This shouldn’t come as a great shock, given how few flights Singapore Airlines are operating now, but the KrisFlyer Gold Lounge at Changi Terminal 3 will be closed from 28 March 2020 until further notice.
In the interim, KrisFlyer Elite Gold and Star Alliance Gold customers will be invited to the Business Class section of the SilverKris Lounge in Terminal 3.
There’s a tinge of black humour about this, because I’ve always joked about how miserable the KrisFlyer Gold lounge was in comparison to the SilverKris lounge (no showers, toilets or champagne). While I imagine most people won’t mind the “upgrade”, I’m sure no one would have wanted it to come under these circumstances.
In any case, you may recallย that the actual KrisFlyer Gold lounge has been closed for renovations since 31 July 2019, and eligible passengers are currently channeled to the Marhaba Lounge instead.
The Marhaba Lounge is certainly a lot nicer than the erstwhile KrisFlyer Gold lounge, with individual shower suites and a wider selection of F&B.
However, the question on my mind when I visited was how this 130-seat lounge was supposed to accommodate all of Singapore Airlines’ Terminal 3 departures, plus Star Gold Economy passengers on the numerous Star Alliance flights departing from Terminal 3 daily. Keep in mind, the facility already hosts China Airlines, Garuda, Myanmar National Airlines and Sri Lankan Airlines, not to mention various lounge access programs.
In a way, I suppose Covid-19 has solved that problem, and with Singapore Airlines operating so few flights now, it probably doesn’t see the point in paying Marhaba an access fee when the SilverKris lounge is almost deserted (it could also be that Marhaba is just shuttering the facility, period).
Indeed,ย today’s schedule shows that Singapore Airlines is operating just 10 flights, of which seven are departing from Terminal 3 and three from Terminal 2. That’s as depressing to type as it is to read, I assure you.
[KVS Tool 9.6.4/Diamond – Departures/Arrivals]
SIN Singapore Changi SG [WSSS]
SAT 28 Mar 2020 | Departures
Carrier Flight From Depart To Arrive Status
--------- ------ ---- -------- ---- -------- ------
SQ 237 SIN 00:25 MEL 10:50 CANCEL
SQ 231 SIN 00:45 SYD 11:35 CANCEL
SQ 306 SIN 01:10 LHR 07:20 CANCEL
SQ 618 SIN 01:30 KIX 08:45 CANCEL
SQ 241 SIN 07:05 SYD 17:55
SQ 213 SIN 07:40 PER 12:55
SQ 860 SIN 08:25 HKG 12:25
SQ 281 SIN 08:45 AKL 23:40 CANCEL
SQ 802 SIN 08:55 PEK 15:00
SQ 308 SIN 09:00 LHR 15:20 CANCEL
SQ 942 SIN 09:05 DPS 11:50
SQ 910 SIN 09:15 MNL 12:50
SQ 830 SIN 09:20 PVG 14:35
SQ 972 SIN 09:45 BKK 11:10
SQ 245 SIN 09:45 BNE 19:45
SQ 954 SIN 10:30 CGK 11:20 CANCEL
SQ 878 SIN 11:30 TPE 16:20
Conclusion
The SilverKris lounge is no doubt an upgrade from the KrisFlyer Gold/Marhaba facility, but that’s cold comfort in these times. Anyway, no one should be traveling right now unless absolutely necessary, so I can’t imagine too many people will be affected.
If there’s one bright spark that could come out of all this, it’s that Singapore Airlines might bring forward its Changi lounge renovation schedule. I’m really excited to see what they have planned, and can’t wait to visitย after all this Covid-19 madness passes.
That’s assuming materials come and workers are able to work for the new lounge..
it’s assuming a lot of things. but we all need something to look forward to ๐
That’s true!
With China restricting international travel from Sunday, not sure if the daily China flights will be cancelled too. Since China only allows 1 flight per week to one city only.
T2 lounge will be closed too from next week.
Not surprising, really, given how few passengers they must be seeing. Changi must be a ghost town
A real sad state of affairs.. ๐