Singapore's Changi Airport Terminal 4 will be light on lounges
By David Flynn, May 5 2017
The shiny new and seriously large Terminal 4 at Singapore's Changi Airport will be packed with places to eat and shop – those are the country's national past-times, of course – but the list of airline lounges is currently looking rather sparse.
At the time of writing four airlines are slated to move into T4 – Cathay Pacific, Korean Air, Vietnam Airlines and Air Asia – although more may follow ahead of the terminal's opening in the fourth quarter of this year.
For now, however, only Cathay Pacific will be opening a T4 lounge – and at some 800m² it'll be the largest lounge outside the Hong Kong carrier's home port.
The single-class Cathay Pacific Singapore lounge will be located on T4's mezzanine level with views into the apron and runway, and is expected to include hallmark touches as such as the iconic Noodle Bar, along with the Food Hall buffet and a tended bar.
A spokesperson for Korean Air said the airline would likely use a common lounge facility, just as it currently does with Terminal 2's SATS Premier Club which is shared by 16 airlines, while fellow SkyTeam member Vietnam Airlines is expected to follow suit.
Air Asia has confirmed that it has no plans to open a Premium Red lounge, while a spokesman for private lounge operator Plaza Premium Group told Australian Business Traveller there was "no news at present.
As many as 16 million passengers a year will pass through T4, which will rely heavily on self-service kiosks for check-in and bag drop at the arrivals hall, and also boast 'automated immigration clearance' and even automated boarding at the departure gates.
But getting to and from T4 will be a bit more low-tech, relying on a shuttle bus instead of the elevated ‘SkyTrain’ light rail which links the current three terminals.
T4 will also have separate arrivals and departures areas with a single security checkpoint opening into the departures floor, rather than the cumbersome system of at-gate checkpoints used in the airport's other three terminals.
David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
06 Apr 2011
Total posts 106
Interesting article, thanks, David. Automated Immigration will be a plus though automated boarding sounds like it could result in a stampede if the current boarding of SQ flights to MEL in Terminal 3 is anything to go by.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer Platinum
07 Feb 2013
Total posts 548
Yes it's so embarrassing being an Aussie sometimes, I got the red eye from singapore to brissy last night with SQ and the amount of bogans trying to put it past boarding staff playing dumb trying to board with Star Alliance Gold and Business without the required status or a business ticket was just a joke. Just the me me me attitude even after being clearly announced on the speakers. Luckily the clued up staff turned them back, always puts a smile on my face :)
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
06 Apr 2011
Total posts 106
@Dp When we travelled in January, an older SQ male staff member at MEL, who appeared to be Singaporean, was checking boarding passes and turning away people not in the boarding group. This was the first time I'd seen it happen on flights to & from SIN. Perhaps there's hope yet...
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
02 Jul 2011
Total posts 1378
Is there a firmer opening date than 'second half'. We are only 30 days from June
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
23 Oct 2013
Total posts 701
For some odd reason Wikipedia has 26 June 2017 as the opening date. I couldn't find it anywhere else on the internet but maybe some who know's something put it there.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
14 Mar 2017
Total posts 152
It could be very soon. Driving past it last week it looks basically finished. I actually thought it was already open, but the driver told me otherwise.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
06 Apr 2011
Total posts 106
@moa999 Can't locate specific opening date on any website at this stage
24 Oct 2010
Total posts 2552
I'd like to be able to say Q4.
21 Apr 2012
Total posts 3012
What's the logic of CX moving to T4? What's wrong with T1 for Cathay?
29 Mar 2014
Total posts 78
Because 90% of the people immediately go "Oh Terminal 1 that must be the worst one", especially in Asia, where terminals rarely get renovated. True story.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
13 Jan 2015
Total posts 584
coincidently T1 is the worst
21 Apr 2012
Total posts 3012
No it's not. I much prefer T1 to T3.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
17 Mar 2016
Total posts 43
So are there any reports of a SATS or DNATA Lounge. Who is likely to run the shared lounge for Korean or Vietnam Airlines to use, if Plaza Premium is not a likely candidate?
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
10 Jan 2012
Total posts 259
So a single security point would mean no airside access from the other terminals.
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