Singapore Airlines eyes restart for Hong Kong in-town check-in

Singapore Airlines could soon join Cathay Pacific and Hong Kong Airlines in permitting passengers to check in for flights from Hong Kong, and drop off any checked luggage, at the city’s Airport Express railway station.

The ‘in-town check-in’ service, as it’s known, used to be available for over a dozen airlines at the Hong Kong, Kowloon and Tsing Yi stations of the Airport Express, which zips between the city and the airport in less than 25 minutes.

The Hong Kong Airport Express whisks travellers between the airport and the city in 24 minutes.

And its convenience was unparalleled: visitors to the Asian metropolis have long enjoyed the convenience of dropping their luggage of at Hong Kong, Kowloon or Tsing Yi stations and then staying in the city for meetings, shopping or sightseeing for the rest of the day, later making their way straight to the airport while their bags have already gone ahead to be loaded on their flight.

The service was paused in April 2020 after the pandemic hit, of course, and it returned barely 12 months ago, initial only with Cathay Pacific staffing a handful of desks.

The bag drop and check-in counters of the Hong Kong Airport Express service.

Rival Hong Kong Airlines followed, and now both airlines accept check-in at Hong Kong and Kowloon stations.

Now it looks like Singapore Airlines is gearing up to restart in-town check-in. Executive Traveller understands the Star Alliance member will return first to the Airport Express’ Hong Kong station.

A spokesperson for Singapore Airlines confirmed to Executive Traveller the airline was “reviewing the plans to resume our in-town check-in service in Hong Kong SAR, and will announce our plans should there be any new developments.”