No showers, toilets in new Singapore lounge for frequent flyers
By John Walton, September 5 2011
Singapore Airlines' top-tier KrisFlyer Elite Gold frequent flyers (and their Star Alliance Gold counterparts) travelling in Economy no longer have access to a lounge with showers -- or even toilets -- with the recent opening of the KrisFlyer Gold lounge in Terminal 2 at Singapore's Changi airport.
It's a surprisingly disappointing move for an airline and an airport focussed on business travellers, especially whe it comes to stopovers for connecting to onwards flights.
If you're a KrisFlyer Elite Gold or Star Alliance Gold travelling in business class you still have access to the SilverKris lounge, which as you'd expect has showers and toilets on offer (as shown below).
The SilverKris lounge has a shower...
(Confused by the naming? Us too. To recap: the SilverKris lounge is better than the KrisFlyer Gold lounge.)
But despite being a 'highly valued passenger' with Singapore Airlines or the Star Alliance family, Gold-class travellers at Changi Terminal 2 who are booked in economy are now directed to the toilet-free shower-free KrisFlyer Gold lounge.
...while the KrisFlyer Gold lounge doesn't.
We can't think of another major international airline -- particularly one with such a focus on connecting passengers -- that doesn't offer showers and toilets in the lounges its elite passengers pass through at its home hub.
British Airways has a separate First Class Lounge for its top-tier Executive Club Gold frequent flyers (their equivalent of Qantas Platinum) at Heathrow, keeping its Concorde Room free for passengers actually travelling in international first class. But the Heathrow First Class lounge has showers and toilets.
So, if you travel through Singapore frequently, you might want to make other arrangements for your transit. The Priority Pass lounge network has lounges in each terminal, while the Ambassador Transit Lounges in terminals 2 and 3 are pay-per-entry: 30 Singapore dollars (A$23) for entry and then 8 Singapore dollars (A$6) for a shower.
Aviation journalist and travel columnist John took his first long-haul flight when he was eight weeks old and hasn't looked back since. Well, except when facing rearwards in business class.
31 Aug 2011
Total posts 2
They did the exact same thing to the SilverKris lounge in HKG as well.
Decision was puzzling at best. But that is SQ for you these days (like the website that sometimes works).
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer Platinum
06 Apr 2011
Total posts 18
The lack of Toilets have been the case at T3 for the past few years I have been using the Ambassador lounge with my Priority Pass card.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer - Chairmans Lounge
01 Sep 2011
Total posts 416
pretty stupid decision. surprising for an airline that is supposedly all about service. I guess they were not flushed with that thought.
22 Jul 2011
Total posts 95
I can somewhat understand showers, but toilets! Seriously? I'm sure other airlines are loving this news.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
19 Nov 2011
Total posts 243
Customer service does not stop at human interaction.
Bad, bad Singapore Airlines...
14 Dec 2012
Total posts 2
I love flying with SQ and was a KF Gold member for many years. I decided to leave their program as they never upgrade or provided me with any additional perks apart from the annual gold card. Their meanness towards their loyal customers reminds me more of a Swiss Accounting Firm as opposed to the service they like to advertise. I love flying with them but they have failed me in many occasions on the ground. I now fly more with other carriers as SQ simply didn't deliver.
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