Genius1

I have just completed a full review of the Qantas Singapore lounge and provided comparisons to the British Airways lounge in my latest trip report here:

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

1FQ

I and the family were in the Sin QF Lounge on Friday night 27/4/18. Yes it was packed around 7 to 8.00 but then emptied out. Even though it was packed it was by far a great lounge and I have been in a lot. Not sure if it is that we are all platinum and I’m Plat 1, but we were greeted at the door and escorted to seats, then offered drinks and food and they brought it to us. Chairs and lounges comftable and the service outstanding. A lot of staff and 2 big TVs with sport on and news. And like the QF first Class lounge in Sydney we had chefs who cook great food. Long lounges so the 4 year old could sleep and we all took showers. At least 3 different seating areas so you’re not stuck in a TV room or Food room and so on.
Oh and while we had the time we looked in another 6 lounges at the airport, a few in Terminal 1 and a few in terminal 2 via the sky train I think it’s called. The lounges were, well poor compared to Qantas. What we did find is that the lounges were so exclusive that no one was in them and they resembled a very lonely place and the food was ordinary.
Lounges were - Kris first class lounge - Kris gold lounge - Sats lounge - and a few others that have slipped my mind.

I do recall the JAL First Class Lounge in Tokyo was great when we were in there in January this year. Shoe shining room, Champaign room and a room with old plane controls and so on that my 15 year old loved as he wants to be a pilot. Chef and great food also. Qantas are leading the lounges hands down as far as I can see or at least equal. Only issue is the domestic lounges in Melbourne and Sydney on a Friday night is crazy, as packed as a footy match. Has to be with the easy associability to gain gold I guess as the business lounge is standing only and the normal lounge is under renovation.

pbl22

Welcome to FT, 1FQ

But how did you get in to be able to have a look at the SQ First Class Lounge, when you must have been flying QF (or EK or oneworld)?

1FQ

Well first I tried with my Amex Centurion card, did nothing and was turned away after the lad looked at my Boarding pass being Qantas. Then went back and another lad was in charge and I said look can I just have a quick look as im interested in changing lounges in the future. Bingo, in I went and actually took video all the lounges so I could send back to family in Aus to let them know what the other lounges looked like.

m0hamed

There are many lounges in SIN and you couldn't possibly have judged the food from the outside. The SQ Private Room eclipses QF which is unsurprising given it's the home port.

The 'reserved' area at SIN for F pax and P1 is literally a tiny metal sign saying reserved on a tiny table.

og

SQ does a great job in differentiating their lounge product so they only welcome class of travel based pax into their better lounges (eg the SQ Business Lounge). Sending the ordinary pleb riff raff pax with *G status but in Y off to the very ordinary SQ *G lounge. The door dragons gleefully turn Biz pax away from this lounge and instead direct them to the proper SQ Biz Lounge . Notwithstanding, the SQ Biz Lounge is still nothing great and a very dull, dark place. Here the QF Lounge excels in that it has plenty of light and views of sorts. But as per above, the “reserved” F & P1 seating is a poor attempt at maintaining exclusivity in a very non exclusive area. Don’t bother dining with a companion on these tables, move 2 together or nothing fits.

1FQ

Oh yes many lounges and I went into 6 of them. The ones I listed and judged the food inside and took some photos and video. And no I have not been into the LH FCT EY F lounge to compare.Maybe I got it wrong as I just looked back at the videos I took inside the lounges, the Kris gold lounge we went into then we came out and went into the Kris first class lounge next door. Also we went into the British Airways lounge, and it was not all that flash either.
But it’s strange you know, I fly a lot and everyone asks me what I really want when travelling as a P1 with Qantas. Simple, Flexibility in changing flights as I’m usually early or late when flying domestic. And a good lounge, nice food and a seat. And I ask everyone, how good do you want your lounge to be? Why does it have to be better and better and higher? I just need it to be good. As my wife said on Friday night in Singapore, Wow this is embarrassing being escorted to our seats with everyone watching, surly we can just walk in ourselves. Oh and I must say I liked the phone call from Qantas in Sydney before we left the day before asking if my wife and I would like a free facial and massage in the Syd first class lounge. We got them and it was great. Breakfast is really nice, champagne is flowing and the food is pretty healthy so that’s all I need. One last question if anyone can answer? Why in the Qantas Singapore lounge do they not have a big board with the departures and arrivals info on it in the lounge and why don’t they announce the flights?

m0hamed

Aha, here is the issue: The First host, spa booking etc are all benefits for F pax, regardless of status. The question is what does P1 give you above that? You have noted flexibility which does indeed have value.

The BA SIN lounge is ok, the CCB is a joke, tiny, windowless room with Satay sticks. And requiring a code to open the door is not a First Class experience.

IMHO J pax seem to have many good options in SIN on OW, however the value for F as distinguished guest is less. This is the same reason I dislike EY single lounge concepts such as at SYD. As a F pax who like to arrive at T-2 hours or even T-90 we can never find a seat in the lounge and the staff can't do anything. At least QF will reserve seats and showers at SIN.

pbl22

Are you sure it wasn't just the SQ Biz Lounge?

1FQ

On entering the lounge reception you are met with 2 guys at reception, well standing at the entry. You can go left and into the Business lounge or right into the first class lounge. We went into both. The First Class lounge had First class on the wall at the entry and had either imitation or real Italian marble on the walls inside, that yellow white colour. You walk down a long hallway past the barman on the left and the private rooms on the right and then into the lounge tiled floor with all of the food. Then you have the lounges and chairs to the right of the food areas. These lounges were in terminal 2 via the sky train.

pbl22

Wow -- they did give you a good tour of the lounges. You should have asked to see The Private Room as well (not that it's anything especial, either).

EDIT: Sorry, TPR is in Terminal 3 -- just realised you were visiting the T2 lounges.

DownUnderFlyer

[mod hat] I have separated the above posts from an old thread started by Red Roo to create a Singapore Lounge master thread similar to what we have for London. If someone can post a more detailed review and some photos then this would of course be great. [/mod hat]

Genius1

See below... I can post the QF lounge review as a separate post in this thread if that would be helpful.

Jase76

Does QF treat BA F passengers any differently in the SIN Lounge? Most of what I've read about the CCB mirrors the above and, being Aussie, am thinking of just going to the QF lounge and bypassing BA.

m0hamed

No.