hub and therefore boasts four lounges operated by Qantas, British Airways and Qatar Airways.
Only five Star Alliance airlines currently operate from T1, and like Thai these carriers make use of the third-party SATS or Marhaba lounges.
Singapore Airlines lounges are still an option
Eligible travellers departing on Star Alliance T1 carriers including Thai Airways can also make use of the Singapore Airlines SilverKris or KrisFlyer Gold lounges in T3 prior to their T1 departure, with a short SkyTrain ride from the ‘C’ gates section.
It’s even an option to use the T2 Singapore Airlines lounges, though the route to those is currently convoluted and long, requiring passengers to go via T3 anyway, so it’s really a moot point while there is no direct T1 > T2 airside SkyTrain in operation.
Here’s where all Star Alliance carriers are operating out of Changi Airport at the moment, and which lounge they direct their eligible passengers to use.
Star Alliance Airlines at Singapore Changi Airport
(as of February 2023)
| Airline | Current Terminal |
Lounge | |
 |
Air China (CA) |
 |
SATS T1 |
 |
Air India (AI) |
 |
SATS T2 |
 |
Air New Zealand (NZ) |
 |
SilverKris / KrisFlyer |
 |
All Nippon Airways (NH) |
|
SATS T1 |
 |
Asiana Airlines (OZ) |
|
SATS T3 |
 |
Ethiopian Airlines (ET) |
TBC | TBC |
 |
EVA Air (BR) |
|
SATS T3 |
 |
Lufthansa (LH) |
|
SilverKris / KrisFlyer |
 |
Shenzhen Airlines (ZH) |
|
SATS T1 |
 |
Singapore Airlines (SQ) |
|
SilverKris / KrisFlyer |
 |
Swiss International Air Lines (LX) |
|
SilverKris / KrisFlyer |
 |
Thai Airways (TG) |
|
Marhaba T1 |
 |
Turkish Airlines (TK) |
|
Marhaba T1 |
 |
United Airlines (UA) |
|
SATS T3 |
Those departing from T3, like Asiana and EVA Air passengers, may wish to choose the SilverKris Business Class lounge (or KrisFlyer Gold lounge if flying Economy with Star Alliance Gold status) for a better experience than the third-party SATS lounge their airlines prefer them to use (it saves them money when you use the third-party lounge, in case you’re wondering!).
Summary
Singapore Changi Airport T1 no longer has any Star Alliance lounges, following the permanent removal of the Thai Airways Royal Orchid facility.
This one was primarily for those departing on Thai Airways flights to Bangkok, but could also be used during its opening window by those leaving on other Star Alliance carriers from the terminal, like Turkish Airlines or ANA passengers.
Despite being the only non-SIA Star Alliance lounge option at Changi, this one probably won’t be missed, with the small space and limited facilities available already falling well behind third-party options from SATS and Marhaba in T1.
(Cover Photo: KN Aviation)
Marhaba is a good lounge at T1 with a great selection of food options but it’s overcrowded in the evenings. Turkish Airlines should consider opening its own lounge in Singapore considering the density of Business class passengers and elite status holders flying with TK is high. I took TK last friday to Istanbul on my way to France and there was only one seat left vacant in the business class which was on the middle seat and when I asked asked for an upgrade fee for my friend they quoted sgd1000 to Instanbul.
I think you missed out one star alliance operator at Changi: Shenzhen Airlines.
I wonder what will happen to the space once occupied by the former Royal Orchid Lounge now that there’s confirmation that it has closed down.
As @Rahul already mentioned above, that would be both logical and very useful if Turkish Airlines open its lounge at T1. Interestingly enough, TK lounges outside of Turkey (Bangkok, for example) are far less attractive and memorable, comparing with its fantastic, to say the least, flagship lounge in Istanbul. Changi Airport lounge would be a good chance for TK to shine and excell outside its main hub.
I’d love it if a Skyteam airline would opened a nice lounge in SIN, but with CI, MU, GA, SV at T3 and VN and KE at T4. I doubt any airline would take over this space, AF/KL haven’t opened a lounge in years.
Perhaps high time AMEX opens a Centurion Lounge in SIN.