Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer - Help and advice needed please as to change of planes in SIN re LHR->SYD

Hi, have been eye wigging this site for a while and am learning lots from it. Finally brave enough to pick your brains! I'm sorry, I know it's not really the point of the site but I don't know who else to ask!

I am shortly to embark on my second ever flight...last time i flew was 8 years ago. The upcoming flight is Heathrow to Sydney and I am flying with Singapore airlines and am trying to make sure I am fully prepared.

As I am so inexperienced I am a little confused as to what happens when i stop in Singapore. I have 1 hour 55 minutes in Singapore and when i booked the flight I was told that I would get off the plane. Will there actually be time to get off the plane and back on?!! I can't believe this is enough time to do anything!!! Can anyone tell me what will actually happen? I know that this is probably a really silly question so sorry!

Any other tips will be greatly appreciated as I am so clueless to flying and the procedures involved and am absolutely dreading it.

Hope someone can give me some pointers.

Kt :confused:

Hi, have been eye wigging this site for a while and am learning lots from it. Finally brave enough to pick your brains! I'm sorry, I know it's not really the point of the site but I don't know who else to ask!

I am shortly to embark on my second ever flight...last time i flew was 8 years ago. The upcoming flight is Heathrow to Sydney and I am flying with Singapore airlines and am trying to make sure I am fully prepared.

As I am so inexperienced I am a little confused as to what happens when i stop in Singapore. I have 1 hour 55 minutes in Singapore and when i booked the flight I was told that I would get off the plane. Will there actually be time to get off the plane and back on?!! I can't believe this is enough time to do anything!!! Can anyone tell me what will actually happen? I know that this is probably a really silly question so sorry!

Any other tips will be greatly appreciated as I am so clueless to flying and the procedures involved and am absolutely dreading it.

Hope someone can give me some pointers.

Kt :confused:


While it may seem to take forever, unloading a wide body should not take much more than 15-20 minutes. You will be asked to deplane and take all of your carry ons. In between flights, the aircraft will be cleaned and catered for the next flight. I don't know about SIN, but while you won't clear customs you will may need to reclear Security again. Also, you may need to get your onward boarding pass inspected and verified/approved. There will be airline representatives at the gate to instruct on what to do. After any security clearance, make your way back to the gate for the boarding. It should be a fairly easy process.

Hi Katiekipper,
You won't have a lot of time in transit but it'll be enough to stretch your legs, vist the loo etc. Once deplaned and in the transit lounge find the nearest departure board and check your gate for your onward flight (your boarding pass will show this).

I've been through Singapore but can't remember if they make you go through security again departing from the transit lounge, but in any case I'd head to the gate about 20-30 mins before your flight departs.

And thank your lucky stars you're through the longest part of your journey, and there's only 7 hours to go!

I don't have anything to add...I just wanted to say "katiekipper" is about the cutest darn screen name I have ever seen.

I just can't say it without scrunching up my nose and smiling.

You won't get to do much more than stretch your legs but there's plenty of time for that. Given the short transit you'll almost certainly not pass through the Singapore border controls, I don't think you'll hit security again, either but it's been nearly 30 years since I was there and I've never been a transit passenger so I can't be sure.

It's a very long flight, you're going to be very tired of your seat by the time you get to Sydney but it's nothing to dread. Bring plenty to read.

Katiekipper, welcome to FlyerTalk. As your itinerary is all on Singapore Air, let me move this to the Singapore Airlines forum for further discussion, with a more specific thread title. Ocn Vw 1K, Moderator, TravelBuzz.

Your London to Singapore flight on Singapore Airlines may arrive in either Terminal 2 or Terminal 3 -- I'm not sure whether they will have this information at check-in time, but it will be announced just before you land in Singapore. However, your Singapore to Sydney flight will depart from Terminal 3. Do not panic! Chances are high that you will arrive in Terminal 3 and not have to change terminals. But if you do, follow the signs and take the inter-terminal train to Terminal 3. There are information booths located in the airport where you can ask for directions, if needed. You may also need to check the TV monitors to confirm the departure gate of your next flight to Sydney.

Two hours is plenty of time to transfer at Singapore. While you do not need to clear immigration, please note that you will need to clear security at the gate for your next flight to Sydney, and gates close 10 minutes before departure time. Normally, each gate has its own security check equipment. However, at Terminal 3, there are some gates that share security check equipment. If your gate is one of these, then there may be long queues at the security checks at the gate, especially if more than one flight is leaving the group of gates at the same time -- so leave plenty of time for this.

Hope this helps.

you will need to clear security at the gate for your next flight to Sydney, and gates close 10 minutes before departure time. Normally, each gate has its own security check equipment. However, at Terminal 3, there are some gates that share security check equipment. If your gate is one of these, then there may be long queues at the security checks at the gate, especially if more than one flight is leaving the group of gates at the same time -- so leave plenty of time for this.

Hope this helps.A few tips to add
1. If you are travelling economy on a 747 you may be assigned a window seat 60A or 60K. Don't accept it. This row doesn't really have space for a window seat [no other airline has a seat there.] They have to rip the arms off the seat to cram it in, leaving little stubs of armrests. Also refuse a window-seat in the emergency-exit row of the 747, normally a great seat but in this case your knee-room is lost to a huge box (liferaft storage).

2. In general there's not much knee-room but you can get an extra inch by removing all the magazines from the seat-pocket in front and put them in the overhead locker (you may wish to keep just the TV programme.)

3. If your overhead locker is full, just find another one to put your bags into, no need to carry them on your lap the whole way. (One reason for getting on early).

4. Singapore Airlines has great service, if you need a drink just press the call-button to fetch the stewardess, it's not only for emergencies.

5. At Singapore Airport the notice-board displaying the flights is a liar. You may get a shock if you see "final call" or "closing" alongside your flight, but it always says "boarding" far too early, then "final call" long before anyone is actually boarding the plane. If the worst comes to the worst they'll wait for you, and call your name on the PA.

6. Ther's plenty of free-internet terminals on the ground floor, and more upstairs where you'll always get one

And, welcome to Flyertalk!

Hi, have been eye wigging this site for a while and am learning lots from it. Finally brave enough to pick your brains! I'm sorry, I know it's not really the point of the site but I don't know who else to ask!

I am shortly to embark on my second ever flight...last time i flew was 8 years ago. The upcoming flight is Heathrow to Sydney and I am flying with Singapore airlines and am trying to make sure I am fully prepared.

As I am so inexperienced I am a little confused as to what happens when i stop in Singapore. I have 1 hour 55 minutes in Singapore and when i booked the flight I was told that I would get off the plane. Will there actually be time to get off the plane and back on?!! I can't believe this is enough time to do anything!!! Can anyone tell me what will actually happen? I know that this is probably a really silly question so sorry!

Any other tips will be greatly appreciated as I am so clueless to flying and the procedures involved and am absolutely dreading it.

Hope someone can give me some pointers.

Kt :confused:

Hello Katiekipper and welcome FlyerTalk!

Singapore Airlines flights from London terminate in Singapore. You would be taking another flight from Singapore to Australia. When you check in in London, you will be given your onward boarding pass to Australia. But it may not still have your gate number on it. But prior to landing in Singapore, you will be shown on your personal TV in front of your seat, the Gate # for your next flight.

You may tell the Singapore Airlines check in agent in London that it is your first time in a long time travelling and that you might need assistance. They can then send a message to the ground staff in Singapore to assist you when you arrive.

As some people have said, Singapore Changi Airport is huge. London flights usually arrive in Terminal 3 and your onward flight goes on to Australia from the same terminal.

Yes 1 hour and 55 min is more than enough to change planes and transit. In fact you can do this is just an hour, and still have time to do some Duty Free Shopping at the airport!

Just don't worry.. just enjoy the inflight service that Singapore Airlines is famous for.

Where did you buy your ticket? On line or through a travel agent? You do know that you can do on-line check-in 48 hours before your flight? If you do not know how to do it, ask a friend to help you.

115 minutes at Changi Airport is enough time to enjoy the facilities. The airport has a website http://www.changiairport.com/ for you to get a feel for what is in store....basically a big shopping mall with aerobridges.

If you do need to change terminals this is fairly seamless. the trains are automatic and basically like getting into a lift.

I usually use the time between flights to stretch and exercise for circulation. I deliberately avoid the travelators, to increase my exercise.

If you want, you may also find time for a shower SGD8 for towel, soap and freshen up. You cna make this call when you see how much time you have up your sleeve between flights.

Also, remember that flights do arrive early sometimes, so you could have more than you expect.

Oh wow! Thank you for all the information. Feeling a lot clearer about what happens when i have to change planes now.

Sorry i put the post in the wrong section :o

Thank you Harper99, it is sadly a life time nic name for me!

I have discovered the online check in and have looked on seat guru to find out about seats so feel ok about that.

Didn't realise i might have to change terminal though so now have a whole other thing to figure out!! Lol. Sure that will be fine though.

I booked through flight centre in one of their shops...

My sister keeps telling me to tell someone that I am new to all of this but i'm too much like a guy and won't ask for help or directions (apart from on here!!)

Thanks again for all the advice.

London flights are operated by either 380, or 77W.
If 380, then will definitely use Terminal 3.
If 77W, then still very likely to use Terminal 3.

As others have said, changing terminals is no issue at all in Singapore.

There will be a security check just before boarding the plane again, so do not buy a big bottle of water!

Enjoy!:D

...
I have discovered the online check in and have looked on seat guru to find out about seats so feel ok about that.

Didn't realise i might have to change terminal though so now have a whole other thing to figure out!! Lol. Sure that will be fine though.

I booked through flight centre in one of their shops...

My sister keeps telling me to tell someone that I am new to all of this but i'm too much like a guy and won't ask for help or directions (apart from on here!!)

Thanks again for all the advice.

Chances of you changing terminals is very low. If you're arriving on the new airbus A380 aircraft, you will be arriving at terminal 3, and your connecting flight to Australia will also depart at Terminal 3.

Contact Flight Centre again, and tell them to put a note on your reservation requesting MAAS. Which stands for Meet And Assist. Singapore airlines ground staff will then meet you in Singapore and assist you to your connection in a seemless way.

Enjoy your flights!

I recall that in the dark ages, SQ used to fly LHR-SYD. Then it was realised that, actually SQ has no rights to the "Kangaroo Route". So a change was made to flight numbers. LHR-SIN became SQ321 and SIN-SYD became SQ221 (For Example) with a layover of more than a typical one hour stopover so as to further obfuscate. Same thing, same plane on both sectors but with a 2 hour stop and a different flight number, back in compliance with Freedom regulations.

I had assumed that this remains the same, with the SAME aircraft used on both sectors but am most prepared to stand corrected.

I had assumed that this remains the same, with the SAME aircraft used on both sectors but am most prepared to stand corrected.

It is all coming back to me now... I think you are right. It is the same aircraft all the way, but just a touch down/refuel in SIN. I have a feeling that when I flew Melbourne to Manchester with SIA we were even given the option to stay on board during the transit stop, although most people (including me) chose to get off for stretch of legs.

Katiekipper - Reduce the stress before you fly:
Go on-line, find and book your preferred seats.

Internet Check-in is available 48 to 2 hours prior to departing LHR.
http://www.singaporeair.com/saa/en_UK/content/before/index.jsp

Also, you may enjoy the trip so much that you will do it all again before long.
Why not join KrisFlyer and save up some loyalty points for a free trip?
https://www.singaporeair.com/saa/Account/newKFEnroll.jspx

Thanks, i'm pretty sure that this will be a trip that i will have to do quite frequently now...so will soon be a dab hand at all of this!

Just got to pack my case and keep it under 20K now!!!!