Back in June 2023, Singapore Airlines revealed that its SilverKris lounge (SKL) in Perth would be the first overseas lounge to receive its latest design makeover, having announced only the previous month that a revamp is on the cards for some of these facilities.

Work began on the new Perth SKL in June 2023, and it was originally due to open its doors “by the end of 2023”, but as with many of these projects the plans turned out to be a little optimistic, and the opening has now been slightly delayed.

Perth SKL opening by March 2024

In response to a query by Mainly Miles, Singapore Airlines has confirmed that the Perth SilverKris lounge will now open during this calendar quarter, which is between now and 31st March 2024.

“As the construction work has taken longer than expected, the new lounge in Perth Airport is now scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2024.

“SIA sincerely apologises to our customers for any inconvenience caused.”

SIA Spokesperson

This should mean the lounge is up and running in time for the carrier’s hike to 28 times weekly operation between Singapore and Perth, with its four times weekly SQ213/226 service increasing to daily operation, for four daily services in total on the route.

That will restore pre-COVID flight frequencies to the carrier’s Perth services, and 109% of pre-COVID seat capacity, thanks to the use of larger Airbus A350 MH and Boeing 787-10 aircraft.

There’s an even bigger hike for Business Class on these jets, meaning 152 departing seats in this cabin per day out of Perth in April 2024, compared to 122 in April 2019, a 25% increase.

Additionally, Scoot has ramped up its passenger capacity on Perth flights from 2,525 departing seats per week in April 2019 to 3,232 per week in April 2024, a 28% increase. Solitaire PPS Club members flying on Scoot are now eligible for SilverKris lounge access, along with one guest.

These increases make the upcoming opening of the new larger Perth SKL even more crucial, as lounge-eligible passenger numbers increase, so let’s hope for no further delays.

The existing lounge is still open

One bit of good news for Singapore Airlines customers in Perth is that the new SilverKris lounge is taking over the space formerly occupied by the Qantas Business Class lounge in Terminal 1, opposite Gate 52.

That means the existing Perth SilverKris lounge opposite Gate 54 is still available and will remain open right up to the changeover date.

“SIA customers can continue to use the existing SilverKris Lounge in Perth Airport as this is in a different location from the new lounge.”

SIA Spokesperson

What the new lounge will offer

There’s a lot for Perth passengers to look forward to at the new SilverKris lounge when it does finally open in the next couple of months.

The all-new facility will boast:

• Seating for up to 140 guests, twice as many as the current lounge
• A larger buffet area, inclusive of a live cooking station
• A full tended bar
• Shower facilities
• Specially designed productivity pods

“We look forward to offering our customers more space, enhanced facilities, and a range of new dining options when the new lounge opens.”

SIA Spokesperson

The design and finish of this new lounge in Perth will be “taking elements from the recently completed Flagship SilverKris Lounge in Singapore [T3]”, according to the airline, and that shows in the teaser images released by the carrier.

We can already see that these new features include the decorative orchid wall pattern, as seen in some of the renovated Changi T3 lounges.

The airline’s latest productivity pods are also a great addition, and look to be taking on a teal-green hue at this overseas station, based on the renderings shared so far.

The buffet section appears to include a communal dining table for up to eight guests, though this could perhaps double up as an additional serving area.

Reading lamps between the seats take on the newest format seen at the Seoul SilverKris Lounge, completed in October 2019, while the side tables appear to incorporate carry-on luggage storage beneath them, as they do in the new T3 SilverKris Business Class lounge.

We’d also expect to see the latest power sockets , including wireless charging pads, as provided in the recent SKLs.

It’s also great to see showers included in the new lounge, currently a missing feature in the Perth SKL.

These will be particularly welcome prior to SIA’s overnight flight SQ216, which goes wheels-up from the Western Australia capital at 1.10am, potentially 12 hours or more since travellers have been ‘kicked out’ of their hotels.

In the Qantas fit, this lounge boasted three unisex showers, and we expect that total to probably remain the same when Singapore Airlines takes over this space from the Oneworld carrier.

Hopefully the latest shower suite design similar to that seen at the Changi T3 SKL will be a feature here in Perth.

Opening hours

The Perth SilverKris lounge currently offers up to four daily opening windows, to coincide with SIA’s flight departures from the airport.

• 3.50am to 6.20am
  for SQ224 (daily)
• 10.50am to 1.30pm
  for SQ226 (Tue, Wed, Fri, Sun only)
• 2.30pm to 5.10pm
  for SQ214 (daily)
• 10.10pm to 0.50am
  for SQ216 (daily)

We expect the new lounge opening will closely replicate these timings, though the second opening window over the late morning / lunchtime period for SQ226 will no doubt upgrade from four days a week to a daily option, following the ramp-up for SQ226 from 31st March 2024.

The lounge’s opening windows also allow some eligible Star Alliance passengers access, including newly-reinstated flights at Perth by Thai Airways and South African Airways.

Lounge access

The following passengers are able to access SIA’s SilverKris lounge in Perth, when departing on a Singapore Airlines or Star Alliance member operated flight:

• in Business Class (passenger only)
• in any cabin class when holding KrisFlyer Elite Gold, PPS or Solitaire PPS status (+1 guest)
• in any cabin class when holding Star Alliance Gold status (+1 guest)

In all cases your guest (where permitted) must be departing on the same flight as you, as part of a policy that was tightened in 2022.

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)

Additionally, only when flying on a Scoot flight:

• in any cabin class when holding Solitaire PPS status (+1 guest)

Again in these cases your guest (where permitted) must be travelling on the same Singapore Airlines or Scoot operated flight as you.

Perth is the first overseas SilverKris lounge on the network to receive the latest post-pandemic design refresh, in a brand new location taking over the old Qantas Business Class lounge, which will offer double the space and capacity compared to the current facility.

Unfortunately the original completion date by the end of 2023 has slipped, and SIA has now advised us that the new, larger lounge will now be opening by March 2024.

This will time nicely for a frequency increase to 28 weekly SIA departures from Perth, with record seat capacity from the mainline carrier and Scoot on flights to Singapore, increasing the volume of lounge-eligible passengers at the airport each day.

The most significant upgrades at the new SKL will include shower facilities and a tended bar, while the latest design features from the new Changi T3 lounges will include productivity pods, enhanced luggage storage and no doubt enhanced connectivity features like wireless charging.

(Cover Image: Singapore Airlines)