Singapore Airlines tightens SilverKris Lounge guest policy

Back in May 2021, Star Alliance tightened its lounge access policy by requiring guests to depart on the same flight as the hosting First Class or Star Gold member (Business Class passengers do not have guesting privileges). Prior to this, guests were only required to depart on a same-day Star Alliance flight.

While Singapore Airlines updated its rules for Star Alliance passengers accordingly, it retained  its existing policy allowing Singapore Airlines Suites/First Class, Solitaire PPS Club, PPS Club and KrisFlyer Elite Gold members to continue guesting passengers travelling on a same-day Singapore Airlines flight.

Or did it?

Yes and no. Singapore Airlines has now clarified that its lounge guest policy mirrors that of Star Alliance, in that all guests must be travelling on the same flight as the host. But it’s a clarification that raises more questions than answers…

Singapore Airlines lounge guest policy tightened

First, the context.

Yesterday came a report that Singapore Airlines had tightened its lounge access policy such that guests of Suites/First Class passengers, Solitaire PPS Club, PPS Club and KrisFlyer Elite Gold members flying on Singapore Airlines were required to depart on the same Singapore Airlines flight.

This was based on an update to the Singapore Airlines website, can be seen in the Wayback Machine screenshot below:

I reached out to Singapore Airlines for further information, and they confirmed that their lounge access policy indeed required guests to travel on the same flight as the host.

However, they added an interesting caveat: this wasn’t a new policy. Rather, they said it had been in effect ever since the Star Alliance policy change in May 2021, and the website was only being updated now.

I found that confusing, because up till now, I’d been successfully guesting in passengers flying on other same-day Singapore Airlines flights. In fact, just last week I guested in a MileLion reader to the First Class Lounge by virtue of my Solitaire PPS Club status. I can’t have been the only one doing this, so it appears that the policy may not have filtered down to the rank and file for whatever reason. 

That said, I would assume that the website update codifies the policy change into “law”, so you certainly shouldn’t expect things to be the same going forward (and please, don’t give the lounge dragons grief for it- it’s not their call to make).

Why the change?

If this was always the policy since May 2021, perhaps a better question would be: why change now?

Well, when the Star Alliance guest policy changed, Singapore’s borders were still closed and passenger volumes through Changi were less than 10% of what they are currently. Crowding simply wasn’t an issue for Singapore Airlines. 

But with the faster-than-expected recovery in air traffic, Singapore Airlines’ lounges are bursting at the seams once again- just witness the chaos in the Business Class lounge before the new The Private Room, First Class Lounge and KrisFlyer Gold Lounge came online. 

Here’s the thing though: I’m not really convinced that the policy change will reduce overcrowding in any meaningful way. It’s not like there was an active secondary market for selling one’s guest spot, and most of the scenarios I’m aware of involve someone guesting a passenger they run into on the day itself, or met via a channel like The MileLion’s Lounge Request Group. It’s hardly high volume stuff. 

I suppose you could argue that every little bit helps, and requiring the guest to be on the same flight as the host would certainly be more in line with the spirit of the rule, which is to allow passengers to guest a travel companion (as opposed to any random person).

At the same time, it certainly kills off opportunities to experience the kindness of strangers. As a long time KrisFlyer Elite Gold well-versed with the horrors of the KrisFlyer Gold Lounge (at least pre-renovation), I’ll never forget the handful of times a passer-by asked if I wanted to be his/her +1 for the SilverKris Lounge!

SilverKris lounge access policy

Singapore Airlines has provided a table summarising its SilverKris Lounge access policy in Singapore and overseas.

I’ve modified it slightly to show the full range of lounges available to each type of passenger, as well as guest entitlements. 

Singapore Lounges

Overseas Lounges

Do note that guest privileges do not stack; for example, a Solitaire PPS Club member flying in First Class is still limited to one guest. 

While it’s not widely publicised, the following passengers may access the First Class SilverKris Lounge on arrival in Singapore:

• Solitaire PPS Club members arriving on a Singapore Airlines flight in any cabin (+1 guest)
• Passengers arriving on a Singapore Airlines flight in First Class and Suites (+1 guest)

Just like departure, guests for arrival access must be on the same flight as the host. 

Suites and First Class passengers have the further option of visiting The Private Room on arrival. However, they will not be permitted to bring a guest. 

Which SilverKris Lounges are open?

In addition to the SilverKris Lounges at Singapore Changi Terminal 3, here’s a brief rundown of which overseas Silverkris Lounges have reopened. 

While I doubt we’ll see Hong Kong or Taipei anytime soon, I’m hoping that Bangkok and Seoul see fit to open their doors again given the pick up in demand. 

Conclusion

Singapore Airlines has updated its website with a tighter lounge access policy, requiring guests to be on the same flight as the host. It remains to be seen if this has any meaningful impact on crowding at the Changi lounges, but in any case, is in line with Star Alliance’s broader access rules.

While it’d be difficult to run into someone on the same flight when departing from Changi, it’s much more likely overseas where there’s only one flight to Singapore departing at a time. In those cases, guesting in a stranger remains an option, should you wish to do so. 

Where do you stand on guesting in strangers?