Genius1

Opened in 2015, the British Airways lounge occupies the space of the former joint British Airways/Qantas First lounge. As with QF’s ‘new’ lounge, the BA lounge is a joint first and business class facility, although features a Concorde Bar for BA First passengers and Premier/Concorde Room cardholders. Incidentally, with QF resuming F services through SIN as of March this year, Qantas are in the process of creating a much-needed dedicated area within their own lounge for their First passengers; it remains to be seen what this will look like in practice.



I was welcomed at the entrance to the BA lounge and stepped through into what is a fairly narrow space, with washrooms and showers off to the left and the Concorde Bar to the right. The main lounge area opens up ahead, with the entire lounge following BA’s Galleries Evolution design, until this month the airline’s latest lounge concept now replaced by a new and as yet unnamed concept recently debuted at Rome. The Galleries Evolution design certainly feels very ‘BA’; reassuringly so in a far-flung foreign land.







The main lounge area is broadly split into two halves; seating on one with dining on the other, although the area at the very end offers a square of comfortable seating and separate TV and work areas spanning the width of the lounge. With its distinct zones, the space is entirely practical, whilst retaining an edge of luxury. In contrast to the Qantas lounge, low dividers break up the seating areas, meaning a smidgen of privacy isn’t hard to find. Power and USB sockets are plentiful, mostly built into side tables between armchairs.



The dining and bar areas are attractive, bordered along one side by individual banquette seating pods lit by Tom Dixon pendants. The usual extensive array of alcohol was present, although food offerings were distinctly poor in comparison to the QF lounge. I was visiting the lounge during a quiet period, so the full array wasn’t yet available, but the limited hot options on show all looked a little sad; the cold bowl of greens even sadder.

















One of the agents at reception kindly showed me the Concorde Bar. It’s a very small and dark space, with precisely no natural light and precisely no external views. Instead, large digital display screens set into the walls and ceiling project images of the Singapore skyline; call me old fashioned, but windows would’ve been nicer. A central bar offers a slightly expanded alcohol offering compared to the main lounge, whilst there are more limited food options set out on a mini buffet to the rear. A server is permanently stationed in the lounge and offers waiter service.









Seven individual dining pods are complemented by a handful of individual high-back chairs and three individual sofa/armchair ‘rooms’, each with their own TV. The space feels inherently claustrophobic; if I’d have been eligible for access, I’d have obtained a glass of the nicer champagne and headed out into the brighter and more spacious main lounge area.





I found a spot in the seating area near reception and whiled away the next hour or so reading as the lounge filled up with passengers recently arrived from LHR and heading onward to SYD. Before heading back to T3 for my Qatar Airways flight, I popped into the washrooms which are of a far nicer standard than the LHR lounges (although unlike at Heathrow are not individual rooms). Amenities by Elemis were to be expected.





If you'd like to hear more about this trip, and compare the BA lounge to the Qantas lounge at Singapore, the full trip report is available here:

The World’s Best Business Class Experience to the City in a Garden

corporate-wage-slave

Thank you for your work on the above which I am sure will be on interest to anyone using the SIN lounge. I'll just cross reference in the main lounge thread, which also has plenty of photos in it:

SIN lounge & Concorde Bar Concept

Incidentally I can't see how ithe CCB can have windows, unless it was moved to a different location. One side overlooks the walkway into the lounge, the other the public area in front of BA. The drinks cabinets side overlooks some airport offices (and they're not very tidy!) and the rear side borders on to the main part of the BA lounge.

lost_in_translation

It's easy to forget how good BA is capable of being at lounge design when they put their mind to it. If only they'd bother to refurbish the decaying T3 and non-CCR T5 LHR lounges to this standard.

worldtrav

There's a Wiki thread specific to this lounge.

Edit to add: Oops, just noticed C-W-S mentioned it.

chris1979

thanks for putting together.

I agree that the CCB is a bit dark and claustrophobic - especially when it's still light outside. I tend to connect from the 380 to the 777 which gives 4/5 hours there in SIN and whilst the rest of the lounge is 'airy' and has lots of natural light, the CCB can feel like a dark cupboard. probably less 'dramatic' in terms of differences later on though once it's dark outside.

worth mentioning also that there are decent showers there - though it's usually a race to them if connecting straight through. I am trying to think if i have pics of the showers that don't show me as well (still scarred by towel gate HKG).
'

Genius1

I was thinking BA could've located the CCB on the opposite side of the lounge so that it did have some natural light.

subject2load

Looks to be an excellent facility and a very attractive design.

Such a pity that - having put a good deal of thought, resources, and planning into the lounge - that they do not provide (judging from your review) a selection of quality food.

Thanks for posting Genius1 👍

Pigeon49

Spent 3 hours in the SIN First Lounge recently. After reading the negative comments about it not having any windows I couldn't have cared less as it was dark outside! It was serenely quiet, especially in view of there being no more than three or four of us in there! The people were lovely, at least the ones I could understand. The food was quite good and nicely presented. I couldn't have been happier.

Foofighter69

Thank, good to know.

Going through with 3 other pax and contemplating a mix of QF F and The Bar from the 15.00ish (when we should be landing from our various QR flights) before boarding BA15 at 20.05.

What would be the better mix of lounges and timings to enjoy the experience?

bisonrav

Noooooo!

The QR F lounge is by far the best for food of all three (QR, QF, BA), and usually very quiet. Nice showers too. If you don't have QR access (not travelling J or F, or it's not open yet) then QF F is good for food but the BA showers are better than QF in my book.

Although the staff in the BA F area couldn't be nicer or more helpful, the food is just someone going round the J buffet for you and it's not the most convivial spot. We tend to go there for 30 mins before boarding because it's peaceful, but it's genuinely not a great place to spend time in comparison to the other lounges.

Foofighter69

All arriving on QR in J, 1x GGL, 2x Golds and 1x Silver. I’m not familiar with the QR access policies or dining setup though!

bisonrav

Gold and above (with guest so the silver is covered) travelling J or F get access. It opens at 6pm I think so you can spend time elsewhere and go there for a bite.

lkrt

Funny sign promoting the health benefits of prosecco at BA SIN lounge

Genius1

BA have lost control of their brand. A ridiculous error-riddled sign to have anywhere, let alone a premium lounge.

orbitmic

If I'm not mistaken about QR rules, how you are arriving is irrelevant (this is not an arrivals lounge) the question is how you are travelling next (ie the BA 15 class of travel will determine your eligibility to use the QR lounge).