Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer - SQ turned me into Tom Hanks for an hour yesterday

Doing a transit at PER, a tiny little airport terminal in the outback but you'd think by the way they handle international to international transits that it's a major centre for security breaches.

Flew in on SAA from JNB and was connecting to SQ flight to SIN, business class. Got to PER and leaving the jetway saw no SQ rep, just two QF ones who were there for a number of people transiting onto NZ. (Neither holding the usual card with flight and passenger name on it.) Since I saw no SQ agent, I proceeded to follow the sign for Transit Passengers that led me down the long corridor past the regular exit channel (through a Duty Free to immigration) to a locked door outside the regular security processing area. It had a "Transit" sign over it. Apparently I must wait for an airline rep to come open it for me, but as no one from SQ's contractor arrived after a half hour, I had to go through the door when the QF agents came down with their group. However, they could not process me, nor would the security folks let me go through until an SQ rep "processed" me. At this point I began to feel like Tom Hanks, stranded in transit at some unnamed airport (CDG in the movie/YMX as the actual filming location) not knowing when bureaucracy would let me through!

Finally an agent from SQ's handling company arrived and claimed she had gone to the gate, didn't find me, and went back to her normal tasks. She obviously was unaware I was in business because she brought blank economy boarding pass stock to use to reissue mine. This done, I was finally permitted to go through security and up to the SQ lounge to await the flight.

BTW one of the worst airline meals ever. Can nobody in the southern hemisphere cook lamb the way it's supposed to be...pink and not grey? Did they all learn from an English aunt/mother in SAfrica and Australia? I've had tender, pink and succulent lamb on UA and AC, but on SAA and again on SQ this trip it was atrocious!

Tom Hanks didn't complain.

Tom Hanks didn't complain.

OP did say it was only for an hour...

Doing a transit at PER, a tiny little airport terminal in the outback but you'd think by the way they handle international to international transits that it's a major centre for security breaches.

Flew in on SAA from JNB and was connecting to SQ flight to SIN, business class. Got to PER and leaving the jetway saw no SQ rep, just two QF ones who were there for a number of people transiting onto NZ. (Neither holding the usual card with flight and passenger name on it.) Since I saw no SQ agent, I proceeded to follow the sign for Transit Passengers that led me down the long corridor past the regular exit channel (through a Duty Free to immigration) to a locked door outside the regular security processing area. It had a "Transit" sign over it. Apparently I must wait for an airline rep to come open it for me, but as no one from SQ's contractor arrived after a half hour, I had to go through the door when the QF agents came down with their group. However, they could not process me, nor would the security folks let me go through until an SQ rep "processed" me. At this point I began to feel like Tom Hanks, stranded in transit at some unnamed airport (CDG in the movie/YMX as the actual filming location) not knowing when bureaucracy would let me through!

Finally an agent from SQ's handling company arrived and claimed she had gone to the gate, didn't find me, and went back to her normal tasks. She obviously was unaware I was in business because she brought blank economy boarding pass stock to use to reissue mine. This done, I was finally permitted to go through security and up to the SQ lounge to await the flight.

BTW one of the worst airline meals ever. Can nobody in the southern hemisphere cook lamb the way it's supposed to be...pink and not grey? Did they all learn from an English aunt/mother in SAfrica and Australia? I've had tender, pink and succulent lamb on UA and AC, but on SAA and again on SQ this trip it was atrocious!

Blame officious PER security staff. Unfortunately they've long been pulling this stunt.

As for Southern Hemisphere lamb, last I checked SQ is based in the Northern Hemisphere. Now if you'd flown NZ you might have gotten decent lamb onboard.

As for Southern Hemisphere lamb, last I checked SQ is based in the Northern Hemisphere. Now if you'd flown NZ you might have gotten decent lamb onboard.

Maybe by a degree above the equator, but...

Flight was from PER which would be a Southern Hemisphere kitchen, and on the previous SA flight I also had the lamb dish and it too was prepared as if it were cooked to grey muttoness.

On your final point, I'll agree. Didn't we have perfectly prepared lamb shanks at a brewpub last time I visited Auckland? At least I know that's about all I ate down there on that particular trip! And on the train between Auckland and Wellington.